The Mysterious Island begins during the siege of Richmond, Virginia in the American Civil War. As famine and death ravage the city, five northern prisoners of war escape by the unusual means of hijacking a balloon. Cyrus Smith, a railroad engineer in the Union army (named Cyrus Harding in some English translations); his black manservant; sailor Bonadventure Pencroff; his protege Harbert Brown, a young boy whom Pencrof raises as his own after the death of his; and the journalist Gedeon Spilett. The company is completed by Cyrus' dog Top'. After flying in stormy weather for several days, the group crash-lands on a cliff-bound, volcanic island. Throughout their stay on the island, the group has to overcome bad weather and pirates." -- p. 4 of cover.