The Abandoned Country; or, Frank Reade, Jr., Exploring a New Continent.

In a bustling workshop filled with humming contraptions, the brilliant inventor Frank Reade, Jr. welcomes his old friend Percy Randall for a casual chat that quickly turns into a debate about the world’s uncharted reaches. Randall, fresh from a harrowing voyage that left his ship stranded on an iceberg, insists that a hidden continent lies beyond the frozen barrier—a place he heard about from the seasoned sailor Jack Wendel. Intrigued, Frank invites the weather‑worn mariner to recount the story that sparked the speculation.

Wendel’s tale begins in 1853 aboard the Mary Luce, a sturdy vessel that battles relentless southern storms and a desperate fight for survival after the ship starts to leak. As the crew battles the elements, they glimpse a mysterious shore emerging from the ice, hinting at a land untouched by civilization. The narrative sets the stage for Frank’s daring plans to combine his inventive genius with the promise of an unprecedented expedition, inviting listeners to imagine the possibilities that lie just beyond the known world.