THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND by Jules Verne 1874 PART 1--DROPPED FROM THE CLOUDS Chapter 1 "Are we rising again?" "No. On the contrary. " "Are we descending?""Worse than that, captain! we are falling!" "For Heaven's sake heave outthe ballast!" "There! the last sack is empty!" "Does the balloon rise?""No!" "I hear a noise like the dashing of waves. The sea is below thecar! It cannot be more than 500 feet from us!" "Overboard with everyweight! ... Everything!" Such were the loud and startling words which resounded through the air, above the vast watery desert of the Pacific, about four o'clock in theevening of the 23rd of March, 1865. Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast, in the middle of the equinox of that year. The tempest raged withoutintermission from the 18th to the 26th of March. Its ravages wereterrible in America, Europe, and Asia, covering a distance of eighteenhundred miles, and extending obliquely to the equator from thethirty-fifth north parallel to the fortieth south parallel. Towns wereoverthrown, forests uprooted, coasts devastated by the mountains ofwater which were precipitated on them, vessels cast on the shore, whichthe published accounts numbered by hundreds, whole districts leveledby waterspouts which destroyed everything they passed over, severalthousand people crushed on land or drowned at sea; such were the tracesof its fury, left by this devastating tempest. It surpassed in disastersthose which so frightfully ravaged Havana and Guadalupe, one on the 25thof October, 1810, the other on the 26th of July, 1825. But while so many catastrophes were taking place on land and at sea, adrama not less exciting was being enacted in the agitated air. In fact, a balloon, as a ball might be carried on the summit of awaterspout, had been taken into the circling movement of a column ofair and had traversed space at the rate of ninety miles an hour, turninground and round as if seized by some aerial maelstrom. Beneath the lower point of the balloon swung a car, containing fivepassengers, scarcely visible in the midst of the thick vapor mingledwith spray which hung over the surface of the ocean. Whence, it may be asked, had come that plaything of the tempest? Fromwhat part of the world did it rise? It surely could not have startedduring the storm. But the storm had raged five days already, and thefirst symptoms were manifested on the 18th. It cannot be doubted thatthe balloon came from a great distance, for it could not have traveledless than two thousand miles in twenty-four hours. At any rate the passengers, destitute of all marks for their guidance, could not have possessed the means of reckoning the route traversedsince their departure. It was a remarkable fact that, although in thevery midst of the furious tempest, they did not suffer from it. Theywere thrown about and whirled round and round without feeling therotation in the slightest degree, or being sensible that they wereremoved from a horizontal position. Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gatheredbeneath the car. Dark vapor was all around them. Such was the densityof the atmosphere that they could not be certain whether it was day ornight. No reflection of light, no sound from inhabited land, no roaringof the ocean could have reached them, through the obscurity, whilesuspended in those elevated zones. Their rapid descent alone hadinformed them of the dangers which they ran from the waves. However, the balloon, lightened of heavy articles, such as ammunition, arms, andprovisions, had risen into the higher layers of the atmosphere, to aheight of 4, 500 feet. The voyagers, after having discovered that the seaextended beneath them, and thinking the dangers above less dreadful thanthose below, did not hesitate to throw overboard even their most usefularticles, while they endeavored to lose no more of that fluid, the lifeof their enterprise, which sustained them above the abyss. The night passed in the midst of alarms which would have been death toless energetic souls. Again the day appeared and with it the tempestbegan to moderate. From the beginning of that day, the 24th of March, it showed symptoms of abating. At dawn, some of the lighter clouds hadrisen into the more lofty regions of the air. In a few hours the windhad changed from a hurricane to a fresh breeze, that is to say, the rateof the transit of the atmospheric layers was diminished by half. Itwas still what sailors call "a close-reefed topsail breeze, " but thecommotion in the elements had none the less considerably diminished. Towards eleven o'clock, the lower region of the air was sensiblyclearer. The atmosphere threw off that chilly dampness which is feltafter the passage of a great meteor. The storm did not seem to have gonefarther to the west. It appeared to have exhausted itself. Could it havepassed away in electric sheets, as is sometimes the case with regard tothe typhoons of the Indian Ocean? But at the same time, it was also evident that the balloon was againslowly descending with a regular movement. It appeared as if it were, little by little, collapsing, and that its case was lengthening andextending, passing from a spherical to an oval form. Towards midday theballoon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2, 000 feet. Itcontained 50, 000 cubic feet of gas, and, thanks to its capacity, itcould maintain itself a long time in the air, although it should reach agreat altitude or might be thrown into a horizontal position. Perceiving their danger, the passengers cast away the last articleswhich still weighed down the car, the few provisions they had kept, everything, even to their pocket-knives, and one of them, having hoistedhimself on to the circles which united the cords of the net, tried tosecure more firmly the lower point of the balloon. It was, however, evident to the voyagers that the gas was failing, andthat the balloon could no longer be sustained in the higher regions. They must infallibly perish! There was not a continent, nor even an island, visible beneath them. The watery expanse did not present a single speck of land, not a solidsurface upon which their anchor could hold. It was the open sea, whose waves were still dashing with tremendousviolence! It was the ocean, without any visible limits, even for thosewhose gaze, from their commanding position, extended over a radius offorty miles. The vast liquid plain, lashed without mercy by the storm, appeared as if covered with herds of furious chargers, whose white anddisheveled crests were streaming in the wind. No land was in sight, nota solitary ship could be seen. It was necessary at any cost to arresttheir downward course, and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed inthe waves. The voyagers directed all their energies to this urgent work. But, notwithstanding their efforts, the balloon still fell, and at thesame time shifted with the greatest rapidity, following the direction ofthe wind, that is to say, from the northeast to the southwest. Frightful indeed was the situation of these unfortunate men. They wereevidently no longer masters of the machine. All their attempts wereuseless. The case of the balloon collapsed more and more. The gasescaped without any possibility of retaining it. Their descent wasvisibly accelerated, and soon after midday the car hung within 600 feetof the ocean. It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas, which rushed through alarge rent in the silk. By lightening the car of all the articles whichit contained, the passengers had been able to prolong their suspensionin the air for a few hours. But the inevitable catastrophe could onlybe retarded, and if land did not appear before night, voyagers, car, andballoon must to a certainty vanish beneath the waves. They now resorted to the only remaining expedient. They were trulydauntless men, who knew how to look death in the face. Not a singlemurmur escaped from their lips. They were determined to struggle to thelast minute, to do anything to retard their fall. The car was only asort of willow basket, unable to float, and there was not the slightestpossibility of maintaining it on the surface of the sea. Two more hours passed and the balloon was scarcely 400 feet above thewater. At that moment a loud voice, the voice of a man whose heart wasinaccessible to fear, was heard. To this voice responded others notless determined. "Is everything thrown out?" "No, here are still 2, 000dollars in gold. " A heavy bag immediately plunged into the sea. "Doesthe balloon rise?" "A little, but it will not be long before it fallsagain. " "What still remains to be thrown out?" "Nothing. " "Yes! thecar!" "Let us catch hold of the net, and into the sea with the car. " This was, in fact, the last and only mode of lightening the balloon. The ropes which held the car were cut, and the balloon, after its fall, mounted 2, 000 feet. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into thenet, and clung to the meshes, gazing at the abyss. The delicate sensibility of balloons is well known. It is sufficient tothrow out the lightest article to produce a difference in its verticalposition. The apparatus in the air is like a balance of mathematicalprecision. It can be thus easily understood that when it is lightened ofany considerable weight its movement will be impetuous and sudden. Soit happened on this occasion. But after being suspended for an instantaloft, the balloon began to redescend, the gas escaping by the rentwhich it was impossible to repair. The men had done all that men could do. No human efforts could save themnow. They must trust to the mercy of Him who rules the elements. At four o'clock the balloon was only 500 feet above the surface of thewater. A loud barking was heard. A dog accompanied the voyagers, and was heldpressed close to his master in the meshes of the net. "Top has seen something, " cried one of the men. Then immediately a loudvoice shouted, -- "Land! land!" The balloon, which the wind still drove towards thesouthwest, had since daybreak gone a considerable distance, which mightbe reckoned by hundreds of miles, and a tolerably high land had, infact, appeared in that direction. But this land was still thirty milesoff. It would not take less than an hour to get to it, and then therewas the chance of falling to leeward. An hour! Might not the balloon before that be emptied of all the fluidit yet retained? Such was the terrible question! The voyagers could distinctly see thatsolid spot which they must reach at any cost. They were ignorant of whatit was, whether an island or a continent, for they did not know to whatpart of the world the hurricane had driven them. But they must reachthis land, whether inhabited or desolate, whether hospitable or not. It was evident that the balloon could no longer support itself! Severaltimes already had the crests of the enormous billows licked the bottomof the net, making it still heavier, and the balloon only half rose, like a bird with a wounded wing. Half an hour later the land was notmore than a mile off, but the balloon, exhausted, flabby, hanging ingreat folds, had gas in its upper part alone. The voyagers, clinging tothe net, were still too heavy for it, and soon, half plunged into thesea, they were beaten by the furious waves. The balloon-case bulged outagain, and the wind, taking it, drove it along like a vessel. Might itnot possibly thus reach the land? But, when only two fathoms off, terrible cries resounded from four pairsof lungs at once. The balloon, which had appeared as if it would neveragain rise, suddenly made an unexpected bound, after having been struckby a tremendous sea. As if it had been at that instant relieved of a newpart of its weight, it mounted to a height of 1, 500 feet, and here itmet a current of wind, which instead of taking it directly to the coast, carried it in a nearly parallel direction. At last, two minutes later, it reproached obliquely, and finally fell ona sandy beach, out of the reach of the waves. The voyagers, aiding each other, managed to disengage themselves fromthe meshes of the net. The balloon, relieved of their weight, was takenby the wind, and like a wounded bird which revives for an instant, disappeared into space. But the car had contained five passengers, with a dog, and the balloononly left four on the shore. The missing person had evidently been swept off by the sea, which hadjust struck the net, and it was owing to this circumstance that thelightened balloon rose the last time, and then soon after reached theland. Scarcely had the four castaways set foot on firm ground, than theyall, thinking of the absent one, simultaneously exclaimed, "Perhaps hewill try to swim to land! Let us save him! let us save him!" Chapter 2 Those whom the hurricane had just thrown on this coast were neitheraeronauts by profession nor amateurs. They were prisoners of war whoseboldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner. A hundred times they had almost perished! A hundred times had theyalmost fallen from their torn balloon into the depths of the ocean. ButHeaven had reserved them for a strange destiny, and after having, on the20th of March, escaped from Richmond, besieged by the troops of GeneralUlysses Grant, they found themselves seven thousand miles from thecapital of Virginia, which was the principal stronghold of the South, during the terrible War of Secession. Their aerial voyage had lastedfive days. The curious circumstances which led to the escape of the prisoners wereas follows: That same year, in the month of February, 1865, in one of the coupsde main by which General Grant attempted, though in vain, to possesshimself of Richmond, several of his officers fell into the power of theenemy and were detained in the town. One of the most distinguished wasCaptain Cyrus Harding. He was a native of Massachusetts, a first-classengineer, to whom the government had confided, during the war, thedirection of the railways, which were so important at that time. Atrue Northerner, thin, bony, lean, about forty-five years of age; hisclose-cut hair and his beard, of which he only kept a thick mustache, were already getting gray. He had one-of those finely-developed headswhich appear made to be struck on a medal, piercing eyes, a seriousmouth, the physiognomy of a clever man of the military school. He wasone of those engineers who began by handling the hammer and pickaxe, like generals who first act as common soldiers. Besides mental power, healso possessed great manual dexterity. His muscles exhibited remarkableproofs of tenacity. A man of action as well as a man of thought, all hedid was without effort to one of his vigorous and sanguine temperament. Learned, clear-headed, and practical, he fulfilled in allemergencies those three conditions which united ought to insure humansuccess--activity of mind and body, impetuous wishes, and powerful will. He might have taken for his motto that of William of Orange in the 17thcentury: "I can undertake and persevere even without hope of success. "Cyrus Harding was courage personified. He had been in all the battles ofthat war. After having begun as a volunteer at Illinois, under UlyssesGrant, he fought at Paducah, Belmont, Pittsburg Landing, at the siege ofCorinth, Port Gibson, Black River, Chattanooga, the Wilderness, on thePotomac, everywhere and valiantly, a soldier worthy of the general whosaid, "I never count my dead!" And hundreds of times Captain Harding hadalmost been among those who were not counted by the terrible Grant; butin these combats where he never spared himself, fortune favored him tillthe moment when he was wounded and taken prisoner on the field of battlenear Richmond. At the same time and on the same day another importantpersonage fell into the hands of the Southerners. This was no other thanGideon Spilen, a reporter for the New York Herald, who had been orderedto follow the changes of the war in the midst of the Northern armies. Gideon Spilett was one of that race of indomitable English or Americanchroniclers, like Stanley and others, who stop at nothing to obtainexact information, and transmit it to their journal in the shortestpossible time. The newspapers of the Union, such as the New York Herald, are genuine powers, and their reporters are men to be reckoned with. Gideon Spilett ranked among the first of those reporters: a man of greatmerit, energetic, prompt and ready for anything, full of ideas, havingtraveled over the whole world, soldier and artist, enthusiastic incouncil, resolute in action, caring neither for trouble, fatigue, nordanger, when in pursuit of information, for himself first, and then forhis journal, a perfect treasury of knowledge on all sorts of curioussubjects, of the unpublished, of the unknown, and of the impossible. Hewas one of those intrepid observers who write under fire, "reporting"among bullets, and to whom every danger is welcome. He also had been in all the battles, in the first rank, revolver in onehand, note-book in the other; grape-shot never made his pencil tremble. He did not fatigue the wires with incessant telegrams, like those whospeak when they have nothing to say, but each of his notes, short, decisive, and clear, threw light on some important point. Besides, hewas not wanting in humor. It was he who, after the affair of the BlackRiver, determined at any cost to keep his place at the wicket of thetelegraph office, and after having announced to his journal the resultof the battle, telegraphed for two hours the first chapters of theBible. It cost the New York Herald two thousand dollars, but the NewYork Herald published the first intelligence. Gideon Spilett was tall. He was rather more than forty years of age. Light whiskers bordering on red surrounded his face. His eye was steady, lively, rapid in its changes. It was the eye of a man accustomed to takein at a glance all the details of a scene. Well built, he was inured toall climates, like a bar of steel hardened in cold water. For ten years Gideon Spilett had been the reporter of the New YorkHerald, which he enriched by his letters and drawings, for he was asskilful in the use of the pencil as of the pen. When he was captured, he was in the act of making a description and sketch of the battle. Thelast words in his note-book were these: "A Southern rifleman has justtaken aim at me, but--" The Southerner notwithstanding missed GideonSpilett, who, with his usual fortune, came out of this affair without ascratch. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett, who did not know each other exceptby reputation, had both been carried to Richmond. The engineer'swounds rapidly healed, and it was during his convalescence that he madeacquaintance with the reporter. The two men then learned to appreciateeach other. Soon their common aim had but one object, that of escaping, rejoining Grant's army, and fighting together in the ranks of theFederals. The two Americans had from the first determined to seize every chance;but although they were allowed to wander at liberty in the town, Richmond was so strictly guarded, that escape appeared impossible. Inthe meanwhile Captain Harding was rejoined by a servant who was devotedto him in life and in death. This intrepid fellow was a Negro born onthe engineer's estate, of a slave father and mother, but to whom Cyrus, who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart, had long since givenhis freedom. The once slave, though free, would not leave his master. Hewould have died for him. He was a man of about thirty, vigorous, active, clever, intelligent, gentle, and calm, sometimes naive, always merry, obliging, and honest. His name was Nebuchadnezzar, but he only answeredto the familiar abbreviation of Neb. When Neb heard that his master had been made prisoner, he leftMassachusetts without hesitating an instant, arrived before Richmond, and by dint of stratagem and shrewdness, after having risked his lifetwenty times over, managed to penetrate into the besieged town. Thepleasure of Harding on seeing his servant, and the joy of Neb at findinghis master, can scarcely be described. But though Neb had been able to make his way into Richmond, it was quiteanother thing to get out again, for the Northern prisoners were verystrictly watched. Some extraordinary opportunity was needed to make theattempt with any chance of success, and this opportunity not only didnot present itself, but was very difficult to find. Meanwhile Grant continued his energetic operations. The victory ofPetersburg had been very dearly bought. His forces, united to those ofButler, had as yet been unsuccessful before Richmond, and nothing gavethe prisoners any hope of a speedy deliverance. The reporter, to whom his tedious captivity did not offer a singleincident worthy of note, could stand it no longer. His usually activemind was occupied with one sole thought--how he might get out ofRichmond at any cost. Several times had he even made the attempt, but was stopped by some insurmountable obstacle. However, the siegecontinued; and if the prisoners were anxious to escape and join Grant'sarmy, certain of the besieged were no less anxious to join the Southernforces. Among them was one Jonathan Forster, a determined Southerner. The truth was, that if the prisoners of the Secessionists could notleave the town, neither could the Secessionists themselves while theNorthern army invested it. The Governor of Richmond for a long time hadbeen unable to communicate with General Lee, and he very much wished tomake known to him the situation of the town, so as to hasten the marchof the army to their relief. Thus Jonathan Forster accordingly conceivedthe idea of rising in a balloon, so as to pass over the besieging lines, and in that way reach the Secessionist camp. The Governor authorized the attempt. A balloon was manufactured andplaced at the disposal of Forster, who was to be accompanied by fiveother persons. They were furnished with arms in case they might haveto defend themselves when they alighted, and provisions in the event oftheir aerial voyage being prolonged. The departure of the balloon was fixed for the 18th of March. It shouldbe effected during the night, with a northwest wind of moderate force, and the aeronauts calculated that they would reach General Lee's camp ina few hours. But this northwest wind was not a simple breeze. From the 18th it wasevident that it was changing to a hurricane. The tempest soon becamesuch that Forster's departure was deferred, for it was impossible torisk the balloon and those whom it carried in the midst of the furiouselements. The balloon, inflated on the great square of Richmond, was ready todepart on the first abatement of the wind, and, as may be supposed, theimpatience among the besieged to see the storm moderate was very great. The 18th, the 19th of March passed without any alteration in theweather. There was even great difficulty in keeping the balloon fastenedto the ground, as the squalls dashed it furiously about. The night of the 19th passed, but the next morning the storm blew withredoubled force. The departure of the balloon was impossible. On that day the engineer, Cyrus Harding, was accosted in one of thestreets of Richmond by a person whom he did not in the least know. Thiswas a sailor named Pencroft, a man of about thirty-five or forty yearsof age, strongly built, very sunburnt, and possessed of a pair ofbright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. Pencroft was anAmerican from the North, who had sailed all the ocean over, and who hadgone through every possible and almost impossible adventure that a beingwith two feet and no wings would encounter. It is needless to say thathe was a bold, dashing fellow, ready to dare anything and was astonishedat nothing. Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmondon business, with a young boy of fifteen from New Jersey, son of aformer captain, an orphan, whom he loved as if he had been hisown child. Not having been able to leave the town before the firstoperations of the siege, he found himself shut up, to his great disgust;but, not accustomed to succumb to difficulties, he resolved to escape bysome means or other. He knew the engineer-officer by reputation; he knewwith what impatience that determined man chafed under his restraint. Onthis day he did not, therefore, hesitate to accost him, saying, withoutcircumlocution, "Have you had enough of Richmond, captain?" The engineer looked fixedly at the man who spoke, and who added, in alow voice, -- "Captain Harding, will you try to escape?" "When?" asked the engineer quickly, and it was evident that thisquestion was uttered without consideration, for he had not yet examinedthe stranger who addressed him. But after having with a penetratingeye observed the open face of the sailor, he was convinced that he hadbefore him an honest man. "Who are you?" he asked briefly. Pencroft made himself known. "Well, " replied Harding, "and in what way do you propose to escape?" "By that lazy balloon which is left there doing nothing, and which looksto me as if it was waiting on purpose for us--" There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence. Theengineer understood him at once. He seized Pencroft by the arm, anddragged him to his house. There the sailor developed his project, whichwas indeed extremely simple. They risked nothing but their lives in itsexecution. The hurricane was in all its violence, it is true, but soclever and daring an engineer as Cyrus Harding knew perfectly well howto manage a balloon. Had he himself been as well acquainted with the artof sailing in the air as he was with the navigation of a ship, Pencroftwould not have hesitated to set out, of course taking his young friendHerbert with him; for, accustomed to brave the fiercest tempests of theocean, he was not to be hindered on account of the hurricane. Captain Harding had listened to the sailor without saying a word, but his eyes shone with satisfaction. Here was the long-sought-foropportunity--he was not a man to let it pass. The plan was feasible, though, it must be confessed, dangerous in the extreme. In the night, in spite of their guards, they might approach the balloon, slip into thecar, and then cut the cords which held it. There was no doubt that theymight be killed, but on the other hand they might succeed, and withoutthis storm!--Without this storm the balloon would have started alreadyand the looked-for opportunity would not have then presented itself. "I am not alone!" said Harding at last. "How many people do you wish to bring with you?" asked the sailor. "Two; my friend Spilett, and my servant Neb. " "That will be three, " replied Pencroft; "and with Herbert and me five. But the balloon will hold six--" "That will be enough, we will go, " answered Harding in a firm voice. This "we" included Spilett, for the reporter, as his friend well knew, was not a man to draw back, and when the project was communicated to himhe approved of it unreservedly. What astonished him was, that so simplean idea had not occurred to him before. As to Neb, he followed hismaster wherever his master wished to go. "This evening, then, " said Pencroft, "we will all meet out there. " "This evening, at ten o'clock, " replied Captain Harding; "and Heavengrant that the storm does not abate before our departure. " Pencroft took leave of the two friends, and returned to his lodging, where young Herbert Brown had remained. The courageous boy knew of thesailor's plan, and it was not without anxiety that he awaited the resultof the proposal being made to the engineer. Thus five determinedpersons were about to abandon themselves to the mercy of the tempestuouselements! No! the storm did not abate, and neither Jonathan Forster nor hiscompanions dreamed of confronting it in that frail car. It would be a terrible journey. The engineer only feared one thing; itwas that the balloon, held to the ground and dashed about by thewind, would be torn into shreds. For several hours he roamed round thenearly-deserted square, surveying the apparatus. Pencroft did the sameon his side, his hands in his pockets, yawning now and then like a manwho did not know how to kill the time, but really dreading, likehis friend, either the escape or destruction of the balloon. Eveningarrived. The night was dark in the extreme. Thick mists passed likeclouds close to the ground. Rain fell mingled with snow, it was verycold. A mist hung over Richmond. It seemed as if the violent storm hadproduced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged, and that thecannon were silenced by the louder detonations of the storm. The streetsof the town were deserted. It had not even appeared necessary in thathorrible weather to place a guard in the square, in the midst of whichplunged the balloon. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners, but what might possibly be the termination of the hazardous voyage theycontemplated in the midst of the furious elements?-- "Dirty weather!" exclaimed Pencroft, fixing his hat firmly on his headwith a blow of his fist; "but pshaw, we shall succeed all the same!" At half-past nine, Harding and his companions glided from differentdirections into the square, which the gas-lamps, extinguished by thewind, had left in total obscurity. Even the enormous balloon, almostbeaten to the ground, could not be seen. Independently of the sacks ofballast, to which the cords of the net were fastened, the car washeld by a strong cable passed through a ring in the pavement. The fiveprisoners met by the car. They had not been perceived, and such was thedarkness that they could not even see each other. Without speaking a word, Harding, Spilett, Neb, and Herbert took theirplaces in the car, while Pencroft by the engineer's order detachedsuccessively the bags of ballast. It was the work of a few minutes only, and the sailor rejoined his companions. The balloon was then only held by the cable, and the engineer hadnothing to do but to give the word. At that moment a dog sprang with a bound into the car. It was Top, a favorite of the engineer. The faithful creature, having broken hischain, had followed his master. He, however, fearing that its additionalweight might impede their ascent, wished to send away the animal. "One more will make but little difference, poor beast!" exclaimedPencroft, heaving out two bags of sand, and as he spoke letting go thecable; the balloon ascending in an oblique direction, disappeared, afterhaving dashed the car against two chimneys, which it threw down as itswept by them. Then, indeed, the full rage of the hurricane was exhibited to thevoyagers. During the night the engineer could not dream of descending, and when day broke, even a glimpse of the earth below was intercepted byfog. Five days had passed when a partial clearing allowed them to see thewide extending ocean beneath their feet, now lashed into the maddestfury by the gale. Our readers will recollect what befell these five daring individualswho set out on their hazardous expedition in the balloon on the 20th ofMarch. Five days afterwards four of them were thrown on a desert coast, seven thousand miles from their country! But one of their number wasmissing, the man who was to be their guide, their leading spirit, theengineer, Captain Harding! The instant they had recovered their feet, they all hurried to the beach in the hopes of rendering him assistance. Chapter 3 The engineer, the meshes of the net having given way, had been carriedoff by a wave. His dog also had disappeared. The faithful animalhad voluntarily leaped out to help his master. "Forward, " cried thereporter; and all four, Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft, and Neb, forgettingtheir fatigue, began their search. Poor Neb shed bitter tears, givingway to despair at the thought of having lost the only being he loved onearth. Only two minutes had passed from the time when Cyrus Harding disappearedto the moment when his companions set foot on the ground. They had hopestherefore of arriving in time to save him. "Let us look for him! let uslook for him!" cried Neb. "Yes, Neb, " replied Gideon Spilett, "and we will find him too!" "Living, I trust!" "Still living!" "Can he swim?" asked Pencroft. "Yes, " replied Neb, "and besides, Top is there. " The sailor, observing the heavy surf on the shore, shook his head. The engineer had disappeared to the north of the shore, and nearly halfa mile from the place where the castaways had landed. The nearest pointof the beach he could reach was thus fully that distance off. It was then nearly six o'clock. A thick fog made the night very dark. The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance hadthrown them, an unknown region, the geographical situation of which theycould not even guess. They were walking upon a sandy soil, mingled withstones, which appeared destitute of any sort of vegetation. The ground, very unequal and rough, was in some places perfectly riddled with holes, making walking extremely painful. From these holes escaped every minutegreat birds of clumsy flight, which flew in all directions. Others, moreactive, rose in flocks and passed in clouds over their heads. The sailorthought he recognized gulls and cormorants, whose shrill cries roseabove the roaring of the sea. From time to time the castaways stopped and shouted, then listened forsome response from the ocean, for they thought that if the engineer hadlanded, and they had been near to the place, they would have heard thebarking of the dog Top, even should Harding himself have been unable togive any sign of existence. They stopped to listen, but no sound aroseabove the roaring of the waves and the dashing of the surf. The littleband then continued their march forward, searching into every hollow ofthe shore. After walking for twenty minutes, the four castaways were suddenlybrought to a standstill by the sight of foaming billows close totheir feet. The solid ground ended here. They found themselves at theextremity of a sharp point on which the sea broke furiously. "It is a promontory, " said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps, holding towards the right, and we shall thus gain the mainland. " "But if he is there, " said Neb, pointing to the ocean, whose waves shoneof a snowy white in the darkness. "Well, let us call again, " and alluniting their voices, they gave a vigorous shout, but there came noreply. They waited for a lull, then began again; still no reply. The castaways accordingly returned, following the opposite side of thepromontory, over a soil equally sandy and rugged. However, Pencroftobserved that the shore was more equal, that the ground rose, and hedeclared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill, whose massivefront he thought that he could see looming indistinctly through themist. The birds were less numerous on this part of the shore; the seawas also less tumultuous, and they observed that the agitation of thewaves was diminished. The noise of the surf was scarcely heard. Thisside of the promontory evidently formed a semicircular bay, which thesharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea. But to followthis direction was to go south, exactly opposite to that part of thecoast where Harding might have landed. After a walk of a mile and ahalf, the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return tothe north. This promontory, of which they had turned the point, mustbe attached to the mainland. The castaways, although their strengthwas nearly exhausted, still marched courageously forward, hoping everymoment to meet with a sudden angle which would set them in the firstdirection. What was their disappointment, when, after trudging nearlytwo miles, having reached an elevated point composed of slippery rocks, they found themselves again stopped by the sea. "We are on an islet, " said Pencroft, "and we have surveyed it from oneextremity to the other. " The sailor was right; they had been thrown, not on a continent, noteven on an island, but on an islet which was not more than two miles inlength, with even a less breadth. Was this barren spot the desolate refuge of sea-birds, strewn withstones and destitute of vegetation, attached to a more importantarchipelago? It was impossible to say. When the voyagers from their carsaw the land through the mist, they had not been able to reconnoiterit sufficiently. However, Pencroft, accustomed with his sailor eyesto piece through the gloom, was almost certain that he could clearlydistinguish in the west confused masses which indicated an elevatedcoast. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a singleisland, or connected with others. They could not leave it either, as thesea surrounded them; they must therefore put off till the next day theirsearch for the engineer, from whom, alas! not a single cry had reachedthem to show that he was still in existence. "The silence of our friend proves nothing, " said the reporter. "Perhapshe has fainted or is wounded, and unable to reply directly, so we willnot despair. " The reporter then proposed to light a fire on a point of the islet, which would serve as a signal to the engineer. But they searched in vainfor wood or dry brambles; nothing but sand and stones were to be found. The grief of Neb and his companions, who were all strongly attached tothe intrepid Harding, can be better pictured than described. It was tooevident that they were powerless to help him. They must wait with whatpatience they could for daylight. Either the engineer had been able tosave himself, and had already found a refuge on some point of the coast, or he was lost for ever! The long and painful hours passed by. The coldwas intense. The castaways suffered cruelly, but they scarcely perceivedit. They did not even think of taking a minute's rest. Forgettingeverything but their chief, hoping or wishing to hope on, they continuedto walk up and down on this sterile spot, always returning to itsnorthern point, where they could approach nearest to the scene of thecatastrophe. They listened, they called, and then uniting their voices, they endeavored to raise even a louder shout than before, which wouldbe transmitted to a great distance. The wind had now fallen almost toa calm, and the noise of the sea began also to subside. One of Neb'sshouts even appeared to produce an echo. Herbert directed Pencroft'sattention to it, adding, "That proves that there is a coast to the west, at no great distance. " The sailor nodded; besides, his eyes could notdeceive him. If he had discovered land, however indistinct it mightappear, land was sure to be there. But that distant echo was the onlyresponse produced by Neb's shouts, while a heavy gloom hung over all thepart east of the island. Meanwhile, the sky was clearing little by little. Towards midnight thestars shone out, and if the engineer had been there with his companionshe would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the NorthernHemisphere. The Polar Star was not visible, the constellations were notthose which they had been accustomed to see in the United States; theSouthern Cross glittered brightly in the sky. The night passed away. Towards five o'clock in the morning of the 25thof March, the sky began to lighten; the horizon still remained dark, but with daybreak a thick mist rose from the sea, so that the eye couldscarcely penetrate beyond twenty feet or so from where they stood. Atlength the fog gradually unrolled itself in great heavily moving waves. It was unfortunate, however, that the castaways could distinguishnothing around them. While the gaze of the reporter and Neb were castupon the ocean, the sailor and Herbert looked eagerly for the coastin the west. But not a speck of land was visible. "Never mind, " saidPencroft, "though I do not see the land, I feel it... It is there... There... As sure as the fact that we are no longer at Richmond. " But thefog was not long in rising. It was only a fine-weather mist. A hotsun soon penetrated to the surface of the island. About half-pastsix, three-quarters of an hour after sunrise, the mist became moretransparent. It grew thicker above, but cleared away below. Soon theisle appeared as if it had descended from a cloud, then the sea showeditself around them, spreading far away towards the east, but bounded onthe west by an abrupt and precipitous coast. Yes! the land was there. Their safety was at least provisionallyinsured. The islet and the coast were separated by a channel about halfa mile in breadth, through which rushed an extremely rapid current. However, one of the castaways, following the impulse of his heart, immediately threw himself into the current, without consulting hiscompanions, without saying a single word. It was Neb. He was in hasteto be on the other side, and to climb towards the north. It had beenimpossible to hold him back. Pencroft called him in vain. The reporterprepared to follow him, but Pencroft stopped him. "Do you want to crossthe channel?" he asked. "Yes, " replied Spilett. "All right!" said theseaman; "wait a bit; Neb is well able to carry help to his master. If weventure into the channel, we risk being carried into the open sea bythe current, which is running very strong; but, if I'm not wrong, it isebbing. See, the tide is going down over the sand. Let us have patience, and at low water it is possible we may find a fordable passage. " "Youare right, " replied the reporter, "we will not separate more than we canhelp. " During this time Neb was struggling vigorously against the current. Hewas crossing in an oblique direction. His black shoulders could be seenemerging at each stroke. He was carried down very quickly, but he alsomade way towards the shore. It took more than half an hour to cross fromthe islet to the land, and he reached the shore several hundred feetfrom the place which was opposite to the point from which he hadstarted. Landing at the foot of a high wall of granite, he shook himselfvigorously; and then, setting off running, soon disappeared behinda rocky point, which projected to nearly the height of the northernextremity of the islet. Neb's companions had watched his daring attempt with painful anxiety, and when he was out of sight, they fixed their attention on the landwhere their hope of safety lay, while eating some shell-fish with whichthe sand was strewn. It was a wretched repast, but still it was betterthan nothing. The opposite coast formed one vast bay, terminating on thesouth by a very sharp point, which was destitute of all vegetation, and was of a very wild aspect. This point abutted on the shore in agrotesque outline of high granite rocks. Towards the north, on thecontrary, the bay widened, and a more rounded coast appeared, trendingfrom the southwest to the northeast, and terminating in a slender cape. The distance between these two extremities, which made the bow of thebay, was about eight miles. Half a mile from the shore rose the islet, which somewhat resembled the carcass of a gigantic whale. Its extremebreadth was not more than a quarter of a mile. Opposite the islet, the beach consisted first of sand, covered withblack stones, which were now appearing little by little above theretreating tide. The second level was separated by a perpendiculargranite cliff, terminated at the top by an unequal edge at a height ofat least 300 feet. It continued thus for a length of three miles, endingsuddenly on the right with a precipice which looked as if cut by thehand of man. On the left, above the promontory, this irregular andjagged cliff descended by a long slope of conglomerated rocks till itmingled with the ground of the southern point. On the upper plateau ofthe coast not a tree appeared. It was a flat tableland like that aboveCape Town at the Cape of Good Hope, but of reduced proportions; at leastso it appeared seen from the islet. However, verdure was not wanting tothe right beyond the precipice. They could easily distinguish a confusedmass of great trees, which extended beyond the limits of their view. This verdure relieved the eye, so long wearied by the continued rangesof granite. Lastly, beyond and above the plateau, in a northwesterlydirection and at a distance of at least seven miles, glittered a whitesummit which reflected the sun's rays. It was that of a lofty mountain, capped with snow. The question could not at present be decided whether this land formedan island, or whether it belonged to a continent. But on beholdingthe convulsed masses heaped up on the left, no geologist would havehesitated to give them a volcanic origin, for they were unquestionablythe work of subterranean convulsions. Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Herbert attentively examined this land, onwhich they might perhaps have to live many long years; on which indeedthey might even die, should it be out of the usual track of vessels, aswas likely to be the case. "Well, " asked Herbert, "what do you say, Pencroft?" "There is some good and some bad, as in everything, " replied the sailor. "We shall see. But now the ebb is evidently making. In three hours wewill attempt the passage, and once on the other side, we will try to getout of this scrape, and I hope may find the captain. " Pencroft was notwrong in his anticipations. Three hours later at low tide, the greaterpart of the sand forming the bed of the channel was uncovered. Betweenthe islet and the coast there only remained a narrow channel which wouldno doubt be easy to cross. About ten o'clock, Gideon Spilett and his companions stripped themselvesof their clothes, which they placed in bundles on their heads, andthen ventured into the water, which was not more than five feet deep. Herbert, for whom it was too deep, swam like a fish, and got throughcapitally. All three arrived without difficulty on the opposite shore. Quickly drying themselves in the sun, they put on their clothes, whichthey had preserved from contact with the water, and sat down to takecounsel together what to do next. Chapter 4 All at once the reporter sprang up, and telling the sailor that he wouldrejoin them at that same place, he climbed the cliff in the directionwhich the Negro Neb had taken a few hours before. Anxiety hastenedhis steps, for he longed to obtain news of his friend, and he soondisappeared round an angle of the cliff. Herbert wished to accompanyhim. "Stop here, my boy, " said the sailor; "we have to prepare an encampment, and to try and find rather better grub than these shell-fish. Ourfriends will want something when they come back. There is work foreverybody. " "I am ready, " replied Herbert. "All right, " said the sailor; "that will do. We must set about itregularly. We are tired, cold, and hungry; therefore we must haveshelter, fire, and food. There is wood in the forest, and eggs in nests;we have only to find a house. " "Very well, " returned Herbert, "I will look for a cave among the rocks, and I shall be sure to discover some hole into which we can creep. " "All right, " said Pencroft; "go on, my boy. " They both walked to the foot of the enormous wall over the beach, farfrom which the tide had now retreated; but instead of going towards thenorth, they went southward. Pencroft had remarked, several hundred feetfrom the place at which they landed, a narrow cutting, out of whichhe thought a river or stream might issue. Now, on the one hand it wasimportant to settle themselves in the neighborhood of a good streamof water, and on the other it was possible that the current had thrownCyrus Harding on the shore there. The cliff, as has been said, rose to a height of three hundred feet, butthe mass was unbroken throughout, and even at its base, scarcely washedby the sea, it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve asa dwelling. It was a perpendicular wall of very hard granite, which eventhe waves had not worn away. Towards the summit fluttered myriads ofsea-fowl, and especially those of the web-footed species with long, flat, pointed beaks--a clamorous tribe, bold in the presence of man, who probably for the first time thus invaded their domains. Pencroftrecognized the skua and other gulls among them, the voracious littlesea-mew, which in great numbers nestled in the crevices of the granite. A shot fired among this swarm would have killed a great number, but tofire a shot a gun was needed, and neither Pencroft nor Herbert had one;besides this, gulls and sea-mews are scarcely eatable, and even theireggs have a detestable taste. However, Herbert, who had gone forwarda little more to the left, soon came upon rocks covered with sea-weed, which, some hours later, would be hidden by the high tide. On theserocks, in the midst of slippery wrack, abounded bivalve shell-fish, notto be despised by starving people. Herbert called Pencroft, who ran uphastily. "Here are mussels!" cried the sailor; "these will do instead of eggs!" "They are not mussels, " replied Herbert, who was attentively examiningthe molluscs attached to the rocks; "they are lithodomes. " "Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft. "Perfectly so. " "Then let us eat some lithodomes. " The sailor could rely upon Herbert; the young boy was well up in naturalhistory, and always had had quite a passion for the science. His fatherhad encouraged him in it, by letting him attend the lectures of the bestprofessors in Boston, who were very fond of the intelligent, industriouslad. And his turn for natural history was, more than once in the courseof time, of great use, and he was not mistaken in this instance. Theselithodomes were oblong shells, suspended in clusters and adheringvery tightly to the rocks. They belong to that species of molluscousperforators which excavate holes in the hardest stone; their shell isrounded at both ends, a feature which is not remarked in the commonmussel. Pencroft and Herbert made a good meal of the lithodomes, which werethen half opened to the sun. They ate them as oysters, and as they hada strong peppery taste, they were palatable without condiments of anysort. Their hunger was thus appeased for the time, but not their thirst, whichincreased after eating these naturally-spiced molluscs. They had then tofind fresh water, and it was not likely that it would be wanting in sucha capriciously uneven region. Pencroft and Herbert, after having takenthe precaution of collecting an ample supply of lithodomes, with whichthey filled their pockets and handkerchiefs, regained the foot of thecliff. Two hundred paces farther they arrived at the cutting, through which, asPencroft had guessed, ran a stream of water, whether fresh or not was tobe ascertained. At this place the wall appeared to have been separatedby some violent subterranean force. At its base was hollowed out alittle creek, the farthest part of which formed a tolerably sharp angle. The watercourse at that part measured one hundred feet in breadth, andits two banks on each side were scarcely twenty feet high. The riverbecame strong almost directly between the two walls of granite, whichbegan to sink above the mouth; it then suddenly turned and disappearedbeneath a wood of stunted trees half a mile off. "Here is the water, and yonder is the wood we require!" said Pencroft. "Well, Herbert, now we only want the house. " The water of the river was limpid. The sailor ascertained that at thistime--that is to say, at low tide, when the rising floods did not reachit--it was sweet. This important point established, Herbert looked forsome cavity which would serve them as a retreat, but in vain; everywherethe wall appeared smooth, plain, and perpendicular. However, at the mouth of the watercourse and above the reach of the hightide, the convulsions of nature had formed, not a grotto, but a pileof enormous rocks, such as are often met with in granite countries andwhich bear the name of "Chimneys. " Pencroft and Herbert penetrated quite far in among the rocks, by sandypassages in which light was not wanting, for it entered through theopenings which were left between the blocks, of which some were onlysustained by a miracle of equilibrium; but with the light came alsoair--a regular corridor-gale--and with the wind the sharp cold from theexterior. However, the sailor thought that by stopping-up some ofthe openings with a mixture of stones and sand, the Chimneys could berendered habitable. Their geometrical plan represented the typographicalsign "&, " which signifies "et cetera" abridged, but by isolating theupper mouth of the sign, through which the south and west winds blew sostrongly, they could succeed in making the lower part of use. "Here's our work, " said Pencroft, "and if we ever see Captain Hardingagain, he will know how to make something of this labyrinth. " "We shall see him again, Pencroft, " cried Herbert, "and when he returnshe must find a tolerable dwelling here. It will be so, if we can make afireplace in the left passage and keep an opening for the smoke. " "So we can, my boy, " replied the sailor, "and these Chimneys will serveour turn. Let us set to work, but first come and get a store of fuel. Ithink some branches will be very useful in stopping up these openings, through which the wind shrieks like so many fiends. " Herbert and Pencroft left the Chimneys, and, turning the angle, theybegan to climb the left bank of the river. The current here was quiterapid, and drifted down some dead wood. The rising tide--and it couldalready be perceived--must drive it back with force to a considerabledistance. The sailor then thought that they could utilize this ebb andflow for the transport of heavy objects. After having walked for a quarter of an hour, the sailor and the boyarrived at the angle which the river made in turning towards the left. From this point its course was pursued through a forest of magnificenttrees. These trees still retained their verdure, notwithstanding theadvanced season, for they belonged to the family of "coniferae, " whichis spread over all the regions of the globe, from northern climates tothe tropics. The young naturalist recognized especially the "deedara, "which are very numerous in the Himalayan zone, and which spread aroundthem a most agreeable odor. Between these beautiful trees sprang upclusters of firs, whose opaque open parasol boughs spread wide around. Among the long grass, Pencroft felt that his feet were crushing drybranches which crackled like fireworks. "Well, my boy, " said he to Herbert, "if I don't know the name of thesetrees, at any rate I reckon that we may call them 'burning wood, ' andjust now that's the chief thing we want. " "Let us get a supply, " replied Herbert, who immediately set to work. The collection was easily made. It was not even necessary to lop thetrees, for enormous quantities of dead wood were lying at their feet;but if fuel was not wanting, the means of transporting it was not yetfound. The wood, being very dry, would burn rapidly; it was thereforenecessary to carry to the Chimneys a considerable quantity, and theloads of two men would not be sufficient. Herbert remarked this. "Well, my boy, " replied the sailor, "there must be some way of carryingthis wood; there is always a way of doing everything. If we had a cartor a boat, it would be easy enough. " "But we have the river, " said Herbert. "Right, " replied Pencroft; "the river will be to us like a road whichcarries of itself, and rafts have not been invented for nothing. " "Only, " observed Herbert, "at this moment our road is going the wrongway, for the tide is rising!" "We shall be all right if we wait till it ebbs, " replied the sailor, "and then we will trust it to carry our fuel to the Chimneys. Let us getthe raft ready. " The sailor, followed by Herbert, directed his steps towards the river. They both carried, each in proportion to his strength, a load of woodbound in fagots. They found on the bank also a great quantity of deadbranches in the midst of grass, among which the foot of man had probablynever before trod. Pencroft began directly to make his raft. In a kindof little bay, created by a point of the shore which broke the current, the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood, whichthey had fastened together with dry creepers. A raft was thus formed, onwhich they stacked all they had collected, sufficient, indeed, to haveloaded at least twenty men. In an hour the work was finished, and theraft moored to the bank, awaited the turning of the tide. There were still several hours to be occupied, and with one consentPencroft and Herbert resolved to gain the upper plateau, so as to have amore extended view of the surrounding country. Exactly two hundred feet behind the angle formed by the river, the wall, terminated by a fall of rocks, died away in a gentle slope to the edgeof the forest. It was a natural staircase. Herbert and the sailor begantheir ascent; thanks to the vigor of their muscles they reached thesummit in a few minutes; and proceeded to the point above the mouth ofthe river. On attaining it, their first look was cast upon the ocean which not longbefore they had traversed in such a terrible condition. They observed, with emotion, all that part to the north of the coast on which thecatastrophe had taken place. It was there that Cyrus Harding haddisappeared. