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In Search of the Castaways Synopsis

As Lord Glenarvan and his wife, Lady Helena, are cruising in their yacht, "Duncan," off the coast of their native land, Scotland, the crew harpoons an immense whale which discloses when it is disemboweled a bottle with a message referring to Captain Grant, who had set out in quest of land to colonize and who had lost his ship, the "Britannia," in latitude 37 degrees off the coast of South America. The interpretation of the message is rather uncertain, as the writing had been nearly obliterated. An advertisement in a daily newspaper to the effect that data concerning Captain Grant has been found brings Robert and Mary Grant, children of the shipwrecked mariner, to the residence of the lord to entreat him and his wife to sail for Patagonia to see if their father cannot be found. Lord Glenarvan assents, and, when on the ocean a few days, a stranger, who had mistaken the "Duncan" for the good ship "Scotia," upon which he was to sail to India, makes himself the laughing stock of the crew by speaking of the "Scotia," of its captain and of India. The stranger is recognized by the lord and his wife as Panganel, a learned geographer. He consents to accompany the expedition, and forty-two days later the yacht arrives at Concepcion, in Chile. The party are unable to obtain any data from the British consul concerning the shipwrecked captain, and they are in despair. Their sorrow is allayed, however, by Panganel who, after trying to make a more correct translation of the message, says that Grant must have been taken prisoner in the interior of South America. While Lord Glenarvan starts to cross the continent, following the 37th parallel as the document indicates, Tom Austin, the mate of the "Duncan." will double Cape Horn and await the party in the Atlantic at the 37th parallel. Abandoned by the guides at the foot of the Alps due to their fear of recent earthquakes, the party is led by Panganel. Toward night they take refuge in a hut which stands upon a glacier which later starts moving down the precipitous mountainside. They all escape with their lives, but discover that Robert is missing. Suddenly a condor soars through the air and they perceive Robert in its talons. They do not shoot for fear of killing him, but a peasant, with unerring aim, brings the bird to the ground and thus saves Robert's life. The peasant is found to be a Patagonian chief and he offers to guide the party through the vast wastes of land. Thalcave, the Patagonian chief, assists them in purchasing horses and supplies. The water supply gives out as they are crossing the desert, and Thalcave, who knows where water can be obtained, leaves the party in company with the lord and Robert. They come to the stream, but find that it is impossible for them to get back to the camp before night comes on, so they repair to an abandoned hut, where they are not long afterward disturbed by a herd of wild cattle. Robert essays to go for help. Mounted on his fleet-footed horse he out-distances the mad cattle, which are in pursuit of him, and reaches the camp safely. Thalcave and the lord arrive a short while later with the water. Heavy rains follow the drought and the surrounding country becomes a veritable lake. The adventurers seek safety in a tree, which is uprooted by the hurricane that comes on with nightfall. The party still clings to the immense tree and are thankful when the wind, which has subsided considerably, blows it upon a hill. From the top of the hill they perceive the "Duncan" and it is not long before they are on board. The party has crossed South America, but no trace of Captain Grant has been found. The message is again interpreted and it is found that a mistake had been made; the party should have gone to Australia instead of to South America. Arriving in Australia, the lord is accosted by a person named Ayrton, who offers his services as guide. He shows the lord a paper which states that he was once the quartermaster on Captain Grant's ship, but had left before the shipwreck. As a matter of fact he was discharged for inciting mutiny. As Ayrton, he is known as a peaceful miller; as Ben Joyce, he is the leader of a band of pirates. The lord, unconscious of his true character, hires Ayrton, and the party sets out for Melbourne, the men on horseback, the women in wagons drawn by oxen, while the "Duncan" is to sail to Melbourne under the command of Tom Austin. When an opportunity presents itself, Ayrton begins to put into effect his malignant scheme and starts in by poisoning the horses and oxen. The lord escapes on horseback to the nearest railway station to go to Melbourne to bring the crew of the "Duncan" to the assistance of the party. Ayrton, fearing discovery, secretly leaves the camp, but is shadowed by Robert to the rendezvous of the convict band. There he learns that they are to wreck the train in which the lord will he traveling. He rushes back to the camp, takes a swift steed, and dashes after the train. He catches up with it, climbs from the saddle of his horse on to the platform of the train, uncouples the car in which the lord is riding from the rest of the train and saves the lord's life. The lord and his young rescuer go back to camp only to come face to face with Ayrton, who thought that he had killed the lord. There is a struggle, in which the lord is wounded. Ayrton escapes. The "Duncan" must be reached and the lord, unable to use his right arm, dictates a letter to Tom Austin instructing him to sail to the 37th parallel on the east coast of Australia, from where he is to send a relief column to succor the party. But Ayrton has been eavesdropping and has heard the contents of the letter, so when the messenger, Mulready, who is to deliver the letter is on his way, he is intercepted by the pirate and seriously wounded. The party sets out a little later than the messenger, and they come upon him just in time to hear his dying words: "Stolen, the letter, Ayrton." After several days of hard and tedious traveling the party reaches the east coast of Australia, but no trace of the "Duncan" can be found. The lord charters a ship to reach Melbourne, but as she is in the hands of a drunken crew she founders off the coast of New Zealand. The adventurers escape by swimming, but upon coming ashore are made prisoners by the Maoris. The lord kills one of the tribe and in the melee that follows Panganel and Robert manage to escape. The prisoners' day of doom arrives on the morrow, and as they are cheering one another so that they may take their fate calmly, Robert and Panganel effect their rescue. They seek shelter in the Temple of Tabou, but are pursued by the Maoris. The captives blow up the sanctuary and escape by a subterranean passage to the sea. In the distance they observe a ship and embarking in canoes make for it, with the natives in hot pursuit. Death seems to threaten the lord and his associates by land and by sea. As he approaches the "Duncan," it would seem as if the ship were in the hands of pirates, for they open fire. But they aim at the pursuing Maoris, who are annihilated. Ayrton is a prisoner aboard the yacht. No trace of Captain Grant can be found and there is nothing for Lord Glenarvan to do but to return to Scotland. In the evening as the yacht is lying at anchor, Robert, who is walking the decks with his sister, sees in the offing a light. A cry of "Help," is then heard. Robert tells the man at the helm, but he ascribes it to the imagination of the youth. Morning breaks with the children disconsolate. A rocky promontory heaves in sight through the morning mist. Boats are lowered and directed toward the shore. Suddenly there bursts from the lips of Robert and Mary a cry of triumph. Upon a rocky headland stands a pathetic figure stretching out his arms to the children. It is their father. Their hearts are ready to burst with joy. Ayrton is marooned on the desert isle. As the "Duncan" sails homeward, the bandit can be seen silhouetted against the sky. The foiled desperado cannot deny a parting salute to the victims of his baseness, and the cannons of the yacht vomit forth a parting salute in reply, and that is the last of Ayrton.

