<h4>CHAPTER XVIII.</h4>
<h4>ON BOARD THE “TONNANT.”</h4>
<p>After the failure of Lieutenant Davon’s mission with the <i>Sword</i>, the
English authorities waited in vain for the expedition to return, and the
conviction at length gained ground that the bold sailors had perished; but
whether the <i>Sword</i> had been lost by striking against a rock or had been
destroyed by Ker Karraje’s pirates, could not, of course, be ascertained.</p>
<p>The object of the expedition, based upon the indications of the document
found in the keg that was thrown up on the shore at St. George, was to carry off
Thomas Roch ere his engines were completed. The French inventor having been
recovered—without forgetting Engineer Simon Hart—he was to be handed over to the
care of the Bermudan authorities. That done, there would be nothing to fear from
his fulgurator when the island was attacked.</p>
<p>When, however, the <i>Sword</i> had been given up for lost, another
expedition of a different kind, was decided upon.</p>
<p>The time that had elapsed—nearly eight weeks—from the date of the document
found in the keg, had to be taken into consideration. It was thought that during
the interval, Ker Karraje might have gained possession of Roch’s secrets.</p>
<p>An <i>entente</i> concluded between the maritime powers, resulted in the
sending of five warships to Bermudan waters. As there was a vast cavern inside
Back Cup mountain, it was decided to attempt to bring the latter down like the
walls of a bastion, by bombarding it with powerful modern artillery.</p>
<p>The squadron assembled at the entrance to the Chesapeake, in Virginia, and
sailed for the archipelago, which was sighted on the evening of November 17.</p>
<p>The next morning the vessel selected for the first attack, steamed forward.
It was about four and a half miles from the island, when three engines, after
passing the vessel, swerved round and exploded about sixty yards from her. She
sank immediately.</p>
<p>The effect of the explosion, which was superior to any previously obtained by
new explosives, was instantaneous. Even at the distance they were from the spot
where it occurred, the four remaining ships felt the shock severely.</p>
<p>Two things were to be deduced from this sudden catastrophe:</p>
<p>1.—The pirate Ker Karraje was in possession of Roch’s fulgurator.</p>
<p>2.—The new engine possessed the destructive power attributed to it by its
inventor.</p>
<p>After the disappearance of the unfortunate cruiser, the other vessels lowered
boats to pick up a few survivors who were clinging to the floating wreckage.</p>
<p>Then it was that the signals were exchanged and the warships started towards
the island.</p>
<p>The swiftest of them, the <i>Tonnant</i>, a French cruiser, forged ahead
while the others forced their draught in an effort to catch up with her.</p>
<p>The <i>Tonnant</i>, at the risk of being blown to pieces in turn, penetrated
the danger zone half a mile, and then ran up her flag while manoeuvring to bring
her heavy guns into action.</p>
<p>From the bridge the officers could see Ker Karraje’s band scattered on the
rocks of the island.</p>
<p>The occasion was an excellent one for getting a shot at them before the
bombardment of their retreat was begun, and fire was opened with the result that
the pirates made a rush to get into the cavern.</p>
<p>A few minutes later there was a shock terrific enough to shake the sky
down.</p>
<p>Where the mountain had been, naught but a heap of smoking, crumbling rocks
was to be seen. Back Cup had become a group of jagged reefs against which the
sea, that had been thrown back like a gigantic tidal wave, was beating and
frothing.</p>
<p>What was the cause of the explosion?</p>
<p>Had it been voluntarily caused by the pirates when they realized that escape
was impossible?</p>
<p>The <i>Tonnant</i> had not been seriously damaged by the flying rocks. Her
boats were lowered and made towards all that was left of Back Cup.</p>
<p>The landing parties explored the ruins, and found a few horribly mangled
corpses. Not a vestige of the cavern was to be seen.</p>
<p>One body, and one only, was found intact. It was lying on the northeast side
of the reefs. In one hand, tightly clasped, was a note-book, the last line of
which was incomplete.</p>
<p>A close examination showed that the man was still breathing. He was conveyed
on board the <i>Tonnant</i>, where it was learned from the note-book that he was
Simon Hart.</p>
<p>For some time his life was despaired of, but he was eventually brought round,
and from the answers made to the questions addressed to him the following
conclusion was reached:</p>
<p>Moved to his very soul at the sight of the tricolor flag, being at last
conscious of the crime of <i>lèse-patrie</i> he was about to commit, Thomas Roch
rushed through the passage to the magazine where a considerable quantity of his
explosive was stored. Then, before he could be prevented, brought about the
terrible explosion which destroyed the island of Back Cup.</p>
<p>And now Ker Karraje and his pirates have disappeared—and with them Thomas
Roch and the secret of his invention.</p>
<P class=center>THE END.</p>
<h4>End of the Voyage Extraordinaire</h4>
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