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon, towhich a man might possibly cling, yet existed. Nothing! The sea was butone vast watery desert. As to the coast, it was solitary also. Neitherthe reporter nor Neb could be anywhere seen. But it was possible that atthis time they were both too far away to be perceived. "Something tells me, " cried Herbert, "that a man as energetic as CaptainHarding would not let himself be drowned like other people. He must havereached some point of the shore; don't you think so, Pencroft?" The sailor shook his head sadly. He little expected ever to see CyrusHarding again; but wishing to leave some hope to Herbert: "Doubtless, doubtless, " said he; "our engineer is a man who would get out of ascrape to which any one else would yield. " In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention. Stretchedout below them was the sandy shore, bounded on the right of the river'smouth by lines of breakers. The rocks which were visible appeared likeamphibious monsters reposing in the surf. Beyond the reef, the seasparkled beneath the sun's rays. To the south a sharp point closed thehorizon, and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in thatdirection, or if it ran southeast and southwest, which would have madethis coast a very long peninsula. At the northern extremity of the baythe outline of the shore was continued to a great distance in a widercurve. There the shore was low, flat, without cliffs, and with greatbanks of sand, which the tide left uncovered. Pencroft and Herbert thenreturned towards the west. Their attention was first arrested by thesnow-topped mountain which rose at a distance of six or seven miles. From its first declivities to within two miles of the coast were spreadvast masses of wood, relieved by large green patches, caused by thepresence of evergreen trees. Then, from the edge of this forest to theshore extended a plain, scattered irregularly with groups of trees. Hereand there on the left sparkled through glades the waters of the littleriver; they could trace its winding course back towards the spurs of themountain, among which it seemed to spring. At the point where the sailorhad left his raft of wood, it began to run between the two high granitewalls; but if on the left bank the wall remained clear and abrupt, onthe right bank, on the contrary, it sank gradually, the massive sideschanged to isolated rocks, the rocks to stones, the stones to shinglerunning to the extremity of the point. "Are we on an island?" murmured the sailor. "At any rate, it seems to be big enough, " replied the lad. "An island, ever so big, is an island all the same!" said Pencroft. But this important question could not yet be answered. A more perfectsurvey had to be made to settle the point. As to the land itself, islandor continent, it appeared fertile, agreeable in its aspect, and variedin its productions. "This is satisfactory, " observed Pencroft; "and in our misfortune, wemust thank Providence for it. " "God be praised!" responded Herbert, whose pious heart was full ofgratitude to the Author of all things. Pencroft and Herbert examined for some time the country on whichthey had been cast; but it was difficult to guess after so hasty aninspection what the future had in store for them. They then returned, following the southern crest of the graniteplatform, bordered by a long fringe of jagged rocks, of the mostwhimsical shapes. Some hundreds of birds lived there nestled in theholes of the stone; Herbert, jumping over the rocks, startled a wholeflock of these winged creatures. "Oh!" cried he, "those are not gulls nor sea-mews!" "What are they then?" asked Pencroft. "Upon my word, one would say they were pigeons!" "Just so, but these are wild or rock pigeons. I recognize them bythe double band of black on the wing, by the white tail, and by theirslate-colored plumage. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat, its eggsmust be excellent, and we will soon see how many they may have left intheir nests!" "We will not give them time to hatch, unless it is in the shape of anomelet!" replied Pencroft merrily. "But what will you make your omelet in?" asked Herbert; "in your hat?" "Well!" replied the sailor, "I am not quite conjuror enough for that;we must come down to eggs in the shell, my boy, and I will undertake todespatch the hardest!" Pencroft and Herbert attentively examined the cavities in the granite, and they really found eggs in some of the hollows. A few dozen beingcollected, were packed in the sailor's handkerchief, and as the timewhen the tide would be full was approaching, Pencroft and Herbert beganto redescend towards the watercourse. When they arrived there, it wasan hour after midday. The tide had already turned. They must now availthemselves of the ebb to take the wood to the mouth. Pencroft did notintend to let the raft go away in the current without guidance, neitherdid he mean to embark on it himself to steer it. But a sailor is neverat a loss when there is a question of cables or ropes, and Pencroftrapidly twisted a cord, a few fathoms long, made of dry creepers. Thisvegetable cable was fastened to the after-part of the raft, and thesailor held it in his hand while Herbert, pushing off the raft witha long pole, kept it in the current. This succeeded capitally. Theenormous load of wood drifted down the current. The bank was veryequal; there was no fear that the raft would run aground, and beforetwo o'clock they arrived at the river's mouth, a few paces from theChimneys. Chapter 5 Pencroft's first care, after unloading the raft, was to render the cavehabitable by stopping up all the holes which made it draughty. Sand, stones, twisted branches, wet clay, closed up the galleries open to thesouth winds. One narrow and winding opening at the side was kept, tolead out the smoke and to make the fire draw. The cave was thus dividedinto three or four rooms, if such dark dens with which a donkey wouldscarcely have been contented deserved the name. But they were dry, andthere was space to stand upright, at least in the principal room, whichoccupied the center. The floor was covered with fine sand, and takingall in all they were well pleased with it for want of a better. "Perhaps, " said Herbert, while he and Pencroft were working, "ourcompanions have found a superior place to ours. " "Very likely, " replied the seaman; "but, as we don't know, we must workall the same. Better to have two strings to one's bow than no string atall!" "Oh!" exclaimed Herbert, "how jolly it will be if they were to findCaptain Harding and were to bring him back with them!" "Yes, indeed!" said Pencroft, "that was a man of the right sort. " "Was!" exclaimed Herbert, "do you despair of ever seeing him again?" "God forbid!" replied the sailor. Their work was soon done, and Pencroftdeclared himself very well satisfied. "Now, " said he, "our friends can come back when they like. They willfind a good enough shelter. " They now had only to make a fireplace and to prepare the supper--an easytask. Large flat stones were placed on the ground at the opening of thenarrow passage which had been kept. This, if the smoke did not takethe heat out with it, would be enough to maintain an equal temperatureinside. Their wood was stowed away in one of the rooms, and the sailorlaid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood. The seaman was busy withthis, when Herbert asked him if he had any matches. "Certainly, " replied Pencroft, "and I may say happily, for withoutmatches or tinder we should be in a fix. " "Still we might get fire as the savages do, " replied Herbert, "byrubbing two bits of dry stick one against the other. " "All right; try, my boy, and let's see if you can do anything besidesexercising your arms. " "Well, it's a very simple proceeding, and much used in the islands ofthe Pacific. " "I don't deny it, " replied Pencroft, "but the savages must know how todo it or employ a peculiar wood, for more than once I have tried toget fire in that way, but I could never manage it. I must say I prefermatches. By the bye, where are my matches?" Pencroft searched in his waistcoat for the box, which was always there, for he was a confirmed smoker. He could not find it; he rummaged thepockets of his trousers, but, to his horror, he could nowhere discoverthe box. "Here's a go!" said he, looking at Herbert. "The box must havefallen out of my pocket and got lost! Surely, Herbert, you must havesomething--a tinder-box--anything that can possibly make fire!" "No, I haven't, Pencroft. " The sailor rushed out, followed by the boy. On the sand, among therocks, near the river's bank, they both searched carefully, but in vain. The box was of copper, and therefore would have been easily seen. "Pencroft, " asked Herbert, "didn't you throw it out of the car?" "I knew better than that, " replied the sailor; "but such a small articlecould easily disappear in the tumbling about we have gone through. Iwould rather even have lost my pipe! Confound the box! Where can it be?" "Look here, the tide is going down, " said Herbert; "let's run to theplace where we landed. " It was scarcely probable that they would find the box, which the waveshad rolled about among the pebbles, at high tide, but it was as wellto try. Herbert and Pencroft walked rapidly to the point where they hadlanded the day before, about two hundred feet from the cave. They huntedthere, among the shingle, in the clefts of the rocks, but found nothing. If the box had fallen at this place it must have been swept away by thewaves. As the sea went down, they searched every little crevice withno result. It was a grave loss in their circumstances, and for thetime irreparable. Pencroft could not hide his vexation; he looked veryanxious, but said not a word. Herbert tried to console him by observing, that if they had found the matches, they would, very likely, have beenwetted by the sea and useless. "No, my boy, " replied the sailor; "they were in a copper box which shutvery tightly; and now what are we to do?" "We shall certainly find some way of making a fire, " said Herbert. "Captain Harding or Mr. Spilett will not be without them. " "Yes, " replied Pencroft; "but in the meantime we are without fire, andour companions will find but a sorry repast on their return. " "But, " said Herbert quickly, "do you think it possible that they have notinder or matches?" "I doubt it, " replied the sailor, shaking his head, "for neither Neb norCaptain Harding smoke, and I believe that Mr. Spilett would rather keephis note-book than his match-box. " Herbert did not reply. The loss of the box was certainly to beregretted, but the boy was still sure of procuring fire in some way orother. Pencroft, more experienced, did not think so, although he was nota man to trouble himself about a small or great grievance. At any rate, there was only one thing to be done--to await the return of Neb and thereporter; but they must give up the feast of hard eggs which they hadmeant to prepare, and a meal of raw flesh was not an agreeable prospecteither for themselves or for the others. Before returning to the cave, the sailor and Herbert, in the event offire being positively unattainable, collected some more shell-fish, andthen silently retraced their steps to their dwelling. Pencroft, his eyes fixed on the ground, still looked for his box. Heeven climbed up the left bank of the river from its mouth to the anglewhere the raft had been moored. He returned to the plateau, went over itin every direction, searched among the high grass on the border of theforest, all in vain. It was five in the evening when he and Herbert re-entered the cave. It is useless to say that the darkest corners of the passages wereransacked before they were obliged to give it up in despair. Towardssix o'clock, when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of thewest, Herbert, who was walking up and down on the strand, signalized thereturn of Neb and Spilett. They were returning alone!... The boy's heart sank; the sailor had notbeen deceived in his forebodings; the engineer, Cyrus Harding, had notbeen found! The reporter, on his arrival, sat down on a rock, without sayinganything. Exhausted with fatigue, dying of hunger, he had not strengthto utter a word. As to Neb, his red eyes showed how he had cried, and the tears which hecould not restrain told too clearly that he had lost all hope. The reporter recounted all that they had done in their attempt torecover Cyrus Harding. He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distanceof eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloonhad fallen the last time but one, a fall which was followed by thedisappearance of the engineer and the dog Top. The shore was solitary;not a vestige of a mark. Not even a pebble recently displaced; not atrace on the sand; not a human footstep on all that part of the beach. It was clear that that portion of the shore had never been visited bya human being. The sea was as deserted as the land, and it was there, a few hundred feet from the coast, that the engineer must have found atomb. As Spilett ended his account, Neb jumped up, exclaiming in a voice whichshowed how hope struggled within him, "No! he is not dead! he can't bedead! It might happen to any one else, but never to him! He could getout of anything!" Then his strength forsaking him, "Oh! I can do nomore!" he murmured. "Neb, " said Herbert, running to him, "we will find him! God will givehim back to us! But in the meantime you are hungry, and you must eatsomething. " So saying, he offered the poor Negro a few handfuls of shell-fish, whichwas indeed wretched and insufficient food. Neb had not eaten anythingfor several hours, but he refused them. He could not, would not livewithout his master. As to Gideon Spilett, he devoured the shell-fish, then he laid himselfdown on the sand, at the foot of a rock. He was very weak, but calm. Herbert went up to him, and taking his hand, "Sir, " said he, "wehave found a shelter which will be better than lying here. Night isadvancing. Come and rest! To-morrow we will search farther. " The reporter got up, and guided by the boy went towards the cave. Onthe way, Pencroft asked him in the most natural tone, if by chance hehappened to have a match or two. The reporter stopped, felt in his pockets, but finding nothing said, "Ihad some, but I must have thrown them away. " The seaman then put the same question to Neb and received the sameanswer. "Confound it!" exclaimed the sailor. The reporter heard him and seizing his arm, "Have you no matches?" heasked. "Not one, and no fire in consequence. " "Ah!" cried Neb, "if my master was here, he would know what to do!" The four castaways remained motionless, looking uneasily at each other. Herbert was the first to break the silence by saying, "Mr. Spilett, you are a smoker and always have matches about you; perhaps you haven'tlooked well, try again, a single match will be enough!" The reporter hunted again in the pockets of his trousers, waistcoat, andgreat-coat, and at last to Pencroft's great joy, no less to his extremesurprise, he felt a tiny piece of wood entangled in the lining of hiswaistcoat. He seized it with his fingers through the stuff, but he couldnot get it out. If this was a match and a single one, it was of greatimportance not to rub off the phosphorus. "Will you let me try?" said the boy, and very cleverly, without breakingit, he managed to draw out the wretched yet precious little bit of woodwhich was of such great importance to these poor men. It was unused. "Hurrah!" cried Pencroft; "it is as good as having a whole cargo!" Hetook the match, and, followed by his companions, entered the cave. This small piece of wood, of which so many in an inhabited country arewasted with indifference and are of no value, must here be used with thegreatest caution. The sailor first made sure that it was quite dry; that done, "We musthave some paper, " said he. "Here, " replied Spilett, after some hesitation tearing a leaf out of hisnote-book. Pencroft took the piece of paper which the reporter held out to him, andknelt down before the fireplace. Some handfuls of grass, leaves, and drymoss were placed under the fagots and disposed in such a way that theair could easily circulate, and the dry wood would rapidly catch fire. Pencroft then twisted the piece of paper into the shape of a cone, assmokers do in a high wind, and poked it in among the moss. Taking asmall, rough stone, he wiped it carefully, and with a beating heart, holding his breath, he gently rubbed the match. The first attempt didnot produce any effect. Pencroft had not struck hard enough, fearing torub off the phosphorus. "No, I can't do it, " said he, "my hand trembles, the match has missedfire; I cannot, I will not!" and rising, he told Herbert to take hisplace. Certainly the boy had never in all his life been so nervous. Prometheusgoing to steal the fire from heaven could not have been more anxious. Hedid not hesitate, however, but struck the match directly. A little spluttering was heard and a tiny blue flame sprang up, makinga choking smoke. Herbert quickly turned the match so as to augment theflame, and then slipped it into the paper cone, which in a few secondstoo caught fire, and then the moss. A minute later the dry wood crackled and a cheerful flame, assistedby the vigorous blowing of the sailor, sprang up in the midst of thedarkness. "At last!" cried Pencroft, getting up; "I was never so nervous before inall my life!" The flat stones made a capital fireplace. The smoke went quite easilyout at the narrow passage, the chimney drew, and an agreeable warmth wasnot long in being felt. They must now take great care not to let the fire go out, and always tokeep some embers alight. It only needed care and attention, as they hadplenty of wood and could renew their store at any time. Pencroft's first thought was to use the fire by preparing a morenourishing supper than a dish of shell-fish. Two dozen eggs werebrought by Herbert. The reporter leaning up in a corner, watched thesepreparations without saying anything. A threefold thought weighed on hismind. Was Cyrus still alive? If he was alive, where was he? If he hadsurvived from his fall, how was it that he had not found some means ofmaking known his existence? As to Neb, he was roaming about the shore. He was like a body without a soul. Pencroft knew fifty ways of cooking eggs, but this time he had nochoice, and was obliged to content himself with roasting them underthe hot cinders. In a few minutes the cooking was done, and the seamaninvited the reporter to take his share of the supper. Such was thefirst repast of the castaways on this unknown coast. The hard eggswere excellent, and as eggs contain everything indispensable to man'snourishment, these poor people thought themselves well off, and weremuch strengthened by them. Oh! if only one of them had not been missingat this meal! If the five prisoners who escaped from Richmond had beenall there, under the piled-up rocks, before this clear, crackling fireon the dry sand, what thanksgiving must they have rendered to Heaven!But the most ingenious, the most learned, he who was their unquestionedchief, Cyrus Harding, was, alas! missing, and his body had not evenobtained a burial-place. Thus passed the 25th of March. Night had come on. Outside could be heardthe howling of the wind and the monotonous sound of the surf breakingon the shore. The waves rolled the shingle backwards and forwards with adeafening noise. The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted downthe occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land, theloss of their leader, the exploration of the coast, the incident of thematches, etc. ; and then overcome by fatigue, he managed to forget hissorrows in sleep. Herbert went to sleep directly. As to the sailor, hepassed the night with one eye on the fire, on which he did notspare fuel. But one of the castaways did not sleep in the cave. Theinconsolable, despairing Neb, notwithstanding all that his companionscould say to induce him to take some rest, wandered all night long onthe shore calling on his master. Chapter 6 The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from theclouds, thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited, was soonmade out. They had nothing, save the clothes which they were wearing atthe time of the catastrophe. We must mention, however, a note-book anda watch which Gideon Spilett had kept, doubtless by inadvertence, not aweapon, not a tool, not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car theyhad thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. The imaginary heroesof Daniel Defoe or of Wyss, as well as Selkirk and Raynal shipwreckedon Juan Fernandez and on the archipelago of the Aucklands, were never insuch absolute destitution. Either they had abundant resources from theirstranded vessels, in grain, cattle, tools, ammunition, or else somethings were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all thefirst necessities of life. But here, not any instrument whatever, not autensil. From nothing they must supply themselves with everything. And yet, if Cyrus Harding had been with them, if the engineer couldhave brought his practical science, his inventive mind to bear on theirsituation, perhaps all hope would not have been lost. Alas! they musthope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding. The castaways could expectnothing but from themselves and from that Providence which neverabandons those whose faith is sincere. But ought they to establish themselves on this part of the coast, without trying to know to what continent it belonged, if it wasinhabited, or if they were on the shore of a desert island? It was an important question, and should be solved with the shortestpossible delay. From its answer they would know what measures to take. However, according to Pencroft's advice, it appeared best to wait a fewdays before commencing an exploration. They must, in fact, prepare someprovisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs. The explorers, before undertaking new fatigues, must first of allrecruit their strength. The Chimneys offered a retreat sufficient for the present. The fire waslighted, and it was easy to preserve some embers. There were plenty ofshell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. It would be easyto kill a few of the pigeons which were flying by hundreds about thesummit of the plateau, either with sticks or stones. Perhaps the treesof the neighboring forest would supply them with eatable fruit. Lastly, the sweet water was there. It was accordingly settled that for a few days they would remain at theChimneys so as to prepare themselves for an expedition, either alongthe shore or into the interior of the country. This plan suited Nebparticularly. As obstinate in his ideas as in his presentiments, hewas in no haste to abandon this part of the coast, the scene of thecatastrophe. He did not, he would not believe in the loss of CyrusHarding. No, it did not seem to him possible that such a man had endedin this vulgar fashion, carried away by a wave, drowned in the floods, afew hundred feet from a shore. As long as the waves had not cast up thebody of the engineer, as long as he, Neb, had not seen with his eyes, touched with his hands the corpse of his master, he would not believein his death! And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in hisdetermined heart. An illusion perhaps, but still an illusion to berespected, and one which the sailor did not wish to destroy. As for him, he hoped no longer, but there was no use in arguing with Neb. He waslike the dog who will not leave the place where his master is buried, and his grief was such that most probably he would not survive him. This same morning, the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb had set out onthe shore in a northerly direction, and he had returned to the spotwhere the sea, no doubt, had closed over the unfortunate Harding. That day's breakfast was composed solely of pigeon's eggs andlithodomes. Herbert had found some salt deposited by evaporation in thehollows of the rocks, and this mineral was very welcome. The repast ended, Pencroft asked the reporter if he wished to accompanyHerbert and himself to the forest, where they were going to try tohunt. But on consideration, it was thought necessary that someone shouldremain to keep in the fire, and to be at hand in the highly improbableevent of Neb requiring aid. The reporter accordingly remained behind. "To the chase, Herbert, " said the sailor. "We shall find ammunitionon our way, and cut our weapons in the forest. " But at the moment ofstarting, Herbert observed, that since they had no tinder, it wouldperhaps be prudent to replace it by another substance. "What?" asked Pencroft. "Burnt linen, " replied the boy. "That could in case of need serve fortinder. " The sailor thought it very sensible advice. Only it had theinconvenience of necessitating the sacrifice of a piece of handkerchief. Notwithstanding, the thing was well worth while trying, and a part ofPencroft's large checked handkerchief was soon reduced to the state ofa half-burnt rag. This inflammable material was placed in the centralchamber at the bottom of a little cavity in the rock, sheltered from allwind and damp. It was nine o'clock in the morning. The weather was threatening and thebreeze blew from the southeast. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle ofthe Chimneys, not without having cast a look at the smoke which, just atthat place, curled round a point of rock: they ascended the left bank ofthe river. Arrived at the forest, Pencroft broke from the first tree two stoutbranches which he transformed into clubs, the ends of which Herbertrubbed smooth on a rock. Oh! what would they not have given for a knife! The two hunters now advanced among the long grass, following the bank. From the turning which directed its course to the southwest, the rivernarrowed gradually and the channel lay between high banks, overwhich the trees formed a double arch. Pencroft, lest they should losethemselves, resolved to follow the course of the stream, which wouldalways lead them back to the point from which they started. But the bankwas not without some obstacles: here, the flexible branches of the treesbent level with the current; there, creepers and thorns which they hadto break down with their sticks. Herbert often glided among thebroken stumps with the agility of a young cat, and disappeared in theunderwood. But Pencroft called him back directly, begging him not towander away. Meanwhile, the sailor attentively observed the dispositionand nature of the surrounding country. On the left bank, the ground, which was flat and marshy, rose imperceptibly towards the interior. Itlooked there like a network of liquid threads which doubtless reachedthe river by some underground drain. Sometimes a stream ran through theunderwood, which they crossed without difficulty. The opposite shoreappeared to be more uneven, and the valley of which the river occupiedthe bottom was more clearly visible. The hill, covered with treesdisposed in terraces, intercepted the view. On the right bank walkingwould have been difficult, for the declivities fell suddenly, and thetrees bending over the water were only sustained by the strength oftheir roots. It is needless to add that this forest, as well as the coast alreadysurveyed, was destitute of any sign of human life. Pencroft only sawtraces of quadrupeds, fresh footprints of animals, of which he could notrecognize the species. In all probability, and such was also Herbert'sopinion, some had been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtlesswould give them some trouble; but nowhere did they observe the mark ofan axe on the trees, nor the ashes of a fire, nor the impression of ahuman foot. On this they might probably congratulate themselves, for onany land in the middle of the Pacific the presence of man was perhapsmore to be feared than desired. Herbert and Pencroft speaking little, for the difficulties of the way were great, advanced very slowly, andafter walking for an hour they had scarcely gone more than a mile. As yet the hunt had not been successful. However, some birds sangand fluttered in the foliage, and appeared very timid, as if man hadinspired them with an instinctive fear. Among others, Herbert described, in a marshy part of the forest, a bird with a long pointed beak, closelyresembling the king-fisher, but its plumage was not fine, though of ametallic brilliancy. "That must be a jacamar, " said Herbert, trying to get nearer. "This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar, " replied the sailor, "if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!" Just then, a stone cleverly thrown by the boy, struck the creature onthe wing, but the blow did not disable it, and the jacamar ran off anddisappeared in an instant. "How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert. "No, no, my boy!" replied the sailor. "The blow was well aimed; many aone would have missed it altogether! Come, don't be vexed with yourself. We shall catch it another day!" As the hunters advanced, the trees were found to be more scattered, manybeing magnificent, but none bore eatable fruit. Pencroft searched invain for some of those precious palm-trees which are employed in so manyways in domestic life, and which have been found as far as the fortiethparallel in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the thirty-fifth only inthe Southern Hemisphere. But this forest was only composed of coniferae, such as deodaras, already recognized by Herbert, and Douglas pine, similar to those which grow on the northwest coast of America, andsplendid firs, measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height. At this moment a flock of birds, of a small size and pretty plumage, with long glancing tails, dispersed themselves among the branchesstrewing their feathers, which covered the ground as with fine down. Herbert picked up a few of these feathers, and after having examinedthem, -- "These are couroucous, " said he. "I should prefer a moor-cock or guinea-fowl, " replied Pencroft, "still, if they are good to eat--" "They are good to eat, and also their flesh is very delicate, " repliedHerbert. "Besides, if I don't mistake, it is easy to approach and killthem with a stick. " The sailor and the lad, creeping among the grass, arrived at the footof a tree, whose lower branches were covered with little birds. Thecouroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for theirnourishment. Their feathery feet could be seen clasping the slendertwigs which supported them. The hunters then rose, and using their sticks like scythes, they moweddown whole rows of these couroucous, who never thought of flying away, and stupidly allowed themselves to be knocked off. A hundred werealready heaped on the ground, before the others made up their minds tofly. "Well, " said Pencroft, "here is game, which is quite within the reach ofhunters like us. We have only to put out our hands and take it!" The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs, they then continued their exploration. The stream here made a bendtowards the south, but this detour was probably not prolonged for theriver must have its source in the mountain, and be supplied by themelting of the snow which covered the sides of the central cone. The particular object of their expedition was, as has been said, toprocure the greatest possible quantity of game for the inhabitants ofthe Chimneys. It must be acknowledged that as yet this object had notbeen attained. So the sailor actively pursued his researches, though heexclaimed, when some animal which he had not even time to recognizefled into the long grass, "If only we had had the dog Top!" But Top haddisappeared at the same time as his master, and had probably perishedwith him. Towards three o'clock new flocks of birds were seen through certaintrees, at whose aromatic berries they were pecking, those of thejuniper-tree among others. Suddenly a loud trumpet call resoundedthrough the forest. This strange and sonorous cry was produced by a gamebird called grouse in the United States. They soon saw several couples, whose plumage was rich chestnut-brown mottled with dark brown, and tailof the same color. Herbert recognized the males by the two wing-likeappendages raised on the neck. Pencroft determined to get hold of atleast one of these gallinaceae, which were as large as a fowl, and whoseflesh is better than that of a pullet. But it was difficult, for theywould not allow themselves to be approached. After several fruitlessattempts, which resulted in nothing but scaring the grouse, the sailorsaid to the lad, -- "Decidedly, since we can't kill them on the wing, we must try to takethem with a line. " "Like a fish?" cried Herbert, much surprised at the proposal. "Like a fish, " replied the sailor quite seriously. Pencroft had foundamong the grass half a dozen grouse nests, each having three or foureggs. He took great care not to touch these nests, to which theirproprietors would not fail to return. It was around these that hemeant to stretch his lines, not snares, but real fishing-lines. He tookHerbert to some distance from the nests, and there prepared his singularapparatus with all the care which a disciple of Izaak Walton wouldhave used. Herbert watched the work with great interest, though ratherdoubting its success. The lines were made of fine creepers, fastenedone to the other, of the length of fifteen or twenty feet. Thick, strongthorns, the points bent back (which were supplied from a dwarf acaciabush) were fastened to the ends of the creepers, by way of hooks. Largered worms, which were crawling on the ground, furnished bait. This done, Pencroft, passing among the grass and concealing himselfskillfully, placed the end of his lines armed with hooks near the grousenests; then he returned, took the other ends and hid with Herbert behinda large tree. There they both waited patiently; though, it must besaid, that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventivePencroft. A whole half-hour passed, but then, as the sailor had surmised, severalcouple of grouse returned to their nests. They walked along, pecking theground, and not suspecting in any way the presence of the hunters, who, besides, had taken care to place themselves to leeward of thegallinaceae. The lad felt at this moment highly interested. He held his breath, andPencroft, his eyes staring, his mouth open, his lips advanced, as ifabout to taste a piece of grouse, scarcely breathed. Meanwhile, the birds walked about the hooks, without taking any noticeof them. Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if theworms had been still alive. The sailor undoubtedly felt much greater anxiety than does thefisherman, for he does not see his prey coming through the water. Thejerks attracted the attention of the gallinaceae, and they attacked thehooks with their beaks. Three voracious grouse swallowed at the samemoment bait and hook. Suddenly with a smart jerk, Pencroft "struck" hisline, and a flapping of wings showed that the birds were taken. "Hurrah!" he cried, rushing towards the game, of which he made himselfmaster in an instant. Herbert clapped his hands. It was the first time that he had ever seenbirds taken with a line, but the sailor modestly confessed that it wasnot his first attempt, and that besides he could not claim the merit ofinvention. "And at any rate, " added he, "situated as we are, we must hope to hitupon many other contrivances. " The grouse were fastened by their claws, and Pencroft, delighted at nothaving to appear before their companions with empty hands, and observingthat the day had begun to decline, judged it best to return to theirdwelling. The direction was indicated by the river, whose course they had onlyto follow, and, towards six o'clock, tired enough with their excursion, Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys. Chapter 7 Gideon Spilett was standing motionless on the shore, his arms crossed, gazing over the sea, the horizon of which was lost towards the east ina thick black cloud which was spreading rapidly towards the zenith. The wind was already strong, and increased with the decline of day. The whole sky was of a threatening aspect, and the first symptoms of aviolent storm were clearly visible. Herbert entered the Chimneys, and Pencroft went towards the reporter. The latter, deeply absorbed, did not see him approach. "We are going to have a dirty night, Mr. Spilett!" said the sailor:"Petrels delight in wind and rain. " The reporter, turning at the moment, saw Pencroft, and his first wordswere, -- "At what distance from the coast would you say the car was, when thewaves carried off our companion?" The sailor had not expected this question. He reflected an instant andreplied, -- "Two cables lengths at the most. " "But what is a cable's length?" asked Gideon Spilett. "About a hundred and twenty fathoms, or six hundred feet. " "Then, " said the reporter, "Cyrus Harding must have disappeared twelvehundred feet at the most from the shore?" "About that, " replied Pencroft. "And his dog also?" "Also. " "What astonishes me, " rejoined the reporter, "while admitting that ourcompanion has perished, is that Top has also met his death, and thatneither the body of the dog nor of his master has been cast on theshore!" "It is not astonishing, with such a heavy sea, " replied the sailor. "Besides, it is possible that currents have carried them farther downthe coast. " "Then, it is your opinion that our friend has perished in the waves?"again asked the reporter. "That is my opinion. " "My own opinion, " said Gideon Spilett, "with due deference to yourexperience, Pencroft, is that in the double fact of the absolutedisappearance of Cyrus and Top, living or dead, there is somethingunaccountable and unlikely. " "I wish I could think like you, Mr. Spilett, " replied Pencroft;"unhappily, my mind is made up on this point. " Having said this, thesailor returned to the Chimneys. A good fire crackled on the hearth. Herbert had just thrown on an armful of dry wood, and the flame cast abright light into the darkest parts of the passage. Pencroft immediately began to prepare the dinner. It appeared best tointroduce something solid into the bill of fare, for all needed to getup their strength. The strings of couroucous were kept for the next day, but they plucked a couple of grouse, which were soon spitted on a stick, and roasting before a blazing fire. At seven in the evening Neb had not returned. The prolonged absence ofthe Negro made Pencroft very uneasy. It was to be feared that he had metwith an accident on this unknown land, or that the unhappy fellow hadbeen driven to some act of despair. But Herbert drew very differentconclusions from this absence. According to him, Neb's delay was causedby some new circumstances which had induced him to prolong his search. Also, everything new must be to the advantage of Cyrus Harding. Why hadNeb not returned unless hope still detained him? Perhaps he had foundsome mark, a footstep, a trace which had put him in the right path. Perhaps he was at this moment on a certain track. Perhaps even he wasnear his master. Thus the lad reasoned. Thus he spoke. His companions let him talk. Thereporter alone approved with a gesture. But what Pencroft thought mostprobable was, that Neb had pushed his researches on the shore fartherthan the day before, and that he had not as yet had time to return. Herbert, however, agitated by vague presentiments, several timesmanifested an intention to go to meet Neb. But Pencroft assured himthat that would be a useless course, that in the darkness and deplorableweather he could not find any traces of Neb, and that it would be muchbetter to wait. If Neb had not made his appearance by the next day, Pencroft would not hesitate to join him in his search. Gideon Spilett approved of the sailor's opinion that it was best not todivide, and Herbert was obliged to give up his project; but two largetears fell from his eyes. The reporter could not refrain from embracing the generous boy. Bad weather now set in. A furious gale from the southeast passed overthe coast. The sea roared as it beat over the reef. Heavy rain wasdashed by the storm into particles like dust. Ragged masses of vapordrove along the beach, on which the tormented shingles sounded as ifpoured out in cart-loads, while the sand raised by the wind added asit were mineral dust to that which was liquid, and rendered the unitedattack insupportable. Between the river's mouth and the end of thecliff, eddies of wind whirled and gusts from this maelstrom lashed thewater which ran through the narrow valley. The smoke from the fireplacewas also driven back through the opening, filling the passages andrendering them uninhabitable. Therefore, as the grouse were cooked, Pencroft let the fire die away, and only preserved a few embers buried under the ashes. At eight o'clock Neb had not appeared, but there was no doubt that thefrightful weather alone hindered his return, and that he must havetaken refuge in some cave, to await the end of the storm or at least thereturn of day. As to going to meet him, or attempting to find him, itwas impossible. The game constituted the only dish at supper; the meat was excellent, and Pencroft and Herbert, whose long excursion had rendered them veryhungry, devoured it with infinite satisfaction. Their meal concluded, each retired to the corner in which he had restedthe preceding night, and Herbert was not long in going to sleep near thesailor, who had stretched himself beside the fireplace. Outside, as the night advanced, the tempest also increased in strength, until it was equal to that which had carried the prisoners from Richmondto this land in the Pacific. The tempests which are frequent during theseasons of the equinox, and which are so prolific in catastrophes, areabove all terrible over this immense ocean, which opposes no obstacle totheir fury. No description can give an idea of the terrific violence ofthe gale as it beat upon the unprotected coast. Happily the pile of rocks which formed the Chimneys was solid. It wascomposed of enormous blocks of granite, a few of which, insecurelybalanced, seemed to tremble on their foundations, and Pencroft couldfeel rapid quiverings under his head as it rested on the rock. But herepeated to himself, and rightly, that there was nothing to fear, andthat their retreat would not give way. However he heard the noise ofstones torn from the summit of the plateau by the wind, falling down onto the beach. A few even rolled on to the upper part of the Chimneys, or flew off in fragments when they were projected perpendicularly. Twicethe sailor rose and intrenched himself at the opening of the passage, soas to take a look in safety at the outside. But there was nothing to befeared from these showers, which were not considerable, and he returnedto his couch before the fireplace, where the embers glowed beneath theashes. Notwithstanding the fury of the hurricane, the uproar of the tempest, the thunder, and the tumult, Herbert slept profoundly. Sleep at lasttook possession of Pencroft, whom a seafaring life had habituated toanything. Gideon Spilett alone was kept awake by anxiety. He reproachedhimself with not having accompanied Neb. It was evident that he had notabandoned all hope. The presentiments which had troubled Herbert did notcease to agitate him also. His thoughts were concentrated on Neb. Whyhad Neb not returned? He tossed about on his sandy couch, scarcelygiving a thought to the struggle of the elements. Now and then, hiseyes, heavy with fatigue, closed for an instant, but some sudden thoughtreopened them almost immediately. Meanwhile the night advanced, and it was perhaps two hours from morning, when Pencroft, then sound asleep, was vigorously shaken. "What's the matter?" he cried, rousing himself, and collecting his ideaswith the promptitude usual to seamen. The reporter was leaning over him, and saying, -- "Listen, Pencroft, listen!" The sailor strained his ears, but could hear no noise beyond thosecaused by the storm. "It is the wind, " said he. "No, " replied Gideon Spilett, listening again, "I thought I heard--" "What?" "The barking of a dog!" "A dog!" cried Pencroft, springing up. "Yes--barking--" "It's not possible!" replied the sailor. "And besides, how, in theroaring of the storm--" "Stop--listen--" said the reporter. Pencroft listened more attentively, and really thought he heard, duringa lull, distant barking. "Well!" said the reporter, pressing the sailor's hand. "Yes--yes!" replied Pencroft. "It is Top! It is Top!" cried Herbert, who had just awoke; and all threerushed towards the opening of the Chimneys. They had great difficulty ingetting out. The wind drove them back. But at last they succeeded, andcould only remain standing by leaning against the rocks. They lookedabout, but could not speak. The darkness was intense. The sea, the sky, the land were all mingled in one black mass. Not a speck of light wasvisible. The reporter and his companions remained thus for a few minutes, overwhelmed by the wind, drenched by the rain, blinded by the sand. Then, in a pause of the tumult, they again heard the barking, which theyfound must be at some distance. It could only be Top! But was he alone or accompanied? He was mostprobably alone, for, if Neb had been with him, he would have madehis way more directly towards the Chimneys. The sailor squeezed thereporter's hand, for he could not make himself heard, in a way whichsignified "Wait!" then he reentered the passage. An instant after he issued with a lighted fagot, which he threw into thedarkness, whistling shrilly. It appeared as if this signal had been waited for; the barkingimmediately came nearer, and soon a dog bounded into the passage. Pencroft, Herbert, and Spilett entered after him. An armful of dry wood was thrown on the embers. The passage was lightedup with a bright flame. "It is Top!" cried Herbert. It was indeed Top, a magnificent Anglo-Norman, who derived from thesetwo races crossed the swiftness of foot and the acuteness of smell whichare the preeminent qualities of coursing dogs. It was the dog of theengineer, Cyrus Harding. But he was alone! Neither Neb nor his masteraccompanied him! How was it that his instinct had guided him straight to the Chimneys, which he did not know? It appeared inexplicable, above all, in themidst of this black night and in such a tempest! But what was still moreinexplicable was, that Top was neither tired, nor exhausted, nor evensoiled with mud or sand!--Herbert had drawn him towards him, and waspatting his head, the dog rubbing his neck against the lad's hands. "If the dog is found, the master will be found also!" said the reporter. "God grant it!" responded Herbert. "Let us set off! Top will guide us!" Pencroft did not make any objection. He felt that Top's arrivalcontradicted his conjectures. "Come along then!" said he. Pencroft carefully covered the embers on the hearth. He placed a fewpieces of wood among them, so as to keep in the fire until their return. Then, preceded by the dog, who seemed to invite them by short barks tocome with him, and followed by the reporter and the boy, he dashed out, after having put up in his handkerchief the remains of the supper. The storm was then in all its violence, and perhaps at its height. Not asingle ray of light from the moon pierced through the clouds. To followa straight course was difficult. It was best to rely on Top's instinct. They did so. The reporter and Herbert walked behind the dog, and thesailor brought up the rear. It was impossible to exchange a word. Therain was not very heavy, but the wind was terrific. However, one circumstance favored the seaman and his two companions. Thewind being southeast, consequently blew on their backs. The clouds ofsand, which otherwise would have been insupportable, from being receivedbehind, did not in consequence impede their progress. In short, theysometimes went faster than they liked, and had some difficulty inkeeping their feet; but hope gave them strength, for it was not atrandom that they made their way along the shore. They had no doubt thatNeb had found his master, and that he had sent them the faithful dog. But was the engineer living, or had Neb only sent for his companionsthat they might render the last duties to the corpse of the unfortunateHarding? After having passed the precipice, Herbert, the reporter, and Pencroftprudently stepped aside to stop and take breath. The turn of the rockssheltered them from the wind, and they could breathe after this walk orrather run of a quarter of an hour. They could now hear and reply to each other, and the lad havingpronounced the name of Cyrus Harding, Top gave a few short barks, asmuch as to say that his master was saved. "Saved, isn't he?" repeated Herbert; "saved, Top?" And the dog barked in reply. They once more set out. The tide began to rise, and urged by the wind itthreatened to be unusually high, as it was a spring tide. Great billowsthundered against the reef with such violence that they probably passedentirely over the islet, then quite invisible. The mole no longerprotected the coast, which was directly exposed to the attacks of theopen sea. As soon as the sailor and his companions left the precipice, the windstruck them again with renewed fury. Though bent under the gale theywalked very quickly, following Top, who did not hesitate as to whatdirection to take. They ascended towards the north, having on their left an interminableextent of billows, which broke with a deafening noise, and on theirright a dark country, the aspect of which it was impossible to guess. But they felt that it was comparatively flat, for the wind passedcompletely over them, without being driven back as it was when it camein contact with the cliff. At four o'clock in the morning, they reckoned that they had clearedabout five miles. The clouds were slightly raised, and the wind, thoughless damp, was very sharp and cold. Insufficiently protected by theirclothing, Pencroft, Herbert and Spilett suffered cruelly, but nota complaint escaped their lips. They were determined to follow Top, wherever the intelligent animal wished to lead them. Towards five o'clock day began to break. At the zenith, where the fogwas less thick, gray shades bordered the clouds; under an opaque belt, aluminous line clearly traced the horizon. The crests of the billows weretipped with a wild light, and the foam regained its whiteness. At thesame time on the left the hilly parts of the coast could be seen, thoughvery indistinctly. At six o'clock day had broken. The clouds rapidly lifted. The seaman andhis companions were then about six miles from the Chimneys. They werefollowing a very flat shore bounded by a reef of rocks, whose headsscarcely emerged from the sea, for they were in deep water. On the left, the country appeared to be one vast extent of sandy downs, bristlingwith thistles. There was no cliff, and the shore offered no resistanceto the ocean but a chain of irregular hillocks. Here and there grew twoor three trees, inclined towards the west, their branches projecting inthat direction. Quite behind, in the southwest, extended the border ofthe forest. At this moment, Top became very excited. He ran forward, then returned, and seemed to entreat them to hasten their steps. The dog then left thebeach, and guided by his wonderful instinct, without showing the leasthesitation, went straight in among the downs. They followed him. Thecountry appeared an absolute desert. Not a living creature was to beseen. The downs, the extent of which was large, were composed of hillocksand even of hills, very irregularly distributed. They resembled aSwitzerland modeled in sand, and only an amazing instinct could havepossibly recognized the way. Five minutes after having left the beach, the reporter and his twocompanions arrived at a sort of excavation, hollowed out at the back ofa high mound. There Top stopped, and gave a loud, clear bark. Spilett, Herbert, and Pencroft dashed into the cave. Neb was there, kneeling beside a body extended on a bed of grass. The body was that of the engineer, Cyrus Harding. Chapter 8 Neb did not move. Pencroft only uttered one word. "Living?" he cried. Neb did not reply. Spilett and the sailor turned pale. Herbert claspedhis hands, and remained motionless. The poor Negro, absorbed in hisgrief, evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailorspeak. The reporter knelt down beside the motionless body, and placed his earto the engineer's chest, having first torn open his clothes. A minute--an age!--passed, during which he endeavored to catch thefaintest throb of the heart. Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing. Despair hadcompletely changed his countenance. He could scarcely be recognized, exhausted with fatigue, broken with grief. He believed his master wasdead. Gideon Spilett at last rose, after a long and attentive examination. "He lives!" said he. Pencroft knelt in his turn beside the engineer, he also heard athrobbing, and even felt a slight breath on his cheek. Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. He found, a hundred feet off, a limpid stream, which seemed to have been greatlyincreased by the rains, and which filtered through the sand; but nothingin which to put the water, not even a shell among the downs. The lad wasobliged to content himself with dipping his handkerchief in the stream, and with it hastened back to the grotto. Happily the wet handkerchief was enough for Gideon Spilett, who onlywished to wet the engineer's lips. The cold water produced an almostimmediate effect. His chest heaved and he seemed to try to speak. "We will save him!" exclaimed the reporter. At these words hope revived in Neb's heart. He undressed his masterto see if he was wounded, but not so much as a bruise was to be found, either on the head, body, or limbs, which was surprising, as he musthave been dashed against the rocks; even the hands were uninjured, andit was difficult to explain how the engineer showed no traces of theefforts which he must have made to get out of reach of the breakers. But the explanation would come later. When Cyrus was able to speak hewould say what had happened. For the present the question was, how torecall him to life, and it appeared likely that rubbing would bring thisabout; so they set to work with the sailor's jersey. The engineer, revived by this rude shampooing, moved his arm slightlyand began to breathe more regularly. He was sinking from exhaustion, and certainly, had not the reporter and his companions arrived, it wouldhave been all over with Cyrus Harding. "You thought your master was dead, didn't you?" said the seaman to Neb. "Yes! quite dead!" replied Neb, "and if Top had not found you, andbrought you here, I should have buried my master, and then have laindown on his grave to die!" It had indeed been a narrow escape for Cyrus Harding! Neb then recounted what had happened. The day before, after havingleft the Chimneys at daybreak, he had ascended the coast in a northerlydirection, and had reached that part of the shore which he had alreadyvisited. There, without any hope he acknowledged, Neb had searched the beach, among the rocks, on the sand, for the smallest trace to guide him. Heexamined particularly that part of the beach which was not covered bythe high tide, for near the sea the water would have obliterated allmarks. Neb did not expect to find his master living. It was for a corpsethat he searched, a corpse which he wished to bury with his own hands! He sought long in vain. This desert coast appeared never to have beenvisited by a human creature. The shells, those which the sea had notreached, and which might be met with by millions above high-water mark, were untouched. Not a shell was broken. Neb then resolved to walk along the beach for some miles. It waspossible that the waves had carried the body to quite a distant point. When a corpse floats a little distance from a low shore, it rarelyhappens that the tide does not throw it up, sooner or later. This Nebknew, and he wished to see his master again for the last time. "I went along the coast for another two miles, carefully examiningthe beach, both at high and low water, and I had despaired of findinganything, when yesterday, above five in the evening, I saw footprints onthe sand. " "Footprints?" exclaimed Pencroft. "Yes!" replied Neb. "Did these footprints begin at the water's edge?" asked the reporter. "No, " replied Neb, "only above high-water mark, for the others must havebeen washed out by the tide. " "Go on, Neb, " said Spilett. "I went half crazy when I saw these footprints. They were very clearand went towards the downs. I followed them for a quarter of a mile, running, but taking care not to destroy them. Five minutes after, asit was getting dark, I heard the barking of a dog. It was Top, and Topbrought me here, to my master!" Neb ended his account by saying what had been his grief at finding theinanimate body, in which he vainly sought for the least sign of life. Now that he had found him dead he longed for him to be alive. All hisefforts were useless! Nothing remained to be done but to render the lastduties to the one whom he had loved so much! Neb then thought of hiscompanions. They, no doubt, would wish to see the unfortunate man again. Top was there. Could he not rely on the sagacity of the faithful animal?Neb several times pronounced the name of the reporter, the one among hiscompanions whom Top knew best. Then he pointed to the south, and the dog bounded off in the directionindicated to him. We have heard how, guided by an instinct which might be looked uponalmost as supernatural, Top had found them. Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account. It was unaccountable to them how Cyrus Harding, after the efforts whichhe must have made to escape from the waves by crossing the rocks, hadnot received even a scratch. And what could not be explained either washow the engineer had managed to get to this cave in the downs, more thana mile from the shore. "So, Neb, " said the reporter, "it was not you who brought your master tothis place. " "No, it was not I, " replied the Negro. "It's very clear that the captain came here by himself, " said Pencroft. "It is clear in reality, " observed Spilett, "but it is not credible!" The explanation of this fact could only be produced from the engineer'sown lips, and they must wait for that till speech returned. Rubbing hadre-established the circulation of the blood. Cyrus Harding moved his armagain, then his head, and a few incomprehensible words escaped him. Neb, who was bending over him, spoke, but the engineer did not appearto hear, and his eyes remained closed. Life was only exhibited in him bymovement, his senses had not as yet been restored. Pencroft much regretted not having either fire, or the means ofprocuring it, for he had, unfortunately, forgotten to bring the burntlinen, which would easily have ignited from the sparks produced bystriking together two flints. As to the engineer's pockets, they wereentirely empty, except that of his waistcoat, which contained his watch. It was necessary to carry Harding to the Chimneys, and that as soon aspossible. This was the opinion of all. Meanwhile, the care which was lavished on the engineer brought him backto consciousness sooner than they could have expected. The water withwhich they wetted his lips revived him gradually. Pencroft also thoughtof mixing with the water some moisture from the titra's flesh whichhe had brought. Herbert ran to the beach and returned with two largebivalve shells. The sailor concocted something which he introducedbetween the lips of the engineer, who eagerly drinking it opened hiseyes. Neb and the reporter were leaning over him. "My master! my master!" cried Neb. The engineer heard him. He recognized Neb and Spilett, then his othertwo companions, and his hand slightly pressed theirs. A few words again escaped him, which showed what thoughts were, eventhen, troubling his brain. This time he was understood. Undoubtedly theywere the same words he had before attempted to utter. "Island or continent?" he murmured. "Bother the continent, " cried Pencroft hastily; "there is time enoughto see about that, captain! we don't care for anything, provided you areliving. " The engineer nodded faintly, and then appeased to sleep. They respected this sleep, and the reporter began immediately to makearrangements for transporting Harding to a more comfortable place. Neb, Herbert, and Pencroft left the cave and directed their steps towardsa high mound crowned with a few distorted trees. On the way the sailorcould not help repeating, -- "Island or continent! To think of that, when at one's last gasp! What aman!" Arrived at the summit of the mound, Pencroft and his two companionsset to work, with no other tools than their hands, to despoil of itsprincipal branches a rather sickly tree, a sort of marine fir; withthese branches they made a litter, on which, covered with grass andleaves, they could carry the engineer. This occupied them nearly forty minutes, and it was ten o'clock whenthey returned to Cyrus Harding whom Spilett had not left. The engineer was just awaking from the sleep, or rather from thedrowsiness, in which they had found him. The color was returning to hischeeks, which till now had been as pale as death. He raised himself alittle, looked around him, and appeared to ask where he was. "Can you listen to me without fatigue, Cyrus?" asked the reporter. "Yes, " replied the engineer. "It's my opinion, " said the sailor, "that Captain Harding will beable to listen to you still better, if he will have some more grousejelly, --for we have grouse, captain, " added he, presenting him with alittle of this jelly, to which he this time added some of the flesh. Cyrus Harding ate a little of the grouse, and the rest was dividedamong his companions, who found it but a meager breakfast, for they weresuffering extremely from hunger. "Well!" said the sailor, "there is plenty of food at the Chimneys, foryou must know, captain, that down there, in the south, we have a house, with rooms, beds, and fireplace, and in the pantry, several dozen ofbirds, which our Herbert calls couroucous. Your litter is ready, and assoon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. " "Thanks, my friend, " replied the engineer; "wait another hour or two, and then we will set out. And now speak, Spilett. " The reporter then told him all that had occurred. He recounted all theevents with which Cyrus was unacquainted, the last fall of the balloon, the landing on this unknown land, which appeared a desert (whatever itwas, whether island or continent), the discovery of the Chimneys, the search for him, not forgetting of course Neb's devotion, theintelligence exhibited by the faithful Top, as well as many othermatters. "But, " asked Harding, in a still feeble voice, "you did not, then, pickme up on the beach?" "No, " replied the reporter. "And did you not bring me to this cave?" "No. " "At what distance is this cave from the sea?" "About a mile, " replied Pencroft; "and if you are astonished, captain, we are not less surprised ourselves at seeing you in this place!" "Indeed, " said the engineer, who was recovering gradually, and who tookgreat interest in these details, "indeed it is very singular!" "But, " resumed the sailor, "can you tell us what happened after you werecarried off by the sea?" Cyrus Harding considered. He knew very little. The wave had torn himfrom the balloon net. He sank at first several fathoms. On returningto the surface, in the half light, he felt a living creature strugglingnear him. It was Top, who had sprung to his help. He saw nothing of theballoon, which, lightened both of his weight and that of the dog, haddarted away like an arrow. There he was, in the midst of the angry sea, at a distance which couldnot be less than half a mile from the shore. He attempted to struggleagainst the billows by swimming vigorously. Top held him up by hisclothes; but a strong current seized him and drove him towards thenorth, and after half an hour of exertion, he sank, dragging Topwith him into the depths. From that moment to the moment in which herecovered to find himself in the arms of his friends he rememberednothing. "However, " remarked Pencroft, "you must have been thrown on to thebeach, and you must have had strength to walk here, since Neb found yourfootmarks!" "Yes... Of course, " replied the engineer, thoughtfully; "and you foundno traces of human beings on this coast?" "Not a trace, " replied the reporter; "besides, if by chance you had metwith some deliverer there, just in the nick of time, why should he haveabandoned you after having saved you from the waves?" "You are right, my dear Spilett. Tell me, Neb, " added the engineer, turning to his servant, "it was not you who... You can't have had amoment of unconsciousness... During which no, that's absurd.... Do anyof the footsteps still remain?" asked Harding. "Yes, master, " replied Neb; "here, at the entrance, at the back ofthe mound, in a place sheltered from the rain and wind. The storm hasdestroyed the others. " "Pencroft, " said Cyrus Harding, "will you take my shoe and see if itfits exactly to the footprints?" The sailor did as the engineer requested. While he and Herbert, guidedby Neb, went to the place where the footprints were to be found, Cyrusremarked to the reporter, -- "It is a most extraordinary thing!" "Perfectly inexplicable!" replied Gideon Spilett. "But do not dwell upon it just now, my dear Spilett, we will talk aboutit by-and-by. " A moment after the others entered. There was no doubt about it. The engineer's shoe fitted exactly to thefootmarks. It was therefore Cyrus Harding who had left them on the sand. "Come, " said he, "I must have experienced this unconsciousness which Iattributed to Neb. I must have walked like a somnambulist, without anyknowledge of my steps, and Top must have guided me here, after havingdragged me from the waves... Come, Top! Come, old dog!" The magnificent animal bounded barking to his master, and caresses werelavished on him. It was agreed that there was no other way of accountingfor the rescue of Cyrus Harding, and that Top deserved all the honor ofthe affair. Towards twelve o'clock, Pencroft having asked the engineer if they couldnow remove him, Harding, instead of replying, and by an effort whichexhibited the most energetic will, got up. But he was obliged to lean onthe sailor, or he would have fallen. "Well done!" cried Pencroft; "bring the captain's litter. " The litter was brought; the transverse branches had been covered withleaves and long grass. Harding was laid on it, and Pencroft, havingtaken his place at one end and Neb at the other, they started towardsthe coast. There was a distance of eight miles to be accomplished; but, as they could not go fast, and it would perhaps be necessary to stopfrequently, they reckoned that it would take at least six hours to reachthe Chimneys. The wind was still strong, but fortunately it did notrain. Although lying down, the engineer, leaning on his elbow, observedthe coast, particularly inland. He did not speak, but he gazed; and, nodoubt, the appearance of the country, with its inequalities of ground, its forests, its various productions, were impressed on his mind. However, after traveling for two hours, fatigue overcame him, and heslept. At half-past five the little band arrived at the precipice, and a shorttime after at the Chimneys. They stopped, and the litter was placed on the sand; Cyrus Harding wassleeping profoundly, and did not awake. Pencroft, to his extreme surprise, found that the terrible storm hadquite altered the aspect of the place. Important changes had occurred;great blocks of stone lay on the beach, which was also covered with athick carpet of sea-weed, algae, and wrack. Evidently the sea, passingover the islet, had been carried right up to the foot of the enormouscurtain of granite. The soil in front of the cave had been torn awayby the violence of the waves. A horrid presentiment flashed acrossPencroft's mind. He rushed into the passage, but returned almostimmediately, and stood motionless, staring at his companions.... Thefire was out; the drowned cinders were nothing but mud; the burntlinen, which was to have served as tinder, had disappeared! The sea hadpenetrated to the end of the passages, and everything was overthrown anddestroyed in the interior of the Chimneys! Chapter 9 In a few words, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, and Neb were made acquaintedwith what had happened. This accident, which appeared so very seriousto Pencroft, produced different effects on the companions of the honestsailor. Neb, in his delight at having found his master, did not listen, orrather, did not care to trouble himself with what Pencroft was saying. Herbert shared in some degree the sailor's feelings. As to the reporter, he simply replied, -- "Upon my word, Pencroft, it's perfectly indifferent to me!" "But, I repeat, that we haven't any fire!" "Pooh!" "Nor any means of relighting it!" "Nonsense!" "But I say, Mr. Spilett--" "Isn't Cyrus here?" replied the reporter. "Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making firefor us!" "With what?" "With nothing. " What had Pencroft to say? He could say nothing, for, in the bottom ofhis heart he shared the confidence which his companions had in CyrusHarding. The engineer was to them a microcosm, a compound of everyscience, a possessor of all human knowledge. It was better to be withCyrus in a desert island, than without him in the most flourishing townin the United States. With him they could want nothing; with him theywould never despair. If these brave men had been told that a volcaniceruption would destroy the land, that this land would be engulfed in thedepths of the Pacific, they would have imperturbably replied, -- "Cyrus is here!" While in the palanquin, however, the engineer had again relapsed intounconsciousness, which the jolting to which he had been subjected duringhis journey had brought on, so that they could not now appeal to hisingenuity. The supper must necessarily be very meager. In fact, all thegrouse flesh had been consumed, and there no longer existed any means ofcooking more game. Besides, the couroucous which had been reserved haddisappeared. They must consider what was to be done. First of all, Cyrus Harding was carried into the central passage. Therethey managed to arrange for him a couch of sea-weed which still remainedalmost dry. The deep sleep which had overpowered him would no doubt bemore beneficial to him than any nourishment. Night had closed in, and the temperature, which had modified when thewind shifted to the northwest, again became extremely cold. Also, thesea having destroyed the partitions which Pencroft had put up in certainplaces in the passages, the Chimneys, on account of the draughts, hadbecome scarcely habitable. The engineer's condition would, therefore, have been bad enough, if his companions had not carefully covered himwith their coats and waistcoats. Supper, this evening, was of course composed of the inevitablelithodomes, of which Herbert and Neb picked up a plentiful supply on thebeach. However, to these molluscs, the lad added some edible sea-weed, which he gathered on high rocks, whose sides were only washed by the seaat the time of high tides. This sea-weed, which belongs to the orderof Fucacae, of the genus Sargassum, produces, when dry, a gelatinousmatter, rich and nutritious. The reporter and his companions, afterhaving eaten a quantity of lithodomes, sucked the sargassum, of whichthe taste was very tolerable. It is used in parts of the East veryconsiderably by the natives. "Never mind!" said the sailor, "the captainwill help us soon. " Meanwhile the cold became very severe, and unhappilythey had no means of defending themselves from it. The sailor, extremely vexed, tried in all sorts of ways to procure fire. Neb helped him in this work. He found some dry moss, and by strikingtogether two pebbles he obtained some sparks, but the moss, not beinginflammable enough, did not take fire, for the sparks were really onlyincandescent, and not at all of the same consistency as those whichare emitted from flint when struck in the same manner. The experiment, therefore, did not succeed. Pencroft, although he had no confidence in the proceeding, then triedrubbing two pieces of dry wood together, as savages do. Certainly, themovement which he and Neb exhibited, if it had been transformed intoheat, according to the new theory, would have been enough to heat theboiler of a steamer! It came to nothing. The bits of wood became hot, tobe sure, but much less so than the operators themselves. After working an hour, Pencroft, who was in a complete state ofperspiration, threw down the pieces of wood in disgust. "I can never be made to believe that savages light their fires in thisway, let them say what they will, " he exclaimed. "I could sooner lightmy arms by rubbing them against each other!" The sailor was wrong to despise the proceeding. Savages often kindlewood by means of rapid rubbing. But every sort of wood does not answerfor the purpose, and besides, there is "the knack, " following the usualexpression, and it is probable that Pencroft had not "the knack. " Pencroft's ill humor did not last long. Herbert had taken the bits ofwood which he had turned down, and was exerting himself to rub them. The hardy sailor could not restrain a burst of laughter on seeing theefforts of the lad to succeed where he had failed. "Rub, my boy, rub!" said he. "I am rubbing, " replied Herbert, laughing, "but I don't pretend to doanything else but warm myself instead of shivering, and soon I shall beas hot as you are, my good Pencroft!" This soon happened. However, they were obliged to give up, for thisnight at least, the attempt to procure fire. Gideon Spilett repeated, for the twentieth time, that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubledfor so small a difficulty. And, in the meantime, he stretched himself inone of the passages on his bed of sand. Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft didthe same, while Top slept at his master's feet. Next day, the 28th of March, when the engineer awoke, about eight in themorning, he saw his companions around him watching his sleep, and, as onthe day before, his first words were:-- "Island or continent?" This was his uppermost thought. "Well!" replied Pencroft, "we don't know anything about it, captain!" "You don't know yet?" "But we shall know, " rejoined Pencroft, "when you have guided us intothe country. " "I think I am able to try it, " replied the engineer, who, without mucheffort, rose and stood upright. "That's capital!" cried the sailor. "I feel dreadfully weak, " replied Harding. "Give me something to eat, myfriends, and it will soon go off. You have fire, haven't you?" This question was not immediately replied to. But, in a few seconds-- "Alas! we have no fire, " said Pencroft, "or rather, captain, we have itno longer!" And the sailor recounted all that had passed the day before. He amusedthe engineer by the history of the single match, then his abortiveattempt to procure fire in the savages' way. "We shall consider, " replied the engineer, "and if we do not find somesubstance similar to tinder--" "Well?" asked the sailor. "Well, we will make matches. "Chemicals?" "Chemicals!" "It is not more difficult than that, " cried the reporter, striking thesailor on the shoulder. The latter did not think it so simple, but he did not protest. All wentout. The weather had become very fine. The sun was rising from the sea'shorizon, and touched with golden spangles the prismatic rugosities ofthe huge precipice. Having thrown a rapid glance around him, the engineer seated himself ona block of stone. Herbert offered him a few handfuls of shell-fish andsargassum, saying, -- "It is all that we have, Captain Harding. " "Thanks, my boy, " replied Harding; "it will do--for this morning atleast. " He ate the wretched food with appetite, and washed it down with a littlefresh water, drawn from the river in an immense shell. His companions looked at him without speaking. Then, feeling somewhatrefreshed, Cyrus Harding crossed his arms, and said, -- "So, my friends, you do not know yet whether fate has thrown us on anisland, or on a continent?" "No, captain, " replied the boy. "We shall know to-morrow, " said the engineer; "till then, there isnothing to be done. " "Yes, " replied Pencroft. "What?" "Fire, " said the sailor, who, also, had a fixed idea. "We will make it, Pencroft, " replied Harding. "While you were carrying me yesterday, did I not see in the west amountain which commands the country?" "Yes, " replied Spilett, "a mountain which must be rather high--" "Well, " replied the engineer, "we will climb to the summit to-morrow, and then we shall see if this land is an island or a continent. Tillthen, I repeat, there is nothing to be done. " "Yes, fire!" said the obstinate sailor again. "But he will make us a fire!" replied Gideon Spilett, "only have alittle patience, Pencroft!" The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say, "If itdepended upon you to do it, we wouldn't taste roast meat very soon"; buthe was silent. Meanwhile Captain Harding had made no reply. He appeared to be verylittle troubled by the question of fire. For a few minutes he remainedabsorbed in thought; then again speaking, -- "My friends, " said he, "our situation is, perhaps, deplorable; but, atany rate, it is very plain. Either we are on a continent, and then, atthe expense of greater or less fatigue, we shall reach some inhabitedplace, or we are on an island. In the latter case, if the island isinhabited, we will try to get out of the scrape with the help of itsinhabitants; if it is desert, we will try to get out of the scrape byourselves. " "Certainly, nothing could be plainer, " replied Pencroft. "But, whether it is an island or a continent, " asked Gideon Spilett, "whereabouts do you think, Cyrus, this storm has thrown us?" "I cannot say exactly, " replied the engineer, "but I presume it issome land in the Pacific. In fact, when we left Richmond, the wind wasblowing from the northeast, and its very violence greatly proves thatit could not have varied. If the direction has been maintained fromthe northeast to the southwest, we have traversed the States of NorthCarolina, of South Carolina, of Georgia, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, itself, in its narrow part, then a part of the Pacific Ocean. I cannotestimate the distance traversed by the balloon at less than six to seventhousand miles, and, even supposing that the wind had varied half aquarter, it must have brought us either to the archipelago of Mendava, either on the Pomotous, or even, if it had a greater strength than Isuppose, to the land of New Zealand. If the last hypothesis is correct, it will be easy enough to get home again. English or Maoris, we shallalways find some one to whom we can speak. If, on the contrary, this isthe coast of a desert island in some tiny archipelago, perhaps we shallbe able to reconnoiter it from the summit of that peak which overlooksthe country, and then we shall see how best to establish ourselves hereas if we are never to go away. " "Never?" cried the reporter. "You say 'Never, ' my dear Cyrus?" "Better to put things at the worst at first, " replied the engineer, "andreserve the best for a surprise. " "Well said, " remarked Pencroft. "It is to be hoped, too, that thisisland, if it be one, is not situated just out of the course of ships;that would be really unlucky!" "We shall not know what we have to rely on until we have first made theascent of the mountain, " replied the engineer. "But to-morrow, captain, " asked Herbert, "shall you be in a state tobear the fatigue of the ascent?" "I hope so, " replied the engineer, "provided you and Pencroft, my boy, show yourselves quick and clever hunters. " "Captain, " said the sailor, "since you are speaking of game, if on myreturn, I was as certain of roasting it as I am of bringing it back--" "Bring it back all the same, Pencroft, " replied Harding. It was then agreed that the engineer and the reporter were to pass theday at the Chimneys, so as to examine the shore and the upper plateau. Neb, Herbert, and the sailor were to return to the forest, renew theirstore of wood, and lay violent hands on every creature, feathered orhairy, which might come within their reach. They set out accordingly about ten o'clock in the morning, Herbertconfident, Neb joyous, Pencroft murmuring aside, -- "If, on my return, I find a fire at the house, I shall believe thatthe thunder itself came to light it. " All three climbed the bank; andarrived at the angle made by the river, the sailor, stopping, said tohis two companions, -- "Shall we begin by being hunters or wood-men?" "Hunters, " replied Herbert. "There is Top already in quest. " "We will hunt, then, " said the sailor, "and afterwards we can come backand collect our wood. " This agreed to, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, after having torn threesticks from the trunk of a young fir, followed Top, who was boundingabout among the long grass. This time, the hunters, instead of following the course of the river, plunged straight into the heart of the forest. There were still thesame trees, belonging, for the most part, to the pine family. Incertain places, less crowded, growing in clumps, these pines exhibitedconsiderable dimensions, and appeared to indicate, by their development, that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer hadsupposed. Glades, bristling with stumps worn away by time, were coveredwith dry wood, which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel. Then, the glade passed, the underwood thickened again, and became almostimpenetrable. It was difficult enough to find the way among the groups of trees, without any beaten track. So the sailor from time to time broke offbranches which might be easily recognized. But, perhaps, he was wrongnot to follow the watercourse, as he and Herbert had done on their firstexcursion, for after walking an hour not a creature had shown itself. Top, running under the branches, only roused birds which could not beapproached. Even the couroucous were invisible, and it was probable thatthe sailor would be obliged to return to the marshy part of the forest, in which he had so happily performed his grouse fishing. "Well, Pencroft, " said Neb, in a slightly sarcastic tone, "if this isall the game which you promised to bring back to my master, it won'tneed a large fire to roast it!" "Have patience, " replied the sailor, "it isn't the game which will bewanting on our return. " "Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?" "Yes. " "But you don't believe that he will make fire?" "I shall believe it when the wood is blazing in the fireplace. " "It will blaze, since my master has said so. " "We shall see!" Meanwhile, the sun had not reached the highest point in its course abovethe horizon. The exploration, therefore, continued, and was usefullymarked by a discovery which Herbert made of a tree whose fruit wasedible. This was the stone-pine, which produces an excellent almond, very much esteemed in the temperate regions of America and Europe. Thesealmonds were in a perfect state of maturity, and Herbert described themto his companions, who feasted on them. "Come, " said Pencroft, "sea-weed by way of bread, raw mussels for meat, and almonds for dessert, that's certainly a good dinner for those whohave not a single match in their pocket!" "We mustn't complain, " said Herbert. "I am not complaining, my boy, " replied Pencroft, "only I repeat, thatmeat is a little too much economized in this sort of meal. " "Top has found something!" cried Neb, who ran towards a thicket, in themidst of which the dog had disappeared, barking. With Top's barking weremingled curious gruntings. The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. If there was game there thiswas not the time to discuss how it was to be cooked, but rather, howthey were to get hold of it. The hunters had scarcely entered the bushes when they saw Top engagedin a struggle with an animal which he was holding by the ear. Thisquadruped was a sort of pig nearly two feet and a half long, of ablackish brown color, lighter below, having hard scanty hair; its toes, then strongly fixed in the ground, seemed to be united by a membrane. Herbert recognized in this animal the capybara, that is to say, one ofthe largest members of the rodent order. Meanwhile, the capybara did not struggle against the dog. It stupidlyrolled its eyes, deeply buried in a thick bed of fat. Perhaps it saw menfor the first time. However, Neb having tightened his grasp on his stick, was just going tofell the pig, when the latter, tearing itself from Top's teeth, by whichit was only held by the tip of its ear, uttered a vigorous grunt, rushedupon Herbert, almost overthrew him, and disappeared in the wood. "The rascal!" cried Pencroft. All three directly darted after Top, but at the moment when they joinedhim the animal had disappeared under the waters of a large pond shadedby venerable pines. Neb, Herbert, and Pencroft stopped, motionless. Top plunged into thewater, but the capybara, hidden at the bottom of the pond, did notappear. "Let us wait, " said the boy, "for he will soon come to the surface tobreathe. " "Won't he drown?" asked Neb. "No, " replied Herbert, "since he has webbed feet, and is almost anamphibious animal. But watch him. " Top remained in the water. Pencroft and his two companions went todifferent parts of the bank, so as to cut off the retreat of thecapybara, which the dog was looking for beneath the water. Herbert was not mistaken. In a few minutes the animal appeared on thesurface of the water. Top was upon it in a bound, and kept it fromplunging again. An instant later the capybara, dragged to the bank, waskilled by a blow from Neb's stick. "Hurrah!" cried Pencroft, who was always ready with this cry of triumph. "Give me but a good fire, and this pig shall be gnawed to the bones!" Pencroft hoisted the capybara on his shoulders, and judging by theheight of the sun that it was about two o'clock, he gave the signal toreturn. Top's instinct was useful to the hunters, who, thanks to the intelligentanimal, were enabled to discover the road by which they had come. Halfan hour later they arrived at the river. Pencroft soon made a raft of wood, as he had done before, though ifthere was no fire it would be a useless task, and the raft following thecurrent, they returned towards the Chimneys. But the sailor had not gone fifty paces when he stopped, and againuttering a tremendous hurrah, pointed towards the angle of the cliff, -- "Herbert! Neb! Look!" he shouted. Smoke was escaping and curling up among the rocks. Chapter 10 In a few minutes the three hunters were before a crackling fire. Thecaptain and the reporter were there. Pencroft looked from one to theother, his capybara in his hand, without saying a word. "Well, yes, my brave fellow, " cried the reporter. "Fire, real fire, which will roast this splendid pig perfectly, and wewill have a feast presently!" "But who lighted it?" asked Pencroft. "The sun!" Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply. It was the sun whichhad furnished the heat which so astonished Pencroft. The sailor couldscarcely believe his eyes, and he was so amazed that he did not think ofquestioning the engineer. "Had you a burning-glass, sir?" asked Herbert of Harding. "No, my boy, " replied he, "but I made one. " And he showed the apparatus which served for a burning-glass. It wassimply two glasses which he had taken from his own and the reporter'swatches. Having filled them with water and rendered their edges adhesiveby means of a little clay, he thus fabricated a regular burning-glass, which, concentrating the solar rays on some very dry moss, soon causedit to blaze. The sailor considered the apparatus; then he gazed at the engineerwithout saying a word, only a look plainly expressed his opinion that ifCyrus Harding was not a magician, he was certainly no ordinary man. Atlast speech returned to him, and he cried, -- "Note that, Mr. Spilett, note that down on your paper!" "It is noted, " replied the reporter. Then, Neb helping him, the seaman arranged the spit, and the capybara, properly cleaned, was soon roasting like a suckling-pig before a clear, crackling fire. The Chimneys had again become more habitable, not only because thepassages were warmed by the fire, but because the partitions of wood andmud had been re-established. It was evident that the engineer and his companions had employed theirday well. Cyrus Harding had almost entirely recovered his strength, andhad proved it by climbing to the upper plateau. From this point his eye, accustomed to estimate heights and distances, was fixed for a long timeon the cone, the summit of which he wished to reach the next day. Themountain, situated about six miles to the northwest, appeared to him tomeasure 3, 500 feet above the level of the sea. Consequently the gaze ofan observer posted on its summit would extend over a radius of at leastfifty miles. Therefore it was probable that Harding could easily solvethe question of "island or continent, " to which he attached so muchimportance. They supped capitally. The flesh of the capybara was declared excellent. The sargassum and the almonds of the stone-pine completed the repast, during which the engineer spoke little. He was preoccupied with projectsfor the next day. Once or twice Pencroft gave forth some ideas upon what it would be bestto do; but Cyrus Harding, who was evidently of a methodical mind, onlyshook his head without uttering a word. "To-morrow, " he repeated, "we shall know what we have to depend upon, and we will act accordingly. " The meal ended, fresh armfuls of wood were thrown on the fire, andthe inhabitants of the Chimneys, including the faithful Top, were soonburied in a deep sleep. No incident disturbed this peaceful night, and the next day, the 29thof March, fresh and active they awoke, ready to undertake the excursionwhich must determine their fate. All was ready for the start. The remains of the capybara would be enoughto sustain Harding and his companions for at least twenty-four hours. Besides, they hoped to find more food on the way. As the glasses hadbeen returned to the watches of the engineer and reporter, Pencroftburned a little linen to serve as tinder. As to flint, that would not bewanting in these regions of Plutonic origin. It was half-past seven inthe morning when the explorers, armed with sticks, left the Chimneys. Following Pencroft's advice, it appeared best to take the road alreadytraversed through the forest, and to return by another route. It wasalso the most direct way to reach the mountain. They turned the southangle and followed the left bank of the river, which was abandoned atthe point where it formed an elbow towards the southwest. The path, already trodden under the evergreen trees, was found, and at nineo'clock Cyrus Harding and his companions had reached the western borderof the forest. The ground, till then, very little undulated, boggy atfirst, dry and sandy afterwards, had a gentle slope, which ascended fromthe shore towards the interior of the country. A few very timid animalswere seen under the forest-trees. Top quickly started them, but hismaster soon called him back, for the time had not come to commencehunting; that would be attended to later. The engineer was not a man whowould allow himself to be diverted from his fixed idea. It might evenhave been said that he did not observe the country at all, either inits configuration or in its natural productions, his great aim beingto climb the mountain before him, and therefore straight towards it hewent. At ten o'clock a halt of a few minutes was made. On leavingthe forest, the mountain system of the country appeared before theexplorers. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first, truncatedat a height of about two thousand five hundred feet, was sustained bybuttresses, which appeared to branch out like the talons of an immenseclaw set on the ground. Between these were narrow valleys, bristlingwith trees, the last clumps of which rose to the top of the lowest cone. There appeared to be less vegetation on that side of the mountain whichwas exposed to the northeast, and deep fissures could be seen which, nodoubt, were watercourses. On the first cone rested a second, slightly rounded, and placed a littleon one side, like a great round hat cocked over the ear. A Scotchmanwould have said, "His bonnet was a thocht ajee. " It appeared formed ofbare earth, here and there pierced by reddish rocks. They wished to reach the second cone, and proceeding along the ridge ofthe spurs seemed to be the best way by which to gain it. "We are on volcanic ground, " Cyrus Harding had said, and his companionsfollowing him began to ascend by degrees on the back of a spur, which, by a winding and consequently more accessible path, joined the firstplateau. The ground had evidently been convulsed by subterranean force. Here andthere stray blocks, numerous debris of basalt and pumice-stone, were metwith. In isolated groups rose fir-trees, which, some hundred feetlower, at the bottom of the narrow gorges, formed massive shades almostimpenetrable to the sun's rays. During the first part of the ascent, Herbert remarked on the footprintswhich indicated the recent passage of large animals. "Perhaps these beasts will not let us pass by willingly, " said Pencroft. "Well, " replied the reporter, who had already hunted the tiger inIndia, and the lion in Africa, "we shall soon learn how successfully toencounter them. But in the meantime we must be upon our guard!" They ascended but slowly. The distance, increased by detours and obstacles which could not besurmounted directly, was long. Sometimes, too, the ground suddenly fell, and they found themselves on the edge of a deep chasm which they had togo round. Thus, in retracing their steps so as to find some practicablepath, much time was employed and fatigue undergone for nothing. Attwelve o'clock, when the small band of adventurers halted for breakfastat the foot of a large group of firs, near a little stream which fell incascades, they found themselves still half way from the first plateau, which most probably they would not reach till nightfall. From thispoint the view of the sea was much extended, but on the right the highpromontory prevented their seeing whether there was land beyond it. Onthe left, the sight extended several miles to the north; but, on thenorthwest, at the point occupied by the explorers, it was cut shortby the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur, which formed a powerfulsupport of the central cone. At one o'clock the ascent was continued. They slanted more towards thesouthwest and again entered among thick bushes. There under the shadeof the trees fluttered several couples of gallinaceae belonging to thepheasant species. They were tragopans, ornamented by a pendant skinwhich hangs over their throats, and by two small, round horns, plantedbehind the eyes. Among these birds, which were about the size of a fowl, the female was uniformly brown, while the male was gorgeous in hisred plumage, decorated with white spots. Gideon Spilett, with a stonecleverly and vigorously thrown, killed one of these tragopans, on whichPencroft, made hungry by the fresh air, had cast greedy eyes. After leaving the region of bushes, the party, assisted by resting oneach other's shoulders, climbed for about a hundred feet up a steepacclivity and reached a level place, with very few trees, where the soilappeared volcanic. It was necessary to ascend by zigzags to makethe slope more easy, for it was very steep, and the footing beingexceedingly precarious required the greatest caution. Neb and Herberttook the lead, Pencroft the rear, the captain and the reporter betweenthem. The animals which frequented these heights--and there werenumerous traces of them--must necessarily belong to those races of surefoot and supple spine, chamois or goat. Several were seen, but thiswas not the name Pencroft gave them, for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" heshouted. All stopped about fifty feet from half-a-dozen animals of a large size, with strong horns bent back and flattened towards the point, with awoolly fleece, hidden under long silky hair of a tawny color. They were not ordinary sheep, but a species usually found in themountainous regions of the temperate zone, to which Herbert gave thename of the musmon. "Have they legs and chops?" asked the sailor. "Yes, " replied Herbert. "Well, then, they are sheep!" said Pencroft. The animals, motionless among the blocks of basalt, gazed with anastonished eye, as if they saw human bipeds for the first time. Thentheir fears suddenly aroused, they disappeared, bounding over the rocks. "Good-bye, till we meet again, " cried Pencroft, as he watched them, insuch a comical tone that Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, and Nebcould not help laughing. The ascent was continued. Here and there were traces of lava. Sulphursprings sometimes stopped their way, and they had to go round them. Insome places the sulphur had formed crystals among other substances, suchas whitish cinders made of an infinity of little feldspar crystals. In approaching the first plateau formed by the truncating of the lowercone, the difficulties of the ascent were very great. Towards fouro'clock the extreme zone of the trees had been passed. There onlyremained here and there a few twisted, stunted pines, which must havehad a hard life in resisting at this altitude the high winds from theopen sea. Happily for the engineer and his companions the weather wasbeautiful, the atmosphere tranquil; for a high breeze at an elevation ofthree thousand feet would have hindered their proceedings. The purityof the sky at the zenith was felt through the transparent air. A perfectcalm reigned around them. They could not see the sun, then hid by thevast screen of the upper cone, which masked the half-horizon of thewest, and whose enormous shadow stretching to the shore increased asthe radiant luminary sank in its diurnal course. Vapor--mist rather thanclouds--began to appear in the east, and assume all the prismatic colorsunder the influence of the solar rays. Five hundred feet only separated the explorers from the plateau, whichthey wished to reach so as to establish there an encampment for thenight, but these five hundred feet were increased to more than two milesby the zigzags which they had to describe. The soil, as it were, slidunder their feet. The slope often presented such an angle that they slipped when thestones worn by the air did not give a sufficient support. Eveningcame on by degrees, and it was almost night when Cyrus Harding and hiscompanions, much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours, arrived atthe plateau of the first cone. It was then necessary to prepare anencampment, and to restore their strength by eating first and sleepingafterwards. This second stage of the mountain rose on a base of rocks, among which it would be easy to find a retreat. Fuel was not abundant. However, a fire could be made by means of the moss and dry brushwood, which covered certain parts of the plateau. While the sailor waspreparing his hearth with stones which he put to this use, Neb andHerbert occupied themselves with getting a supply of fuel. They soonreturned with a load of brushwood. The steel was struck, the burnt linencaught the sparks of flint, and, under Neb's breath, a crackling fireshowed itself in a few minutes under the shelter of the rocks. Theirobject in lighting a fire was only to enable them to withstand the coldtemperature of the night, as it was not employed in cooking the bird, which Neb kept for the next day. The remains of the capybara andsome dozens of the stone-pine almonds formed their supper. It was nothalf-past six when all was finished. Cyrus Harding then thought of exploring in the half-light the largecircular layer which supported the upper cone of the mountain. Beforetaking any rest, he wished to know if it was possible to get round thebase of the cone in the case of its sides being too steep and its summitbeing inaccessible. This question preoccupied him, for it was possiblethat from the way the hat inclined, that is to say, towards the north, the plateau was not practicable. Also, if the summit of the mountaincould not be reached on one side, and if, on the other, they could notget round the base of the cone, it would be impossible to survey thewestern part of the country, and their object in making the ascent wouldin part be altogether unattained. The engineer, accordingly, regardless of fatigue, leaving Pencroft andNeb to arrange the beds, and Gideon Spilett to note the incidents of theday, began to follow the edge of the plateau, going towards the north. Herbert accompanied him. The night was beautiful and still, the darkness was not yet deep. CyrusHarding and the boy walked near each other, without speaking. Insome places the plateau opened before them, and they passed withouthindrance. In others, obstructed by rocks, there was only a narrow path, in which two persons could not walk abreast. After a walk of twentyminutes, Cyrus Harding and Herbert were obliged to stop. From this pointthe slope of the two cones became one. No shoulder here separated thetwo parts of the mountain. The slope, being inclined almost seventydegrees, the path became impracticable. But if the engineer and the boy were obliged to give up thoughts offollowing a circular direction, in return an opportunity was given forascending the cone. In fact, before them opened a deep hollow. It was the rugged mouthof the crater, by which the eruptive liquid matter had escaped atthe periods when the volcano was still in activity. Hardened lava andcrusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps, whichwould greatly facilitate the ascent to the summit of the mountain. Harding took all this in at a glance, and without hesitating, followedby the lad, he entered the enormous chasm in the midst of an increasingobscurity. There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. Would theinterior acclivities of the crater be practicable? It would soon beseen. The persevering engineer resolved to continue his ascent untilhe was stopped. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of thevolcano and favored their ascent. As to the volcano itself, it could not be doubted that it was completelyextinct. No smoke escaped from its sides; not a flame could be seen inthe dark hollows; not a roar, not a mutter, no trembling even issuedfrom this black well, which perhaps reached far into the bowels of theearth. The atmosphere inside the crater was filled with no sulphurousvapor. It was more than the sleep of a volcano; it was its completeextinction. Cyrus Harding's attempt would succeed. Little by little, Herbert and he climbing up the sides of the interior, saw the crater widen above their heads. The radius of this circularportion of the sky, framed by the edge of the cone, increased obviously. At each step, as it were, that the explorers made, fresh stars enteredthe field of their vision. The magnificent constellations of thesouthern sky shone resplendently. At the zenith glittered the splendidAntares in the Scorpion, and not far was Alpha Centauri, which isbelieved to be the nearest star to the terrestrial globe. Then, as thecrater widened, appeared Fomalhaut of the Fish, the Southern Triangle, and lastly, nearly at the Antarctic Pole, the glittering Southern Cross, which replaces the Polar Star of the Northern Hemisphere. It was nearly eight o'clock when Cyrus Harding and Herbert set foot onthe highest ridge of the mountain at the summit of the cone. It was then perfectly dark, and their gaze could not extend over aradius of two miles. Did the sea surround this unknown land, or was itconnected in the west with some continent of the Pacific? It could notyet be made out. Towards the west, a cloudy belt, clearly visible at thehorizon, increased the gloom, and the eye could not discover if the skyand water were blended together in the same circular line. But at one point of the horizon a vague light suddenly appeared, whichdescended slowly in proportion as the cloud mounted to the zenith. It was the slender crescent moon, already almost disappearing; but itslight was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line, then detachedfrom the cloud, and the engineer could see its reflection trembling foran instant on a liquid surface. Cyrus Harding seized the lad's hand, andin a grave voice, -- "An island!" said he, at the moment when the lunar crescent disappearedbeneath the waves. Chapter 11 Half an hour later Cyrus Harding and Herbert had returned to theencampment. The engineer merely told his companions that the land uponwhich fate had thrown them was an island, and that the next day theywould consult. Then each settled himself as well as he could to sleep, and in that rocky hole, at a height of two thousand five hundred feetabove the level of the sea, through a peaceful night, the islandersenjoyed profound repose. The next day, the 30th of March, after a hasty breakfast, whichconsisted solely of the roasted tragopan, the engineer wished to climbagain to the summit of the volcano, so as more attentively to surveythe island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for lifeperhaps, should the island be situated at a great distance from anyland, or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited thearchipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean. This time his companions followedhim in the new exploration. They also wished to see the island, on theproductions of which they must depend for the supply of all their wants. It was about seven o'clock in the morning when Cyrus Harding, Herbert, Pencroft, Gideon Spilett, and Neb quitted the encampment. No oneappeared to be anxious about their situation. They had faith inthemselves, doubtless, but it must be observed that the basis of thisfaith was not the same with Harding as with his companions. The engineerhad confidence, because he felt capable of extorting from this wildcountry everything necessary for the life of himself and his companions;the latter feared nothing, just because Cyrus Harding was with them. Pencroft especially, since the incident of the relighted fire, wouldnot have despaired for an instant, even if he was on a bare rock, if theengineer was with him on the rock. "Pshaw, " said he, "we left Richmond without permission from theauthorities! It will be hard if we don't manage to get away some day orother from a place where certainly no one will detain us!" Cyrus Harding followed the same road as the evening before. They wentround the cone by the plateau which formed the shoulder, to the mouth ofthe enormous chasm. The weather was magnificent. The sun rose in a puresky and flooded with his rays all the eastern side of the mountain. The crater was reached. It was just what the engineer had made it out tobe in the dark; that is to say, a vast funnel which extended, widening, to a height of a thousand feet above the plateau. Below the chasm, largethick streaks of lava wound over the sides of the mountain, and thusmarked the course of the eruptive matter to the lower valleys whichfurrowed the northern part of the island. The interior of the crater, whose inclination did not exceed thirty fiveto forty degrees, presented no difficulties nor obstacles to the ascent. Traces of very ancient lava were noticed, which probably had overflowedthe summit of the cone, before this lateral chasm had opened a new wayto it. As to the volcanic chimney which established a communication between thesubterranean layers and the crater, its depth could not be calculatedwith the eye, for it was lost in obscurity. But there was no doubt as tothe complete extinction of the volcano. Before eight o'clock Harding and his companions were assembled at thesummit of the crater, on a conical mound which swelled the northernedge. "The sea, the sea everywhere!" they cried, as if their lips could notrestrain the words which made islanders of them. The sea, indeed, formed an immense circular sheet of water all aroundthem! Perhaps, on climbing again to the summit of the cone, CyrusHarding had had a hope of discovering some coast, some island shore, which he had not been able to perceive in the dark the evening before. But nothing appeared on the farthest verge of the horizon, that is tosay over a radius of more than fifty miles. No land in sight. Not asail. Over all this immense space the ocean alone was visible--theisland occupied the center of a circumference which appeared to beinfinite. The engineer and his companions, mute and motionless, surveyed forsome minutes every point of the ocean, examining it to its most extremelimits. Even Pencroft, who possessed a marvelous power of sight, sawnothing; and certainly if there had been land at the horizon, if itappeared only as an indistinct vapor, the sailor would undoubtedlyhave found it out, for nature had placed regular telescopes under hiseyebrows. From the ocean their gaze returned to the island which they commandedentirely, and the first question was put by Gideon Spilett in theseterms: "About what size is this island?" Truly, it did not appear large in the midst of the immense ocean. Cyrus Harding reflected a few minutes; he attentively observed theperimeter of the island, taking into consideration the height at whichhe was placed; then, -- "My friends, " said he, "I do not think I am mistaken in giving to theshore of the island a circumference of more than a hundred miles. " "And consequently an area?" "That is difficult to estimate, " replied the engineer, "for it is souneven. " If Cyrus Harding was not mistaken in his calculation, the island hadalmost the extent of Malta or Zante, in the Mediterranean, but it was atthe same time much more irregular and less rich in capes, promontories, points, bays, or creeks. Its strange form caught the eye, and whenGideon Spilett, on the engineer's advice, had drawn the outline, theyfound that it resembled some fantastic animal, a monstrous leviathan, which lay sleeping on the surface of the Pacific. This was in fact the exact shape of the island, which it is ofconsequence to know, and a tolerably correct map of it was immediatelydrawn by the reporter. The east part of the shore, where the castaways had landed, formed awide bay, terminated by a sharp cape, which had been concealed by a highpoint from Pencroft on his first exploration. At the northeast two othercapes closed the bay, and between them ran a narrow gulf, which lookedlike the half-open jaws of a formidable dog-fish. From the northeast to the southwest the coast was rounded, likethe flattened cranium of an animal, rising again, forming a sort ofprotuberance which did not give any particular shape to this part of theisland, of which the center was occupied by the volcano. From this point the shore ran pretty regularly north and south, brokenat two-thirds of its perimeter by a narrow creek, from which it ended ina long tail, similar to the caudal appendage of a gigantic alligator. This tail formed a regular peninsula, which stretched more than thirtymiles into the sea, reckoning from the cape southeast of the island, already mentioned; it curled round, making an open roadstead, whichmarked out the lower shore of this strangely-formed land. At the narrowest part, that is to say between the Chimneys and the creekon the western shore, which corresponded to it in latitude, the islandonly measured ten miles; but its greatest length, from the jaws at thenortheast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest, was not lessthan thirty miles. As to the interior of the island, its general aspect was this, verywoody throughout the southern part from the mountain to the shore, andarid and sandy in the northern part. Between the volcano and the eastcoast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see alake, bordered with green trees, the existence of which they had notsuspected. Seen from this height, the lake appeared to be on the samelevel as the ocean, but, on reflection, the engineer explained to hiscompanions that the altitude of this little sheet of water must be aboutthree hundred feet, because the plateau, which was its basin, was but aprolongation of the coast. "Is it a freshwater lake?" asked Pencroft. "Certainly, " replied the engineer, "for it must be fed by the waterwhich flows from the mountain. " "I see a little river which runs into it, " said Herbert, pointing out anarrow stream, which evidently took its source somewhere in the west. "Yes, " said Harding; "and since this stream feeds the lake, mostprobably on the side near the sea there is an outlet by which thesurplus water escapes. We shall see that on our return. " This little winding watercourse and the river already mentionedconstituted the water-system, at least such as it was displayed to theeyes of the explorers. However, it was possible that under the masses oftrees which covered two-thirds of the island, forming an immense forest, other rivers ran towards the sea. It might even be inferred that suchwas the case, so rich did this region appear in the most magnificentspecimens of the flora of the temperate zones. There was no indicationof running water in the north, though perhaps there might be stagnantwater among the marshes in the northeast; but that was all, in additionto the downs, sand, and aridity which contrasted so strongly with theluxuriant vegetation of the rest of the island. The volcano did not occupy the central part; it rose, on the contrary, in the northwestern region, and seemed to mark the boundary of the twozones. At the southwest, at the south, and the southeast, the first partof the spurs were hidden under masses of verdure. At the north, on thecontrary, one could follow their ramifications, which died away on thesandy plains. It was on this side that, at the time when the mountainwas in a state of eruption, the discharge had worn away a passage, anda large heap of lava had spread to the narrow jaw which formed thenortheastern gulf. Cyrus Harding and his companions remained an hour at the top of themountain. The island was displayed under their eyes, like a plan inrelief with different tints, green for the forests, yellow for thesand, blue for the water. They viewed it in its tout-ensemble, nothingremained concealed but the ground hidden by verdure, the hollows of thevalleys, and the interior of the volcanic chasms. One important question remained to be solved, and the answer would havea great effect upon the future of the castaways. Was the island inhabited? It was the reporter who put this question, to which after the closeexamination they had just made, the answer seemed to be in the negative. Nowhere could the work of a human hand be perceived. Not a group ofhuts, not a solitary cabin, not a fishery on the shore. No smoke curlingin the air betrayed the presence of man. It is true, a distance ofnearly thirty miles separated the observers from the extreme points, that is, of the tail which extended to the southwest, and it would havebeen difficult, even to Pencroft's eyes, to discover a habitation there. Neither could the curtain of verdure, which covered three-quartersof the island, be raised to see if it did not shelter some stragglingvillage. But in general the islanders live on the shores of the narrowspaces which emerge above the waters of the Pacific, and this shoreappeared to be an absolute desert. Until a more complete exploration, it might be admitted that the islandwas uninhabited. But was it frequented, at least occasionally, bythe natives of neighboring islands? It was difficult to reply to thisquestion. No land appeared within a radius of fifty miles. But fiftymiles could be easily crossed, either by Malay proas or by the largePolynesian canoes. Everything depended on the position of the island, of its isolation in the Pacific, or of its proximity to archipelagoes. Would Cyrus Harding be able to find out their latitude and longitudewithout instruments? It would be difficult. Since he was in doubt, itwas best to take precautions against a possible descent of neighboringnatives. The exploration of the island was finished, its shape determined, itsfeatures made out, its extent calculated, the water and mountain systemsascertained. The disposition of the forests and plains had been markedin a general way on the reporter's plan. They had now only to descendthe mountain slopes again, and explore the soil, in the triple point ofview, of its mineral, vegetable, and animal resources. But before giving his companions the signal for departure, Cyrus Hardingsaid to them in a calm, grave voice, -- "Here, my friends, is the small corner of land upon which the hand ofthe Almighty has thrown us. We are going to live here; a long time, perhaps. Perhaps, too, unexpected help will arrive, if some ship passesby chance. I say by chance, because this is an unimportant island; thereis not even a port in which ships could anchor, and it is to be fearedthat it is situated out of the route usually followed, that is to say, too much to the south for the ships which frequent the archipelagoes ofthe Pacific, and too much to the north for those which go to Australiaby doubling Cape Horn. I wish to hide nothing of our position fromyou--" "And you are right, my dear Cyrus, " replied the reporter, withanimation. "You have to deal with men. They have confidence in you, andyou can depend upon them. Is it not so, my friends?" "I will obey you in everything, captain, " said Herbert, seizing theengineer's hand. "My master always, and everywhere!" cried Neb. "As for me, " said the sailor, "if I ever grumble at work, my name's notJack Pencroft, and if you like, captain, we will make a little Americaof this island! We will build towns, we will establish railways, starttelegraphs, and one fine day, when it is quite changed, quite put inorder and quite civilized, we will go and offer it to the government ofthe Union. Only, I ask one thing. " "What is that?" said the reporter. "It is, that we do not consider ourselves castaways, but colonists, who have come here to settle. " Harding could not help smiling, and thesailor's idea was adopted. He then thanked his companions, and added, that he would rely on their energy and on the aid of Heaven. "Well, now let us set off to the Chimneys!" cried Pencroft. "One minute, my friends, " said the engineer. "It seems to me it wouldbe a good thing to give a name to this island, as well as to, the capes, promontories, and watercourses, which we can see. "Very good, " said the reporter. "In the future, that will simplify theinstructions which we shall have to give and follow. " "Indeed, " said the sailor, "already it is something to be able to saywhere one is going, and where one has come from. At least, it looks likesomewhere. " "The Chimneys, for example, " said Herbert. "Exactly!" replied Pencroft. "That name was the most convenient, and itcame to me quite of myself. Shall we keep the name of the Chimneys forour first encampment, captain?" "Yes, Pencroft, since you have so christened it. " "Good! as for the others, that will be easy, " returned the sailor, whowas in high spirits. "Let us give them names, as the Robinsons did, whose story Herbert has often read to me; Providence Bay, Whale Point, Cape Disappointment!" "Or, rather, the names of Captain Harding, " said Herbert, "of Mr. Spilett, of Neb!