The chapter opens with a flashback to the events of the previous chapter, in which Renduino and his men failed to reach the top of the mountain. The flashback is followed by a description of the pit as it was described in the previous chapters. The chapter is interrupted by the sound of a ship's engine, which is heard in the distance. The ship, however, has not yet reached the top. The narrator tells us that the ship is in the process of being repaired, and that it will take some time to get it back to normal. He also informs us that it is not clear whether the ship will be repaired or not.