About six o’clock in the evening, the captain assembled the travellers and the officers of the ship at a farewell repast in his cabin. Kennedy, whom nobody ventured to question now, sat with his eyes riveted on Dr. Ferguson, murmuring indistinguishable words. In other respects, the dinner was a gloomy one. The approach of the final moment filled everybody with the most serious reflections. What had fate in store for these daring adventurers? Should they ever again find themselves in the midst of their friends, or seated at the domestic hearth? Were their travelling apparatus to fail, what would become of them, among those ferocious savage tribes, in regions that had never been explored, and in the midst of boundless deserts? Such thoughts as these, which had been dim and vague until then, or but slightly regarded when they came up, returned upon their excited fancies with intense force at this parting moment. Dr. Ferguson, still cold and impassible, talked of this, that, and the other; but he strove in vain to overcome this infectious gloominess. He utterly failed. As some demonstration against the personal safety of the doctor and his companions was feared, all three slept that night on board the _Resolute_. At six o’clock in the morning they left their cabin, and landed on the island of Koumbeni. The balloon was swaying gently to and fro in the morning breeze; the sand-bags that had held it down were now replaced by some twenty strong-armed sailors, and Captain Bennet and his officers were present to witness the solemn departure of their friends. At this moment Kennedy went right up to the doctor, grasped his hand, and said: “Samuel, have you absolutely determined to go?” “Solemnly determined, my dear Dick.” “I have done every thing that I could to prevent this expedition, have I not?” “Every thing!” “Well, then, my conscience is clear on that score, and I will go with you.” “I was sure you would!” said the doctor, betraying in his features swift traces of emotion. At last the moment of final leave-taking arrived. The captain and his officers embraced their dauntless friends with great feeling, not excepting even Joe, who, worthy fellow, was as proud and happy as a prince. Every one in the party insisted upon having a final shake of the doctor’s hand. At nine o’clock the three travellers got into their car. The doctor lit the combustible in his cylinder and turned the flame so as to produce a rapid heat, and the balloon, which had rested on the ground in perfect equipoise, began to rise in a few minutes, so that the seamen had to slacken the ropes they held it by. The car then rose about twenty feet above their heads. “My friends!” exclaimed the doctor, standing up between his two companions, and taking off his hat, “let us give our aërial ship a name that will bring her good luck! let us christen her _Victoria!_” This speech was answered with stentorian cheers of “Huzza for the Queen! Huzza for Old England!”