--" "My name!" cried Neb, showing his sparkling white teeth. "Why not?" replied Pencroft. "Port Neb, that would do very well! AndCape Gideon--" "I should prefer borrowing names from our country, " said the reporter, "which would remind us of America. " "Yes, for the principal ones, " then said Cyrus Harding; "for those ofthe bays and seas, I admit it willingly. We might give to that vast bayon the east the name of Union Bay, for example; to that large hollow onthe south, Washington Bay; to the mountain upon which we are standing, that of Mount Franklin; to that lake which is extended under our eyes, that of Lake Grant; nothing could be better, my friends. These nameswill recall our country, and those of the great citizens who havehonored it; but for the rivers, gulfs, capes, and promontories, which weperceive from the top of this mountain, rather let us choose names whichwill recall their particular shape. They will impress themselves betteron our memory, and at the same time will be more practical. The shape ofthe island is so strange that we shall not be troubled to imaginewhat it resembles. As to the streams which we do not know as yet, indifferent parts of the forest which we shall explore later, the creekswhich afterwards will he discovered, we can christen them as we findthem. What do you think, my friends?" The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions. Theisland was spread out under their eyes like a map, and they had only togive names to all its angles and points. Gideon Spilett would writethem down, and the geographical nomenclature of the island would bedefinitely adopted. First, they named the two bays and the mountain, Union Bay, Washington Bay, and Mount Franklin, as the engineer hadsuggested. "Now, " said the reporter, "to this peninsula at the southwest of theisland, I propose to give the name of Serpentine Peninsula, and that ofReptile-end to the bent tail which terminates it, for it is just like areptile's tail. " "Adopted, " said the engineer. "Now, " said Herbert, pointing to the other extremity of the island, "letus call this gulf which is so singularly like a pair of open jaws, SharkGulf. " "Capital!" cried Pencroft, "and we can complete the resemblance bynaming the two parts of the jaws Mandible Cape. " "But there are two capes, " observed the reporter. "Well, " replied Pencroft, "we can have North Mandible Cape and SouthMandible Cape. " "They are inscribed, " said Spilett. "There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island tobe named, " said Pencroft. "That is, the extremity of Union Bay?" asked Herbert. "Claw Cape, " cried Neb directly, who also wished to be godfather to somepart of his domain. In truth, Neb had found an excellent name, for this cape was very likethe powerful claw of the fantastic animal which this singularly-shapedisland represented. Pencroft was delighted at the turn things had taken, and theirimaginations soon gave to the river which furnished the settlers withdrinking water and near which the balloon had thrown them, the name ofthe Mercy, in true gratitude to Providence. To the islet upon which thecastaways had first landed, the name of Safety Island; to the plateauwhich crowned the high granite precipice above the Chimneys, and fromwhence the gaze could embrace the whole of the vast bay, the name ofProspect Heights. Lastly, all the masses of impenetrable wood which covered the SerpentinePeninsula were named the forests of the Far West. The nomenclature of the visible and known parts of the island wasthus finished, and later, they would complete it as they made freshdiscoveries. As to the points of the compass, the engineer had roughly fixed them bythe height and position of the sun, which placed Union Bay and ProspectHeights to the east. But the next day, by taking the exact hour of therising and setting of the sun, and by marking its position between thisrising and setting, he reckoned to fix the north of the island exactly, for, in consequence of its situation in the Southern Hemisphere, thesun, at the precise moment of its culmination, passed in the north andnot in the south, as, in its apparent movement, it seems to do, to thoseplaces situated in the Northern Hemisphere. Everything was finished, and the settlers had only to descend MountFranklin to return to the Chimneys, when Pencroft cried out, -- "Well! we are preciously stupid!" "Why?" asked Gideon Spilett, who had closed his notebook and risen todepart. "Why! our island! we have forgotten to christen it!" Herbert was going to propose to give it the engineer's name and all hiscompanions would have applauded him, when Cyrus Harding said simply, -- "Let us give it the name of a great citizen, my friend; of him who nowstruggles to defend the unity of the American Republic! Let us call itLincoln Island!" The engineer's proposal was replied to by three hurrahs. And that evening, before sleeping, the new colonists talked of theirabsent country; they spoke of the terrible war which stained it withblood; they could not doubt that the South would soon be subdued, andthat the cause of the North, the cause of justice, would triumph, thanksto Grant, thanks to Lincoln! Now this happened the 30th of March, 1865. They little knew that sixteendays afterwards a frightful crime would be committed in Washington, andthat on Good Friday Abraham Lincoln would fall by the hand of a fanatic. Chapter 12 They now began the descent of the mountain. Climbing down the crater, they went round the cone and reached their encampment of the previousnight. Pencroft thought it must be breakfast-time, and the watches ofthe reporter and engineer were therefore consulted to find out the hour. That of Gideon Spilett had been preserved from the sea-water, as he hadbeen thrown at once on the sand out of reach of the waves. It was aninstrument of excellent quality, a perfect pocket chronometer, which thereporter had not forgotten to wind up carefully every day. As to the engineer's watch, it, of course, had stopped during the timewhich he had passed on the downs. The engineer now wound it up, and ascertaining by the height of the sunthat it must be about nine o'clock in the morning, he put his watch atthat hour. "No, my dear Spilett, wait. You have kept the Richmond time, have younot?" "Yes, Cyrus. " "Consequently, your watch is set by the meridian of that town, which isalmost that of Washington?" "Undoubtedly. " "Very well, keep it thus. Content yourself with winding it up very, exactly, but do not touch the hands. This may be of use to us. "What will be the good of that?" thought the sailor. They ate, and so heartily, that the store of game and almonds wastotally exhausted. But Pencroft was not at all uneasy, they would supplythemselves on the way. Top, whose share had been very much to his taste, would know how to find some fresh game among the brushwood. Moreover, the sailor thought of simply asking the engineer to manufacture somepowder and one or two fowling-pieces; he supposed there would be nodifficulty in that. On leaving the plateau, the captain proposed to his companions to returnto the Chimneys by a new way. He wished to reconnoiter Lake Grant, somagnificently framed in trees. They therefore followed the crest of oneof the spurs, between which the creek that supplied the lake probablyhad its source. In talking, the settlers already employed the nameswhich they had just chosen, which singularly facilitated the exchangeof their ideas. Herbert and Pencroft--the one young and the other veryboyish--were enchanted, and while walking, the sailor said, "Hey, Herbert! how capital it sounds! It will be impossible to loseourselves, my boy, since, whether we follow the way to Lake Grant, orwhether we join the Mercy through the woods of the Far West, we shall becertain to arrive at Prospect Heights, and, consequently, at Union Bay!" It had been agreed, that without forming a compact band, the settlersshould not stray away from each other. It was very certain that thethick forests of the island were inhabited by dangerous animals, and itwas prudent to be on their guard. In general, Pencroft, Herbert, and Nebwalked first, preceded by Top, who poked his nose into every bush. Thereporter and the engineer went together, Gideon Spilett ready to noteevery incident, the engineer silent for the most part, and only steppingaside to pick up one thing or another, a mineral or vegetable substance, which he put into his pocket, without making any remark. "What can he be picking up?" muttered Pencroft. "I have looked in vainfor anything that's worth the trouble of stooping for. " Towards ten o'clock the little band descended the last declivities ofMount Franklin. As yet the ground was scantily strewn with bushes andtrees. They were walking over yellowish calcinated earth, forming aplain of nearly a mile long, which extended to the edge of the wood. Great blocks of that basalt, which, according to Bischof, takes threehundred and fifty millions of years to cool, strewed the plain, veryconfused in some places. However, there were here no traces of lava, which was spread more particularly over the northern slopes. Cyrus Harding expected to reach, without incident, the course of thecreek, which he supposed flowed under the trees at the border of theplain, when he saw Herbert running hastily back, while Neb and thesailor were hiding behind the rocks. "What's the matter, my boy?" asked Spilett. "Smoke, " replied Herbert. "We have seen smoke among the rocks, a hundredpaces from us. " "Men in this place?" cried the reporter. "We must avoid showing ourselves before knowing with whom we have todeal, " replied Cyrus Harding. "I trust that there are no natives on thisisland; I dread them more than anything else. Where is Top?" "Top is on before. " "And he doesn't bark?" "No. " "That is strange. However, we must try to call him back. " In a few moments, the engineer, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert had rejoinedtheir two companions, and like them, they kept out of sight behind theheaps of basalt. From thence they clearly saw smoke of a yellowish color rising in theair. Top was recalled by a slight whistle from his master, and the latter, signing to his companions to wait for him, glided away among therocks. The colonists, motionless, anxiously awaited the result of thisexploration, when a shout from the engineer made them hasten forward. They soon joined him, and were at once struck with a disagreeable odorwhich impregnated the atmosphere. The odor, easily recognized, was enough for the engineer to guess whatthe smoke was which at first, not without cause, had startled him. "This fue, " said he, "or rather, this smoke is produced by nature alone. There is a sulphur spring there, which will cure all our sore throats. " "Captain!" cried Pencroft. "What a pity that I haven't got a cold!" The settlers then directed their steps towards the place from which thesmoke escaped. They there saw a sulphur spring which flowed abundantlybetween the rocks, and its waters discharged a strong sulphuric acidodor, after having absorbed the oxygen of the air. Cyrus Harding, dipping in his hand, felt the water oily to the touch. He tasted it and found it rather sweet. As to its temperature, that heestimated at ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit. Herbert having asked onwhat he based this calculation, -- "Its quite simple, my boy, " said he, "for, in plunging my hand into thewater, I felt no sensation either of heat or cold. Therefore it has thesame temperature as the human body, which is about ninety-five degrees. " The sulphur spring not being of any actual use to the settlers, theyproceeded towards the thick border of the forest, which began somehundred paces off. There, as they had conjectured, the waters of the stream flowed clearand limpid between high banks of red earth, the color of which betrayedthe presence of oxide of iron. From this color, the name of Red Creekwas immediately given to the watercourse. It was only a large stream, deep and clear, formed of the mountainwater, which, half river, half torrent, here rippling peacefully overthe sand, there falling against the rocks or dashing down in a cascade, ran towards the lake, over a distance of a mile and a half, its breadthvarying from thirty to forty feet. Its waters were sweet, and it wassupposed that those of the lake were so also. A fortunate circumstance, in the event of their finding on its borders a more suitable dwellingthan the Chimneys. As to the trees, which some hundred feet downwards shaded the banks ofthe creek, they belonged, for the most part, to the species which aboundin the temperate zone of America and Tasmania, and no longer to thoseconiferae observed in that portion of the island already exploredto some miles from Prospect Heights. At this time of the year, thecommencement of the month of April, which represents the month ofOctober, in this hemisphere, that is, the beginning of autumn, theywere still in full leaf. They consisted principally of casuarinas andeucalypti, some of which next year would yield a sweet manna, similar tothe manna of the East. Clumps of Australian cedars rose on the slopingbanks, which were also covered with the high grass called "tussac" inNew Holland; but the cocoanut, so abundant in the archipelagoes of thePacific, seemed to be wanting in the island, the latitude, doubtless, being too low. "What a pity!" said Herbert, "such a useful tree, and which has suchbeautiful nuts!" As to the birds, they swarmed among the scanty branches of the eucalyptiand casuarinas, which did not hinder the display of their wings. Black, white, or gray cockatoos, paroquets, with plumage of all colors, kingfishers of a sparkling green and crowned with red, blue lories, and various other birds appeared on all sides, as through a prism, fluttering about and producing a deafening clamor. Suddenly, a strangeconcert of discordant voices resounded in the midst of a thicket. Thesettlers heard successively the song of birds, the cry of quadrupeds, and a sort of clacking which they might have believed to have escapedfrom the lips of a native. Neb and Herbert rushed towards the bush, forgetting even the most elementary principles of prudence. Happily, they found there, neither a formidable wild beast nor a dangerousnative, but merely half a dozen mocking and singing birds, known asmountain pheasants. A few skillful blows from a stick soon put an end totheir concert, and procured excellent food for the evening's dinner. Herbert also discovered some magnificent pigeons with bronzed wings, some superbly crested, others draped in green, like their congeners atPort-Macquarie; but it was impossible to reach them, or the crows andmagpies which flew away in flocks. A charge of small shot would have made great slaughter among thesebirds, but the hunters were still limited to sticks and stones, andthese primitive weapons proved very insufficient. Their insufficiency was still more clearly shown when a troop ofquadrupeds, jumping, bounding, making leaps of thirty feet, regularflying mammiferae, fled over the thickets, so quickly and at such aheight, that one would have thought that they passed from one tree toanother like squirrels. "Kangaroos!" cried Herbert. "Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft. "Stewed, " replied the reporter, "their flesh is equal to the bestvenison!--" Gideon Spilett had not finished this exciting sentence when the sailor, followed by Neb and Herbert, darted on the kangaroos tracks. CyrusHarding called them back in vain. But it was in vain too for the huntersto pursue such agile game, which went bounding away like balls. After achase of five minutes, they lost their breath, and at the same time allsight of the creatures, which disappeared in the wood. Top was not moresuccessful than his masters. "Captain, " said Pencroft, when the engineer and the reporter hadrejoined them, "Captain, you see quite well we can't get on unless wemake a few guns. Will that be possible?" "Perhaps, " replied the engineer, "but we will begin by firstmanufacturing some bows and arrows, and I don't doubt that you willbecome as clever in the use of them as the Australian hunters. " "Bows and arrows!" said Pencroft scornfully. "That's all very well forchildren!" "Don't be proud, friend Pencroft, " replied the reporter. "Bows andarrows were sufficient for centuries to stain the earth with blood. Powder is but a thing of yesterday, and war is as old as the humanrace--unhappily. " "Faith, that's true, Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "and I alwaysspeak too quickly. You must excuse me!" Meanwhile, Herbert constant to his favorite science, Natural History, reverted to the kangaroos, saying, -- "Besides, we had to deal just now with the species which is mostdifficult to catch. They were giants with long gray fur; but if I am notmistaken, there exist black and red kangaroos, rock kangaroos, and ratkangaroos, which are more easy to get hold of. It is reckoned that thereare about a dozen species. " "Herbert, " replied the sailor sententiously, "there is only one speciesof kangaroos to me, that is 'kangaroo on the spit, ' and it's just theone we haven't got this evening!" They could not help laughing at Master Pencroft's new classification. The honest sailor did not hide his regret at being reduced for dinner tothe singing pheasants, but fortune once more showed itself obliging tohim. In fact, Top, who felt that his interest was concerned went and ferretedeverywhere with an instinct doubled by a ferocious appetite. It was evenprobable that if some piece of game did fall into his clutches, nonewould be left for the hunters, if Top was hunting on his own account;but Neb watched him and he did well. Towards three o'clock the dog disappeared in the brushwood and gruntingsshowed that he was engaged in a struggle with some animal. Neb rushedafter him, and soon saw Top eagerly devouring a quadruped, which tenseconds later would have been past recognizing in Top's stomach. Butfortunately the dog had fallen upon a brood, and besides the victim hewas devouring, two other rodents--the animals in question belonged tothat order--lay strangled on the turf. Neb reappeared triumphantly holding one of the rodents in each hand. Their size exceeded that of a rabbit, their hair was yellow, mingledwith green spots, and they had the merest rudiments of tails. The citizens of the Union were at no loss for the right name of theserodents. They were maras, a sort of agouti, a little larger than theircongeners of tropical countries, regular American rabbits, with longears, jaws armed on each side with five molars, which distinguish theagouti. "Hurrah!" cried Pencroft, "the roast has arrived! and now we can gohome. " The walk, interrupted for an instant, was resumed. The limpid waters ofthe Red Creek flowed under an arch of casuannas, banksias, and giganticgum-trees. Superb lilacs rose to a height of twenty feet. Otherarborescent species, unknown to the young naturalist, bent over thestream, which could be heard murmuring beneath the bowers of verdure. Meanwhile the stream grew much wider, and Cyrus Harding supposed thatthey would soon reach its mouth. In fact, on emerging from beneath athick clump of beautiful trees, it suddenly appeared before their eyes. The explorers had arrived on the western shore of Lake Grant. The placewas well worth looking at. This extent of water, of a circumference ofnearly seven miles and an area of two hundred and fifty acres, reposedin a border of diversified trees. Towards the east, through a curtainof verdure, picturesquely raised in some places, sparkled an horizon ofsea. The lake was curved at the north, which contrasted with the sharpoutline of its lower part. Numerous aquatic birds frequented the shoresof this little Ontario, in which the thousand isles of its Americannamesake were represented by a rock which emerged from its surface, somehundred feet from the southern shore. There lived in harmony severalcouples of kingfishers perched on a stone, grave, motionless, watchingfor fish, then darting down, they plunged in with a sharp cry, andreappeared with their prey in their beaks. On the shores and on theislets, strutted wild ducks, pelicans, water-hens, red-beaks, philedons, furnished with a tongue like a brush, and one or two specimens of thesplendid menura, the tail of which expands gracefully like a lyre. As to the water of the lake, it was sweet, limpid, rather dark, and fromcertain bubblings, and the concentric circles which crossed each otheron the surface, it could not be doubted that it abounded in fish. "This lake is really beautiful!" said Gideon Spilett. "We could live onits borders!" "We will live there!" replied Harding. The settlers, wishing to return to the Chimneys by the shortest way, descended towards the angle formed on the south by the junction ofthe lake's bank. It was not without difficulty that they broke a paththrough the thickets and brushwood which had never been put aside by thehand of men, and they thus went towards the shore, so as to arrive atthe north of Prospect Heights. Two miles were cleared in this direction, and then, after they had passed the last curtain of trees, appeared theplateau, carpeted with thick turf, and beyond that the infinite sea. To return to the Chimneys, it was enough to cross the plateau obliquelyfor the space of a mile, and then to descend to the elbow formed bythe first detour of the Mercy. But the engineer desired to know howand where the overplus of the water from the lake escaped, and theexploration was prolonged under the trees for a mile and a half towardsthe north. It was most probable that an overfall existed somewhere, anddoubtless through a cleft in the granite. This lake was only, in short, an immense center basin, which was filled by degrees by the creek, andits waters must necessarily pass to the sea by some fall. If it was so, the engineer thought that it might perhaps be possible to utilize thisfall and borrow its power, actually lost without profit to any one. They continued then to follow the shores of Lake Grant by climbing theplateau; but, after having gone a mile in this direction, Cyrus Hardinghad not been able to discover the overfall, which, however, must existsomewhere. It was then half-past four. In order to prepare for dinner it wasnecessary that the settlers should return to their dwelling. The littleband retraced their steps, therefore, and by the left bank of the Mercy, Cyrus Harding and his companions arrived at the Chimneys. The fire was lighted, and Neb and Pencroft, on whom the functions ofcooks naturally devolved, to the one in his quality of Negro, to theother in that of sailor, quickly prepared some broiled agouti, to whichthey did great justice. The repast at length terminated; at the moment when each one was aboutto give himself up to sleep, Cyrus Harding drew from his pocket littlespecimens of different sorts of minerals, and just said, -- "My friends, this is iron mineral, this a pyrite, this is clay, this islime, and this is coal. Nature gives us these things. It is our businessto make a right use of them. To-morrow we will commence operations. " Chapter 13 "Well, captain, where are we going to begin?" asked Pencroft nextmorning of the engineer. "At the beginning, " replied Cyrus Harding. And in fact, the settlers were compelled to begin "at the verybeginning. " They did not possess even the tools necessary for makingtools, and they were not even in the condition of nature, who, "havingtime, husbands her strength. " They had no time, since they had toprovide for the immediate wants of their existence, and though, profiting by acquired experience, they had nothing to invent, still theyhad everything to make; their iron and their steel were as yet only inthe state of minerals, their earthenware in the state of clay, theirlinen and their clothes in the state of textile material. It must be said, however, that the settlers were "men" in the completeand higher sense of the word. The engineer Harding could not have beenseconded by more intelligent companions, nor with more devotion andzeal. He had tried them. He knew their abilities. Gideon Spilett, a talented reporter, having learned everything so as tobe able to speak of everything, would contribute largely with his headand hands to the colonization of the island. He would not draw back fromany task: a determined sportsman, he would make a business of what tillthen had only been a pleasure to him. Herbert, a gallant boy, already remarkably well informed in the naturalsciences, would render greater service to the common cause. Neb was devotion personified. Clever, intelligent, indefatigable, robust, with iron health, he knew a little about the work of the forge, and could not fail to be very useful in the colony. As to Pencroft, he had sailed over every sea, a carpenter in thedockyards in Brooklyn, assistant tailor in the vessels of the state, gardener, cultivator, during his holidays, etc. , and like all seamen, fit for anything, he knew how to do everything. It would have been difficult to unite five men, better fitted tostruggle against fate, more certain to triumph over it. "At the beginning, " Cyrus Harding had said. Now this beginning of whichthe engineer spoke was the construction of an apparatus which wouldserve to transform the natural substances. The part which heat plays inthese transformations is known. Now fuel, wood or coal, was ready forimmediate use, an oven must be built to use it. "What is this oven for?" asked Pencroft. "To make the pottery which we have need of, " replied Harding. "And of what shall we make the oven?" "With bricks. " "And the bricks?" "With clay. Let us start, my friends. To save trouble, we will establishour manufactory at the place of production. Neb will bring provisions, and there will be no lack of fire to cook the food. " "No, " replied the reporter; "but if there is a lack of food for want ofinstruments for the chase?" "Ah, if we only had a knife!" cried the sailor. "Well?" asked Cyrus Harding. "Well! I would soon make a bow and arrows, and then there could beplenty of game in the larder!" "Yes, a knife, a sharp blade. " said the engineer, as if he was speakingto himself. At this moment his eyes fell upon Top, who was running about on theshore. Suddenly Harding's face became animated. "Top, here, " said he. The dog came at his master's call. The latter took Top's head betweenhis hands, and unfastening the collar which the animal wore round hisneck, he broke it in two, saying, -- "There are two knives, Pencroft!" Two hurrahs from the sailor was the reply. Top's collar was made of athin piece of tempered steel. They had only to sharpen it on a piece ofsandstone, then to raise the edge on a finer stone. Now sandstone wasabundant on the beach, and two hours after the stock of tools in thecolony consisted of two sharp blades, which were easily fixed in solidhandles. The production of these their first tools was hailed as a triumph. Itwas indeed a valuable result of their labor, and a very opportune one. They set out. Cyrus Harding proposed that they should return to the western shore ofthe lake, where the day before he had noticed the clayey ground of whichhe possessed a specimen. They therefore followed the bank of the Mercy, traversed Prospect Heights, and alter a walk of five miles or more theyreached a glade, situated two hundred feet from Lake Grant. On the way Herbert had discovered a tree, the branches of which theIndians of South America employ for making their bows. It was thecrejimba, of the palm family, which does not bear edible fruit. Longstraight branches were cut, the leaves stripped off; it was shaped, stronger in the middle, more slender at the extremities, and nothingremained to be done but to find a plant fit to make the bow-string. This was the "hibiscus heterophyllus, " which furnishes fibers of suchremarkable tenacity that they have been compared to the tendons ofanimals. Pencroft thus obtained bows of tolerable strength, for which heonly wanted arrows. These were easily made with straight stiff branches, without knots, but the points with which they must be armed, that isto say, a substance to serve in lieu of iron, could not be met with soeasily. But Pencroft said, that having done his part of the work, chancewould do the rest. The settlers arrived on the ground which had been discovered the daybefore. Being composed of the sort of clay which is used for makingbricks and tiles, it was very useful for the work in question. There wasno great difficulty in it. It was enough to scour the clay with sand, then to mold the bricks and bake them by the heat of a wood fire. Generally bricks are formed in molds, but the engineer contented himselfwith making them by hand. All that day and the day following wereemployed in this work. The clay, soaked in water, was mixed by the feetand hands of the manipulators, and then divided into pieces of equalsize. A practiced workman can make, without a machine, about tenthousand bricks in twelve hours; but in their two days work the fivebrickmakers on Lincoln Island had not made more than three thousand, which were ranged near each other, until the time when their completedesiccation would permit them to be used in building the oven, that isto say, in three or four days. It was on the 2nd of April that Harding had employed himself in fixingthe orientation of the island, or, in other words, the precise spotwhere the sun rose. The day before he had noted exactly the hour whenthe sun disappeared beneath the horizon, making allowance for therefraction. This morning he noted, no less exactly, the hour at whichit reappeared. Between this setting and rising twelve hours, twenty-fourminutes passed. Then, six hours, twelve minutes after its rising, thesun on this day would exactly pass the meridian and the point of the skywhich it occupied at this moment would be the north. At the said hour, Cyrus marked this point, and putting in a line with the sun two treeswhich would serve him for marks, he thus obtained an invariable meridianfor his ulterior operations. The settlers employed the two days before the oven was built incollecting fuel. Branches were cut all round the glade, and they pickedup all the fallen wood under the trees. They were also able to hunt withgreater success, since Pencroft now possessed some dozen arrows armedwith sharp points. It was Top who had famished these points, by bringingin a porcupine, rather inferior eating, but of great value, thanks tothe quills with which it bristled. These quills were fixed firmly at theends of the arrows, the flight of which was made more certain by somecockatoos' feathers. The reporter and Herbert soon became very skilfularchers. Game of all sorts in consequence abounded at the Chimneys, capybaras, pigeons, agouties, grouse, etc. The greater part of theseanimals were killed in the part of the forest on the left bank of theMercy, to which they gave the name of Jacamar Wood, in remembrance ofthe bird which Pencroft and Herbert had pursued when on their firstexploration. This game was eaten fresh, but they preserved some capybara hams, bysmoking them above a fire of green wood, after having perfumed them withsweet-smelling leaves. However, this food, although very strengthening, was always roast upon roast, and the party would have been delightedto hear some soup bubbling on the hearth, but they must wait till a potcould be made, and, consequently, till the oven was built. During these excursions, which were not extended far from thebrick-field, the hunters could discern the recent passage of animals ofa large size, armed with powerful claws, but they could not recognizethe species. Cyrus Harding advised them to be very careful, as theforest probably enclosed many dangerous beasts. And he did right. Indeed, Gideon Spilett and Herbert one day saw ananimal which resembled a jaguar. Happily the creature did not attackthem, or they might not have escaped without a severe wound. As soonas he could get a regular weapon, that is to say, one of the guns whichPencroft begged for, Gideon Spilett resolved to make desperate waragainst the ferocious beasts, and exterminate them from the island. The Chimneys during these few days was not made more comfortable, forthe engineer hoped to discover, or build if necessary, a more convenientdwelling. They contented themselves with spreading moss and dry leaveson the sand of the passages, and on these primitive couches the tiredworkers slept soundly. They also reckoned the days they had passed on Lincoln Island, and fromthat time kept a regular account. The 5th of April, which was Wednesday, was twelve days from the time when the wind threw the castaways on thisshore. On the 6th of April, at daybreak, the engineer and his companions werecollected in the glade, at the place where they were going to performthe operation of baking the bricks. Naturally this had to be in the openair, and not in a kiln, or rather, the agglomeration of bricks made anenormous kiln, which would bake itself. The fuel, made of well-preparedfagots, was laid on the ground and surrounded with several rows of driedbricks, which soon formed an enormous cube, to the exterior of whichthey contrived air-holes. The work lasted all day, and it was not tillthe evening that they set fire to the fagots. No one slept that night, all watching carefully to keep up the fire. The operation lasted forty-eight hours, and succeeded perfectly. It thenbecame necessary to leave the smoking mass to cool, and during this timeNeb and Pencroft, guided by Cyrus Harding, brought, on a hurdle made ofinterlaced branches, loads of carbonate of lime and common stones, which were very abundant, to the north of the lake. These stones, whendecomposed by heat, made a very strong quicklime, greatly increased byslacking, at least as pure as if it had been produced by the calcinationof chalk or marble. Mixed with sand the lime made excellent mortar. The result of these different works was, that, on the 9th of April, the engineer had at his disposal a quantity of prepared lime and somethousands of bricks. Without losing an instant, therefore, they began the construction ofa kiln to bake the pottery, which was indispensable for their domesticuse. They succeeded without much difficulty. Five days after, the kilnwas supplied with coal, which the engineer had discovered lying open tothe sky towards the mouth of the Red Creek, and the first smoke escapedfrom a chimney twenty feet high. The glade was transformed into amanufactory, and Pencroft was not far wrong in believing that from thiskiln would issue all the products of modern industry. In the meantime what the settlers first manufactured was a commonpottery in which to cook their food. The chief material was clay, towhich Harding added a little lime and quartz. This paste made regular"pipe-clay, " with which they manufactured bowls, cups molded on stonesof a proper size, great jars and pots to hold water, etc. The shape ofthese objects was clumsy and defective, but after they had been bakedin a high temperature, the kitchen of the Chimneys was provided with anumber of utensils, as precious to the settlers as the most beautifullyenameled china. We must mention here that Pencroft, desirous to know ifthe clay thus prepared was worthy of its name of pipe-clay, made somelarge pipes, which he thought charming, but for which, alas! he had notobacco, and that was a great privation to Pencroft. "But tobaccowill come, like everything else!" he repeated, in a burst of absoluteconfidence. This work lasted till the 15th of April, and the time was well employed. The settlers, having become potters, made nothing but pottery. Whenit suited Cyrus Harding to change them into smiths, they would becomesmiths. But the next day being Sunday, and also Easter Sunday, allagreed to sanctify the day by rest. These Americans were religious men, scrupulous observers of the precepts of the Bible, and their situationcould not but develop sentiments of confidence towards the Author of allthings. On the evening of the 15th of April they returned to the Chimneys, carrying with them the pottery, the furnace being extinguished untilthey could put it to a new use. Their return was marked by a fortunateincident; the engineer discovered a substance which replaced tinder. It is known that a spongy, velvety flesh is procured from a certainmushroom of the genus polyporous. Properly prepared, it is extremelyinflammable, especially when it has been previously saturated withgunpowder, or boiled in a solution of nitrate or chlorate of potash. But, till then, they had not found any of these polypores or even any ofthe morels which could replace them. On this day, the engineer, seeinga plant belonging to the wormwood genus, the principal species of whichare absinthe, balm-mint, tarragon, etc. , gathered several tufts, and, presenting them to the sailor, said, -- "Here, Pencroft, this will please you. " Pencroft looked attentively at the plant, covered with long silky hair, the leaves being clothed with soft down. "What's that, captain?" asked Pencroft. "Is it tobacco?" "No, " replied Harding, "it is wormwood; Chinese wormwood to the learned, but to us it will be tinder. " When the wormwood was properly dried it provided them with a veryinflammable substance, especially afterwards when the engineer hadimpregnated it with nitrate of potash, of which the island possessedseveral beds, and which is in truth saltpeter. The colonists had a good supper that evening. Neb prepared some agoutisoup, a smoked capybara ham, to which was added the boiled tubercules ofthe "caladium macrorhizum, " an herbaceous plant of the arum family. They had an excellent taste, and were very nutritious, being somethingsimilar to the substance which is sold in England under the name of"Portland sago"; they were also a good substitute for bread, which thesettlers in Lincoln Island did not yet possess. When supper was finished, before sleeping, Harding and his companionswent to take the air on the beach. It was eight o'clock in the evening;the night was magnificent. The moon, which had been full five daysbefore, had not yet risen, but the horizon was already silvered by thosesoft, pale shades which might be called the dawn of the moon. At thesouthern zenith glittered the circumpolar constellations, and above allthe Southern Cross, which some days before the engineer had greeted onthe summit of Mount Franklin. Cyrus Harding gazed for some time at this splendid constellation, whichhas at its summit and at its base two stars of the first magnitude, atits left arm a star of the second, and at its right arm a star of thethird magnitude. Then, after some minutes thought-- "Herbert, " he asked of the lad, "is not this the 15th of April?" "Yes, captain, " replied Herbert. "Well, if I am not mistaken, to-morrow will be one of the four days inthe year in which the real time is identical with average time; thatis to say, my boy, that to-morrow, to within some seconds, the sun willpass the meridian just at midday by the clocks. If the weather is fineI think that I shall obtain the longitude of the island with anapproximation of some degrees. " "Without instruments, without sextant?" asked Gideon Spilett. "Yes, " replied the engineer. "Also, since the night is clear, I willtry, this very evening, to obtain our latitude by calculating theheight of the Southern Cross, that is, from the southern pole above thehorizon. You understand, my friends, that before undertaking the workof installation in earnest it is not enough to have found out that thisland is an island; we must, as nearly as possible, know at what distanceit is situated, either from the American continent or Australia, or fromthe principal archipelagoes of the Pacific. " "In fact, " said the reporter, "instead of building a house it wouldbe more important to build a boat, if by chance we are not more than ahundred miles from an inhabited coast. " "That is why, " returned Harding, "I am going to try this evening tocalculate the latitude of Lincoln Island, and to-morrow, at midday, Iwill try to calculate the longitude. " If the engineer had possessed a sextant, an apparatus with which theangular distance of objects can be measured with great precision, therewould have been no difficulty in the operation. This evening by theheight of the pole, the next day by the passing of the sun at themeridian, he would obtain the position of the island. But as they hadnot one he would have to supply the deficiency. Harding then entered the Chimneys. By the light of the fire he cut twolittle flat rulers, which he joined together at one end so as to forma pair of compasses, whose legs could separate or come together. Thefastening was fixed with a strong acacia thorn which was found in thewood pile. This instrument finished, the engineer returned to the beach, but as it was necessary to take the height of the pole from above aclear horizon, that is, a sea horizon, and as Claw Cape hid the southernhorizon, he was obliged to look for a more suitable station. The bestwould evidently have been the shore exposed directly to the south; butthe Mercy would have to be crossed, and that was a difficulty. Hardingresolved, in consequence, to make his observation from Prospect Heights, taking into consideration its height above the level of the sea--aheight which he intended to calculate next day by a simple process ofelementary geometry. The settlers, therefore, went to the plateau, ascending the left bank ofthe Mercy, and placed themselves on the edge which looked northwest andsoutheast, that is, above the curiously-shaped rocks which bordered theriver. This part of the plateau commanded the heights of the left bank, whichsloped away to the extremity of Claw Cape, and to the southern side ofthe island. No obstacle intercepted their gaze, which swept the horizonin a semi-circle from the cape to Reptile End. To the south the horizon, lighted by the first rays of the moon, was very clearly defined againstthe sky. At this moment the Southern Cross presented itself to the observer in aninverted position, the star Alpha marking its base, which is nearer tothe southern pole. This constellation is not situated as near to the antarctic pole as thePolar Star is to the arctic pole. The star Alpha is about twenty-sevendegrees from it, but Cyrus Harding knew this and made allowance forit in his calculation. He took care also to observe the moment when itpassed the meridian below the pole, which would simplify the operation. Cyrus Harding pointed one leg of the compasses to the horizon, theother to Alpha, and the space between the two legs gave him the angulardistance which separated Alpha from the horizon. In order to fix theangle obtained, he fastened with thorns the two pieces of wood on athird placed transversely, so that their separation should be properlymaintained. That done, there was only the angle to calculate by bringing back theobservation to the level of the sea, taking into consideration thedepression of the horizon, which would necessitate measuring the heightof the cliff. The value of this angle would give the height of Alpha, and consequently that of the pole above the horizon, that is to say, thelatitude of the island, since the latitude of a point of the globe isalways equal to the height of the pole above the horizon of this point. The calculations were left for the next day, and at ten o'clock everyone was sleeping soundly. Chapter 14 The next day, the 16th of April, and Easter Sunday, the settlers issuedfrom the Chimneys at daybreak, and proceeded to wash their linen. Theengineer intended to manufacture soap as soon as he could procure thenecessary materials--soda or potash, fat or oil. The important questionof renewing their wardrobe would be treated of in the proper time andplace. At any rate their clothes would last at least six months longer, for they were strong, and could resist the wear of manual labor. Butall would depend on the situation of the island with regard to inhabitedland. This would be settled to-day if the weather permitted. The sun rising above a clear horizon, announced a magnificent day, oneof those beautiful autumn days which are like the last farewells of thewarm season. It was now necessary to complete the observations of the evening beforeby measuring the height of the cliff above the level of the sea. "Shall you not need an instrument similar to the one which you usedyesterday?" said Herbert to the engineer. "No, my boy, " replied the latter, "we are going to proceed differently, but in as precise a way. " Herbert, wishing to learn everything he could, followed the engineer tothe beach. Pencroft, Neb, and the reporter remained behind and occupiedthemselves in different ways. Cyrus Harding had provided himself with a straight stick, twelve feetlong, which he had measured as exactly as possible by comparing it withhis own height, which he knew to a hair. Herbert carried a plumb-linewhich Harding had given him, that is to say, a simple stone fastenedto the end of a flexible fiber. Having reached a spot about twenty feetfrom the edge of the beach, and nearly five hundred feet from the cliff, which rose perpendicularly, Harding thrust the pole two feet intothe sand, and wedging it up carefully, he managed, by means of theplumb-line, to erect it perpendicularly with the plane of the horizon. That done, he retired the necessary distance, when, lying on the sand, his eye glanced at the same time at the top of the pole and the crest ofthe cliff. He carefully marked the place with a little stick. Then addressing Herbert--"Do you know the first principles of geometry?"he asked. "Slightly, captain, " replied Herbert, who did not wish to put himselfforward. "You remember what are the properties of two similar triangles?" "Yes, " replied Herbert; "their homologous sides are proportional. " "Well, my boy, I have just constructed two similar right-angledtriangles; the first, the smallest, has for its sides the perpendicularpole, the distance which separates the little stick from the foot of thepole and my visual ray for hypothenuse; the second has for its sidesthe perpendicular cliff, the height of which we wish to measure, thedistance which separates the little stick from the bottom of thecliff, and my visual ray also forms its hypothenuse, which proves to beprolongation of that of the first triangle. " "Ah, captain, I understand!" cried Herbert. "As the distance from thestick to the pole is to the distance from the stick to the base of thecliff, so is the height of the pole to the height of the cliff. " "Just so, Herbert, " replied the engineer; "and when we have measured thetwo first distances, knowing the height of the pole, we shall only havea sum in proportion to do, which will give us the height of the cliff, and will save us the trouble of measuring it directly. " The two horizontal distances were found out by means of the pole, whoselength above the sand was exactly ten feet. The first distance was fifteen feet between the stick and the placewhere the pole was thrust into the sand. The second distance between the stick and the bottom of the cliff wasfive hundred feet. These measurements finished, Cyrus Harding and the lad returned to theChimneys. The engineer then took a flat stone which he had brought back from oneof his previous excursions, a sort of slate, on which it was easyto trace figures with a sharp shell. He then proved the followingproportions:-- 15:500::10:x 500 x 10 = 5000 5000 / 15 = 333. 