What the Gods Decree Synopsis

Henriette D'Arsac, the wife of an adventurer, Charles D'Arsac, who has made his fortune in the African trade and now retired, one day reads of the excavation of the famous statue of the Goddess Kali, around whose neck is hung a necklace of precious stones and gold beads of inestimable value. This his wife ardently desires to possess and begs her husband to secure it. Unable to resist her pleadings, he sails for India and on reaching Bombay enlists the services of a guide to take him to the Sanctuary. They reach the sacred spot late in the night, but the guide, seized by a sudden fright, runs away. D'Arsac, revolver in hand, advances toward the statue, unclasps the necklace with trembling hands and starts to make his escape when, turning around, he fancies he sees the Goddess raising her hands as if in the act of cursing him. The sacrilege is discovered the next day and D'Arsac is easily traced to a tavern, where he is trying to dissipate the hideous nightmare with drink. Kali, the priestess, disguised as a man and Doura, a fakir of the secret cult, succeed in shipping as stokers on board D'Arsac's yacht, which at once starts on a return journey. They endeavor to secure the necklace while on board the yacht, but only succeed in arousing suspicion. Sitting a large hole above the waterline they jump overboard and swim to shore before their absence is discovered. D'Arsac arrives and presents the necklace to his wife. But a constant shadow seems to hang over them. Kali and Doura, though unseen, cast their spell on the desecrator and his wife. The Hindoos succeed in gaining an entrance to the villa, but not until they have been forced to climb a tree, from whence they see wild beasts roaming the park. They enter the drawing-room, overpower the guard, seize the necklace and disappear. An electric appliance warns D'Arsac of their presence. He pulls a lever. A trap opens and the two Hindoos drop into a rage which slowly upsets in a cistern. By an act of Providence they are saved and escape by a subterranean passage leading to the sea. They engage a boat, but are followed by D'Arsac, who overtakes them, seizes the Hindoos and places them on board his yacht. When nearing Marseilles, Kali succeeds in breaking her bonds and jumps into the sea before D'Arsac and his men can prevent her. She manages to get to shore, exhausted, only to again fall into the bands of D'Arsac, who recovers possession of the necklace and leaves her on the shore half dead, where she is found several hours later by the gypsies. Misfortune after misfortune follows the household of D'Arsac, culminating in the supposed death of their daughter, who has been put into a hypnotic sleep under the powerful magnetic influence of Kali. Henrietta is taken violently ill at sight of her daughter in this condition and is threatened with a loss of reason. D'Arsac now has but one desire: to return the cursed necklace. He rushes toward the glass case, seizes the necklace and brandishes it madly. A hand touches his shoulder. Kali, silent, immovable, is behind him. The adventurer pulls out a revolver, which he soon drops under the steady, imperious gaze of the Priestess, He crawls at Kali's feet and pleads forgiveness. She takes the necklace and slowly retreats backward, D'Arsac dropping to the floor in a faint. Kali, overcome with pity, relents, and wakens the child. When D'Arsac regains consciousness, his wife and daughter are bending over him. The Priestess and the necklace have disappeared. Peace and quiet once more reign in the villa. The priestess returns to India and the necklace once more graces the neck of the venerated idol.