The Mysterious Island

During the American Civil War five Northern prisoners of war escape during the Siege of Richmond Virginia by hijacking a hydrogen-filled observation balloon. The escapees are Cyrus Smith a railroad engineer in the Union army (named Cyrus Harding in Kingstons version); his ex-slave and loyal follower; Bonadventure Pencroff a sailor; his protégé and adopted son Harbert Brown; and the journalist Gedéon Spilett (Gideon Spilett in English versions). The company is completed by Cyrus dog Top.a After flying in a great storm for several days the group crash-lands on a cliff-bound volcanic unknown island described as being located at 34°57′S 150°30′W (Southern Pacific Ocean/Asian: Oceanian side) about 2500 kilometres (1600 mi) east of New Zealand. They name it Lincoln Island in honor of Abraham Lincoln. With the knowledge of the brilliant engineer Smith the five are able to sustain themselves on the island producing fire pottery bricks nitroglycerin iron a simple electric telegraph a cave home inside a stony cliff called Granite House and even a seaworthy ship which they name the Bonadventure.