3 From which it was proved that the granite cliff measured 333 feet inheight. Cyrus Harding then took the instrument which he had made the eveningbefore, the space between its two legs giving the angular distancebetween the star Alpha and the horizon. He measured, very exactly, theopening of this angle on a circumference which he divided into 360 equalparts. Now, this angle by adding to it the twenty-seven degrees whichseparated Alpha from the antarctic pole, and by reducing to the level ofthe sea the height of the cliff on which the observation had been made, was found to be fifty-three degrees. These fifty-three degrees beingsubtracted from ninety degrees--the distance from the pole to theequator--there remained thirty-seven degrees. Cyrus Harding concluded, therefore, that Lincoln Island was situated on the thirty-seventh degreeof the southern latitude, or taking into consideration through theimperfection of the performance, an error of five degrees, that it mustbe situated between the thirty-fifth and the fortieth parallel. There was only the longitude to be obtained, and the position of theisland would be determined, The engineer hoped to attempt this the sameday, at twelve o'clock, at which moment the sun would pass the meridian. It was decided that Sunday should be spent in a walk, or rather anexploring expedition, to that side of the island between the north ofthe lake and Shark Gulf, and if there was time they would push theirdiscoveries to the northern side of Cape South Mandible. They wouldbreakfast on the downs, and not return till evening. At half-past eight the little band was following the edge of thechannel. On the other side, on Safety Islet, numerous birds were gravelystrutting. They were divers, easily recognized by their cry, which muchresembles the braying of a donkey. Pencroft only considered them inan eatable point of view, and learnt with some satisfaction that theirflesh, though blackish, is not bad food. Great amphibious creatures could also be seen crawling on the sand;seals, doubtless, who appeared to have chosen the islet for a place ofrefuge. It was impossible to think of those animals in an alimentarypoint of view, for their oily flesh is detestable; however, CyrusHarding observed them attentively, and without making known his idea, heannounced to his companions that very soon they would pay a visit to theislet. The beach was strewn with innumerable shells, some of which wouldhave rejoiced the heart of a conchologist; there were, among others, thephasianella, the terebratual, etc. But what would be of more use, wasthe discovery, by Neb, at low tide, of a large oysterbed among therocks, nearly five miles from the Chimneys. "Neb will not have lost his day, " cried Pencroft, looking at thespacious oyster-bed. "It is really a fortunate discovery, " said the reporter, "and as it issaid that each oyster produces yearly from fifty to sixty thousand eggs, we shall have an inexhaustible supply there. " "Only I believe that the oyster is not very nourishing, " said Herbert. "No, " replied Harding. "The oyster contains very little nitrogen, andif a man lived exclusively on them, he would have to eat not less thanfifteen to sixteen dozen a day. " "Capital!" replied Pencroft. "We might swallow dozens and dozens withoutexhausting the bed. Shall we take some for breakfast?" And without waiting for a reply to this proposal, knowing that it wouldbe approved of, the sailor and Neb detached a quantity of the molluscs. They put them in a sort of net of hibiscus fiber, which Neb hadmanufactured, and which already contained food; they then continued toclimb the coast between the downs and the sea. From time to time Harding consulted his watch, so as to be prepared intime for the solar observation, which had to be made exactly at midday. All that part of the island was very barren as far as the pointwhich closed Union Bay, and which had received the name of Cape SouthMandible. Nothing could be seen there but sand and shells, mingled withdebris of lava. A few sea-birds frequented this desolate coast, gulls, great albatrosses, as well as wild duck, for which Pencroft had a greatfancy. He tried to knock some over with an arrow, but without result, for they seldom perched, and he could not hit them on the wing. This led the sailor to repeat to the engineer, -- "You see, captain, so long as we have not one or two fowling-pieces, weshall never get anything!" "Doubtless, Pencroft, " replied the reporter, "but it depends on you. Procure us some iron for the barrels, steel for the hammers, saltpeter. Coal and sulphur for powder, mercury and nitric acid for the fulminate, and lead for the shot, and the captain will make us first-rate guns. " "Oh!" replied the engineer, "we might, no doubt, find all thesesubstances on the island, but a gun is a delicate instrument, and needsvery particular tools. However, we shall see later!" "Why, " cried Pencroft, "were we obliged to throw overboard all theweapons we had with us in the car, all our implements, even ourpocket-knives?" "But if we had not thrown them away, Pencroft, the balloon would havethrown us to the bottom of the sea!" said Herbert. "What you say is true, my boy, " replied the sailor. Then passing to another idea, --"Think, " said he, "how astounded JonathanForster and his companions must have been when, next morning, they foundthe place empty, and the machine flown away!" "I am utterly indifferent about knowing what they may have thought, "said the reporter. "It was all my idea, that!" said Pencroft, with a satisfied air. "A splendid idea, Pencroft!" replied Gideon Spilett, laughing, "andwhich has placed us where we are. " "I would rather be here than in the hands of the Southerners, " cried thesailor, "especially since the captain has been kind enough to come andjoin us again. " "So would I, truly!" replied the reporter. "Besides, what do we want?Nothing. " "If that is not--everything!" replied Pencroft, laughing and shrugginghis shoulders. "But, some day or other, we shall find means of goingaway!" "Sooner, perhaps, than you imagine, my friends, " remarked the engineer, "if Lincoln Island is but a medium distance from an inhabited island, or from a continent. We shall know in an hour. I have not a map of thePacific, but my memory has preserved a very clear recollection ofits southern part. The latitude which I obtained yesterday placed NewZealand to the west of Lincoln Island, and the coast of Chile to theeast. But between these two countries, there is a distance of at leastsix thousand miles. It has, therefore, to be determined what point inthis great space the island occupies, and this the longitude will giveus presently, with a sufficient approximation, I hope. " "Is not the archipelago of the Pomoutous the nearest point to us inlatitude?" asked Herbert. "Yes, " replied the engineer, "but the distance which separates us fromit is more than twelve hundred miles. " "And that way?" asked Neb, who followed the conversation with extremeinterest, pointing to the south. "That way, nothing, " replied Pencroft. "Nothing, indeed, " added the engineer. "Well, Cyrus, " asked the reporter, "if Lincoln Island is not more thantwo or three thousand miles from New Zealand or Chile?" "Well, " replied the engineer, "instead of building a house we will builda boat, and Master Pencroft shall be put in command--" "Well then, " cried the sailor, "I am quite ready to be captain--as soonas you can make a craft that's able to keep at sea!" "We shall do it, if it is necessary, " replied Cyrus Harding. But while these men, who really hesitated at nothing, were talking, the hour approached at which the observation was to be made. What CyrusHarding was to do to ascertain the passage of the sun at the meridian ofthe island, without an instrument of any sort, Herbert could not guess. The observers were then about six miles from the Chimneys, not far fromthat part of the downs in which the engineer had been found after hisenigmatical preservation. They halted at this place and prepared forbreakfast, for it was half-past eleven. Herbert went for some freshwater from a stream which ran near, and brought it back in a jug, whichNeb had provided. During these preparations Harding arranged everything for hisastronomical observation. He chose a clear place on the shore, whichthe ebbing tide had left perfectly level. This bed of fine sand was assmooth as ice, not a grain out of place. It was of little importancewhether it was horizontal or not, and it did not matter much whether thestick six feet high, which was planted there, rose perpendicularly. Onthe contrary, the engineer inclined it towards the south, that is tosay, in the direction of the coast opposite to the sun, for it mustnot be forgotten that the settlers in Lincoln Island, as the island wassituated in the Southern Hemisphere, saw the radiant planet describe itsdiurnal arc above the northern, and not above the southern horizon. Herbert now understood how the engineer was going to proceed toascertain the culmination of the sun, that is to say its passing themeridian of the island or, in other words, determine due south. It wasby means of the shadow cast on the sand by the stick, a way which, forwant of an instrument, would give him a suitable approach to the resultwhich he wished to obtain. In fact, the moment when this shadow would reach its minimum of lengthwould be exactly twelve o'clock, and it would be enough to watch theextremity of the shadow, so as to ascertain the instant when, alterhaving successively diminished, it began to lengthen. By inclining hisstick to the side opposite to the sun, Cyrus Harding made the shadowlonger, and consequently its modifications would be more easilyascertained. In fact, the longer the needle of a dial is, the moreeasily can the movement of its point be followed. The shadow of thestick was nothing but the needle of a dial. The moment had come, andCyrus Harding knelt on the sand, and with little wooden pegs, which hestuck into the sand, he began to mark the successive diminutions of thestick's shadow. His companions, bending over him, watched the operationwith extreme interest. The reporter held his chronometer in his hand, ready to tell the hour which it marked when the shadow would be at itsshortest. Moreover, as Cyrus Harding was working on the 16th of April, the day on which the true and the average time are identical, the hourgiven by Gideon Spilett would be the true hour then at Washington, whichwould simplify the calculation. Meanwhile as the sun slowly advanced, the shadow slowly diminished, and when it appeared to Cyrus Harding thatit was beginning to increase, he asked, "What o'clock is it?" "One minute past five, " replied Gideon Spilett directly. They had nowonly to calculate the operation. Nothing could be easier. It could beseen that there existed, in round numbers, a difference of five hoursbetween the meridian of Washington and that of Lincoln Island, that isto say, it was midday in Lincoln Island when it was already five o'clockin the evening in Washington. Now the sun, in its apparent movementround the earth, traverses one degree in four minutes, or fifteendegrees an hour. Fifteen degrees multiplied by five hours giveseventy-five degrees. Then, since Washington is 77deg 3' 11" as much as to say seventy-sevendegrees counted from the meridian of Greenwich which the Americanstake for their starting-point for longitudes concurrently with theEnglish--it followed that the island must be situated seventy-seven andseventy-five degrees west of the meridian of Greenwich, that is to say, on the hundred and fifty-second degree of west longitude. Cyrus Harding announced this result to his companions, and taking intoconsideration errors of observation, as he had done for the latitude, hebelieved he could positively affirm that the position of Lincoln Islandwas between the thirty-fifth and the thirty-seventh parallel, andbetween the hundred and fiftieth and the hundred and fifty-fifthmeridian to the west of the meridian of Greenwich. The possible fault which he attributed to errors in the observation was, it may be seen, of five degrees on both sides, which, at sixty milesto a degree, would give an error of three hundred miles in latitude andlongitude for the exact position. But this error would not influence the determination which it wasnecessary to take. It was very evident that Lincoln Island was at such adistance from every country or island that it would be too hazardous toattempt to reach one in a frail boat. In fact, this calculation placed it at least twelve hundred miles fromTahiti and the islands of the archipelago of the Pomoutous, more thaneighteen hundred miles from New Zealand, and more than four thousandfive hundred miles from the American coast! And when Cyrus Harding consulted his memory, he could not remember inany way that such an island occupied, in that part of the Pacific, thesituation assigned to Lincoln Island. Chapter 15 The next day, the 17th of April, the sailor's first words were addressedto Gideon Spilett. "Well, sir, " he asked, "what shall we do to-day?" "What the captain pleases, " replied the reporter. Till then the engineer's companions had been brickmakers and potters, now they were to become metallurgists. The day before, after breakfast, they had explored as far as the pointof Mandible Cape, seven miles distant from the Chimneys. There, the longseries of downs ended, and the soil had a volcanic appearance. Therewere no longer high cliffs as at Prospect Heights, but a strange andcapricious border which surrounded the narrow gulf between the twocapes, formed of mineral matter, thrown up by the volcano. Arrived atthis point the settlers retraced their steps, and at nightfall enteredthe Chimneys; but they did not sleep before the question of knowingwhether they could think of leaving Lincoln Island or not was definitelysettled. The twelve hundred miles which separated the island from the PomoutousIsland was a considerable distance. A boat could not cross it, especially at the approach of the bad season. Pencroft had expresslydeclared this. Now, to construct a simple boat even with the necessarytools, was a difficult work, and the colonists not having tools theymust begin by making hammers, axes, adzes, saws, augers, planes, etc. , which would take some time. It was decided, therefore, that theywould winter at Lincoln Island, and that they would look for a morecomfortable dwelling than the Chimneys, in which to pass the wintermonths. Before anything else could be done it was necessary to make the ironore, of which the engineer had observed some traces in the northwestpart of the island, fit for use by converting it either into iron orinto steel. Metals are not generally found in the ground in a pure state. For themost part they are combined with oxygen or sulphur. Such was the casewith the two specimens which Cyrus Harding had brought back, one ofmagnetic iron, not carbonated, the other a pyrite, also called sulphuretof iron. It was, therefore the first, the oxide of iron, which they mustreduce with coal, that is to say, get rid of the oxygen, to obtain it ina pure state. This reduction is made by subjecting the ore with coal toa high temperature, either by the rapid and easy Catalan method, which has the advantage of transforming the ore into iron in a singleoperation, or by the blast furnace, which first smelts the ore, thenchanges it into iron, by carrying away the three to four per cent. Ofcoal, which is combined with it. Now Cyrus Harding wanted iron, and he wished to obtain it as soon aspossible. The ore which he had picked up was in itself very pure andrich. It was the oxydulous iron, which is found in confused masses of adeep gray color; it gives a black dust, crystallized in the form of theregular octahedron. Native lodestones consist of this ore, and ironof the first quality is made in Europe from that with which Sweden andNorway are so abundantly supplied. Not far from this vein was the veinof coal already made use of by the settlers. The ingredients for themanufacture being close together would greatly facilitate the treatmentof the ore. This is the cause of the wealth of the mines in GreatBritain, where the coal aids the manufacture of the metal extracted fromthe same soil at the same time as itself. "Then, captain, " said Pencroft, "we are going to work iron ore?" "Yes, my friend, " replied the engineer, "and for that--something whichwill please you--we must begin by having a seal hunt on the islet. " "A seal hunt!" cried the sailor, turning towards Gideon Spilett. "Areseals needed to make iron?" "Since Cyrus has said so!" replied the reporter. But the engineer had already left the Chimneys, and Pencroft preparedfor the seal hunt, without having received any other explanation. Cyrus Harding, Herbert, Gideon Spilett, Neb, and the sailor weresoon collected on the shore, at a place where the channel left a fordpassable at low tide. The hunters could therefore traverse it withoutgetting wet higher than the knee. Harding then put his foot on the islet for the first, and his companionsfor the second time. On their landing some hundreds of penguins looked fearlessly at them. The hunters, armed with sticks, could have killed them easily, but theywere not guilty of such useless massacre, as it was important not tofrighten the seals, who were lying on the sand several cable lengthsoff. They also respected certain innocent-looking birds, whose wingswere reduced to the state of stumps, spread out like fins, ornamentedwith feathers of a scaly appearance. The settlers, therefore, prudentlyadvanced towards the north point, walking over ground riddled withlittle holes, which formed nests for the sea-birds. Towards theextremity of the islet appeared great black heads floating just abovethe water, having exactly the appearance of rocks in motion. These were the seals which were to be captured. It was necessary, however, first to allow them to land, for with their close, shorthair, and their fusiform conformation, being excellent swimmers, it isdifficult to catch them in the sea, while on land their short, webbedfeet prevent their having more than a slow, waddling movement. Pencroft knew the habits of these creatures, and he advised waiting tillthey were stretched on the sand, when the sun, before long, would sendthem to sleep. They must then manage to cut off their retreat and knockthem on the head. The hunters, having concealed themselves behind the rocks, waitedsilently. An hour passed before the seals came to play on the sand. They couldcount half a dozen. Pencroft and Herbert then went round the point ofthe islet, so as to take them in the rear, and cut off their retreat. During this time Cyrus Harding, Spilett, and Neb, crawling behind therocks, glided towards the future scene of combat. All at once the tall figure of the sailor appeared. Pencroft shouted. The engineer and his two companions threw themselves between the sea andthe seals. Two of the animals soon lay dead on the sand, but the restregained the sea in safety. "Here are the seals required, captain!" said the sailor, advancingtowards the engineer. "Capital, " replied Harding. "We will make bellows of them!" "Bellows!" cried Pencroft. "Well! these are lucky seals!" It was, in fact, a blowing-machine, necessary for the treatment ofthe ore that the engineer wished to manufacture with the skins of theamphibious creatures. They were of a medium size, for their length didnot exceed six feet. They resembled a dog about the head. As it was useless to burden themselves with the weight of both theanimals, Neb and Pencroft resolved to skin them on the spot, while CyrusHarding and the reporter continued to explore the islet. The sailor and the Negro cleverly performed the operation, and threehours afterwards Cyrus Harding had at his disposal two seals' skins, which he intended to use in this state, without subjecting them to anytanning process. The settlers waited till the tide was again low, and crossing thechannel they entered the Chimneys. The skins had then to be stretched on a frame of wood and sewn by meansof fibers so as to preserve the air without allowing too much to escape. Cyrus Harding had nothing but the two steel blades from Top's collar, and yet he was so clever, and his companions aided him with so muchintelligence, that three days afterwards the little colony's stock oftools was augmented by a blowing-machine, destined to inject the airinto the midst of the ore when it should be subjected to heat--anindispensable condition to the success of the operation. On the morning of the 20th of April began the "metallic period, " as thereporter called it in his notes. The engineer had decided, as has beensaid, to operate near the veins both of coal and ore. Now, according tohis observations, these veins were situated at the foot of the northeastspurs of Mount Franklin, that is to say, a distance of six miles fromtheir home. It was impossible, therefore, to return every day to theChimneys, and it was agreed that the little colony should camp under ahut of branches, so that the important operation could be followed nightand day. This settled, they set out in the morning. Neb and Pencroft dragged thebellows on a hurdle; also a quantity of vegetables and animals, whichthey besides could renew on the way. The road led through Jacamar Wood, which they traversed obliquely fromsoutheast to northwest, and in the thickest part. It was necessary tobeat a path, which would in the future form the most direct road toProspect Heights and Mount Franklin. The trees, belonging to the speciesalready discovered, were magnificent. Herbert found some new ones, amongothers some which Pencroft called "sham leeks"; for, in spite of theirsize, they were of the same liliaceous family as the onion, chive, shallot, or asparagus. These trees produce ligneous roots which, whencooked, are excellent; from them, by fermentation, a very agreeableliquor is made. They therefore made a good store of the roots. The journey through the wood was long; it lasted the whole day, and soallowed plenty of time for examining the flora and fauna. Top, whotook special charge of the fauna, ran through the grass and brushwood, putting up all sorts of game. Herbert and Gideon Spilett killed twokangaroos with bows and arrows, and also an animal which stronglyresembled both a hedgehog and an ant-eater. It was like the firstbecause it rolled itself into a ball, and bristled with spines, and thesecond because it had sharp claws, a long slender snout which terminatedin a bird's beak, and an extendible tongue, covered with little thornswhich served to hold the insects. "And when it is in the pot, " asked Pencroft naturally, "what will it belike?" "An excellent piece of beef, " replied Herbert. "We will not ask more from it, " replied the sailor. During this excursion they saw several wild boars, which however, didnot offer to attack the little band, and it appeared as if they wouldnot meet with any dangerous beasts; when, in a thick part of the wood, the reporter thought he saw, some paces from him, among the lowerbranches of a tree, an animal which he took for a bear, and which hevery tranquilly began to draw. Happily for Gideon Spilett, the animal inquestion did not belong to the redoubtable family of the plantigrades. It was only a koala, better known under the name of the sloth, beingabout the size of a large dog, and having stiff hair of a dirty color, the paws armed with strong claws, which enabled it to climb trees andfeed on the leaves. Having identified the animal, which they did notdisturb, Gideon Spilett erased "bear" from the title of his sketch, putting koala in its place, and the journey was resumed. At five o'clock in the evening, Cyrus Harding gave the signal to halt. They were now outside the forest, at the beginning of the powerful spurswhich supported Mount Franklin towards the west. At a distance of somehundred feet flowed the Red Creek, and consequently plenty of freshwater was within their reach. The camp was soon organized. In less than an hour, on the edge of theforest, among the trees, a hut of branches interlaced with creepers, and pasted over with clay, offered a tolerable shelter. Their geologicalresearches were put off till the next day. Supper was prepared, a goodfire blazed before the hut, the roast turned, and at eight o'clock, while one of the settlers watched to keep up the fire, in case any wildbeasts should prowl in the neighborhood, the others slept soundly. The next day, the 21st of April, Cyrus Harding accompanied by Herbert, went to look for the soil of ancient formation, on which he had alreadydiscovered a specimen of ore. They found the vein above ground, near thesource of the creek, at the foot of one of the northeastern spurs. Thisore, very rich in iron, enclosed in its fusible veinstone, was perfectlysuited to the mode of reduction which the engineer intended to employ;that is, the Catalan method, but simplified, as it is used inCorsica. In fact, the Catalan method, properly so called, requires theconstruction of kilns and crucibles, in which the ore and the coal, placed in alternate layers, are transformed and reduced, But CyrusHarding intended to economize these constructions, and wished simply toform, with the ore and the coal, a cubic mass, to the center of which hewould direct the wind from his bellows. Doubtless, it was the proceedingemployed by Tubalcain, and the first metallurgists of the inhabitedworld. Now that which had succeeded with the grandson of Adam, and whichstill yielded good results in countries which in ore and fuel, could notbut succeed with the settlers in Lincoln Island. The coal, as well as the ore, was collected without trouble on thesurface of the ground. They first broke the ore into little pieces, and cleansed them with the hand from the impurities which soiled theirsurface. Then coal and ore were arranged in heaps and in successivelayers, as the charcoal-burner does with the wood which he wishes tocarbonize. In this way, under the influence of the air projected by theblowing-machine, the coal would be transformed into carbonic acid, theninto oxide of carbon, its use being to reduce the oxide of iron, that isto say, to rid it of the oxygen. Thus the engineer proceeded. The bellows of sealskin, furnished at itsextremity with a nozzle of clay, which had been previously fabricatedin the pottery kiln, was established near the heap of ore. Using themechanism which consisted of a frame, cords of fiber and counterpoise, he threw into the mass an abundance of air, which by raising thetemperature also concurred with the chemical transformation to producein time pure iron. The operation was difficult. All the patience, all the ingenuity of thesettlers was needed; but at last it succeeded, and the result was a lumpof iron, reduced to a spongy state, which it was necessary to shingleand fagot, that is to say, to forge so as to expel from it the liquefiedveinstone. These amateur smiths had, of course, no hammer; but they werein no worse a situation than the first metallurgist, and therefore didwhat, no doubt, he had to do. A handle was fixed to the first lump, and was used as a hammer to forgethe second on a granite anvil, and thus they obtained a coarse butuseful metal. At length, after many trials and much fatigue, on the 25thof April several bars of iron were forged, and transformed into tools, crowbars, pincers, pickaxes, spades, etc. , which Pencroft and Nebdeclared to be real jewels. But the metal was not yet in its mostserviceable state, that is, of steel. Now steel is a combination of ironand coal, which is extracted, either from the liquid ore, by taking fromit the excess of coal, or from the iron by adding to it the coal whichwas wanting. The first, obtained by the decarburation of the metal, gives natural or puddled steel; the second, produced by the carburationof the iron, gives steel of cementation. It was the last which Cyrus Harding intended to forge, as he possessediron in a pure state. He succeeded by heating the metal with powderedcoal in a crucible which had previously been manufactured from claysuitable for the purpose. He then worked this steel, which is malleable both when hot or cold, with the hammer. Neb and Pencroft, cleverly directed, made hatchets, which, heated red-hot, and plunged suddenly into cold water, acquired anexcellent temper. Other instruments, of course roughly fashioned, were also manufactured;blades for planes, axes, hatchets, pieces of steel to be transformedinto saws, chisels; then iron for spades, pickaxes, hammers, nails, etc. At last, on the 5th of May, the metallic period ended, the smithsreturned to the Chimneys, and new work would soon authorize them to takea fresh title. Chapter 16 It was the 6th of May, a day which corresponds to the 6th of November inthe countries of the Northern Hemisphere. The sky had been obscured forsome days, and it was of importance to make preparations for the winter. However, the temperature was not as yet much lower, and a centigradethermometer, transported to Lincoln Island, would still have marked anaverage of ten to twelve degrees above zero. This was not surprising, since Lincoln Island, probably situated between the thirty-fifth andfortieth parallel, would be subject, in the Southern Hemisphere, tothe same climate as Sicily or Greece in the Northern Hemisphere. But asGreece and Sicily have severe cold, producing snow and ice, so doubtlesswould Lincoln Island in the severest part of the winter and it wasadvisable to provide against it. In any case if cold did not yet threaten them, the rainy season wouldbegin, and on this lonely island, exposed to all the fury of theelements, in mid-ocean, bad weather would be frequent, and probablyterrible. The question of a more comfortable dwelling than the Chimneysmust therefore be seriously considered and promptly resolved on. Pencroft, naturally, had some predilection for the retreat which hehad discovered, but he well understood that another must be found. TheChimneys had been already visited by the sea, under circumstanceswhich are known, and it would not do to be exposed again to a similaraccident. "Besides, " added Cyrus Harding, who this day was talking of these thingswith his companions, "we have some precautions to take. " "Why? The island is not inhabited, " said the reporter. "That is probable, " replied the engineer, "although we have not yetexplored the interior; but if no human beings are found, I fear thatdangerous animals may abound. It is necessary to guard against apossible attack, so that we shall not be obliged to watch every night, or to keep up a fire. And then, my friends, we must foresee everything. We are here in a part of the Pacific often frequented by Malaypirates--" "What!" said Herbert, "at such a distance from land?" "Yes, my boy, " replied the engineer. "These pirates are bold sailors aswell as formidable enemies, and we must take measures accordingly. " "Well, " replied Pencroft, "we will fortify ourselves against savageswith two legs as well as against savages with four. But, captain, willit not be best to explore every part of the island before undertakinganything else?" "That would be best, " added Gideon Spilett. "Who knows if we might not find on the opposite side one of the cavernswhich we have searched for in vain here?" "That is true, " replied the engineer, "but you forget, my friends, thatit will be necessary to establish ourselves in the neighborhood of awatercourse, and that, from the summit of Mount Franklin, we could notsee towards the west, either stream or river. Here, on the contrary, weare placed between the Mercy and Lake Grant, an advantage which must notbe neglected. And, besides, this side, looking towards the east, is notexposed as the other is to the trade-winds, which in this hemisphereblow from the northwest. " "Then, captain, " replied the sailor, "let us build a house on the edgeof the lake. Neither bricks nor tools are wanting now. After having beenbrickmakers, potters, smelters, and smiths, we shall surely know how tobe masons!" "Yes, my friend; but before coming to any decision we must considerthe matter thoroughly. A natural dwelling would spare us much work, and would be a surer retreat, for it would be as well defended againstenemies from the interior as those from outside. " "That is true, Cyrus, " replied the reporter, "but we have alreadyexamined all that mass of granite, and there is not a hole, not acranny!" "No, not one!" added Pencroft. "Ah, if we were able to dig out adwelling in that cliff, at a good height, so as to be out of the reachof harm, that would be capital! I can see that on the front which looksseaward, five or six rooms--" "With windows to light them!" said Herbert, laughing. "And a staircase to climb up to them!" added Neb. "You are laughing, " cried the sailor, "and why? What is there impossiblein what I propose? Haven't we got pickaxes and spades? Won't CaptainHarding be able to make powder to blow up the mine? Isn't it true, captain, that you will make powder the very day we want it?" Cyrus Harding listened to the enthusiastic Pencroft developing hisfanciful projects. To attack this mass of granite, even by a mine, wasHerculean work, and it was really vexing that nature could not help themat their need. But the engineer did not reply to the sailor except byproposing to examine the cliff more attentively, from the mouth of theriver to the angle which terminated it on the north. They went out, therefore, and the exploration was made with extremecare, over an extent of nearly two miles. But in no place in the bare, straight cliff, could any cavity be found. The nests of the rock pigeonswhich fluttered at its summit were only, in reality, holes bored at thevery top, and on the irregular edge of the granite. It was a provoking circumstance, and as to attacking this cliff, eitherwith pickaxe or with powder, so as to effect a sufficient excavation, itwas not to be thought of. It so happened that, on all this part of theshore, Pencroft had discovered the only habitable shelter, that is tosay, the Chimneys, which now had to be abandoned. The exploration ended, the colonists found themselves at the north angleof the cliff, where it terminated in long slopes which died away on theshore. From this place, to its extreme limit in the west, it only formeda sort of declivity, a thick mass of stones, earth, and sand, boundtogether by plants, bushes, and grass inclined at an angle of onlyforty-five degrees. Clumps of trees grew on these slopes, which werealso carpeted with thick grass. But the vegetation did not extendfar, and a long, sandy plain, which began at the foot of these slopes, reached to the beach. Cyrus Harding thought, not without reason, that the overplus of the lakemust overflow on this side. The excess of water furnished by the RedCreek must also escape by some channel or other. Now the engineer hadnot yet found this channel on any part of the shore already explored, that is to say, from the mouth of the stream on the west of ProspectHeights. The engineer now proposed to his companions to climb the slope, and toreturn to the Chimneys by the heights, while exploring the northernand eastern shores of the lake. The proposal was accepted, and in a fewminutes Herbert and Neb were on the upper plateau. Cyrus Harding, GideonSpilett, and Pencroft followed with more sedate steps. The beautiful sheet of water glittered through the trees under the raysof the sun. In this direction the country was charming. The eye feastedon the groups of trees. Some old trunks, bent with age, showed blackagainst the verdant grass which covered the ground. Crowds of brilliantcockatoos screamed among the branches, moving prisms, hopping from onebough to another. The settlers instead of going directly to the north bank of the lake, made a circuit round the edge of the plateau, so as to join the mouthof the creek on its left bank. It was a detour of more than a mile and ahalf. Walking was easy, for the trees widely spread, left a considerablespace between them. The fertile zone evidently stopped at this point, and vegetation would be less vigorous in the part between the course ofthe Creek and the Mercy. Cyrus Harding and his companions walked over this new ground with greatcare. Bows, arrows, and sticks with sharp iron points were their onlyweapons. However, no wild beast showed itself, and it was probable thatthese animals frequented rather the thick forests in the south; but thesettlers had the disagreeable surprise of seeing Top stop before a snakeof great size, measuring from fourteen to fifteen feet in length. Nebkilled it by a blow from his stick. Cyrus Harding examined the reptile, and declared it not venomous, for it belonged to that species of diamondserpents which the natives of New South Wales rear. But it was possiblethat others existed whose bite was mortal such as the deaf vipers withforked tails, which rise up under the feet, or those winged snakes, furnished with two ears, which enable them to proceed with greatrapidity. Top, the first moment of surprise over, began a reptile chasewith such eagerness, that they feared for his safety. His master calledhim back directly. The mouth of the Red Creek, at the place where it entered into the lake, was soon reached. The explorers recognized on the opposite shore thepoint which they had visited on their descent from Mount Franklin. CyrusHarding ascertained that the flow of water into it from the creek wasconsiderable. Nature must therefore have provided some place for theescape of the overplus. This doubtless formed a fall, which, if it couldbe discovered, would be of great use. The colonists, walking apart, but not straying far from each other, began to skirt the edge of the lake, which was very steep. The waterappeared to be full of fish, and Pencroft resolved to make somefishing-rods, so as to try and catch some. The northeast point was first to be doubled. It might have been supposedthat the discharge of water was at this place, for the extremity of thelake was almost on a level with the edge of the plateau. But no signs ofthis were discovered, and the colonists continued to explore the bank, which, after a slight bend, descended parallel to the shore. On this side the banks were less woody, but clumps of trees, here andthere, added to the picturesqueness of the country. Lake Grant wasviewed from thence in all its extent, and no breath disturbed thesurface of its waters. Top, in beating the bushes, put up flocks ofbirds of different kinds, which Gideon Spilett and Herbert saluted witharrows. One was hit by the lad, and fell into some marshy grass. Toprushed forward, and brought a beautiful swimming bird, of a slate color, short beak, very developed frontal plate, and wings edged with white. Itwas a "coot, " the size of a large partridge, belonging to the group ofmacrodactyls which form the transition between the order of wading birdsand that of palmipeds. Sorry game, in truth, and its flavor is far frompleasant. But Top was not so particular in these things as his masters, and it was agreed that the coot should be for his supper. The settlers were now following the eastern bank of the lake, and theywould not be long in reaching the part which they already knew. The engineer was much surprised at not seeing any indication of thedischarge of water. The reporter and the sailor talked with him, and hecould not conceal his astonishment. At this moment Top, who had been very quiet till then, gave signs ofagitation. The intelligent animal went backwards and forwards on theshore, stopped suddenly, and looked at the water, one paw raised, as ifhe was pointing at some invisible game; then he barked furiously, andwas suddenly silent. Neither Cyrus Harding nor his companions had at first paid any attentionto Top's behavior; but the dog's barking soon became so frequent thatthe engineer noticed it. "What is there, Top?" he asked. The dog bounded towards his master, seeming to be very uneasy, and thenrushed again towards the bank. Then, all at once, he plunged into thelake. "Here, Top!" cried Cyrus Harding, who did not like his dog to ventureinto the treacherous water. "What's happening down there?" asked Pencroft, examining the surface ofthe lake. "Top smells some amphibious creature, " replied Herbert. "An alligator, perhaps, " said the reporter. "I do not think so, " replied Harding. "Alligators are only met with inregions less elevated in latitude. " Meanwhile Top had returned at his master's call, and had regained theshore: but he could not stay quiet; he plunged in among the tall grass, and guided by instinct, he appeared to follow some invisible being whichwas slipping along under the surface of the water. However the waterwas calm; not a ripple disturbed its surface. Several times the settlersstopped on the bank, and observed it attentively. Nothing appeared. There was some mystery there. The engineer was puzzled. "Let us pursue this exploration to the end, " said he. Half an hour after they had all arrived at the southeast angle of thelake, on Prospect Heights. At this point the examination of the banks ofthe lake was considered finished, and yet the engineer had not been ableto discover how and where the waters were discharged. "There is no doubtthis overflow exists, " he repeated, "and since it is not visible it mustgo through the granite cliff at the west!" "But what importance do you attach to knowing that, my dear Cyrus?"asked Gideon Spilett. "Considerable importance, " replied the engineer; "for if it flowsthrough the cliff there is probably some cavity, which it would be easyto render habitable after turning away the water. " "But is it not possible, captain, that the water flows away at thebottom of the lake, " said Herbert, "and that it reaches the sea by somesubterranean passage?" "That might be, " replied the engineer, "and should it be so we shall beobliged to build our house ourselves, since nature has not done it forus. " The colonists were about to begin to traverse the plateau to return tothe Chimneys, when Top gave new signs of agitation. He barked with fury, and before his master could restrain him, he had plunged a second timeinto the lake. All ran towards the bank. The dog was already more than twenty feet off, and Cyrus was calling him back, when an enormous head emerged from thewater, which did not appear to be deep in that place. Herbert recognized directly the species of amphibian to which thetapering head, with large eyes, and adorned with long silky mustaches, belonged. "A lamantin!" he cried. It was not a lamantin, but one of that species of the order ofcetaceans, which bear the name of the "dugong, " for its nostrils wereopen at the upper part of its snout. The enormous animal rushed on thedog, who tried to escape by returning towards the shore. His mastercould do nothing to save him, and before Gideon Spilett or Herbertthought of bending their bows, Top, seized by the dugong, haddisappeared beneath the water. Neb, his iron-tipped spear in his hand, wished to go to Top's help, andattack the dangerous animal in its own element. "No, Neb, " said the engineer, restraining his courageous servant. Meanwhile, a struggle was going on beneath the water, an inexplicablestruggle, for in his situation Top could not possibly resist; andjudging by the bubbling of the surface it must be also a terriblestruggle, and could not but terminate in the death of the dog! Butsuddenly, in the middle of a foaming circle, Top reappeared. Thrown inthe air by some unknown power, he rose ten feet above the surface of thelake, fell again into the midst of the agitated waters, and then soongained the shore, without any severe wounds, miraculously saved. Cyrus Harding and his companions could not understand it. What was notless inexplicable was that the struggle still appeared to be going on. Doubtless, the dugong, attacked by some powerful animal, after havingreleased the dog, was fighting on its own account. But it did not lastlong. The water became red with blood, and the body of the dugong, emerging from the sheet of scarlet which spread around, soon stranded ona little beach at the south angle of the lake. The colonists ran towardsit. The dugong was dead. It was an enormous animal, fifteen or sixteenfeet long, and must have weighed from three to four thousand pounds. Atits neck was a wound, which appeared to have been produced by a sharpblade. What could the amphibious creature have been, who, by this terribleblow had destroyed the formidable dugong? No one could tell, and muchinterested in this incident, Harding and his companions returned to theChimneys. Chapter 17 The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb toprepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroftascended by the river, to renew their store of wood. The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which thedugong had been stranded. Already flocks of birds had attacked the massof flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished tokeep the fat for the use of the colony. As to the animal's fleshit would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the MalayArchipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table ofthe native princes. But that was Neb's affair. At this moment Cyrus Harding had other thoughts. He was much interestedin the incident of the day before. He wished to penetrate the mysteryof that submarine combat, and to ascertain what monster could have giventhe dugong so strange a wound. He remained at the edge of the lake, looking, observing; but nothing appeared under the tranquil waters, which sparkled in the first rays of the rising sun. At the beach, on which lay the body of the dugong, the water wastolerably shallow, but from this point the bottom of the lake slopedgradually, and it was probable that the depth was considerable in thecenter. The lake might be considered as a large center basin, which wasfilled by the water from the Red Creek. "Well, Cyrus, " said the reporter, "there seems to be nothing suspiciousin this water. " "No, my dear Spilett, " replied the engineer, "and I really do not knowhow to account for the incident of yesterday. " "I acknowledge, " returned Spilett, "that the wound given this creatureis, at least, very strange, and I cannot explain either how Top wasso vigorously cast up out of the water. One could have thought that apowerful arm hurled him up, and that the same arm with a dagger killedthe dugong!" "Yes, " replied the engineer, who had become thoughtful; "there issomething there that I cannot understand. But do you better understandeither, my dear Spilett, in what way I was saved myself--how I was drawnfrom the waves, and carried to the downs? No! Is it not true? Now, Ifeel sure that there is some mystery there, which, doubtless, we shalldiscover some day. Let us observe, but do not dwell on these singularincidents before our companions. Let us keep our remarks to ourselves, and continue our work. " It will be remembered that the engineer had not as yet been able todiscover the place where the surplus water escaped, but he knew it mustexist somewhere. He was much surprised to see a strong current at thisplace. By throwing in some bits of wood he found that it set towards thesouthern angle. He followed the current, and arrived at the south pointof the lake. There was there a sort of depression in the water, as if it was suddenlylost in some fissure in the ground. Harding listened; placing his ear to the level of the lake, he verydistinctly heard the noise of a subterranean fall. "There, " said he, rising, "is the discharge of the water; there, doubtless, by a passage in the granite cliff, it joins the sea, throughcavities which we can use to our profit. Well, I can find it!" The engineer cut a long branch, stripped it of its leaves, and plungingit into the angle between the two banks, he found that there was a largehole one foot only beneath the surface of the water. This hole was theopening so long looked for in vain, and the force of the current wassuch that the branch was torn from the engineer's hands and disappeared. "There is no doubt about it now, " repeated Harding. "There is theoutlet, and I will lay it open to view!" "How?" asked Gideon Spilett. "By lowering the level of the water of the lake three feet. " "And howwill you lower the level?" "By opening another outlet larger than this. " "At what place, Cyrus?" "At the part of the bank nearest the coast. " "But it is a mass of granite!" observed Spilett. "Well, " replied Cyrus Harding, "I will blow up the granite, and thewater escaping, will subside, so as to lay bare this opening--" "And make a waterfall, by falling on to the beach, " added the reporter. "A fall that we shall make use of!" replied Cyrus. "Come, come!" The engineer hurried away his companion, whose confidence in Harding wassuch that he did not doubt the enterprise would succeed. And yet, howwas this granite wall to be opened without powder, and with imperfectinstruments? Was not this work upon which the engineer was so bent abovetheir strength? When Harding and the reporter entered the Chimneys, they found Herbertand Pencroft unloading their raft of wood. "The woodmen have just finished, captain. " said the sailor, laughing, "and when you want masons--" "Masons, --no, but chemists, " replied the engineer. "Yes, " added the reporter, "we are going to blow up the island--" "Blow up the island?" cried Pencroft. "Part of it, at least, " replied Spilett. "Listen to me, my friends, " said the engineer. And he made known to themthe result of his observations. According to him, a cavity, more or less considerable, must exist inthe mass of granite which supported Prospect Heights, and he intendedto penetrate into it. To do this, the opening through which the waterrushed must first be cleared, and the level lowered by making a largeroutlet. Therefore an explosive substance must be manufactured, whichwould make a deep trench in some other part of the shore. This was whatHarding was going to attempt with the minerals which nature placed athis disposal. It is useless to say with what enthusiasm all, especially Pencroft, received this project. To employ great means, open the granite, create acascade, that suited the sailor. And he would just as soon be a chemistas a mason or bootmaker, since the engineer wanted chemicals. He wouldbe all that they liked, "even a professor of dancing and deportment, "said he to Neb, if that was ever necessary. Neb and Pencroft were first of all told to extract the grease from thedugong, and to keep the flesh, which was destined for food. Such perfectconfidence had they in the engineer, that they set out directly, without even asking a question. A few minutes after them, Cyrus Harding, Herbert, and Gideon Spilett, dragging the hurdle, went towards the veinof coals, where those shistose pyrites abound which are met with in themost recent transition soil, and of which Harding had already found aspecimen. All the day being employed in carrying a quantity of thesestones to the Chimneys, by evening they had several tons. The next day, the 8th of May, the engineer began his manipulations. These shistose pyrites being composed principally of coal, flint, alumina, and sulphuret of iron--the latter in excess--it was necessaryto separate the sulphuret of iron, and transform it into sulphate asrapidly as possible. The sulphate obtained, the sulphuric acid couldthen be extracted. This was the object to be attained. Sulphuric acid is one of the agentsthe most frequently employed, and the manufacturing importance of anation can be measured by the consumption which is made of it. This acidwould later be of great use to the settlers, in the manufacturing ofcandles, tanning skins, etc. , but this time the engineer reserved it foranother use. Cyrus Harding chose, behind the Chimneys, a site where the groundwas perfectly level. On this ground he placed a layer of branches andchopped wood, on which were piled some pieces of shistose pyrites, buttressed one against the other, the whole being covered with a thinlayer of pyrites, previously reduced to the size of a nut. This done, they set fire to the wood, the heat was communicated to theshist, which soon kindled, since it contains coal and sulphur. Then newlayers of bruised pyrites were arranged so as to form an immenseheap, the exterior of which was covered with earth and grass, severalair-holes being left, as if it was a stack of wood which was to becarbonized to make charcoal. They then left the transformation to complete itself, and it wouldnot take less than ten or twelve days for the sulphuret of iron to bechanged to sulphate of iron and the alumina into sulphate of alumina, two equally soluble substances, the others, flint, burnt coal, andcinders, not being so. While this chemical work was going on, Cyrus Harding proceeded withother operations, which were pursued with more than zeal, --it waseagerness. Neb and Pencroft had taken away the fat from the dugong, and placed itin large earthen pots. It was then necessary to separate the glycerinefrom the fat by saponifying it. Now, to obtain this result, it had tobe treated either with soda or lime. In fact, one or other of thesesubstances, after having attacked the fat, would form a soap byseparating the glycerine, and it was just this glycerine which theengineer wished to obtain. There was no want of lime, only treatment bylime would give calcareous soap, insoluble, and consequently useless, while treatment by soda would furnish, on the contrary, a soluble soap, which could be put to domestic use. Now, a practical man, like CyrusHarding, would rather try to obtain soda. Was this difficult? No; formarine plants abounded on the shore, glass-wort, ficoides, and allthose fucaceae which form wrack. A large quantity of these plantswas collected, first dried, then burnt in holes in the open air. Thecombustion of these plants was kept up for several days, and the resultwas a compact gray mass, which has been long known under the name of"natural soda. " This obtained, the engineer treated the fat with soda, which gave both asoluble soap and that neutral substance, glycerine. But this was not all. Cyrus Harding still needed, in view of his futurepreparation, another substance, nitrate of potash, which is better knownunder the name of salt niter, or of saltpeter. Cyrus Harding could have manufactured this substance by treating thecarbonate of potash, which would be easily extracted from the cinders ofthe vegetables, by azotic acid. But this acid was wanting, and he wouldhave been in some difficulty, if nature had not happily furnished thesaltpeter, without giving them any other trouble than that of picking itup. Herbert found a vein of it at the foot of Mount Franklin, and theyhad nothing to do but purify this salt. These different works lasted a week. They were finished beforethe transformation of the sulphuret into sulphate of iron had beenaccomplished. During the following days the settlers had time toconstruct a furnace of bricks of a particular arrangement, to serve forthe distillation of the sulphate or iron when it had been obtained. Allthis was finished about the 18th of May, nearly at the time when thechemical transformation terminated. Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Neb, andPencroft, skillfully directed by the engineer, had become most cleverworkmen. Before all masters, necessity is the one most listened to, andwho teaches the best. When the heap of pyrites had been entirely reduced by fire, the resultof the operation, consisting of sulphate of iron, sulphate of alumina, flint, remains of coal, and cinders was placed in a basinful of water. They stirred this mixture, let it settle, then decanted it, and obtaineda clear liquid containing in solution sulphate of iron and sulphate ofalumina, the other matters remaining solid, since they are insoluble. Lastly, this liquid being partly evaporated, crystals of sulphate ofiron were deposited, and the not evaporated liquid, which contained thesulphate of alumina, was thrown away. Cyrus Harding had now at his disposal a large quantity of these sulphateof iron crystals, from which the sulphuric acid had to be extracted. Themaking of sulphuric acid is a very expensive manufacture. Considerableworks are necessary--a special set of tools, an apparatus ofplatina, leaden chambers, unassailable by the acid, and in which thetransformation is performed, etc. The engineer had none of these at hisdisposal, but he knew that, in Bohemia especially, sulphuric acid ismanufactured by very simple means, which have also the advantage ofproducing it to a superior degree of concentration. It is thus that theacid known under the name of Nordhausen acid is made. To obtain sulphuric acid, Cyrus Harding had only one operation to make, to calcine the sulphate of iron crystals in a closed vase, so that thesulphuric acid should distil in vapor, which vapor, by condensation, would produce the acid. The crystals were placed in pots, and the heat from the furnace woulddistil the sulphuric acid. The operation was successfully completed, andon the 20th of May, twelve days after commencing it, the engineerwas the possessor of the agent which later he hoped to use in so manydifferent ways. Now, why did he wish for this agent? Simply to produce azotic acid;and that was easy, since saltpeter, attacked by sulphuric acid, givesazotic, or nitric, acid by distillation. But, after all, how was he going to employ this azotic acid? Hiscompanions were still ignorant of this, for he had not informed them ofthe result at which he aimed. However, the engineer had nearly accomplished his purpose, and by alast operation he would procure the substance which had given so muchtrouble. Taking some azotic acid, he mixed it with glycerine, which had beenpreviously concentrated by evaporation, subjected to the water-bath, andhe obtained, without even employing a refrigerant mixture, several pintsof an oily yellow mixture. This last operation Cyrus Harding had made alone, in a retired place, ata distance from the Chimneys, for he feared the danger of an explosion, and when he showed a bottle of this liquid to his friends, he contentedhimself with saying, -- "Here is nitro-glycerine!" It was really this terrible production, of which the explosive power isperhaps tenfold that of ordinary powder, and which has already caused somany accidents. However, since a way has been found to transform it intodynamite, that is to say, to mix with it some solid substance, clay orsugar, porous enough to hold it, the dangerous liquid has been usedwith some security. But dynamite was not yet known at the time when thesettlers worked on Lincoln Island. "And is it that liquid that is going to blow up our rocks?" saidPencroft incredulously. "Yes, my friend, " replied the engineer, "and this nitro-glycerine willproduce so much the more effect, as the granite is extremely hard, andwill oppose a greater resistance to the explosion. " "And when shall we see this, captain?" "To-morrow, as soon as we have dug a hole for the mine, replied theengineer. " The next day, the 21st of May, at daybreak, the miners went to the pointwhich formed the eastern shore of Lake Grant, and was only five hundredfeet from the coast. At this place, the plateau inclined downwards fromthe waters, which were only restrained by their granite case. Therefore, if this case was broken, the water would escape by the opening and forma stream, which, flowing over the inclined surface of the plateau, would rush on to the beach. Consequently, the level of the lake wouldbe greatly lowered, and the opening where the water escaped would beexposed, which was their final aim. Under the engineer's directions, Pencroft, armed with a pickaxe, whichhe handled skillfully and vigorously, attacked the granite. The hole wasmade on the point of the shore, slanting, so that it should meet amuch lower level than that of the water of the lake. In this way theexplosive force, by scattering the rock, would open a large place forthe water to rush out. The work took some time, for the engineer, wishing to produce a greateffect, intended to devote not less than seven quarts of nitro-glycerineto the operation. But Pencroft, relieved by Neb, did so well, thattowards four o'clock in the evening, the mine was finished. Now the question of setting fire to the explosive substance was raised. Generally, nitro-glycerine is ignited by caps of fulminate, which inbursting cause the explosion. A shock is therefore needed to producethe explosion, for, simply lighted, this substance would burn withoutexploding. Cyrus Harding could certainly have fabricated a percussion cap. Indefault of fulminate, he could easily obtain a substance similar toguncotton, since he had azotic acid at his disposal. This substance, pressed in a cartridge, and introduced among the nitro-glycerine, wouldburst by means of a fuse, and cause the explosion. But Cyrus Harding knew that nitro-glycerine would explode by a shock. He resolved to employ this means, and try another way, if this did notsucceed. In fact, the blow of a hammer on a few drops of nitro-glycerine, spreadout on a hard surface, was enough to create an explosion. But theoperator could not be there to give the blow, without becoming a victimto the operation. Harding, therefore, thought of suspending a mass ofiron, weighing several pounds, by means of a fiber, to an upright justabove the mine. Another long fiber, previously impregnated with sulphur, was attached to the middle of the first, by one end, while the other layon the ground several feet distant from the mine. The second fiber beingset on fire, it would burn till it reached the first. This catchingfire in its turn, would break, and the mass of iron would fall on thenitro-glycerine. This apparatus being then arranged, the engineer, afterhaving sent his companions to a distance, filled the hole, so that thenitro-glycerine was on a level with the opening; then he threw a fewdrops of it on the surface of the rock, above which the mass of iron wasalready suspended. This done, Harding lit the end of the sulphured fiber, and leaving theplace, he returned with his companions to the Chimneys. The fiber was intended to burn five and twenty minutes, and, in fact, five and twenty minutes afterwards a most tremendous explosion washeard. The island appeared to tremble to its very foundation. Stoneswere projected in the air as if by the eruption of a volcano. The shockproduced by the displacing of the air was such, that the rocks of theChimneys shook. The settlers, although they were more than two milesfrom the mine, were thrown on the ground. They rose, climbed the plateau, and ran towards the place where the bankof the lake must have been shattered by the explosion. A cheer escaped them! A large rent was seen in the granite! A rapidstream of water rushed foaming across the plateau and dashed down aheight of three hundred feet on to the beach! Chapter 18 Cyrus Harding's project had succeeded, but, according to his usualhabit he showed no satisfaction; with closed lips and a fixed look, heremained motionless. Herbert was in ecstasies, Neb bounded with joy, Pencroft nodded his great head, murmuring these words, -- "Come, our engineer gets on capitally!" The nitro-glycerine had indeed acted powerfully. The opening which ithad made was so large that the volume of water which escaped throughthis new outlet was at least treble that which before passed through theold one. The result was, that a short time after the operation the levelof the lake would be lowered two feet, or more. The settlers went to the Chimneys to take some pickaxes, iron-tippedspears, string made of fibers, flint and steel; they then returned tothe plateau, Top accompanying them. On the way the sailor could not help saying to the engineer, -- "Don't you think, captain, that by means of that charming liquid youhave made, one could blow up the whole of our island?" "Without any doubt, the island, continents, and the world itself, "replied the engineer. "It is only a question of quantity. " "Then could you not use this nitro-glycerine for loading firearms?"asked the sailor. "No, Pencroft; for it is too explosive a substance. But it would be easyto make some guncotton, or even ordinary powder, as we have azotic acid, saltpeter, sulphur, and coal. Unhappily, it is the guns which we havenot got. "Oh, captain, " replied the sailor, "with a little determination--" Pencroft had erased the word "impossible" from the dictionary of LincolnIsland. The settlers, having arrived at Prospect Heights, went immediatelytowards that point of the lake near which was the old opening nowuncovered. This outlet had now become practicable, since the water nolonger rushed through it, and it would doubtless be easy to explore theinterior. In a few minutes the settlers had reached the lower point of the lake, and a glance showed them that the object had been attained. In fact, in the side of the lake, and now above the surface of thewater, appeared the long-looked-for opening. A narrow ridge, left bareby the retreat of the water, allowed them to approach it. This orificewas nearly twenty feet in width, but scarcely two in height. It was likethe mouth of a drain at the edge of the pavement, and therefore didnot offer an easy passage to the settlers; but Neb and Pencroft, takingtheir pickaxes, soon made it of a suitable height. The engineer then approached, and found that the sides of the opening, in its upper part at least, had not a slope of more than from thirty tothirty-five degrees. It was therefore practicable, and, provided thatthe declivity did not increase, it would be easy to descend even to thelevel of the sea. If then, as was probable, some vast cavity existed inthe interior of the granite, it might, perhaps, be of great use. "Well, captain, what are we stopping for?" asked the sailor, impatientto enter the narrow passage. "You see Top has got before us!" "Very well, " replied the engineer. "But we must see our way. Neb, go andcut some resinous branches. " Neb and Herbert ran to the edge of the lake, shaded with pines and othergreen trees, and soon returned with some branches, which they madeinto torches. The torches were lighted with flint and steel, and CyrusHarding leading, the settlers ventured into the dark passage, which theoverplus of the lake had formerly filled. Contrary to what might have been supposed, the diameter of the passageincreased as the explorers proceeded, so that they very soon were ableto stand upright. The granite, worn by the water for an infinite time, was very slippery, and falls were to be dreaded. But the settlers wereall attached to each other by a cord, as is frequently done in ascendingmountains. Happily some projections of the granite, forming regularsteps, made the descent less perilous. Drops, still hanging from therocks, shone here and there under the light of the torches, andthe explorers guessed that the sides were clothed with innumerablestalactites. The engineer examined this black granite. There was not astratum, not a break in it. The mass was compact, and of an extremelyclose grain. The passage dated, then, from the very origin of theisland. It was not the water which little by little had hollowed it. Pluto and not Neptune had bored it with his own hand, and on the walltraces of an eruptive work could be distinguished, which all the washingof the water had not been able totally to efface. The settlers descended very slowly. They could not but feel a certainawe, in this venturing into these unknown depths, for the first timevisited by human beings. They did not speak, but they thought; andthe thought came to more than one, that some polypus or othergigantic cephalopod might inhabit the interior cavities, which were incommunication with the sea. However, Top kept at the head of the littleband, and they could rely on the sagacity of the dog, who would not failto give the alarm if there was any need for it. After having descended about a hundred feet, following a winding road, Harding who was walking on before, stopped, and his companions came upwith him. The place where they had halted was wider, so as to form acavern of moderate dimensions. Drops of water fell from the vault, butthat did not prove that they oozed through the rock. They were simplythe last traces left by the torrent which had so long thundered throughthis cavity, and the air there was pure though slightly damp, butproducing no mephitic exhalation. "Well, my dear Cyrus, " said Gideon Spilett, "here is a very secureretreat, well hid in the depths of the rock, but it is, however, uninhabitable. " "Why uninhabitable?" asked the sailor. "Because it is too small and too dark. " "Couldn't we enlarge it, hollow it out, make openings to let in lightand air?" replied Pencroft, who now thought nothing impossible. "Let us go on with our exploration, " said Cyrus Harding. "Perhaps lowerdown, nature will have spared us this labor. " "We have only gone a third of the way, " observed Herbert. "Nearly a third, " replied Harding, "for we have descended a hundred feetfrom the opening, and it is not impossible that a hundred feet fartherdown--" "Where is Top?" asked Neb, interrupting his master. They searched the cavern, but the dog was not there. "Most likely he has gone on, " said Pencroft. "Let us join him, " replied Harding. The descent was continued. The engineer carefully observed all thedeviations of the passage, and notwithstanding so many detours, hecould easily have given an account of its general direction, which wenttowards the sea. The settlers had gone some fifty feet farther, when their attention wasattracted by distant sounds which came up from the depths. They stoppedand listened. These sounds, carried through the passage as through anacoustic tube, came clearly to the ear. "That is Top barking!" cried Herbert. "Yes, " replied Pencroft, "and our brave dog is barking furiously!" "We have our iron-tipped spears, " said Cyrus Harding. "Keep on yourguard, and forward!" "It is becoming more and more interesting, " murmured Gideon Spilett inthe sailor's ear, who nodded. Harding and his companions rushed to thehelp of their dog. Top's barking became more and more perceptible, and it seemed strangely fierce. Was he engaged in a struggle with someanimal whose retreat he had disturbed? Without thinking of the dangerto which they might be exposed, the explorers were now impelled by anirresistible curiosity, and in a few minutes, sixteen feet lower theyrejoined Top. There the passage ended in a vast and magnificent cavern. Top was running backwards and forwards, barking furiously. Pencroft andNeb, waving their torches, threw the light into every crevice; andat the same time, Harding, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert, their spearsraised, were ready for any emergency which might arise. The enormouscavern was empty. The settlers explored it in every direction. There wasnothing there, not an animal, not a human being; and yet Top continuedto bark. Neither caresses nor threats could make him be silent. "There must be a place somewhere, by which the waters of the lakereached the sea, " said the engineer. "Of course, " replied Pencroft, "and we must take care not to tumble intoa hole. " "Go, Top, go!" cried Harding. The dog, excited by his master's words, ran towards the extremity of thecavern, and there redoubled his barking. They followed him, and by the light of the torches, perceived the mouthof a regular well in the granite. It was by this that the water escaped;and this time it was not an oblique and practicable passage, but aperpendicular well, into which it was impossible to venture. The torches were held over the opening: nothing could be seen. Hardingtook a lighted branch, and threw it into the abyss. The blazing resin, whose illuminating power increased still more by the rapidity of itsfall, lighted up the interior of the well, but yet nothing appeared. Theflame then went out with a slight hiss, which showed that it had reachedthe water, that is to say, the level of the sea. The engineer, calculating the time employed in its fall, was able tocalculate the depth of the well, which was found to be about ninetyfeet. The floor of the cavern must thus be situated ninety feet above thelevel of the sea. "Here is our dwelling, " said Cyrus Harding. "But it was occupied by some creature, " replied Gideon Spilett, whosecuriosity was not yet satisfied. "Well, the creature, amphibious or otherwise, has made off through thisopening, " replied the engineer, "and has left the place for us. " "Never mind, " added the sailor, "I should like very much to be Top justfor a quarter of an hour, for he doesn't bark for nothing!" Cyrus Harding looked at his dog, and those of his companions who werenear him might have heard him murmur these words, -- "Yes, I believe that Top knows more than we do about a great manythings. " However, the wishes of the settlers were for the most part satisfied. Chance, aided by the marvelous sagacity of their leader, had done themgreat service. They had now at their disposal a vast cavern, the sizeof which could not be properly calculated by the feeble light of theirtorches, but it would certainly be easy to divide it into rooms, bymeans of brick partitions, or to use it, if not as a house, at least asa spacious apartment. The water which had left it could not return. Theplace was free. Two difficulties remained; firstly, the possibility of lighting thisexcavation in the midst of solid rock; secondly, the necessity ofrendering the means of access more easy. It was useless to think oflighting it from above, because of the enormous thickness of the granitewhich composed the ceiling; but perhaps the outer wall next the seamight be pierced. Cyrus Harding, during the descent, had roughlycalculated its obliqueness, and consequently the length of the passage, and was therefore led to believe that the outer wall could not be verythick. If light was thus obtained, so would a means of access, forit would be as easy to pierce a door as windows, and to establish anexterior ladder. Harding made known his ideas to his companions. "Then, captain, let us set to work!" replied Pencroft. "I have mypickaxe, and I shall soon make my way through this wall. Where shall Istrike?" "Here, " replied the engineer, showing the sturdy sailor a considerablerecess in the side, which would much diminish the thickness. Pencroft attacked the granite, and for half an hour, by the light of thetorches, he made the splinters fly around him. Neb relieved him, thenSpilett took Neb's place. This work had lasted two hours, and they began to fear that at this spotthe wall would not yield to the pickaxe, when at a last blow given byGideon Spilett, the instrument, passing through the rock, fell outside. "Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Pencroft. The wall only measured there three feet in thickness. Harding applied his eye to the aperture, which overlooked the groundfrom a height of eighty feet. Before him was extended the sea-coast, theislet, and beyond the open sea. Floods of light entered by this hole, inundating the splendid cavern andproducing a magic effect! On its left side it did not measure more thanthirty feet in height and breadth, but on the right it was enormous, andits vaulted roof rose to a height of more than eighty feet. In some places granite pillars, irregularly disposed, supported thevaulted roof, as those in the nave of a cathedral, here forming lateralpiers, there elliptical arches, adorned with pointed moldings, losingthemselves in dark bays, amid the fantastic arches of which glimpsescould be caught in the shade, covered with a profusion of projectionsformed like so many pendants. This cavern was a picturesque mixture ofall the styles of Byzantine, Roman, or Gothic architecture ever producedby the hand of man. And yet this was only the work of nature. She alonehad hollowed this fairy Aihambra in a mass of granite. The settlers were overwhelmed with admiration. Where they had onlyexpected to find a narrow cavity, they had found a sort of marvelouspalace, and Neb had taken off his hat, as if he had been transportedinto a temple! Cries of admiration issued from every mouth. Hurrahs resounded, and theecho was repeated again and again till it died away in the dark naves. "Ah, my friends!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding, "when we have lighted theinterior of this place, and have arranged our rooms and storehouses inthe left part, we shall still have this splendid cavern, which we willmake our study and our museum!" "And we will call it?--" asked Herbert. "Granite House, " replied Harding; a name which his companions againsaluted with a cheer. The torches were now almost consumed, and as they were obliged to returnby the passage to reach the summit of the plateau, it was decided to putoff the work necessary for the arrangement of their new dwelling tillthe next day. Before departing, Cyrus Harding leaned once more over the dark well, which descended perpendicularly to the level of the sea. He listenedattentively. No noise was heard, not even that of the water, which theundulations of the surge must sometimes agitate in its depths. A flamingbranch was again thrown in. The sides of the well were lighted up for aninstant, but as at the first time, nothing suspicious was seen. If some marine monster had been surprised unawares by the retreat of thewater, he would by this time have regained the sea by the subterraneanpassage, before the new opening had been offered to him. Meanwhile, the engineer was standing motionless, his eyes fixed on thegulf, without uttering a word. The sailor approached him, and touching his arm, "Captain!" said he. "What do you want, my friend?" asked the engineer, as if he had returnedfrom the land of dreams. "The torches will soon go out. " "Forward!" replied Cyrus Harding. The little band left the cavern and began to ascend through the darkpassage. Top closed the rear, still growling every now and then. Theascent was painful enough. The settlers rested a few minutes in theupper grotto, which made a sort of landing-place halfway up the longgranite staircase. Then they began to climb again. Soon fresher air was felt. The drops of water, dried by evaporation, nolonger sparkled on the walls. The flaring torches began to grow dim. Theone which Neb carried went out, and if they did not wish to find theirway in the dark, they must hasten. This was done, and a little before four o'clock, at the moment when thesailor's torch went out in its turn, Cyrus Harding and his companionspassed out of the passage. Chapter 19 The next day, the 22nd of May, the arrangement of their new dwellingwas commenced. In fact, the settlers longed to exchange the insufficientshelter of the Chimneys for this large and healthy retreat, in the midstof solid rock, and sheltered from the water both of the sea and sky. Their former dwelling was not, however, to be entirely abandoned, forthe engineer intended to make a manufactory of it for important works. Cyrus Harding's first care was to find out the position of the front ofGranite House from the outside. He went to the beach, and as thepickaxe when it escaped from the hands of the reporter must have fallenperpendicularly to the foot of the cliff, the finding it would besufficient to show the place where the hole had been pierced in thegranite. The pickaxe was easily found, and the hole could be seen in aperpendicular line above the spot where it was stuck in the sand. Somerock pigeons were already flying in and out of the narrow opening; theyevidently thought that Granite House had been discovered on purpose forthem. It was the engineer's intention to divide the right portion of thecavern into several rooms, preceded by an entrance passage, and to lightit by means of five windows and a door, pierced in the front. Pencroftwas much pleased with the five windows, but he could not understand theuse of the door, since the passage offered a natural staircase, throughwhich it would always be easy to enter Granite House. "My friend, " replied Harding, "if it is easy for us to reach ourdwelling by this passage, it will be equally easy for others besidesus. I mean, on the contrary, to block up that opening, to seal ithermetically, and, if it is necessary, to completely hide the entranceby making a dam, and thus causing the water of the lake to rise. " "And how shall we get in?" asked the sailor. "By an outside ladder, " replied Cyrus Harding, "a rope ladder, which, once drawn up, will render access to our dwelling impossible. " "But why so many precautions?" asked Pencroft. "As yet we have seen nodangerous animals. As to our island being inhabited by natives, I don'tbelieve it!" "Are you quite sure of that, Pencroft?" asked the engineer, looking atthe sailor. "Of course we shall not be quite sure, till we have explored it in everydirection, " replied Pencroft. "Yes, " said Harding, "for we know only a small portion of it as yet. Butat any rate, if we have no enemies in the interior, they may come fromthe exterior, for parts of the Pacific are very dangerous. We must beprovided against every contingency. " Cyrus Harding spoke wisely; and without making any further objection, Pencroft prepared to execute his orders. The front of Granite House was then to be lighted by five windows and adoor, besides a large bay window and some smaller oval ones, which wouldadmit plenty of light to enter into the marvelous nave which was to betheir chief room. This facade, situated at a height of eighty feet abovethe ground, was exposed to the east, and the rising sun saluted it withits first rays. It was found to be just at that part of the cliff whichwas between the projection at the mouth of the Mercy and a perpendicularline traced above the heap of rocks which formed the Chimneys. Thusthe winds from the northeast would only strike it obliquely, for it wasprotected by the projection. Besides, until the window-frames were made, the engineer meant to close the openings with thick shutters, whichwould prevent either wind or rain from entering, and which could beconcealed in need. The first work was to make the openings. This would have taken too longwith the pickaxe alone, and it is known that Harding was an ingeniousman. He had still a quantity of nitro-glycerine at his disposal, and heemployed it usefully. By means of this explosive substance the rock wasbroken open at the very places chosen by the engineer. Then, with thepickaxe and spade, the windows and doors were properly shaped, thejagged edges were smoothed off, and a few days alter the beginning ofthe work, Granite House was abundantly lighted by the rising sun, whose rays penetrated into its most secret recesses. Following theplan proposed by Cyrus Harding, the space was to be divided into fivecompartments looking out on the sea; to the right, an entry with adoor, which would meet the ladder; then a kitchen, thirty feet long; adining-room, measuring forty feet; a sleeping-room, of equal size; andlastly, a "Visitor's room, " petitioned for by Pencroft, and which wasnext to the great hall. These rooms, or rather this suite of rooms, would not occupy all the depth of the cave. There would be also acorridor and a storehouse, in which their tools, provisions, and storeswould be kept. All the productions of the island, the flora as well asthe fauna, were to be there in the best possible state of preservation, and completely sheltered from the damp. There was no want of space, sothat each object could be methodically arranged. Besides, the colonistshad still at their disposal the little grotto above the great cavern, which was like the garret of the new dwelling. This plan settled, it had only to be put into execution. The minersbecame brickmakers again, then the bricks were brought to the foot ofGranite House. Till then, Harding and his companions had only enteredthe cavern by the long passage. This mode of communication obliged themfirst to climb Prospect Heights, making a detour by the river's bank, and then to descend two hundred feet through the passage, having toclimb as far when they wished to return to the plateau. This was a greatloss of time, and was also very fatiguing. Cyrus Harding, therefore, resolved to proceed without any further delay to the fabrication ofa strong rope ladder, which, once raised, would render Granite Housecompletely inaccessible. This ladder was manufactured with extreme care, and its uprights, formedof the twisted fibers of a species of cane, had the strength of a thickcable. As to the rounds, they were made of a sort of red cedar, withlight, strong branches; and this apparatus was wrought by the masterlyhand of Pencroft. Other ropes were made with vegetable fibers, and a sort of crane with atackle was fixed at the door. In this way bricks could easily beraised into Granite House. The transport of the materials being thussimplified, the arrangement of the interior could begin immediately. There was no want of lime, and some thousands of bricks were thereready to be used. The framework of the partitions was soon raised, veryroughly at first, and in a short time, the cave was divided into roomsand storehouses, according to the plan agreed upon. These different works progressed rapidly under the direction of theengineer, who himself handled the hammer and the trowel. No labor cameamiss to Cyrus Harding, who thus set an example to his intelligent andzealous companions. They worked with confidence, even gaily, Pencroftalways having some joke to crack, sometimes carpenter, sometimesrope-maker, sometimes mason, while he communicated his good humor toall the members of their little world. His faith in the engineerwas complete; nothing could disturb it. He believed him capable ofundertaking anything and succeeding in everything. The question of bootsand clothes--assuredly a serious question, --that of light during thewinter months, utilizing the fertile parts of the island, transformingthe wild flora into cultivated flora, it all appeared easy to him; CyrusHarding helping, everything would be done in time. He dreamed of canalsfacilitating the transport of the riches of the ground; workingsof quarries and mines; machines for every industrial manufacture;railroads; yes, railroads! of which a network would certainly one daycover Lincoln Island. The engineer let Pencroft talk. He did not put down the aspirations ofthis brave heart. He knew how communicable confidence is; he even smiledto hear him speak, and said nothing of the uneasiness for the futurewhich he felt. In fact, in that part of the Pacific, out of the courseof vessels, it was to be feared that no help would ever come to them. Itwas on themselves, on themselves alone, that the settlers must depend, for the distance of Lincoln Island from all other land was such, thatto hazard themselves in a boat, of a necessarily inferior construction, would be a serious and perilous thing. "But, " as the sailor said, "they quite took the wind out of the sails ofthe Robinsons, for whom everything was done by a miracle. " In fact, they were energetic; an energetic man will succeed where anindolent one would vegetate and inevitably perish. Herbert distinguished himself in these works. He was intelligent andactive; understanding quickly, he performed well; and Cyrus Hardingbecame more and more attached to the boy. Herbert had a lively andreverent love for the engineer. Pencroft saw the close sympathy whichexisted between the two, but he was not in the least jealous. Nebwas Neb: he was what he would be always, courage, zeal, devotion, self-denial personified. He had the same faith in his master thatPencroft had, but he showed it less vehemently. When the sailor wasenthusiastic, Neb always looked as if he would say, "Nothing could bemore natural. " Pencroft and he were great friends. As to Gideon Spilett, he took part in the common work, and was not lessskilful in it than his companions, which always rather astonishedthe sailor. A "journalist, " clever, not only in understanding, but inperforming everything. The ladder was finally fixed on the 28th of May. There were not lessthan a hundred rounds in this perpendicular height of eighty feet. Harding had been able, fortunately, to divide it in two parts, profitingby an overhanging of the cliff which made a projection forty feet abovethe ground. This projection, carefully leveled by the pickaxe, made asort of platform, to which they fixed the first ladder, of which theoscillation was thus diminished one-half, and a rope permitted it to beraised to the level of Granite House. As to the second ladder, it wassecured both at its lower part, which rested on the projection, and atits upper end, which was fastened to the door. In short the ascent hadbeen made much easier. Besides, Cyrus Harding hoped later to establishan hydraulic apparatus, which would avoid all fatigue and loss of time, for the inhabitants of Granite House. The settlers soon became habituated to the use of this ladder. They werelight and active, and Pencroft, as a sailor, accustomed to run upthe masts and shrouds, was able to give them lessons. But it was alsonecessary to give them to Top. The poor dog, with his four paws, wasnot formed for this sort of exercise. But Pencroft was such a zealousmaster, that Top ended by properly performing his ascents, and soonmounted the ladder as readily as his brethren in the circus. It need notbe said that the sailor was proud of his pupil. However, more than oncePencroft hoisted him on his back, which Top never complained of. It must be mentioned here, that during these works, which were activelyconducted, for the bad season was approaching, the alimentary questionwas not neglected. Every day, the reporter and Herbert, who had beenvoted purveyors to the colony, devoted some hours to the chase. As yet, they only hunted in Jacamar Wood, on the left of the river, because, forwant of a bridge or boat, the Mercy had not yet been crossed. All theimmense woods, to which the name of the Forests of the Far West had beengiven, were not explored. They reserved this important excursion for thefirst fine days of the next spring. But Jacamar Wood was full of game;kangaroos and boars abounded, and the hunters iron-tipped spears andbows and arrows did wonders. Besides, Herbert discovered towards thesouthwest point of the lagoon a natural warren, a slightly damp meadow, covered with willows and aromatic herbs which scented the air, suchas thyme, basil, savory, all the sweet-scented species of the labiatedplants, which the rabbits appeared to be particularly fond of. On the reporter observing that since the table was spread for therabbits, it was strange that the rabbits themselves should be wanting, the two sportsmen carefully explored the warren. At any rate, itproduced an abundance of useful plants, and a naturalist would have hada good opportunity of studying many specimens of the vegetable kingdom. Herbert gathered several shoots of the basil, rosemary, balm, betony, etc. , which possess different medicinal properties, some pectoral, astringent, febrifuge, others anti-spasmodic, or anti-rheumatic. When, afterwards, Pencroft asked the use of this collection of herbs, -- "For medicine, " replied the lad, "to treat us when we are ill. " "Why should we be ill, since there are no doctors in the island?" askedPencroft quite seriously. There was no reply to be made to that, but the lad went on with hiscollection all the same, and it was well received at Granite House. Besides these medicinal herbs, he added a plant known in North Americaas "Oswego tea, " which made an excellent beverage. At last, by searching thoroughly, the hunters arrived at the real siteof the warren. There the ground was perforated like a sieve. "Here are the burrows!" cried Herbert. "Yes, " replied the reporter, "so I see. " "But are they inhabited?" "That is the question. " This was soon answered. Almost immediately, hundreds of little animals, similar to rabbits, fled in every direction, with such rapidity thateven Top could not overtake them. Hunters and dog ran in vain; theserodents escaped them easily. But the reporter resolved not to leave theplace, until he had captured at least half-a-dozen of the quadrupeds. He wished to stock their larder first, and domesticate those which theymight take later. It would not have been difficult to do this, with afew snares stretched at the openings of the burrows. But at this momentthey had neither snares, nor anything to make them of. They must, therefore, be satisfied with visiting each hole, and rummaging in itwith a stick, hoping by dint of patience to do what could not be done inany other way. At last, after half an hour, four rodents were taken in their holes. They were similar to their European brethren, and are commonly known bythe name of American rabbits. This produce of the chase was brought back to Granite House, and figuredat the evening repast. The tenants of the warren were not at all to bedespised, for they were delicious. It was a valuable resource of thecolony, and it appeared to be inexhaustible. On the 31st of May the partitions were finished. The rooms had now onlyto be furnished, and this would be work for the long winter days. Achimney was established in the first room, which served as a kitchen. The pipe destined to conduct the smoke outside gave some trouble tothese amateur bricklayers. It appeared simplest to Harding to make it ofbrick clay; as creating an outlet for it to the upper plateau was not tobe thought of, a hole was pierced in the granite above the window ofthe kitchen, and the pipe met it like that of an iron stove. Perhapsthe winds which blew directly against the facade would make the chimneysmoke, but these winds were rare, and besides, Master Neb, the cook, wasnot so very particular about that. When these interior arrangements were finished, the engineer occupiedhimself in blocking up the outlet by the lake, so as to prevent anyaccess by that way. Masses of rock were rolled to the entrance andstrongly cemented together. Cyrus Harding did not yet realize his planof drowning this opening under the waters of the lake, by restoringthem to their former level by means of a dam. He contented himself withhiding the obstruction with grass and shrubs, which were planted in theinterstices of the rocks, and which next spring would sprout thickly. However, he used the waterfall so as to lead a small stream of freshwater to the new dwelling. A little trench, made below their level, produced this result; and this derivation from a pure and inexhaustiblesource yielded twenty-five or thirty gallons a day. There would never beany want of water at Granite House. At last all was finished, and it wastime, for the bad season was near. Thick shutters closed the windows ofthe facade, until the engineer had time to make glass. Gideon Spilett had very artistically arranged on the rocky projectionsaround the windows plants of different kinds, as well as long streaminggrass, so that the openings were picturesquely framed in green, whichhad a pleasing effect. The inhabitants of this solid, healthy, and secure dwelling, could notbut be charmed with their work. The view from the windows extended overa boundless horizon, which was closed by the two Mandible Capes on thenorth, and Claw Cape on the south. All Union Bay was spread before them. Yes, our brave settlers had reason to be satisfied, and Pencroft waslavish in his praise of what he humorously called, "his apartments onthe fifth floor above the ground!" Chapter 20 The winter season set in with the month of June, which corresponds withthe month of December in the Northern Hemisphere. It began with showersand squalls, which succeeded each other without intermission. Thetenants of Granite House could appreciate the advantages of a dwellingwhich sheltered them from the inclement weather. The Chimneys would havebeen quite insufficient to protect them against the rigor of winter, andit was to be feared that the high tides would make another irruption. Cyrus Harding had taken precautions against this contingency, so asto preserve as much as possible the forge and furnace which wereestablished there. During the whole of the month of June the time was employed in differentoccupations, which excluded neither hunting nor fishing, the larderbeing, therefore, abundantly supplied. Pencroft, so soon as he hadleisure, proposed to set some traps, from which he expected greatresults. He soon made some snares with creepers, by the aid of which thewarren henceforth every day furnished its quota of rodents. Neb employednearly all his time in salting or smoking meat, which insured theiralways having plenty of provisions. The question of clothes was nowseriously discussed, the settlers having no other garments than thosethey wore when the balloon threw them on the island. These clothes werewarm and good; they had taken great care of them as well as of theirlinen, and they were perfectly whole, but they would soon need to bereplaced. Moreover, if the winter was severe, the settlers would suffergreatly from cold. On this subject the ingenuity of Harding was at fault. They must providefor their most pressing wants, settle their dwelling, and lay in astore of food; thus the cold might come upon them before the questionof clothes had been settled. They must therefore make up their minds topass this first winter without additional clothing. When the fine seasoncame round again, they would regularly hunt those musmons which had beenseen on the expedition to Mount Franklin, and the wool once collected, the engineer would know how to make it into strong warm stuff.... How?He would consider. "Well, we are free to roast ourselves at Granite House!" said Pencroft. "There are heaps of fuel, and no reason for sparing it. " "Besides, " added Gideon Spilett, "Lincoln Island is not situated undera very high latitude, and probably the winters here are not severe. Didyou not say, Cyrus, that this thirty-fifth parallel corresponded to thatof Spain in the other hemisphere?" "Doubtless, " replied the engineer, "but some winters in Spain are verycold! No want of snow and ice; and perhaps Lincoln Island is just asrigourously tried. However, it is an island, and as such, I hope thatthe temperature will be more moderate. " "Why, captain?" asked Herbert. "Because the sea, my boy, may be considered as an immense reservoir, inwhich is stored the heat of the summer. When winter comes, it restoresthis heat, which insures for the regions near the ocean a mediumtemperature, less high in summer, but less low in winter. " "We shall prove that, " replied Pencroft. "But I don't want to bothermyself about whether it will be cold or not. One thing is certain, thatis that the days are already short, and the evenings long. Suppose wetalk about the question of light. " "Nothing is easier, " replied Harding. "To talk about?" asked the sailor. "To settle. " "And when shall we begin?" "To-morrow, by having a seal hunt. " "To make candles?" "Yes. " Such was the engineer's project; and it was quite feasible, since he hadlime and sulphuric acid, while the amphibians of the islet would furnishthe fat necessary for the manufacture. They were now at the 4th of June. It was Whit Sunday and they agreed toobserve this feast. All work was suspended, and prayers were offeredto Heaven. But these prayers were now thanksgivings. The settlers inLincoln Island were no longer the miserable castaways thrown on theislet. They asked for nothing more--they gave thanks. The next day, the5th of June, in rather uncertain weather, they set out for the islet. They had to profit by the low tide to cross the Channel, and it wasagreed that they would construct, for this purpose, as well as theycould, a boat which would render communication so much easier, andwould also permit them to ascend the Mercy, at the time of their grandexploration of the southwest of the island, which was put off till thefirst fine days. The seals were numerous, and the hunters, armed with their iron-tippedspears, easily killed half-a-dozen. Neb and Pencroft skinned them, andonly brought back to Granite House their fat and skin, this skin beingintended for the manufacture of boots. The result of the hunt was this: nearly three hundred pounds of fat, allto be employed in the fabrication of candles. The operation was extremely simple, and if it did not yield absolutelyperfect results, they were at least very useful. Cyrus Harding wouldonly have had at his disposal sulphuric acid, but by heating this acidwith the neutral fatty bodies he could separate the glycerine; then fromthis new combination, he easily separated the olein, the margarin, andthe stearin, by employing boiling water. But to simplify the operation, he preferred to saponify the fat by means of lime. By this he obtained acalcareous soap, easy to decompose by sulphuric acid, which precipitatedthe lime into the state of sulphate, and liberated the fatty acids. From these three acids-oleic, margaric, and stearic-the first, beingliquid, was driven out by a sufficient pressure. As to the two others, they formed the very substance of which the candles were to be molded. This operation did not last more than four and twenty hours. The wicks, after several trials, were made of vegetable fibers, and dipped in theliquefied substance, they formed regular stearic candles, molded by thehand, which only wanted whiteness and polish. They would not doubtlesshave the advantages of the wicks which are impregnated with boracicacid, and which vitrify as they burn and are entirely consumed, butCyrus Harding having manufactured a beautiful pair of snuffers, thesecandles would be greatly appreciated during the long evenings in GraniteHouse. During this month there was no want of work in the interior of their newdwelling. The joiners had plenty to do. They improved their tools, whichwere very rough, and added others also. Scissors were made among other things, and the settlers were at lastable to cut their hair, and also to shave, or at least trim theirbeards. Herbert had none, Neb but little, but their companions werebristling in a way which justified the making of the said scissors. The manufacture of a hand-saw cost infinite trouble, but at last aninstrument was obtained which, when vigorously handled, could divide theligneous fibers of the wood. They then made tables, seats, cupboards, to furnish the principal rooms, and bedsteads, of which all the beddingconsisted of grass mattresses. The kitchen, with its shelves, on whichrested the cooking utensils, its brick stove, looked very well, and Nebworked away there as earnestly as if he was in a chemist's laboratory. But the joiners had soon to be replaced by carpenters. In fact, thewaterfall created by the explosion rendered the construction of twobridges necessary, one on Prospect Heights, the other on the shore. Nowthe plateau and the shore were transversely divided by a watercourse, which had to be crossed to reach the northern part of the island. Toavoid it the colonists had been obliged to make a considerable detour, by climbing up to the source of the Red Creek. The simplest thing was toestablish on the plateau, and on the shore, two bridges from twenty tofive and twenty feet in length. All the carpenter's work that was neededwas to clear some trees of their branches: this was a business of somedays. Directly the bridges were established, Neb and Pencroft profitedby them to go to the oyster-bed which had been discovered near thedowns. They dragged with them a sort of rough cart, which replaced theformer inconvenient hurdle, and brought back some thousands of oysters, which soon increased among the rocks and formed a bed at the mouth ofthe Mercy. These molluscs were of excellent quality, and the colonistsconsumed some daily. It has been seen that Lincoln Island, although its inhabitants had asyet only explored a small portion of it, already contributed to almostall their wants. It was probable that if they hunted into its mostsecret recesses, in all the wooded part between the Mercy and ReptilePoint, they would find new treasures. The settlers in Lincoln Island had still one privation. There was nowant of meat, nor of vegetable products; those ligneous roots whichthey had found, when subjected to fermentation, gave them an acid drink, which was preferable to cold water; they also made sugar, without canesor beet-roots, by collecting the liquor which distils from the "acersaceharinum, " a son of maple-tree, which flourishes in all the temperatezones, and of which the island possessed a great number; they madea very agreeable tea by employing the herbs brought from the warren;lastly, they had an abundance of salt, the only mineral which is used infood... But bread was wanting. Perhaps in time the settlers could replace this want by some equivalent, it was possible that they might find the sago or the breadfruit treeamong the forests of the south, but they had not as yet met with theseprecious trees. However, Providence came directly to their aid, in aninfinitesimal proportion it is true, but Cyrus Harding, with all hisintelligence, all his ingenuity, would never have been able to producethat which, by the greatest chance, Herbert one day found in the liningof his waistcoat, which he was occupied in setting to rights. On this day, as it was raining in torrents, the settlers were assembledin the great hall in Granite House, when the lad cried out all atonce, -- "Look here, captain--A grain of corn!" And he showed his companions a grain--a single grain--which from a holein his pocket had got into the lining of his waistcoat. The presence of this grain was explained by the fact that Herbert, whenat Richmond, used to feed some pigeons, of which Pencroft had made him apresent. "A grain of corn?" said the engineer quickly. "Yes, captain; but one, only one!" "Well, my boy, " said Pencroft, laughing, "we're getting on capitally, upon my word! What shall we make with one grain of corn?" "We will make bread of it, " replied Cyrus Harding. "Bread, cakes, tarts!" replied the sailor. "Come, the bread that thisgrain of corn will make won't choke us very soon!" Herbert, not attaching much importance to his discovery, was going tothrow away the grain in question; but Harding took it, examined it, found that it was in good condition, and looking the sailor full in theface--"Pencroft, " he asked quietly, "do you know how many ears one grainof corn can produce?" "One, I suppose!" replied the sailor, surprised at the question. "Ten, Pencroft! And do you know how many grains one ear bears?" "No, upon my word. " "About eighty!" said Cyrus Harding. "Then, if we plant this grain, atthe first crop we shall reap eight hundred grains which at the secondwill produce six hundred and forty thousand; at the third, five hundredand twelve millions; at the fourth, more than four hundred thousands ofmillions! There is the proportion. " Harding's companions listened without answering. These numbersastonished them. They were exact, however. "Yes, my friends, " continued the engineer, "such are the arithmeticalprogressions of prolific nature; and yet what is this multiplicationof the grain of corn, of which the ear only bears eight hundred grains, compared to the poppy-plant, which bears thirty-two thousand seeds; tothe tobacco-plant, which produces three hundred and sixty thousand? Ina few years, without the numerous causes of destruction, which arreststheir fecundity, these plants would overrun the earth. " But the engineer had not finished his lecture. "And now, Pencroft, " he continued, "do you know how many bushels fourhundred thousand millions of grains would make?" "No, " replied the sailor; "but what I do know is, that I am nothingbetter than a fool!" "Well, they would make more than three millions, at a hundred and thirtythousand a bushel, Pencroft. " "Three millions!" cried Pencroft. "Three millions. " "In four years?" "In four years, " replied Cyrus Harding, "and even in two years, if, as Ihope, in this latitude we can obtain two crops a year. " At that, according to his usual custom, Pencroft could not replyotherwise than by a tremendous hurrah. "So, Herbert, " added the engineer, "you have made a discovery of greatimportance to us. Everything, my friends, everything can serve us in thecondition in which we are. Do not forget that, I beg of you. " "No, captain, no, we shan't forget it, " replied Pencroft; "and if everI find one of those tobacco-seeds, which multiply by three hundred andsixty thousand, I assure you I won't throw it away! And now, what mustwe do?" "We must plant this grain, " replied Herbert. "Yes, " added Gideon Spilett, "and with every possible care, for it bearsin itself our future harvests. " "Provided it grows!" cried the sailor. "It will grow, " replied Cyrus Harding. This was the 20th of June. The time was then propitious for sowing thissingle precious grain of corn. It was first proposed to plant it ina pot, but upon reflection it was decided to leave it to nature, andconfide it to the earth. This was done that very day, and it is needlessto add, that every precaution was taken that the experiment mightsucceed. The weather having cleared, the settlers climbed the height aboveGranite House. There, on the plateau, they chose a spot, well shelteredfrom the wind, and exposed to all the heat of the midday sun. The placewas cleared, carefully weeded, and searched for insects and worms;then a bed of good earth, improved with a little lime, was made; it wassurrounded by a railing; and the grain was buried in the damp earth. Did it not seem as if the settlers were laying the first stone of someedifice? It recalled to Pencroft the day on which he lighted his onlymatch, and all the anxiety of the operation. But this time the thingwas more serious. In fact, the castaways would have been always ableto procure fire, in some mode or other, but no human power could supplyanother grain of corn, if unfortunately this should be lost! Chapter 21 From this time Pencroft did not let a single day pass without going tovisit what he gravely called his "corn-field. " And woe to the insectswhich dared to venture there! No mercy was shown them. Towards the end of the month of June, after incessant rain, the weatherbecame decidedly colder, and on the 29th a Fahrenheit thermometerwould certainly have announced only twenty degrees above zero, that isconsiderably below the freezing-point. The next day, the 30th of June, the day which corresponds to the 31st of December in the northern year, was a Friday. Neb remarked that the year finished on a bad day, butPencroft replied that naturally the next would begin on a good one, which was better. At any rate it commenced by very severe cold. Ice accumulated at themouth of the Mercy, and it was not long before the whole expanse of thelake was frozen. The settlers had frequently been obliged to renew their store of wood. Pencroft also had wisely not waited till the river was frozen, but hadbrought enormous rafts of wood to their destination. The current wasan indefatigable moving power, and it was employed in conveying thefloating wood to the moment when the frost enchained it. To the fuelwhich was so abundantly supplied by the forest, they added severalcartloads of coal, which had to be brought from the foot of the spurs ofMount Franklin. The powerful heat of the coal was greatly appreciated inthe low temperature, which on the 4th of July fell to eight degrees ofFahrenheit, that is, thirteen degrees below zero. A second fireplace hadbeen established in the dining-room, where they all worked together attheir different avocations. During this period of cold, Cyrus Hardinghad great cause to congratulate himself on having brought to GraniteHouse the little stream of water from Lake Grant. Taken below the frozensurface, and conducted through the passage, it preserved its fluidity, and arrived at an interior reservoir which had been hollowed out at theback part of the storeroom, while the overflow ran through the well tothe sea. About this time, the weather being extremely dry, the colonists, clothedas warmly as possible, resolved to devote a day to the exploration ofthat part of the island between the Mercy and Claw Cape. It was a wideextent of marshy land, and they would probably find good sport, forwater-birds ought to swarm there. They reckoned that it would be about eight or nine miles to go there, and as much to return, so that the whole of the day would be occupied. As an unknown part of the island was about to be explored, the wholecolony took part in the expedition. Accordingly, on the 5th of July, atsix o'clock in the morning, when day had scarcely broken, Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, armed with spears, snares, bows and arrows, and provided with provisions, left Granite House, preceded by Top, who bounded before them. Their shortest way was to cross the Mercy on the ice, which then coveredit. "But, " as the engineer justly observed, "that could not take the placeof a regular bridge!" So, the construction of a regular bridge was notedin the list of future works. It was the first time that the settlers had set foot on the right bankof the Mercy, and ventured into the midst of those gigantic and superbconiferae now sprinkled over with snow. But they had not gone half a mile when from a thicket a whole family ofquadrupeds, who had made a home there, disturbed by Top, rushed forthinto the open country. "Ah! I should say those are foxes!" cried Herbert, when he saw the trooprapidly decamping. They were foxes, but of a very large size, who uttered a sort ofbarking, at which Top seemed to be very much astonished, for he stoppedshort in the chase, and gave the swift animals time to disappear. The dog had reason to be surprised, as he did not know Natural History. But, by their barking, these foxes, with reddish-gray hair, black tailsterminating in a white tuft, had betrayed their origin. So Herbertwas able, without hesitating, to give them their real name of "Arcticfoxes. " They are frequently met with in Chile, in the Falkland Islands, and in all parts of America traversed by the thirtieth and fortiethparallels. Herbert much regretted that Top had not been able to catchone of these carnivora. "Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft, who only regarded therepresentatives of the fauna in the island from one special point ofview. "No, " replied Herbert; "but zoologists have not yet found out if theeye of these foxes is diurnal or nocturnal, or whether it is correct toclass them in the genus dog, properly so called. " Harding could not help smiling on hearing the lad's reflection, whichshowed a thoughtful mind. As to the sailor, from the moment when hefound that the foxes were not classed in the genus eatable, they werenothing to him. However, when a poultry-yard was established at GraniteHouse, he observed that it would be best to take some precautionsagainst a probable visit from these four-legged plunderers, and no onedisputed this. After having turned the point, the settlers saw a long beach washed bythe open sea. It was then eight o'clock in the morning. The sky was veryclear, as it often is after prolonged cold; but warmed by their walk, neither Harding nor his companions felt the sharpness of the atmospheretoo severely. Besides there was no wind, which made it much morebearable. A brilliant sun, but without any calorific action, was justissuing from the ocean. The sea was as tranquil and blue as that of aMediterranean gulf, when the sky is clear. Claw Cape, bent in the formof a yataghan, tapered away nearly four miles to the southeast. Tothe left the edge of the marsh was abruptly ended by a little point. Certainly, in this part of Union Bay, which nothing sheltered from theopen sea, not even a sandbank, ships beaten by the east winds wouldhave found no shelter. They perceived by the tranquillity of the sea, inwhich no shallows troubled the waters, by its uniform color, which wasstained by no yellow shades, by the absence of even a reef, that thecoast was steep and that the ocean there covered a deep abyss. Behind inthe west, but at a distance of four miles, rose the first trees of theforests of the Far West. They might have believed themselves to be onthe desolate coast of some island in the Antarctic regions which the icehad invaded. The colonists halted at this place for breakfast. A fire ofbrushwood and dried seaweed was lighted, and Neb prepared the breakfastof cold meat, to which he added some cups of Oswego tea. While eating they looked around them. This part of Lincoln Island wasvery sterile, and contrasted with all the western part. The reporterwas thus led to observe that if chance had thrown them at first on theshore, they would have had but a deplorable idea of their future domain. "I believe that we should not have been able to reach it, " replied theengineer, "for the sea is deep, and there is not a rock on which wecould have taken refuge. Before Granite House, at least, there weresandbanks, an islet, which multiplied our chances of safety. Here, nothing but the depths!" "It is singular enough, " remarked Spilett, "that this comparativelysmall island should present such varied ground. This diversity ofaspect, logically only belongs to continents of a certain extent. Onewould really say, that the western part of Lincoln Island, so rich andso fertile, is washed by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and thatits shores to the north and the southeast extend over a sort of Arcticsea. " "You are right, my dear Spilett, " replied Cyrus Harding, "I have alsoobserved this. I think the form and also the nature of this islandstrange. It is a summary of all the aspects which a continent presents, and I should not be surprised if it was a continent formerly. " "What! a continent in the middle of the Pacific?" cried Pencroft. "Why not?" replied Cyrus Harding. "Why should not Australia, NewIreland, Australasia, united to the archipelagoes of the Pacific, haveonce formed a sixth part of the world, as important as Europe or Asia, as Africa or the two Americas? To my mind, it is quite possible that allthese islands, emerging from this vast ocean, are but the summits ofa continent, now submerged, but which was above the waters at aprehistoric period. " "As the Atlantis was formerly, " replied Herbert. "Yes, my boy... If, however, it existed. " "And would Lincoln Island have been a part of that continent?" askedPencroft. "It is probable, " replied Cyrus Harding, "and that would sufficiently, explain the variety of productions which are seen on its surface. " "And the great number of animals which still inhabit it, " added Herbert. "Yes, my boy, " replied the engineer, "and you furnish me with anargument to support my theory. It is certain, after what we have seen, that animals are numerous in this island, and what is more strange, thatthe species are extremely varied. There is a reason for that, and tome it is that Lincoln Island may have formerly been a part of some vastcontinent which had gradually sunk below the Pacific. " "Then, some fine day, " said Pencroft, who did not appear to be entirelyconvinced, "the rest of this ancient continent may disappear in itsturn, and there will be nothing between America and Asia. " "Yes, " replied Harding, "there will be new continents which millions andmillions of animalculae are building at this moment. " "And what are these masons?" asked Pencroft. "Coral insects, " replied Cyrus Harding. "By constant work they made theisland of Clermont-Tonnerre, and numerous other coral islands in thePacific Ocean. Forty-seven millions of these insects are needed to weigha grain, and yet, with the sea-salt they absorb, the solid elements ofwater which they assimilate, these animalculae produce limestone, andthis limestone forms enormous submarine erections, of which the hardnessand solidity equal granite. Formerly, at the first periods of creation, nature employing fire, heaved up the land, but now she entrusts to thesemicroscopic creatures the task of replacing this agent, of whichthe dynamic power in the interior of the globe has evidentlydiminished--which is proved by the number of volcanoes on the surface ofthe earth, now actually extinct. And I believe that centuries succeedingto centuries, and insects to insects, this Pacific may one day bechanged into a vast continent, which new generations will inhabit andcivilize in their turn. " "That will take a long time, " said Pencroft. "Nature has time for it, " replied the engineer. "But what would be the use of new continents?" asked Herbert. "Itappears to me that the present extent of habitable countries issufficient for humanity. Yet nature does nothing uselessly. " "Nothing uselessly, certainly, " replied the engineer, "but this ishow the necessity of new continents for the future, and exactly on thetropical zone occupied by the coral islands, may be explained. At leastto me this explanation appears plausible. " "We are listening, captain, " said Herbert. "This is my idea: philosophers generally admit that some day our globewill end, or rather that animal and vegetable life will no longer bepossible, because of the intense cold to which it will be subjected. What they are not agreed upon, is the cause of this cold. Some thinkthat it will arise from the falling of the temperature, which thesun will experience alter millions of years; others, from the gradualextinction of the fires in the interior of our globe, which have agreater influence on it than is generally supposed. I hold to this lasthypothesis, grounding it on the fact that the moon is really a coldstar, which is no longer habitable, although the sun continues to throwon its surface the same amount of heat. If, then, the moon has becomecold, it is because the interior fires to which, as do all the stars ofthe stellar world, it owes its origin, are completely extinct. Lastly, whatever may be the cause, our globe will become cold some day, but thiscold will only operate gradually. What will happen, then? The temperatezones, at a more or less distant period, will not be more habitable thanthe polar regions now are. Then the population of men, as well as theanimals, will flow towards the latitudes which are more directly underthe solar influence. An immense emigration will take place. Europe, Central Asia, North America, will gradually be abandoned, as well asAustralasia and the lower parts of South America. The vegetation willfollow the human emigration. The flora will retreat towards the Equatorat the same time as the fauna. The central parts of South America andAfrica will be the continents chiefly inhabited. The Laplanders and theSamoides will find the climate of the polar regions on the shores of theMediterranean. Who can say, that at this period, the equatorial regionswill not be too small, to contain and nourish terrestrial humanity? Now, may not provident nature, so as to give refuge to all the vegetableand animal emigration, be at present laying the foundation of a newcontinent under the Equator, and may she not have entrusted theseinsects with the construction of it? I have often thought of all thesethings, my friends, and I seriously believe that the aspect of ourglobe will some day be completely changed; that by the raising of newcontinents the sea will cover the old, and that, in future ages, a Columbus will go to discover the islands of Chimborazo, of theHimalayas, or of Mont Blanc, remains of a submerged America, Asia, and Europe. Then these new continents will become, in their turn, uninhabitable; heat will die away, as does the heat from a body whenthe soul has left it; and life will disappear from the globe, if not forever, at least for a period. Perhaps then, our spheroid will rest--willbe left to death--to revive some day under superior conditions! Butall that, my friends, is the secret of the Author of all things; andbeginning by the work of the insects, I have perhaps let myself becarried too far, in investigating the secrets of the future. "My dear Cyrus, " replied Spilett, "these theories are prophecies to me, and they will be accomplished some day. " "That is the secret of God, " said the engineer. "All that is well and good, " then said Pencroft, who had listened withall his might, "but will you tell me, captain, if Lincoln Island hasbeen made by your insects?" "No, " replied Harding; "it is of a purely volcanic origin. " "Then it will disappear some day?" "That is probable. " "I hope we won't be here then. " "No, don't be uneasy, Pencroft; we shall not be here then, as we have nowish to die here, and hope to get away some time. " "In the meantime, " replied Gideon Spilett, "let us establish ourselveshere as if forever. There is no use in doing things by halves. " This ended the conversation. Breakfast was finished, the exploration wascontinued, and the settlers arrived at the border of the marshyregion. It was a marsh of which the extent, to the rounded coast whichterminated the island at the southeast, was about twenty square miles. The soil was formed of clayey flint-earth, mingled with vegetablematter, such as the remains of rushes, reeds, grass, etc. Here and therebeds of grass, thick as a carpet, covered it. In many places icy poolssparkled in the sun. Neither rain nor any river, increased by a suddenswelling, could supply these ponds. They therefore naturally concludedthat the marsh was fed by the infiltrations of the soil and it wasreally so. It was also to be feared that during the heat miasmas wouldarise, which might produce fevers. Above the aquatic plants, on the surface of the stagnant water, fluttered numbers of birds. Wild duck, teal, snipe lived there inflocks, and those fearless birds allowed themselves to be easilyapproached. One shot from a gun would certainly have brought down some dozen of thebirds, they were so close together. The explorers were, however, obligedto content themselves with bows and arrows. The result was less, but thesilent arrow had the advantage of not frightening the birds, while thenoise of firearms would have dispersed them to all parts of the marsh. The hunters were satisfied, for this time, with a dozen ducks, which hadwhite bodies with a band of cinnamon, a green head, wings black, white, and red, and flattened beak. Herbert called them tadorns. Top helped inthe capture of these birds, whose name was given to this marshy part ofthe island. The settlers had here an abundant reserve of aquatic game. At some future time they meant to explore it more carefully, and it wasprobable that some of the birds there might be domesticated, or at leastbrought to the shores of the lake, so that they would be more withintheir reach. About five o'clock in the evening Cyrus Harding and his companionsretraced their steps to their dwelling by traversing Tadorn's Fens, andcrossed the Mercy on the ice-bridge. At eight in the evening they all entered Granite House. Chapter 22 This intense cold lasted till the 15th of August, without, however, passing the degree of Fahrenheit already mentioned. When the atmospherewas calm, the low temperature was easily borne, but when the wind blew, the poor settlers, insufficiently clothed, felt it severely. Pencroftregretted that Lincoln Island was not the home of a few families ofbears rather than of so many foxes and seals. "Bears, " said he, "are generally very well dressed, and I ask no morethan to borrow for the winter the warm cloaks which they have on theirbacks. " "But, " replied Neb, laughing, "perhaps the bears would not consent togive you their cloaks, Pencroft. These beasts are not St. Martins. " "We would make them do it, Neb, we would make them, " replied Pencroft, in quite an authoritative tone. But these formidable carnivora did not exist in the island, or at anyrate they had not yet shown themselves. In the meanwhile, Herbert, Pencroft, and the reporter occupiedthemselves with making traps on Prospect Heights and at the border ofthe forest. According to the sailor, any animal, whatever it was, would be a lawfulprize, and the rodents or carnivora which might get into the new snareswould be well received at Granite House. The traps were besides extremely simple; being pits dug in the ground, a platform of branches and grass above, which concealed the opening, andat the bottom some bait, the scent of which would attract animals. Itmust be mentioned also, that they had not been dug at random, butat certain places where numerous footprints showed that quadrupedsfrequented the ground. They were visited every day, and at threedifferent times, during the first days, specimens of those Antarcticfoxes which they had already seen on the right bank of the Mercy werefound in them. "Why, there are nothing but foxes in this country!" cried Pencroft, whenfor the third time he drew one of the animals out of the pit. Looking atit in great disgust, he added, "beasts which are good for nothing!" "Yes, " said Gideon Spilett, "they are good for something!" "And what is that?" "To make bait to attract other creatures!" The reporter was right, and the traps were henceforward baited with thefoxes carcasses. The sailor had also made snares from the long tough fibers of a certainplant, and they were even more successful than the traps. Rarely a daypassed without some rabbits from the warren being caught. It was alwaysrabbit, but Neb knew how to vary his sauces and the settlers did notthink of complaining. However, once or twice in the second week of August, the traps suppliedthe hunters with other animals more useful than foxes, namely, severalof those small wild boars which had already been seen to the north ofthe lake. Pencroft had no need to ask if these beasts were eatable. Hecould see that by their resemblance to the pig of America and Europe. "But these are not pigs, " said Herbert to him, "I warn you of that, Pencroft. " "My boy, " replied the sailor, bending over the trap and drawing out oneof these representatives of the family of sus by the little appendagewhich served it as a tail. "Let me believe that these are pigs. " "Why?" "Because that pleases me!" "Are you very fond of pig then, Pencroft?" "I am very fond of pig, " replied the sailor, "particularly of its feet, and if it had eight instead of four, I should like it twice as much!" As to the animals in question, they were peccaries belonging to one ofthe four species which are included in the family, and they were also ofthe species of Tajacu, recognizable by their deep color and the absenceof those long teeth with which the mouths of their congeners are armed. These peccaries generally live in herds, and it was probable that theyabounded in the woody parts of the island. At any rate, they were eatable from head to foot, and Pencroft did notask more from them. Towards the 15th of August, the state of the atmosphere was suddenlymoderated by the wind shifting to the northwest. The temperature rosesome degrees, and the accumulated vapor in the air was not long inresolving into snow. All the island was covered with a sheet of white, and showed itself to its inhabitants under a new aspect. The snow fellabundantly for several days, and it soon reached a thickness of twofeet. The wind also blew with great violence, and at the height of GraniteHouse the sea could be heard thundering against the reefs. In someplaces, the wind, eddying round the corners, formed the snow into tallwhirling columns, resembling those waterspouts which turn round on theirbase, and which vessels attack with a shot from a gun. However, thestorm, coming from the northwest, blew across the island, and theposition of Granite House preserved it from a direct attack. But in the midst of this snow-storm, as terrible as if it had beenproduced in some polar country, neither Cyrus Harding nor his companionscould, notwithstanding their wish for it, venture forth, and theyremained shut up for five days, from the 20th to the 25th of August. They could hear the tempest raging in Jacamar Wood, which would surelysuffer from it. Many of the trees would no doubt be torn up by theroots, but Pencroft consoled himself by thinking that he would not havethe trouble of cutting them down. "The wind is turning woodman, let it alone, " he repeated. Besides, there was no way of stopping it, if they had wished to do so. How grateful the inhabitants of Granite House then were to Heaven forhaving prepared for them this solid and immovable retreat! Cyrus Hardinghad also his legitimate share of thanks, but after all, it was Naturewho had hollowed out this vast cavern, and he had only discovered it. There all were in safety, and the tempest could not reach them. Ifthey had constructed a house of bricks and wood on Prospect Heights, it certainly would not have resisted the fury of this storm. As tothe Chimneys, it must have been absolutely uninhabitable, for the sea, passing over the islet, would beat furiously against it. But here, inGranite House, in the middle of a solid mass, over which neither the seanor air had any influence, there was nothing to fear. During these days of seclusion the settlers did not remain inactive. There was no want of wood, cut up into planks, in the storeroom, andlittle by little they completed their furnishing; constructing themost solid of tables and chairs, for material was not spared. Neb andPencroft were very proud of this rather heavy furniture, which theywould not have changed on any account. Then the carpenters became basket-makers, and they did not succeed badlyin this new manufacture. At the point of the lake which projected to thenorth, they had discovered an osier-bed in which grew a large numberof purple osiers. Before the rainy season, Pencroft and Herbert had cutdown these useful shrubs, and their branches, well prepared, could nowbe effectively employed. The first attempts were somewhat crude, butin consequence of the cleverness and intelligence of the workmen, by consulting, and recalling the models which they had seen, and byemulating each other, the possessions of the colony were soon increasedby several baskets of different sizes. The storeroom was provided withthem, and in special baskets Neb placed his collection of rhizomes, stone-pine almonds, etc. During the last week of the month of August the weather moderated again. The temperature fell a little, and the tempest abated. The colonistssallied out directly. There was certainly two feet of snow on the shore, but they were able to walk without much difficulty on the hardenedsurface. Cyrus Harding and his companions climbed Prospect Heights. What a change! The woods, which they had left green, especially in thepart at which the firs predominated, had disappeared under a uniformcolor. All was white, from the summit of Mount Franklin to the shore, the forests, the plains, the lake, the river. The waters of the Mercyflowed under a roof of ice, which, at each rising and ebbing of thetide, broke up with loud crashes. Numerous birds fluttered over thefrozen surface of the lake. Ducks and snipe, teal and guillemots wereassembled in thousands. The rocks among which the cascade flowed werebristling with icicles. One might have said that the water escaped by amonstrous gargoyle, shaped with all the imagination of an artist of theRenaissance. As to the damage caused by the storm in the forest, thatcould not as yet be ascertained; they would have to wait till the snowycovering was dissipated. Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Herbert did not miss this opportunity ofgoing to visit their traps. They did not find them easily, under thesnow with which they were covered. They had also to be careful not tofall into one or other of them, which would have been both dangerous andhumiliating; to be taken in their own snares! But happily they avoidedthis unpleasantness, and found their traps perfectly intact. No animalhad fallen into them, and yet the footprints in the neighborhood werevery numerous, among others, certain very clear marks of claws. Herbertdid not hesitate to affirm that some animal of the feline species hadpassed there, which justified the engineer's opinion that dangerousbeasts existed in Lincoln Island. These animals doubtless generallylived in the forests of the Far West, but pressed by hunger, they hadventured as far as Prospect Heights. Perhaps they had smelled out theinhabitants of Granite House. "Now, what are these feline creatures?"asked Pencroft. "They are tigers, " replied Herbert. "I thought thosebeasts were only found in hot countries?" "On the new continent, " replied the lad, "they are found from Mexico tothe Pampas of Buenos Aires. Now, as Lincoln Island is nearly under thesame latitude as the provinces of La Plata, it is not surprising thattigers are to be met with in it. " "Well, we must look out for them, " replied Pencroft. However, the snow soon disappeared, quickly dissolving under theinfluence of the rising temperature. Rain fell, and the sheet of whitesoon vanished. Notwithstanding the bad weather, the settlers renewedtheir stores of different things, stone-pine almonds, rhizomes, syrupfrom the maple-tree, for the vegetable part; rabbits from the warren, agouties, and kangaroos for the animal part. This necessitated severalexcursions into the forest, and they found that a great number of treeshad been blown down by the last hurricane. Pencroft and Neb also pushedwith the cart as far as the vein of coal, and brought back several tonsof fuel. They saw in passing that the pottery kiln had been severelydamaged by the wind, at least six feet of it having been blown off. At the same time as the coal, the store of wood was renewed at GraniteHouse, and they profited by the current of the Mercy having again becomefree, to float down several rafts. They could see that the cold periodwas not ended. A visit was also paid to the Chimneys, and the settlers could not butcongratulate themselves on not having been living there during thehurricane. The sea had left unquestionable traces of its ravages. Sweeping over the islet, it had furiously assailed the passages, halffilling them with sand, while thick beds of seaweed covered the rocks. While Neb, Herbert, and Pencroft hunted or collected wood, Cyrus Hardingand Gideon Spilett busied themselves in putting the Chimneys to rights, and they found the forge and the bellows almost unhurt, protected asthey had been from the first by the heaps of sand. The store of fuel had not been made uselessly. The settlers had not donewith the rigorous cold. It is known that, in the Northern Hemisphere, the month of February is principally distinguished by rapid fallings ofthe temperature. It is the same in the Southern Hemisphere, and the endof the month of August, which is the February of North America, does notescape this climatic law. About the 25th, after another change from snow to rain, the wind shiftedto the southeast, and the cold became, suddenly, very severe. Accordingto the engineer's calculation, the mercurial column of a Fahrenheitthermometer would not have marked less than eight degrees below zero, and this intense cold, rendered still more painful by a sharp gale, lasted for several days. The colonists were again shut up in GraniteHouse, and as it was necessary to hermetically seal all the openingsof the facade, only leaving a narrow passage for renewing the air, theconsumption of candles was considerable. To economize them, the cavernwas often only lighted by the blazing hearths, on which fuel was notspared. Several times, one or other of the settlers descended to thebeach in the midst of ice which the waves heaped up at each tide, butthey soon climbed up again to Granite House, and it was not without painand difficulty that their hands could hold to the rounds of the ladder. In consequence of the intense cold, their fingers felt as if burned whenthey touched the rounds. To occupy the leisure hours, which the tenantsof Granite House now had at their disposal, Cyrus Harding undertook anoperation which could be performed indoors. We know that the settlers had no other sugar at their disposal thanthe liquid substance which they drew from the maple, by making deepincisions in the tree. They contented themselves with collecting thisliquor in jars and employing it in this state for different culinarypurposes, and the more so, as on growing old, this liquid began tobecome white and to be of a syrupy consistence. But there was something better to be made of it, and one day CyrusHarding announced that they were going to turn into refiners. "Refiners!" replied Pencroft. "That is rather a warm trade, I think. " "Very warm, " answered the engineer. "Then it will be seasonable!" said the sailor. This word refining need not awake in the mind thoughts of an elaboratemanufactory with apparatus and numerous workmen. No! to crystallize thisliquor, only an extremely easy operation is required. Placed on the firein large earthen pots, it was simply subjected to evaporation, andsoon a scum arose to its surface. As soon as this began to thicken, Neb carefully removed it with a wooden spatula; this accelerated theevaporation, and at the same time prevented it from contracting anempyreumatic flavor. After boiling for several hours on a hot fire, which did as much good tothe operators as the substance operated upon, the latter was transformedinto a thick syrup. This syrup was poured into clay molds, previouslyfabricated in the kitchen stove, and to which they had given variousshapes. The next day this syrup had become cold, and formed cakesand tablets. This was sugar of rather a reddish color, but nearlytransparent and of a delicious taste. The cold continued to the middle of September, and the prisoners inGranite House began to find their captivity rather tedious. Nearly everyday they attempted sorties which they could not prolong. They constantlyworked at the improvement of their dwelling. They talked while working. Harding instructed his companions in many things, principally explainingto them the practical applications of science. The colonists had nolibrary at their disposal; but the engineer was a book which was alwaysat hand, always open at the page which one wanted, a book which answeredall their questions, and which they often consulted. The time thuspassed away pleasantly, these brave men not appearing to have any fearsfor the future. However, all were anxious to see, if not the fine season, at least thecessation of the insupportable cold. If only they had been clothed in away to meet it, how many excursions they would have attempted, either tothe downs or to Tadorn's Fens! Game would have been easily approached, and the chase would certainly have been most productive. But CyrusHarding considered it of importance that no one should injure hishealth, for he had need of all his hands, and his advice was followed. But it must be said, that the one who was most impatient of thisimprisonment, after Pencroft perhaps, was Top. The faithful dog foundGranite House very narrow. He ran backwards and forwards from oneroom to another, showing in his way how weary he was of being shutup. Harding often remarked that when he approached the dark well whichcommunicated with the sea, and of which the orifice opened at the backof the storeroom, Top uttered singular growlings. He ran round and roundthis hole, which had been covered with a wooden lid. Sometimes even hetried to put his paws under the lid, as if he wished to raise it. He then yelped in a peculiar way, which showed at once anger anduneasiness. The engineer observed this maneuver several times. What could there be in this abyss to make such an impression on theintelligent animal? The well led to the sea, that was certain. Couldnarrow passages spread from it through the foundations of the island?Did some marine monster come from time to time, to breathe at the bottomof this well? The engineer did not know what to think, and could notrefrain from dreaming of many strange improbabilities. Accustomed to gofar into the regions of scientific reality, he would not allowhimself to be drawn into the regions of the strange and almost of thesupernatural; but yet how to explain why Top, one of those sensible dogswho never waste their time in barking at the moon, should persist intrying with scent and hearing to fathom this abyss, if there was nothingthere to cause his uneasiness? Top's conduct puzzled Cyrus Harding evenmore than he cared to acknowledge to himself. At all events, the engineer only communicated his impressions to GideonSpilett, for he thought it useless to explain to his companions thesuspicions which arose from what perhaps was only Top's fancy. At last the cold ceased. There had been rain, squalls mingled with snow, hailstorms, gusts of wind, but these inclemencies did not last. The icemelted, the snow disappeared; the shore, the plateau, the banks ofthe Mercy, the forest, again became practicable. This return of springdelighted the tenants of Granite House, and they soon only passed it inthe hours necessary for eating and sleeping. They hunted much in the second part of September, which led Pencroft toagain entreat for the firearms, which he asserted had been promised byCyrus Harding. The latter, knowing well that without special tools itwould be nearly impossible for him to manufacture a gun which would beof any use, still drew back and put off the operation to some futuretime, observing in his usual dry way, that Herbert and Spilett hadbecome very skilful archers, so that many sorts of excellent animals, agouties, kangaroos, capybaras, pigeons, bustards, wild ducks, snipes, in short, game both with fur and feathers, fell victims to their arrows, and that, consequently, they could wait. But the obstinate sailor wouldlisten to nothing of this, and he would give the engineer no peace tillhe promised to satisfy his desire. Gideon Spilett, however, supportedPencroft. "If, which may be doubted, " said he, "the island is inhabited by wildbeasts, we must think how to fight with and exterminate them. A time maycome when this will be our first duty. " But at this period, it was not the question of firearms which occupiedHarding, but that of clothes. Those which the settlers wore had passedthis winter, but they would not last until next winter. Skins ofcarnivora or the wool of ruminants must be procured at any price, andsince there were plenty of musmons, it was agreed to consult on themeans of forming a flock which might be brought up for the use of thecolony. An enclosure for the domestic animals, a poultry-yard for thebirds, in a word to establish a sort of farm in the island, such werethe two important projects for the fine season. In consequence and in view of these future establishments, it becameof much importance that they should penetrate into all the yet unknownparts of Lincoln Island, that is to say, through that thick forest whichextended on the right bank of the Mercy, from its mouth to the extremityof the Serpentine Peninsula, as well as on the whole of its westernside. But this needed settled weather, and a month must pass before thisexploration could be profitably undertaken. They therefore waited with some impatience, when an incident occurredwhich increased the desire the settlers had to visit the whole of theirdomain. It was the 24th of October. On this day, Pencroft had gone to visit histraps, which he always kept properly baited. In one of them he foundthree animals which would be very welcome for the larder. They were afemale peccary and her two young ones. Pencroft then returned to Granite House, enchanted with his capture, and, as usual, he made a great show of his game. "Come, we shall have a grand feast, captain!" he exclaimed. "And youtoo, Mr. Spilett, you will eat some!" "I shall be very happy, " replied the reporter; "but what is it that I amgoing to eat?" "Suckling-pig. " "Oh, indeed, suckling-pig, Pencroft? To hear you, I thought that youwere bringing back a young partridge stuffed with truffles!" "What?" cried Pencroft. "Do you mean to say that you turn up your noseat suckling-pig?' "No, " replied Gideon Spilett, without showing any enthusiasm; "providedone doesn't eat too much. " "That's right, that's right, " returned the sailor, who was not pleasedwhenever he heard his chase made light of. "You like to make objections. Seven months ago, when we landed on the island, you would have been onlytoo glad to have met with such game!" "Well, well, " replied the reporter, "man is never perfect, norcontented. " "Now, " said Pencroft, "I hope that Neb will distinguish himself. Lookhere! These two little peccaries are not more than three months old!They will be as tender as quails! Come along, Neb, come! I will lookafter the cooking myself. " And the sailor, followed by Neb, entered the kitchen, where they weresoon absorbed in their culinary labors. They were allowed to do it in their own way. Neb, therefore, prepareda magnificent repast--the two little peccaries, kangaroo soup, a smokedham, stone-pine almonds, Oswego tea; in fact, all the best that theyhad, but among all the dishes figured in the first rank the savorypeccaries. At five o'clock dinner was served in the dining-room of Granite House. The kangaroo soup was smoking on the table. They found it excellent. To the soup succeeded the peccaries, which Pencroft insisted on carvinghimself, and of which he served out monstrous portions to each of theguests. These suckling-pigs were really delicious, and Pencroft was devouringhis share with great gusto, when all at once a cry and an oath escapedhim. "What's the matter?" asked Cyrus Harding. "The matter? the matter is that I have just broken a tooth!" replied thesailor. "What, are there pebbles in your peccaries?" said Gideon Spilett. "I suppose so, " replied Pencroft, drawing from his lips the object whichhad cost him a grinder--! It was not a pebble--it was a leaden bullet. PART 2 ABANDONED Chapter 1 It was now exactly seven months since the balloon voyagers had beenthrown on Lincoln Island. During that time, notwithstanding theresearches they had made, no human being had been discovered. No smokeeven had betrayed the presence of man on the surface of the island. Novestiges of his handiwork showed that either at an early or at a lateperiod had man lived there. Not only did it now appear to be uninhabitedby any but themselves, but the colonists were compelled to believe thatit never had been inhabited. And now, all this scaffolding of reasoningsfell before a simple ball of metal, found in the body of an inoffensiverodent! In fact, this bullet must have issued from a firearm, and whobut a human being could have used such a weapon? When Pencroft had placed the bullet on the table, his companions lookedat it with intense astonishment. All the consequences likely to resultfrom this incident, notwithstanding its apparent insignificance, immediately took possession of their minds. The sudden apparition of asupernatural being could not have startled them more completely. Cyrus Harding did not hesitate to give utterance to the suggestionswhich this fact, at once surprising and unexpected, could not fail toraise in his mind. He took the bullet, turned it over and over, rolledit between his finger and thumb; then, turning to Pencroft, he asked, -- "Are you sure that the peccary wounded by this bullet was not more thanthree months old?" "Not more, captain, " replied Pencroft. "It was still sucking its motherwhen I found it in the trap. " "Well, " said the engineer, "that proves that within three months agun-shot was fired in Lincoln Island. " "And that a bullet, " added Gideon Spilett, "wounded, though notmortally, this little animal. " "That is unquestionable, " said Cyrus Harding, "and these are thedeductions which must be drawn from this incident: that the island wasinhabited before our arrival, or that men have landed here within threemonths. Did these men arrive here voluntarily or involuntarily, bydisembarking on the shore or by being wrecked? This point can only becleared up later. As to what they were, Europeans or Malays, enemies orfriends of our race, we cannot possibly guess; and if they still inhabitthe island, or if they have left it, we know not. But these questionsare of too much importance to be allowed to remain long unsettled. " "No! a hundred times no! a thousand times no!" cried the sailor, springing up from the table. "There are no other men than ourselves onLincoln Island! By my faith! The island isn't large and if it had beeninhabited, we should have seen some of the inhabitants long beforethis!" "In fact, the contrary would be very astonishing, " said Herbert. "But it would be much more astonishing, I should think, " observed thereporter, "if this peccary had been born with a bullet in its inside!" "At least, " said Neb seriously, "if Pencroft has not had--" "Look here, Neb, " burst out Pencroft. "Do you think I could have abullet in my jaw for five or six months without finding it out?Where could it be hidden?" he asked, opening his mouth to show thetwo-and-thirty teeth with which it was furnished. "Look well, Neb, andif you find one hollow tooth in this set, I will let you pull out half adozen!" "Neb's supposition is certainly inadmissible, " replied Harding, who, notwithstanding the gravity of his thoughts, could not restrain a smile. "It is certain that a gun has been fired in the island, within threemonths at most. But I am inclined to think that the people who landedon this coast were only here a very short time ago, or that they justtouched here; for if, when we surveyed the island from the summit ofMount Franklin, it had been inhabited, we should have seen them or weshould have been seen ourselves. It is therefore, probable that withinonly a few weeks castaways have been thrown by a storm on some part ofthe coast. However that may be, it is of consequence to us to have thispoint settled. " "I think that we should act with caution, " said the reporter. "Such is my advice, " replied Cyrus Harding, "for it is to be feared thatMalay pirates have landed on the island!" "Captain, " asked the sailor, "would it not be a good plan, beforesetting out, to build a canoe in which we could either ascend theriver, or, if we liked, coast round the inland? It will not do to beunprovided. " "Your idea is good, Pencroft, " replied the engineer, "but we cannot waitfor that. It would take at least a month to build a boat. " "Yes, a real boat, " replied the sailor; "but we do not want one for asea voyage, and in five days at the most, I will undertake to constructa canoe fit to navigate the Mercy. " "Five days, " cried Neb, "to build a boat?" "Yes, Neb; a boat in the Indian fashion. " "Of wood?" asked the Negro, looking still unconvinced. "Of wood, " replied Pencroft, "of rather of bark. I repeat, captain, thatin five days the work will be finished!" "In five days, then, be it, " replied the engineer. "But till that time we must be very watchful, " said Herbert. "Very watchful indeed, my friends, " replied Harding; "and I beg you toconfine your hunting excursions to the neighborhood of Granite House. " The dinner ended less gaily than Pencroft had hoped. So, then, the island was, or had been, inhabited by others than thesettlers. Proved as it was by the incident of the bullet, it washereafter an unquestionable fact, and such a discovery could not butcause great uneasiness among the colonists. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett, before sleeping, conversed long aboutthe matter. They asked themselves if by chance this incident might nothave some connection with the inexplicable way in which the engineer hadbeen saved, and the other peculiar circumstances which had struck themat different times. However, Cyrus Harding, after having discussed thepros and cons of the question, ended by saying, -- "In short, would you like to know my opinion, my dear Spilett?" "Yes, Cyrus. " "Well, then, it is this: however minutely we explore the island, weshall find nothing. " The next day Pencroft set to work. He did not mean to build a boat withboards and planking, but simply a flat-bottomed canoe, which would bewell suited for navigating the Mercy--above all, for approaching itssource, where the water would naturally be shallow. Pieces of bark, fastened one to the other, would form a light boat; and in case ofnatural obstacles, which would render a portage necessary, it would beeasily carried. Pencroft intended to secure the pieces of bark by meansof nails, to insure the canoe being water-tight. It was first necessary to select the trees which would afford a strongand supple bark for the work. Now the last storm had brought down anumber of large birch-trees, the bark of which would be perfectly suitedfor their purpose. Some of these trees lay on the ground, and they hadonly to be barked, which was the most difficult thing of all, owing tothe imperfect tools which the settlers possessed. However, they overcameall difficulties. While the sailor, seconded by the engineer, thus occupied himselfwithout losing an hour, Gideon Spilett and Herbert were not idle. They were made purveyors to the colony. The reporter could not butadmire the boy, who had acquired great skill in handling the bow andspear. Herbert also showed great courage and much of that presence ofmind which may justly be called "the reasoning of bravery. " These twocompanions of the chase, remembering Cyrus Harding's recommendations, did not go beyond a radius of two miles round Granite House; butthe borders of the forest furnished a sufficient tribute of agoutis, capybaras, kangaroos, peccaries, etc. ; and if the result from the trapswas less than during the cold, still the warren yielded its accustomedquota, which might have fed all the colony in Lincoln Island. Often during these excursions, Herbert talked with Gideon Spilett on theincident of the bullet, and the deductions which the engineer drew fromit, and one day--it was the 26th of October--he said--"But, Mr. Spilett, do you not think it very extraordinary that, if any castaways havelanded on the island, they have not yet shown themselves near GraniteHouse?" "Very astonishing if they are still here, " replied the reporter, "butnot astonishing at all if they are here no longer!" "So you think that these people have already quitted the island?"returned Herbert. "It is more than probable, my boy; for if their stay was prolonged, andabove all, if they were still here, some accident would have at lastbetrayed their presence. " "But if they were able to go away, " observed the lad, "they could nothave been castaways. " "No, Herbert; or, at least, they were what might be called provisionalcastaways. It is very possible that a storm may have driven them to theisland without destroying their vessel, and that, the storm over, theywent away again. " "I must acknowledge one thing, " said Herbert, "it is that CaptainHarding appears rather to fear than desire the presence of human beingson our island. " "In short, " responded the reporter, "there are only Malays who frequentthese seas, and those fellows are ruffians which it is best to avoid. " "It is not impossible, Mr. Spilett, " said Herbert, "that some day orother we may find traces of their landing. " "I do not say no, my boy. A deserted camp, the ashes of a fire, wouldput us on the track, and this is what we will look for in our nextexpedition. " The day on which the hunters spoke thus, they were in a part of theforest near the Mercy, remarkable for its beautiful trees. There, amongothers, rose, to a height of nearly 200 feet above the ground, some ofthose superb coniferae, to which, in New Zealand, the natives give thename of Kauris. "I have an idea, Mr. Spilett, " said Herbert. "If I were to climb to thetop of one of these kauris, I could survey the country for an immensedistance round. " "The idea is good, " replied the reporter; "but could you climb to thetop of those giants?" "I can at least try, " replied Herbert. The light and active boy then sprang on the first branches, thearrangement of which made the ascent of the kauri easy, and in a fewminutes he arrived at the summit, which emerged from the immense plainof verdure. From this elevated situation his gaze extended over all the southernportion of the island, from Claw Cape on the southeast, to Reptile Endon the southwest. To the northwest rose Mount Franklin, which concealeda great part of the horizon. But Herbert, from the height of his observatory, could examine all theyet unknown portion of the island, which might have given shelter to thestrangers whose presence they suspected. The lad looked attentively. There was nothing in sight on the sea, nota sail, neither on the horizon nor near the island. However, as the bankof trees hid the shore, it was possible that a vessel, especially ifdeprived of her masts, might lie close to the land and thus be invisibleto Herbert. Neither in the forests of the Far West was anything to be seen. The woodformed an impenetrable screen, measuring several square miles, without abreak or an opening. It was impossible even to follow the course of theMercy, or to ascertain in what part of the mountain it took its source. Perhaps other creeks also ran towards the west, but they could not beseen. But at last, if all indication of an encampment escaped Herbert's sightcould he not even catch a glimpse of smoke, the faintest trace of whichwould be easily discernible in the pure atmosphere? For an instant Herbert thought he could perceive a slight smoke in thewest, but a more attentive examination showed that he was mistaken. Hestrained his eyes in every direction, and his sight was excellent. No, decidedly there was nothing there. Herbert descended to the foot of the kauri, and the two sportsmenreturned to Granite House. There Cyrus Harding listened to the lad'saccount, shook his head and said nothing. It was very evident thatno decided opinion could be pronounced on this question until after acomplete exploration of the island. Two days after--the 28th of October--another incident occurred, forwhich an explanation was again required. While strolling along the shore about two miles from Granite House, Herbert and Neb were fortunate enough to capture a magnificent specimenof the order of chelonia. It was a turtle of the species Midas, theedible green turtle, so called from the color both of its shell and fat. Herbert caught sight of this turtle as it was crawling among the rocksto reach the sea. "Help, Neb, help!" he cried. Neb ran up. "What a fine animal!" said Neb; "but how are we to catch it?" "Nothing is easier, Neb, " replied Herbert. "We have only to turn theturtle on its back, and it cannot possibly get away. Take your spear anddo as I do. " The reptile, aware of danger, had retired between its carapace andplastron. They no longer saw its head or feet, and it was motionless asa rock. Herbert and Neb then drove their sticks underneath the animal, and bytheir united efforts managed without difficulty to turn it on its back. The turtle, which was three feet in length, would have weighed at leastfour hundred pounds. "Capital!" cried Neb; "this is something which will rejoice friendPencroft's heart. " In fact, the heart of friend Pencroft could not fail to be rejoiced, for the flesh of the turtle, which feeds on wrack-grass, is extremelysavory. At this moment the creature's head could be seen, which wassmall, flat, but widened behind by the large temporal fossae hiddenunder the long roof. "And now, what shall we do with our prize?" said Neb. "We can't drag itto Granite House!" "Leave it here, since it cannot turn over, " replied Herbert, "and wewill come back with the cart to fetch it. " "That is the best plan. " However, for greater precaution, Herbert took the trouble, which Nebdeemed superfluous, to wedge up the animal with great stones; afterwhich the two hunters returned to Granite House, following the beach, which the tide had left uncovered. Herbert, wishing to surprisePencroft, said nothing about the "superb specimen of a chelonian" whichthey had turned over on the sand; but, two hours later, he and Nebreturned with the cart to the place where they had left it. The "superbspecimen of a chelonian" was no longer there! Neb and Herbert stared at each other first; then they stared about them. It was just at this spot that the turtle had been left. The lad evenfound the stones which he had used, and therefore he was certain of notbeing mistaken. "Well!" said Neb, "these beasts can turn themselves over, then?'' "It appears so, " replied Herbert, who could not understand it at all, and was gazing at the stones scattered on the sand. "Well, Pencroft will be disgusted!" "And Captain Harding will perhaps be very perplexed how to explain thisdisappearance, " thought Herbert. "Look here, " said Neb, who wished to hide his ill-luck, "we won't speakabout it. " "On the contrary, Neb, we must speak about it, " replied Herbert. And the two, taking the cart, which there was now no use for, returnedto Granite House. Arrived at the dockyard, where the engineer and the sailor were workingtogether, Herbert recounted what had happened. "Oh! the stupids!" cried the sailor, "to have let at least fifty mealsescape!" "But, Pencroft, " replied Neb, "it wasn't our fault that the beast gotaway; as I tell you, we had turned it over on its back!" "Then you didn't turn it over enough!" returned the obstinate sailor. "Not enough!" cried Herbert. And he told how he had taken care to wedge up the turtle with stones. "It is a miracle, then!" replied Pencroft. "I thought, captain, " said Herbert, "that turtles, once placed on theirbacks, could not regain their feet, especially when they are of a largesize?' "That is true, my boy, " replied Cyrus Harding. "Then how did it manage?" "At what distance from the sea did you leave this turtle?" askedthe engineer, who, having suspended his work, was reflecting on thisincident. "Fifteen feet at the most, " replied Herbert. "And the tide was low at the time?" "Yes, captain. " "Well, " replied the engineer, "what the turtle could not do on the sandit might have been able to do in the water. It turned over when the tideovertook it, and then quietly returned to the deep sea. " "Oh! what stupids we were!" cried Neb. "That is precisely what I had the honor of telling you before!" returnedthe sailor. Cyrus Harding had given this explanation, which, no doubt, wasadmissible. But was he himself convinced of the accuracy of thisexplanation? It cannot be said that he was. Chapter 2 On the 9th of October the bark canoe was entirely finished. Pencrofthad kept his promise, and a light boat, the shell of which was joinedtogether by the flexible twigs of the crejimba, had been constructed infive days. A seat in the stern, a second seat in the middle to preservethe equilibrium, a third seat in the bows, rowlocks for the two oars, ascull to steer with, completed the little craft, which was twelve feetlong, and did not weigh more than two hundred pounds. The operation oflaunching it was extremely simple. The canoe was carried to the beachand laid on the sand before Granite House, and the rising tide floatedit. Pencroft, who leaped in directly, maneuvered it with the scull anddeclared it to be just the thing for the purpose to which they wished toput it. "Hurrah!" cried the sailor, who did not disdain to celebrate thus hisown triumph. "With this we could go round--" "The world?" asked Gideon Spilett. "No, the island. Some stones for ballast, a mast and a sail, which thecaptain will make for us some day, and we shall go splendidly! Well, captain--and you, Mr. Spilett; and you, Herbert; and you, Neb--aren'tyou coming to try our new vessel? Come along! we must see if it willcarry all five of us!" This was certainly a trial which ought to be made. Pencroft soon broughtthe canoe to the shore by a narrow passage among the rocks, and it wasagreed that they should make a trial of the boat that day by followingthe shore as far as the first point at which the rocks of the southended. As they embarked, Neb cried, -- "But your boat leaks rather, Pencroft. " "That's nothing, Neb, " replied the sailor; "the wood will get seasoned. In two days there won't be a single leak, and our boat will have no morewater in her than there is in the stomach of a drunkard. Jump in!" They were soon all seated, and Pencroft shoved off. The weather wasmagnificent, the sea as calm as if its waters were contained withinthe narrow limits of a lake. Thus the boat could proceed with as muchsecurity as if it was ascending the tranquil current of the Mercy. Neb took one of the oars, Herbert the other, and Pencroft remained inthe stern in order to use the scull. The sailor first crossed the channel, and steered close to the southernpoint of the islet. A light breeze blew from the south. No roughness wasfound either in the channel or the green sea. A long swell, which thecanoe scarcely felt, as it was heavily laden, rolled regularly over thesurface of the water. They pulled out about half a mile distant from theshore, that they might have a good view of Mount Franklin. Pencroft afterwards returned towards the mouth of the river. The boatthen skirted the shore, which, extending to the extreme point, hid allTadorn's Fens. This point, of which the distance was increased by the irregularity ofthe coast, was nearly three miles from the Mercy. The settlers resolvedto go to its extremity, and only go beyond it as much as was necessaryto take a rapid survey of the coast as far as Claw Cape. The canoe followed the windings of the shore, avoiding the rockswhich fringed it, and which the rising tide began to cover. The cliffgradually sloped away from the mouth of the river to the point. This wasformed of granite reeks, capriciously distributed, very different fromthe cliff at Prospect Heights, and of an extremely wild aspect. It mighthave been said that an immense cartload of rocks had been emptied outthere. There was no vegetation on this sharp promontory, which projectedtwo miles from the forest, and it thus represented a giant's armstretched out from a leafy sleeve. The canoe, impelled by the two oars, advanced without difficulty. GideonSpilett, pencil in one hand and notebook in the other, sketched thecoast in bold strokes. Neb, Herbert, and Pencroft chatted, whileexamining this part of their domain, which was new to them, and, inproportion as the canoe proceeded towards the south, the two MandibleCapes appeared to move, and surround Union Bay more closely. As to Cyrus Harding, he did not speak; he simply gazed, and by themistrust which his look expressed, it appeared that he was examiningsome strange country. In the meantime, after a voyage of three-quarters of an hour, thecanoe reached the extremity of the point, and Pencroft was preparing toreturn, when Herbert, rising, pointed to a black object, saying, -- "What do I see down there on the beach?" All eyes turned towards the point indicated. "Why, " said the reporter, "there is something. It looks like part of awreck half buried in the sand. " "Ah!" cried Pencroft, "I see what it is!" "What?" asked Neb. "Barrels, barrels, which perhaps are full, " replied the sailor. "Pull to the shore, Pencroft!" said Cyrus. A few strokes of the oar brought the canoe into a little creek, and itspassengers leaped on shore. Pencroft was not mistaken. Two barrels were there, half buried in thesand, but still firmly attached to a large chest, which, sustained bythem, had floated to the moment when it stranded on the beach. "There has been a wreck, then, in some part of the island, " saidHerbert. "Evidently, " replied Spilett. "But what's in this chest?" cried Pencroft, with very naturalimpatience. "What's in this chest? It is shut up, and nothing to open itwith! Well, perhaps a stone--" And the sailor, raising a heavy block, was about to break in one of thesides of the chest, when the engineer arrested his hand. "Pencroft, " said he, "can you restrain your impatience for one houronly?" "But, captain, just think! Perhaps there is everything we want inthere!" "We shall find that out, Pencroft, " replied the engineer; "but trustto me, and do not break the chest, which may be useful to us. We mustconvey it to Granite House, where we can open it easily, and withoutbreaking it. It is quite prepared for a voyage; and since it has floatedhere, it may just as well float to the mouth of the river. " "You are right, captain, and I was wrong, as usual, " replied the sailor. The engineer's advice was good. In fact, the canoe probably would nothave been able to contain the articles possibly enclosed in the chest, which doubtless was heavy, since two empty barrels were required to buoyit up. It was, therefore, much better to tow it to the beach at GraniteHouse. And now, whence had this chest come? That was the important question. Cyrus Harding and his companions looked attentively around them, andexamined the shore for several hundred steps. No other articles orpieces of wreck could be found. Herbert and Neb climbed a high rockto survey the sea, but there was nothing in sight--neither a dismastedvessel nor a ship under sail. However, there was no doubt that there had been a wreck. Perhaps thisincident was connected with that of the bullet? Perhaps strangers hadlanded on another part of the island? Perhaps they were still there?But the thought which came naturally to the settlers was, that thesestrangers could not be Malay pirates, for the chest was evidently ofAmerican or European make. All the party returned to the chest, which was of an unusually largesize. It was made of oak wood, very carefully closed and covered witha thick hide, which was secured by copper nails. The two great barrels, hermetically sealed, but which sounded hollow and empty, were fastenedto its sides by strong ropes, knotted with a skill which Pencroftdirectly pronounced sailors alone could exhibit. It appeared to be in aperfect state of preservation, which was explained by the fact that ithad stranded on a sandy beach, and not among rocks. They had no doubtwhatever, on examining it carefully, that it had not been long in thewater, and that its arrival on this coast was recent. The water didnot appear to have penetrated to the inside, and the articles which itcontained were no doubt uninjured. It was evident that this chest had been thrown overboard from somedismasted vessel driven towards the island, and that, in the hopethat it would reach the land, where they might afterwards find it, the passengers had taken the precaution to buoy it up by means of thisfloating apparatus. "We will tow this chest to Granite House, " said the engineer, "where wecan make an inventory of its contents; then, if we discover any of thesurvivors from the supposed wreck, we can return it to those to whom itbelongs. If we find no one--" "We will keep it for ourselves!" cried Pencroft. "But what in the worldcan there be in it?" The sea was already approaching the chest, and the high tide wouldevidently float it. One of the ropes which fastened the barrels waspartly unlashed and used as a cable to unite the floating apparatus withthe canoe. Pencroft and Neb then dug away the sand with their oars, soas to facilitate the moving of the chest, towing which the boat soonbegan to double the point, to which the name of Flotsam Point was given. The chest was heavy, and the barrels were scarcely sufficient to keepit above water. The sailor also feared every instant that it would getloose and sink to the bottom of the sea. But happily his fears were notrealized, and an hour and a half after they set out--all that time hadbeen taken up in going a distance of three miles--the boat touched thebeach below Granite House. Canoe and chest were then hauled up on the sands; and as the tide wasthen going out, they were soon left high and dry. Neb, hurrying home, brought back some tools with which to open the chest in such a way thatit might be injured as little as possible, and they proceeded to itsinventory. Pencroft did not try to hide that he was greatly excited. The sailor began by detaching the two barrels, which, being in goodcondition, would of course be of use. Then the locks were forced with acold chisel and hammer, and the lid thrown back. A second casing of zinclined the interior of the chest, which had been evidently arrangedthat the articles which it enclosed might under any circumstances besheltered from damp. "Oh!" cried Neb, "suppose it's jam! "I hope not, " replied the reporter. "If only there was--" said the sailor in a low voice. "What?" asked Neb, who overheard him. "Nothing!" The covering of zinc was torn off and thrown back over the sides of thechest, and by degrees numerous articles of very varied character wereproduced and strewn about on the sand. At each new object Pencroftuttered fresh hurrahs, Herbert clapped his hands, and Neb danced up anddown. There were books which made Herbert wild with joy, and cookingutensils which Neb covered with kisses! In short, the colonists had reason to be extremely satisfied, for thischest contained tools, weapons, instruments, clothes, books; and thisis the exact list of them as stated in Gideon Spilett's note-book:--Tools:--3 knives with several blades, 2 woodmen's axes, 2 carpenter'shatchets, 3 planes, 2 adzes, 1 twibil or mattock, 6 chisels, 2 files, 3 hammers, 3 gimlets, 2 augers, 10 bags of nails and screws, 3 saws ofdifferent sizes, 2 boxes of needles. Weapons:--2 flint-lock guns, 2 for percussion caps, 2 breach-loadercarbines, 5 boarding cutlasses, 4 sabers, 2 barrels of powder, eachcontaining twenty-five pounds; 12 boxes of percussion caps. Instruments:--1 sextant, 1 double opera-glass, 1 telescope, 1 box ofmathematical instruments, 1 mariner's compass, 1 Fahrenheit thermometer, 1 aneroid barometer, 1 box containing a photographic apparatus, object-glass, plates, chemicals, etc. Clothes:--2 dozen shirts of a peculiar material resembling wool, butevidently of a vegetable origin; 3 dozen stockings of the same material. Utensils:--1 iron pot, 6 copper saucepans, 3 iron dishes, 10 metalplates, 2 kettles, 1 portable stove, 6 table-knives. Books:--1 Bible, 1 atlas, 1 dictionary of the different Polynesianidioms, 1 dictionary of natural science, in six volumes; 3 reams ofwhite paper, 2 books with blank pages. "It must be allowed, " said the reporter, after the inventory had beenmade, "that the owner of this chest was a practical man! Tools, weapons, instruments, clothes, utensils, books--nothing is wanting! It mightreally be said that he expected to be wrecked, and had prepared for itbeforehand. " "Nothing is wanting, indeed, " murmured Cyrus Harding thoughtfully. "And for a certainty, " added Herbert, "the vessel which carried thischest and its owner was not a Malay pirate!" "Unless, " said Pencroft, "the owner had been taken prisoner bypirates--" "That is not admissible, " replied the reporter. "It is more probablethat an American or European vessel has been driven into this quarter, and that her passengers, wishing to save necessaries at least, preparedthis chest and threw it overboard. " "Is that your opinion, captain?" asked Herbert. "Yes, my boy, " replied the engineer, "that may have been the case. Itis possible that at the moment, or in expectation of a wreck, theycollected into this chest different articles of the greatest use inhopes of finding it again on the coast--" "Even the photographic box!" exclaimed the sailor incredulously. "As to that apparatus, " replied Harding, "I do not quite see the use ofit; and a more complete supply of clothes or more abundant ammunitionwould have been more valuable to us as well as to any other castaways!" "But isn't there any mark or direction on these instruments, tools, orbooks, which would tell us something about them?" asked Gideon Spilett. That might be ascertained. Each article was carefully examined, especially the books, instruments and weapons. Neither the weapons northe instruments, contrary to the usual custom, bore the name of themaker; they were, besides, in a perfect state, and did not appear tohave been used. The same peculiarity marked the tools and utensils; allwere new, which proved that the articles had not been taken by chanceand thrown into the chest, but, on the contrary, that the choice ofthings had been well considered and arranged with care. This was alsoindicated by the second case of metal which had preserved them fromdamp, and which could not have been soldered in a moment of haste. As to the dictionaries of natural science and Polynesian idioms, bothwere English; but they neither bore the name of the publisher nor thedate of publication. The same with the Bible printed in English, in quarto, remarkable from atypographic point of view, and which appeared to have been often used. The atlas was a magnificent work, comprising maps of every country inthe world, and several planispheres arranged upon Mercator's projection, and of which the nomenclature was in French--but which also bore neitherdate nor name of publisher. There was nothing, therefore, on these different articles by whichthey could be traced, and nothing consequently of a nature to show thenationality of the vessel which must have recently passed these shores. But, wherever the chest might have come from, it was a treasure to thesettlers on Lincoln Island. Till then, by making use of the productionsof nature, they had created everything for themselves, and, thanks totheir intelligence, they had managed without difficulty. But did it notappear as if Providence had wished to reward them by sending them theseproductions of human industry? Their thanks rose unanimously to Heaven. However, one of them was not quite satisfied: it was Pencroft. Itappeared that the chest did not contain something which he evidentlyheld in great esteem, for in proportion as they approached the bottomof the box, his hurrahs diminished in heartiness, and, the inventoryfinished, he was heard to mutter these words:--"That's all very fine, but you can see that there is nothing for me in that box!" This led Neb to say, -- "Why, friend Pencroft, what more do you expect?" "Half a pound of tobacco, " replied Pencroft seriously, "and nothingwould have been wanting to complete my happiness!" No one could help laughing at this speech of the sailor's. But the result of this discovery of the chest was, that it was now morethan ever necessary to explore the island thoroughly. It was thereforeagreed that the next morning at break of day, they should set out, byascending the Mercy so as to reach the western shore. If any castawayshad landed on the coast, it was to be feared they were withoutresources, and it was therefore the more necessary to carry help to themwithout delay. During the day the different articles were carried to Granite House, where they were methodically arranged in the great hall. This day--the29th of October--happened to be a Sunday, and, before going to bed, Herbert asked the engineer if he would not read them something from theGospel. "Willingly, " replied Cyrus Harding. He took the sacred volume, and was about to open it, when Pencroftstopped him, saying, --"Captain, I am superstitious. Open at randomand read the first verse which, your eye falls upon. We will see if itapplies to our situation. " Cyrus Harding smiled at the sailor's idea, and, yielding to his wish, heopened exactly at a place where the leaves were separated by a marker. Immediately his eyes were attracted by a cross which, made with apencil, was placed against the eighth verse of the seventh chapter ofthe Gospel of St. Matthew. He read the verse, which was this:-- "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth. " Chapter 3 The next day, the 30th of October, all was ready for the proposedexploring expedition, which recent events had rendered so necessary. Infact, things had so come about that the settlers in Lincoln Island nolonger needed help for themselves, but were even able to carry it toothers. It was therefore agreed that they should ascend the Mercy as far asthe river was navigable. A great part of the distance would thus betraversed without fatigue, and the explorers could transport theirprovisions and arms to an advanced point in the west of the island. It was necessary to think not only of the things which they should takewith them, but also of those which they might have by chance to bringback to Granite House. If there had been a wreck on the coast, as wassupposed, there would be many things cast up, which would be lawfullytheir prizes. In the event of this, the cart would have been of more usethan the light canoe, but it was heavy and clumsy to drag, and thereforemore difficult to use; this led Pencroft to express his regret that thechest had not contained, besides "his halfpound of tobacco, " a pairof strong New Jersey horses, which would have been very useful to thecolony! The provisions, which Neb had already packed up, consisted of a storeof meat and of several gallons of beer, that is to say enough to sustainthem for three days, the time which Harding assigned for the expedition. They hoped besides to supply themselves on the road, and Neb took carenot to forget the portable stove. The only tools the settlers took were the two woodmen's axes, whichthey could use to cut a path through the thick forests, as also theinstruments, the telescope and pocket-compass. For weapons they selected the two flint-lock guns, which were likelyto be more useful to them than the percussion fowling-pieces, the firstonly requiring flints which could be easily replaced, and the latterneeding fulminating caps, a frequent use of which would soon exhausttheir limited stock. However, they took also one of the carbines andsome cartridges. As to the powder, of which there was about fifty poundsin the barrel, a small supply of it had to be taken, but the engineerhoped to manufacture an explosive substance which would allow them tohusband it. To the firearms were added the five cutlasses well sheathedin leather, and, thus supplied, the settlers could venture into the vastforest with some chance of success. It is useless to add that Pencroft, Herbert, and Neb, thus armed, wereat the summit of their happiness, although Cyrus Harding made thempromise not to fire a shot unless it was necessary. At six in the morning the canoe put off from the shore; all hadembarked, including Top, and they proceeded to the mouth of the Mercy. The tide had begun to come up half an hour before. For several hours, therefore, there would be a current, which it was well to profit by, forlater the ebb would make it difficult to ascend the river. The tide wasalready strong, for in three days the moon would be full, and it wasenough to keep the boat in the center of the current, where it floatedswiftly along between the high banks without its being necessaryto increase its speed by the aid of the oars. In a few minutes theexplorers arrived at the angle formed by the Mercy and exactly at theplace where, seven months before, Pencroft had made his first raft ofwood. After this sudden angle the river widened and flowed under the shade ofgreat evergreen firs. The aspect of the banks was magnificent. Cyrus Harding and hiscompanions could not but admire the lovely effects so easily producedby nature with water and trees. As they advanced the forest elementdiminished. On the right bank of the river grew magnificent specimens ofthe ulmaceae tribe, the precious elm, so valuable to builders, and whichwithstands well the action of water. Then there were numerous groupsbelonging to the same family, among others one in particular, the fruitof which produces a very useful oil. Further on, Herbert remarked thelardizabala, a twining shrub which, when bruised in water, furnishesexcellent cordage; and two or three ebony trees of a beautiful black, crossed with capricious veins. From time to time, in certain places where the landing was easy, thecanoe was stopped, when Gideon Spilett, Herbert, and Pencroft, theirguns in their hands, and preceded by Top, jumped on shore. Withoutexpecting game, some useful plant might be met with, and the youngnaturalist was delighted with discovering a sort of wild spinach, belonging to the order of chenopodiaceae, and numerous specimens ofcruciferae, belonging to the cabbage tribe, which it would certainly bepossible to cultivate by transplanting. There were cresses, horseradish, turnips, and lastly, little branching hairy stalks, scarcely more thanthree feet high, which produced brownish grains. "Do you know what this plant is?" asked Herbert of the sailor. "Tobacco!" cried Pencroft, who evidently had never seen his favoriteplant except in the bowl of his pipe. "No, Pencroft, " replied Herbert; "this is not tobacco, it is mustard. " "Mustard be hanged!" returned the sailor; "but if by chance you happento come across a tobacco-plant, my boy, pray don't scorn that!" "We shall find it some day!" said Gideon Spilett. "Well!" exclaimed Pencroft, "when that day comes, I do not know whatmore will be wanting in our island!" These different plants, which had been carefully rooted up, were carriedto the canoe, where Cyrus Harding had remained buried in thought. The reporter, Herbert, and Pencroft in this manner frequentlydisembarked, sometimes on the right bank, sometimes on the left bank ofthe Mercy. The latter was less abrupt, but the former more wooded. The engineerascertained by consulting his pocket-compass that the direction of theriver from the first turn was obviously southwest and northeast, andnearly straight for a length of about three miles. But it was to besupposed that this direction changed beyond that point, and that theMercy continued to the north-west, towards the spurs of Mount Franklin, among which the river rose. During one of these excursions, Gideon Spilett managed to get holdof two couples of living gallinaceae. They were birds with long, thinbeaks, lengthened necks, short wings, and without any appearance ofa tail. Herbert rightly gave them the name of tinamous, and itwas resolved that they should be the first tenants of their futurepoultry-yard. But till then the guns had not spoken, and the first report which awokethe echoes of the forest of the Far West was provoked by the appearanceof a beautiful bird, resembling the kingfisher. "I recognize him!" cried Pencroft, and it seemed as if his gun went offby itself. "What do you recognize?" asked the reporter. "The bird which escaped us on our first excursion, and from which wegave the name to that part of the forest. " "A jacamar!" cried Herbert. It was indeed a jacamar, of which the plumage shines with a metallicluster. A shot brought it to the ground, and Top carried it to thecanoe. At the same time half a dozen lories were brought down. The loryis of the size of a pigeon, the plumage dashed with green, part ofthe wings crimson, and its crest bordered with white. To the young boybelonged the honor of this shot, and he was proud enough of it. Loriesare better food than the jacamar, the flesh of which is rather tough, but it was difficult to persuade Pencroft that he had not killed theking of eatable birds. It was ten o'clock in the morning when the canoereached a second angle of the Mercy, nearly five miles from its mouth. Here a halt was made for breakfast under the shade of some splendidtrees. The river still measured from sixty to seventy feet in breadth, and its bed from five to six feet in depth. The engineer had observedthat it was increased by numerous affluents, but they were unnavigable, being simply little streams. As to the forest, including Jacamar Wood, as well as the forests of the Far West, it extended as far as the eyecould reach. In no place, either in the depths of the forests or underthe trees on the banks of the Mercy, was the presence of man revealed. The explorers could not discover one suspicious trace. It was evidentthat the woodman's axe had never touched these trees, that the pioneer'sknife had never severed the creepers hanging from one trunk to anotherin the midst of tangled brushwood and long grass. If castaways hadlanded on the island, they could not have yet quitted the shore, and itwas not in the woods that the survivors of the supposed shipwreck shouldbe sought. The engineer therefore manifested some impatience to reach the westerncoast of Lincoln Island, which was at least five miles distant accordingto his estimation. The voyage was continued, and as the Mercy appeared to flow not towardsthe shore, but rather towards Mount Franklin, it was decided that theyshould use the boat as long as there was enough water under its keelto float it. It was both fatigue spared and time gained, for they wouldhave been obliged to cut a path through the thick wood with their axes. But soon the flow completely failed them, either the tide was goingdown, and it was about the hour, or it could no longer be felt at thisdistance from the mouth of the Mercy. They had therefore to make use ofthe oars. Herbert and Neb each took one, and Pencroft took the scull. The forest soon became less dense, the trees grew further apart andoften quite isolated. But the further they were from each other the moremagnificent they appeared, profiting, as they did, by the free, pure airwhich circulated around them. What splendid specimens of the flora of this latitude! Certainlytheir presence would have been enough for a botanist to name withouthesitation the parallel which traversed Lincoln Island. "Eucalypti!" cried Herbert. They were, in fact, those splendid trees, the giants of theextratropical zone, the congeners of the Australian and New Zealandeucalyptus, both situated under the same latitude as Lincoln Island. Some rose to a height of two hundred feet. Their trunks at the basemeasured twenty feet in circumference, and their bark was covered by anetwork of farrows containing a red, sweet-smelling gum. Nothing is morewonderful or more singular than those enormous specimens of the order ofthe myrtaceae, with their leaves placed vertically and not horizontally, so that an edge and not a surface looks upwards, the effect being thatthe sun's rays penetrate more freely among the trees. The ground at the foot of the eucalypti was carpeted with grass, andfrom the bushes escaped flights of little birds, which glittered in thesunlight like winged rubies. "These are something like trees!" cried Neb; "but are they good foranything?" "Pooh!" replied Pencroft. "Of course there are vegetable giants as wellas human giants, and they are no good, except to show themselves atfairs!" "I think that you are mistaken, Pencroft, " replied Gideon Spilett, "andthat the wood of the eucalyptus has begun to be very advantageouslyemployed in cabinet-making. " "And I may add, " said Herbert, "that the eucalyptus belongs to a familywhich comprises many useful members; the guava-tree, from whose fruitguava jelly is made; the clove-tree, which produces the spice; thepomegranate-tree, which bears pomegranates; the Eugeacia Cauliflora, the fruit of which is used in making a tolerable wine; the Ugui myrtle, which contains an excellent alcoholic liquor; the Caryophyllus myrtle, of which the bark forms an esteemed cinnamon; the Eugenia Pimenta, fromwhence comes Jamaica pepper; the common myrtle, from whose buds andberries spice is sometimes made; the Eucalyptus manifera, which yieldsa sweet sort of manna; the Guinea Eucalyptus, the sap of which istransformed into beer by fermentation; in short, all those trees knownunder the name of gum-trees or iron-bark trees in Australia, belongto this family of the myrtaceae, which contains forty-six genera andthirteen hundred species!" The lad was allowed to run on, and he delivered his little botanicallecture with great animation. Cyrus Harding listened smiling, andPencroft with an indescribable feeling of pride. "Very good, Herbert, " replied Pencroft, "but I could swear that allthose useful specimens you have just told us about are none of themgiants like these!" "That is true, Pencroft. " "That supports what I said, " returned the sailor, "namely, that thesegiants are good for nothing!" "There you are wrong, Pencroft, " said the engineer; "these giganticeucalypti, which shelter us, are good for something. " "And what is that?" "To render the countries which they inhabit healthy. Do you know whatthey are called in Australia and New Zealand?" "No, captain. " "They are called 'fever trees. '" "Because they give fevers?" "No, because they prevent them!" "Good. I must note that, " said the reporter. "Note it then, my dear Spilett; for it appears proved that the presenceof the eucalyptus is enough to neutralize miasmas. This natural antidotehas been tried in certain countries in the middle of Europe and thenorth of Africa where the soil was absolutely unhealthy, and thesanitary condition of the inhabitants has been gradually ameliorated. Nomore intermittent fevers prevail in the regions now covered with forestsof the myrtaceae. This fact is now beyond doubt, and it is a happycircumstance for us settlers in Lincoln Island. " "Ah! what an island! What a blessed island!" cried Pencroft. "I tellyou, it wants nothing--unless it is--" "That will come, Pencroft, that will be found, " replied the engineer;"but now we must continue our voyage and push on as far as the riverwill carry our boat!" The exploration was therefore continued for another two miles in themidst of country covered with eucalypti, which predominated in the woodsof this portion of the island. The space which they occupied extended asfar as the eye could reach on each side of the Mercy, which wound alongbetween high green banks. The bed was often obstructed by long weeds, and even by pointed rocks, which rendered the navigation very difficult. The action of the oars was prevented, and Pencroft was obliged to pushwith a pole. They found also that the water was becoming shallowerand shallower, and that the canoe must soon stop. The sun was alreadysinking towards the horizon, and the trees threw long shadows on theground. Cyrus Harding, seeing that he could not hope to reach thewestern coast of the island in one journey, resolved to camp at theplace where any further navigation was prevented by want of water. Hecalculated that they were still five or six miles from the coast, andthis distance was too great for them to attempt during the night in themidst of unknown woods. The boat was pushed on through the forest, which gradually becamethicker again, and appeared also to have more inhabitants; for if theeyes of the sailor did not deceive him, he thought he saw bands ofmonkeys springing among the trees. Sometimes even two or three of theseanimals stopped at a little distance from the canoe and gazed at thesettlers without manifesting any terror, as if, seeing men for the firsttime, they had not yet learned to fear them. It would have been easyto bring down one of these quadramani with a gunshot, and Pencroft wasgreatly tempted to fire, but Harding opposed so useless a massacre. This was prudent, for the monkeys, or apes rather, appearing to be verypowerful and extremely active, it was useless to provoke an unnecessaryaggression, and the creatures might, ignorant of the power of theexplorers' firearms, have attacked them. It is true that the sailorconsidered the monkeys from a purely alimentary point of view, for thoseanimals which are herbivorous make very excellent game; but since theyhad an abundant supply of provisions, it was a pity to waste theirammunition. Towards four o'clock, the navigation of the Mercy became exceedinglydifficult, for its course was obstructed by aquatic plants and rocks. The banks rose higher and higher, and already they were approaching thespurs of Mount Franklin. The source could not be far off, since it wasfed by the water from the southern slopes of the mountain. "In a quarter of an hour, " said the sailor, "we shall be obliged tostop, captain. " "Very well, we will stop, Pencroft, and we will make our encampment forthe night. " "At what distance are we from Granite House?" asked Herbert. "About seven miles, " replied the engineer, "taking into calculation, however, the detours of the river, which has carried us to thenorthwest. " "Shall we go on?" asked the reporter. "Yes, as long as we can, " replied Cyrus Harding. "To-morrow, at break ofday, we will leave the canoe, and in two hours I hope we shall cross thedistance which separates us from the coast, and then we shall have thewhole day in which to explore the shore. " "Go ahead!" replied Pencroft. But soon the boat grated on the stony bottom of the river, which wasnow not more than twenty feet in breadth. The trees met like a boweroverhead, and caused a half-darkness. They also heard the noise of awaterfall, which showed that a few hundred feet up the river there was anatural barrier. Presently, after a sudden turn of the river, a cascade appeared throughthe trees. The canoe again touched the bottom, and in a few minutes itwas moored to a trunk near the right bank. It was nearly five o'clock. The last rays of the sun gleamed throughthe thick foliage and glanced on the little waterfall, making the spraysparkle with all the colors of the rainbow. Beyond that, the Mercy waslost in the bushwood, where it was fed from some hidden source. Thedifferent streams which flowed into it increased it to a regular riverfurther down, but here it was simply a shallow, limpid brook. It was agreed to camp here, as the place was charming. The colonistsdisembarked, and a fire was soon lighted under a clump of trees, amongthe branches of which Cyrus Harding and his companions could, if it wasnecessary, take refuge for the night. Supper was quickly devoured, for they were very hungry, and then therewas only sleeping to think of. But, as roarings of rather a suspiciousnature had been heard during the evening, a good fire was made up forthe night, so as to protect the sleepers with its crackling flames. Neband Pencroft also watched by turns, and did not spare fuel. They thoughtthey saw the dark forms of some wild animals prowling round the campamong the bushes, but the night passed without incident, and the nextday, the 31st of October, at five o'clock in the morning, all were onfoot, ready for a start. Chapter 4 It was six o' clock in the morning when the settlers, after a hastybreakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way, the western coast ofthe island. And how long would it take to do this? Cyrus Hardinghad said two hours, but of course that depended on the nature of theobstacles they might meet with As it was probable that they would haveto cut a path through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, they marched axein hand, and with guns also ready, wisely taking warning from the criesof the wild beasts heard in the night. The exact position of the encampment could be determined by the bearingof Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distanceof less than three miles, they had only to go straight towards thesouthwest to reach the western coast. They set out, having firstcarefully secured the canoe. Pencroft and Neb carried sufficientprovision for the little band for at least two days. It would not thusbe necessary to hunt. The engineer advised his companions to refrainfrom firing, that their presence might not be betrayed to any one nearthe shore. The first hatchet blows were given among the brushwood in themidst of some mastic-trees, a little above the cascade; and his compassin his hand, Cyrus Harding led the way. The forest here was composed for the most part of trees which hadalready been met with near the lake and on Prospect Heights. Therewere deodars, Douglas firs, casuarinas, gum trees, eucalypti, hibiscus, cedars, and other trees, generally of a moderate size, for their numberprevented their growth. Since their departure, the settlers had descended the slopes whichconstituted the mountain system of the island, on to a dry soil, but theluxuriant vegetation of which indicated it to be watered either by somesubterranean marsh or by some stream. However, Cyrus Harding did notremember having seen, at the time of his excursion to the crater, anyother watercourses but the Red Creek and the Mercy. During the first part of their excursion, they saw numerous troops ofmonkeys who exhibited great astonishment at the sight of men, whoseappearance was so new to them. Gideon Spilett jokingly asked whetherthese active and merry quadrupeds did not consider him and hiscompanions as degenerate brothers. And certainly, pedestrians, hindered at each step by bushes, caught bycreepers, barred by trunks of trees, did not shine beside those suppleanimals, who, bounding from branch to branch, were hindered by nothingon their course. The monkeys were numerous, but happily they did notmanifest any hostile disposition. Several pigs, agoutis, kangaroos, and other rodents were seen, also twoor three koalas, at which Pencroft longed to have a shot. "But, " said he, "you may jump and play just now; we shall have one ortwo words to say to you on our way back!" At half-past nine the way was suddenly found to be barred by an unknownstream, from thirty to forty feet broad, whose rapid current dashedfoaming over the numerous rocks which interrupted its course. This creekwas deep and clear, but it was absolutely unnavigable. "We are cut off!" cried Neb. "No, " replied Herbert, "it is only a stream, and we can easily swimover. " "What would be the use of that?" returned Harding. "This creek evidentlyruns to the sea. Let us remain on this side and follow the bank, andI shall be much astonished if it does not lead us very quickly to thecoast. Forward!" "One minute, " said the reporter. "The name of this creek, my friends? Donot let us leave our geography incomplete. " "All right!" said Pencroft. "Name it, my boy, " said the engineer, addressing the lad. "Will it not be better to wait until we have explored it to its mouth?"answered Herbert. "Very well, " replied Cyrus Harding. "Let us follow it as fast as we canwithout stopping. " "Still another minute!" said Pencroft. "What's the matter?" asked the reporter. "Though hunting is forbidden, fishing is allowed, I suppose, " said thesailor. "We have no time to lose, " replied the engineer. "Oh! five minutes!" replied Pencroft, "I only ask for five minutes touse in the interest of our breakfast!" And Pencroft, lying down on the bank, plunged his arm into the water, and soon pulled up several dozen of fine crayfish from among the stones. "These will be good!" cried Neb, going to the sailor's aid. "As I said, there is everything in this island, except tobacco!"muttered Pencroft with a sigh. The fishing did not take five minutes, for the crayfish were swarming inthe creek. A bag was filled with the crustaceae, whose shells were of acobalt blue. The settlers then pushed on. They advanced more rapidly and easily along the bank of the river thanin the forest. From time to time they came upon the traces of animals ofa large size who had come to quench their thirst at the stream, but nonewere actually seen, and it was evidently not in this part of the forestthat the peccary had received the bullet which had cost Pencroft agrinder. In the meanwhile, considering the rapid current, Harding was led tosuppose that he and his companions were much farther from the westerncoast than they had at first supposed. In fact, at this hour, the risingtide would have turned back the current of the creek, if its mouth hadonly been a few miles distant. Now, this effect was not produced, andthe water pursued its natural course. The engineer was much astonishedat this, and frequently consulted his compass, to assure himself thatsome turn of the river was not leading them again into the Far West. However, the creek gradually widened and its waters became lesstumultuous. The trees on the right bank were as close together as on theleft bank, and it was impossible to distinguish anything beyond them;but these masses of wood were evidently uninhabited, for Top did notbark, and the intelligent animal would not have failed to signal thepresence of any stranger in the neighborhood. At half-past ten, to the great surprise of Cyrus Harding, Herbert, whowas a little in front, suddenly stopped and exclaimed, -- "The sea!" In a few minutes more, the whole western shore of the island layextended before the eyes of the settlers. But what a contrast between this and the eastern coast, upon whichchance had first thrown them. No granite cliff, no rocks, not even asandy beach. The forest reached the shore, and the tall trees bendingover the water were beaten by the waves. It was not such a shore as isusually formed by nature, either by extending a vast carpet of sand, or by grouping masses of rock, but a beautiful border consisting of themost splendid trees. The bank was raised a little above the level of thesea, and on this luxuriant soil, supported by a granite base, the fineforest trees seemed to be as firmly planted as in the interior of theisland. The colonists were then on the shore of an unimportant little harbor, which would scarcely have contained even two or three fishing-boats. Itserved as a neck to the new creek, of which the curious thing was thatits waters, instead of joining the sea by a gentle slope, fell from aheight of more than forty feet, which explained why the rising tide wasnot felt up the stream. In fact, the tides of the Pacific, even attheir maximum elevation, could never reach the level of the river, and, doubtless, millions of years would pass before the water would have wornaway the granite and hollowed a practicable mouth. It was settled that the name of Falls River should be given to thisstream. Beyond, towards the north, the forest border was prolonged fora space of nearly two miles; then the trees became scarcer, and beyondthat again the picturesque heights described a nearly straight line, which ran north and south. On the contrary, all the part of the shorebetween Falls River and Reptile End was a mass of wood, magnificenttrees, some straight, others bent, so that the long sea-swell bathedtheir roots. Now, it was this coast, that is, all the SerpentinePeninsula, that was to be explored, for this part of the shore offereda refuge to castaways, which the other wild and barren side must haverefused. The weather was fine and clear, and from a height of a hillock on whichNeb and Pencroft had arranged breakfast, a wide view was obtained. Therewas, however, not a sail in sight; nothing could be seen along the shoreas far as the eye could reach. But the engineer would take nothing forgranted until he had explored the coast to the very extremity of theSerpentine Peninsula. Breakfast was soon despatched, and at half-past eleven the captain gavethe signal for departure. Instead of proceeding over the summit of acliff or along a sandy beach, the settlers were obliged to remain undercover of the trees so that they might continue on the shore. The distance which separated Falls River from Reptile End was abouttwelve miles. It would have taken the settlers four hours to do this, on a clear ground and without hurrying themselves; but as it was theyneeded double the time, for what with trees to go round, bushes to cutdown, and creepers to chop away, they were impeded at every step, theseobstacles greatly lengthening their journey. There was, however, nothing to show that a shipwreck had taken placerecently. It is true that, as Gideon Spilett observed, any remains ofit might have drifted out to sea, and they must not take it for grantedthat because they could find no traces of it, a ship had not beencastaway on the coast. The reporter's argument was just, and besides, the incident of thebullet proved that a shot must have been fired in Lincoln Island withinthree months. It was already five o'clock, and there were still two miles between thesettlers and the extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula. It was evidentthat after having reached Reptile End, Harding and his companions wouldnot have time to return before dark to their encampment near the sourceof the Mercy. It would therefore be necessary to pass the night on thepromontory. But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, forthere were no animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary, abound--jacamars, couroucous, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants, pigeons, and a hundred others. There was nota tree without a nest, and not a nest which was not full of flappingwings. Towards seven o'clock the weary explorers arrived at Reptile End. Herethe seaside forest ended, and the shore resumed the customary appearanceof a coast, with rocks, reefs, and sands. It was possible that somethingmight be found here, but darkness came on, and the further explorationhad to be put off to the next day. Pencroft and Herbert hastened on to find a suitable place for theircamp. Among the last trees of the forest of the Far West, the boy foundseveral thick clumps of bamboos. "Good, " said he; "this is a valuable discovery. " "Valuable?" returned Pencroft. "Certainly, " replied Herbert. "I may say, Pencroft, that the bark of thebamboo, cut into flexible laths, is used for making baskets; that thisbark, mashed into a paste, is used for the manufacture of Chinese paper;that the stalks furnish, according to their size, canes and pipesand are used for conducting water; that large bamboos make excellentmaterial for building, being light and strong, and being never attackedby insects. I will add that by sawing the bamboo in two at the joint, keeping for the bottom the part of the transverse film which formsthe joint, useful cups are obtained, which are much in use among theChinese. No! you don't care for that. But--" "But what?" "But I can tell you, if you are ignorant of it, that in India thesebamboos are eaten like asparagus. " "Asparagus thirty feet high!" exclaimed the sailor. "And are they good?" "Excellent, " replied Herbert. "Only it is not the stems of thirty feethigh which are eaten, but the young shoots. " "Perfect, my boy, perfect!" replied Pencroft. "I will also add that the pith of the young stalks, preserved invinegar, makes a good pickle. " "Better and better, Herbert!" "And lastly, that the bamboos exude a sweet liquor which can be madeinto a very agreeable drink. " "Is that all?" asked the sailor. "That is all!" "And they don't happen to do for smoking?" "No, my poor Pencroft. " Herbert and the sailor had not to look long for a place in which to passthe night. The rocks, which must have been violently beaten by thesea under the influence of the winds of the southwest, presented manycavities in which shelter could be found against the night air. But justas they were about to enter one of these caves a loud roaring arrestedthem. "Back!" cried Pencroft. "Our guns are only loaded with small shot, andbeasts which can roar as loud as that would care no more for it than forgrains of salt!" And the sailor, seizing Herbert by the arm, draggedhim behind a rock, just as a magnificent animal showed itself at theentrance of the cavern. It was a jaguar of a size at least equal to its Asiatic congeners, thatis to say, it measured five feet from the extremity of its head to thebeginning of its tail. The yellow color of its hair was relieved bystreaks and regular oblong spots of black, which contrasted with thewhite of its chest. Herbert recognized it as the ferocious rival ofthe tiger, as formidable as the puma, which is the rival of the largestwolf! The jaguar advanced and gazed around him with blazing eyes, his hairbristling as if this was not the first time he had scented men. At this moment the reporter appeared round a rock, and Herbert, thinkingthat he had not seen the jaguar, was about to rush towards him, whenGideon Spilett signed to him to remain where he was. This was not hisfirst tiger, and advancing to within ten feet of the animal he remainedmotionless, his gun to his shoulder, without moving a muscle. The jaguarcollected itself for a spring, but at that moment a shot struck it inthe eyes, and it fell dead. Herbert and Pencroft rushed towards the jaguar. Neb and Harding also ranup, and they remained for some instants contemplating the animal as itlay stretched on the ground, thinking that its magnificent skin would bea great ornament to the hall at Granite House. "Oh, Mr. Spilett, how I admire and envy you!" cried Herbert, in a fit ofvery natural enthusiasm. "Well, my boy, " replied the reporter, "you could have done the same. " "I! with such coolness!--" "Imagine to yourself, Herbert, that the jaguar is only a hare, and youwould fire as quietly as possible. " "That is, " rejoined Pencroft, "that it is not more dangerous than ahare!" "And now, " said Gideon Spilett, "since the jaguar has left its abode, Ido not see, my friends, why we should not take possession of it for thenight. " "But others may come, " said Pencroft. "It will be enough to light a fire at the entrance of the cavern, " saidthe reporter, "and no wild beasts will dare to cross the threshold. " "Into the jaguar's house, then!" replied the sailor, dragging after himthe body of the animal. While Neb skinned the jaguar, his companions collected an abundantsupply of dry wood from the forest, which they heaped up at the cave. Cyrus Harding, seeing the clump of bamboos, cut a quantity, which hemingled with the other fuel. This done, they entered the grotto, of which the floor was strewn withbones, the guns were carefully loaded, in case of a sudden attack, theyhad supper, and then just before they lay down to rest, the heap of woodpiled at the entrance was set fire to. Immediately, a regular explosion, or rather a series of reports, broke the silence! The noise was causedby the bamboos, which, as the flames reached them, exploded likefireworks. The noise was enough to terrify even the boldest of wildbeasts. It was not the engineer who had invented this way of causing loudexplosions, for, according to Marco Polo, the Tartars have employed itfor many centuries to drive away from their encampments the formidablewild beasts of Central Asia. Chapter 5 Cyrus Harding and his companions slept like innocent marmots in the cavewhich the jaguar had so politely left at their disposal. At sunrise all were on the shore at the extremity of the promontory, andtheir gaze was directed towards the horizon, of which two-thirds ofthe circumference were visible. For the last time the engineer couldascertain that not a sail nor the wreck of a ship was on the sea, andeven with the telescope nothing suspicious could be discovered. There was nothing either on the shore, at least, in the straight lineof three miles which formed the south side of the promontory, forbeyond that, rising ground had the rest of the coast, and even from theextremity of the Serpentine Peninsula Claw Cape could not be seen. The southern coast of the island still remained to be explored. Nowshould they undertake it immediately, and devote this day to it? This was not included in their first plan. In fact, when the boat wasabandoned at the sources of the Mercy, it had been agreed that afterhaving surveyed the west coast, they should go back to it, and return toGranite House by the Mercy. Harding then thought that the western coastwould have offered refuge, either to a ship in distress, or to a vesselin her regular course; but now, as he saw that this coast presented nogood anchorage, he wished to seek on the south what they had not beenable to find on the west. Gideon Spilett proposed to continue the exploration, that the questionof the supposed wreck might be completely settled, and he asked at whatdistance Claw Cape might be from the extremity of the peninsula. "About thirty miles, " replied the engineer, "if we take intoconsideration the curvings of the coast. " "Thirty miles!" returned Spilett. "That would be a long day's march. Nevertheless, I think that we should return to Granite House by thesouth coast. " "But, " observed Herbert, "from Claw Cape to Granite House there must beat least another ten miles. "Make it forty miles in all, " replied the engineer, "and do not hesitateto do it. At least we should survey the unknown shore, and then we shallnot have to begin the exploration again. " "Very good, " said Pencroft. "But the boat?" "The boat has remained by itself for one day at the sources of theMercy, " replied Gideon Spilett; "it may just as well stay there twodays! As yet, we have had no reason to think that the island is infestedby thieves!" "Yet, " said the sailor, "when I remember the history of the turtle, I amfar from confident of that. " "The turtle! the turtle!" replied the reporter. "Don't you know that thesea turned it over?" "Who knows?" murmured the engineer. "But, --" said Neb. Neb had evidently something to say, for he opened his mouth to speak andyet said nothing. "What do you want to say, Neb?" asked the engineer. "If we return by the shore to Claw Cape, " replied Neb, "after havingdoubled the Cape, we shall be stopped--" "By the Mercy! of course, " replied Herbert, "and we shall have neitherbridge nor boat by which to cross. " "But, captain, " added Pencroft, "with a few floating trunks we shallhave no difficulty in crossing the river. " "Never mind, " said Spilett, "it will be useful to construct a bridge ifwe wish to have an easy access to the Far West!" "A bridge!" cried Pencroft. "Well, is not the captain the best engineerin his profession? He will make us a bridge when we want one. As totransporting you this evening to the other side of the Mercy, and thatwithout wetting one thread of your clothes, I will take care of that. Wehave provisions for another day, and besides we can get plenty of game. Forward!" The reporter's proposal, so strongly seconded by the sailor, receivedgeneral approbation, for each wished to have their doubts set at rest, and by returning by Claw Cape the exploration would be ended. But therewas not an hour to lose, for forty miles was a long march, and theycould not hope to reach Granite House before night. At six o'clock in the morning the little band set out. As a precautionthe guns were loaded with ball, and Top, who led the van, receivedorders to beat about the edge of the forest. From the extremity of the promontory which formed the tail of thepeninsula the coast was rounded for a distance of five miles, whichwas rapidly passed over, without even the most minute investigationsbringing to light the least trace of any old or recent landings; nodebris, no mark of an encampment, no cinders of a fire, nor even afootprint! From the point of the peninsula on which the settlers now were theirgaze could extend along the southwest. Twenty-five miles off the coastterminated in the Claw Cape, which loomed dimly through the morningmists, and which, by the phenomenon of the mirage, appeared as ifsuspended between land and water. Between the place occupied by the colonists and the other side of theimmense bay, the shore was composed, first, of a tract of low land, bordered in the background by trees; then the shore became moreirregular, projecting sharp points into the sea, and finally ended inthe black rocks which, accumulated in picturesque disorder, formed ClawCape. Such was the development of this part of the island, which the settlerstook in at a glance, while stopping for an instant. "If a vessel ran in here, " said Pencroft, "she would certainly be lost. Sandbanks and reefs everywhere! Bad quarters!" "But at least something would be left of the ship, " observed thereporter. "There might be pieces of wood on the rocks, but nothing on the sands, "replied the sailor. "Why?" "Because the sands are still more dangerous than the rocks, for theyswallow up everything that is thrown on them. In a few days the hull ofa ship of several hundred tons would disappear entirely in there!" "So, Pencroft, " asked the engineer, "if a ship has been wrecked onthese banks, is it not astonishing that there is now no trace of herremaining?" "No, captain, with the aid of time and tempest. However, it would besurprising, even in this case, that some of the masts or spars shouldnot have been thrown on the beach, out of reach of the waves. " "Let us go on with our search, then, " returned Cyrus Harding. At one o'clock the colonists arrived at the other side of WashingtonBay, they having now gone a distance of twenty miles. They then halted for breakfast. Here began the irregular coast, covered with lines of rocks andsandbanks. The long sea-swell could be seen breaking over the rocks inthe bay, forming a foamy fringe. From this point to Claw Cape the beachwas very narrow between the edge of the forest and the reefs. Walking was now more difficult, on account of the numerous rocks whichencumbered the beach. The granite cliff also gradually increased inheight, and only the green tops of the trees which crowned it could beseen. After half an hour's rest, the settlers resumed their journey, and nota spot among the rocks was left unexamined. Pencroft and Neb even rushedinto the surf whenever any object attracted their attention. But theyfound nothing, some curious formations of the rocks having deceivedthem. They ascertained, however, that eatable shellfish abounded there, but these could not be of any great advantage to them until some easymeans of communication had been established between the two banks of theMercy, and until the means of transport had been perfected. Nothing therefore which threw any light on the supposed wreck could befound on this shore, yet an object of any importance, such as the hullof a ship, would have been seen directly, or any of her masts and spanswould have been washed on shore, just as the chest had been, which wasfound twenty miles from here. But there was nothing. Towards three o'clock Harding and his companions arrived at a snuglittle creek. It formed quite a natural harbor, invisible from the sea, and was entered by a narrow channel. At the back of this creek some violent convulsion had torn up therocky border, and a cutting, by a gentle slope, gave access to an upperplateau, which might be situated at least ten miles from Claw Cape, andconsequently four miles in a straight line from Prospect Heights. GideonSpilett proposed to his companions that they should make a halt here. They agreed readily, for their walk had sharpened their appetites;and although it was not their usual dinner-hour, no one refused tostrengthen himself with a piece of venison. This luncheon would sustainthem until their supper, which they intended to take at Granite House. In a few minutes the settlers, seated under a clump of fine sea-pines, were devouring the provisions which Neb produced from his bag. This spot was raised from fifty to sixty feet above the level of thesea. The view was very extensive, but beyond the cape it ended in UnionBay. Neither the islet nor Prospect Heights was visible, and could notbe from thence, for the rising ground and the curtain of trees closedthe northern horizon. It is useless to add that notwithstanding the wide extent of sea whichthe explorers could survey, and though the engineer swept the horizonwith his glass, no vessel could be found. The shore was of course examined with the same care from the edge of thewater to the cliff, and nothing could be discovered even with the aid ofthe instrument. "Well, " said Gideon Spilett, "it seems we must make up our minds toconsole ourselves with thinking that no one will come to dispute with usthe possession of Lincoln Island!" "But the bullet, " cried Herbert. "That was not imaginary, I suppose!" "Hang it, no!" exclaimed Pencroft, thinking of his absent tooth. "Then what conclusion may be drawn?" asked the reporter. "This, " replied the engineer, "that three months or more ago, a vessel, either voluntarily or not, came here. " "What! then you admit, Cyrus, that she was swallowed up without leavingany trace?" cried the reporter. "No, my dear Spilett; but you see that if it is certain that a humanbeing set foot on the island, it appears no less certain that he has nowleft it. " "Then, if I understand you right, captain, " said Herbert, "the vesselhas left again?" "Evidently. " "And we have lost an opportunity to get back to our country?" said Neb. "I fear so. " "Very well, since the opportunity is lost, let us go on; it can't behelped, " said Pencroft, who felt home-sickness for Granite House. But just as they were rising, Top was heard loudly barking; and the dogissued from the wood, holding in his mouth a rag soiled with mud. Neb seized it. It was a piece of strong cloth! Top still barked, and by his going and coming, seemed to invite hismaster to follow him into the forest. "Now there's something to explain the bullet!" exclaimed Pencroft. "A castaway!" replied Herbert. "Wounded, perhaps!" said Neb. "Or dead!" added the reporter. All ran after the dog, among the tall pines on the border of the forest. Harding and his companions made ready their firearms, in case of anemergency. They advanced some way into the wood, but to their great disappointment, they as yet saw no signs of any human being having passed that way. Shrubs and creepers were uninjured, and they had even to cut them awaywith the axe, as they had done in the deepest recesses of the forest. It was difficult to fancy that any human creature had ever passed there, but yet Top went backward and forward, not like a dog who searches atrandom, but like a dog being endowed with a mind, who is following up anidea. In about seven or eight minutes Top stopped in a glade surrounded withtall trees. The settlers gazed around them, but saw nothing, neitherunder the bushes nor among the trees. "What is the matter, Top?" said Cyrus Harding. Top barked louder, bounding about at the foot of a gigantic pine. All atonce Pencroft shouted, --"Ho, splendid! capital!" "What is it?" asked Spilett. "We have been looking for a wreck at sea or on land!" "Well?" "Well; and here we've found one in the air!" And the sailor pointed to a great white rag, caught in the top of thepine, a fallen scrap of which the dog had brought to them. "But that is not a wreck!" cried Gideon Spilett. "I beg your pardon!" returned Pencroft. "Why? is it--?" "It is all that remains of our airy boat, of our balloon, which has beencaught up aloft there, at the top of that tree!" Pencroft was not mistaken, and he gave vent to his feelings in atremendous hurrah, adding, -- "There is good cloth! There is what will furnish us with linen foryears. There is what will make us handkerchiefs and shirts! Ha, ha, Mr. Spilett, what do you say to an island where shirts grow on the trees?" It was certainly a lucky circumstance for the settlers in Lincoln Islandthat the balloon, after having made its last bound into the air, hadfallen on the island and thus given them the opportunity of finding itagain, whether they kept the case under its present form, or whetherthey wished to attempt another escape by it, or whether they usefullyemployed the several hundred yards of cotton, which was of fine quality. Pencroft's joy was therefore shared by all. But it was necessary to bring down the remains of the balloon fromthe tree, to place it in security, and this was no slight task. Neb, Herbert, and the sailor, climbing to the summit of the tree, used alltheir skill to disengage the now reduced balloon. The operation lasted two hours, and then not only the case, with itsvalve, its springs, its brasswork, lay on the ground, but the net, thatis to say a considerable quantity of ropes and cordage, and thecircle and the anchor. The case, except for the fracture, was in goodcondition, only the lower portion being torn. It was a fortune which had fallen from the sky. "All the same, captain, " said the sailor, "if we ever decide to leavethe island, it won't be in a balloon, will it? These airboats won't gowhere we want them to go, and we have had some experience in that way!Look here, we will build a craft of some twenty tons, and then we canmake a main-sail, a foresail, and a jib out of that cloth. As to therest of it, that will help to dress us. " "We shall see, Pencroft, " replied Cyrus Harding; "we shall see. " "In the meantime, we must put it in a safe place, " said Neb. They certainly could not think of carrying this load of cloth, ropes, and cordage, to Granite House, for the weight of it was veryconsiderable, and while waiting for a suitable vehicle in which toconvey it, it was of importance that this treasure should not be leftlonger exposed to the mercies of the first storm. The settlers, unitingtheir efforts, managed to drag it as far as the shore, where theydiscovered a large rocky cavity, which owing to its position could notbe visited either by the wind or rain. "We needed a locker, and now we have one, " said Pencroft; "but as wecannot lock it up, it will be prudent to hide the opening. I don't meanfrom two-legged thieves, but from those with four paws!" At six o'clock, all was stowed away, and after having given the creekthe very suitable name of "Port Balloon, " the settlers pursued theirway along Claw Cape. Pencroft and the engineer talked of the differentprojects which it was agreed to put into execution with the briefestpossible delay. It was necessary first of all to throw a bridge over theMercy, so as to establish an easy communication with the south of theisland; then the cart must be taken to bring back the balloon, for thecanoe alone could not carry it, then they would build a decked boat, andPencroft would rig it as a cutter, and they would be able to undertakevoyages of circumnavigation round the island, etc. In the meanwhile night came on, and it was already dark when thesettlers reached Flotsam Point, where they had found the precious chest. The distance between Flotsam Point and Granite House was another fourmiles, and it was midnight when, after having followed the shore to themouth of the Mercy, the settlers arrived at the first angle formed bythe Mercy. There the river was eighty feet in breadth, which was awkward to cross, but as Pencroft had taken upon himself to conquer this difficulty, hewas compelled to do it. The settlers certainly had reason to be prettytired. The journey had been long, and the task of getting down theballoon had not rested either their arms or legs. They were anxiousto reach Granite House to eat and sleep, and if the bridge had beenconstructed, in a quarter of an hour they would have been at home. The night was very dark. Pencroft prepared to keep his promise byconstructing a sort of raft, on which to make the passage of the Mercy. He and Neb, armed with axes, chose two trees near the water, and beganto attack them at the base. Cyrus Harding and Spilett, seated on the bank, waited till theircompanions were ready for their help, while Herbert roamed about, thoughwithout going to any distance. All at once, the lad, who had strolled bythe river, came running back, and, pointing up the Mercy, exclaimed, -- "What is floating there?" Pencroft stopped working, and seeing an indistinct object moving throughthe gloom, -- "A canoe!" cried he. All approached, and saw to their extreme surprise, a boat floating downthe current. "Boat ahoy!" shouted the sailor, without thinking that perhaps it wouldbe best to keep silence. No reply. The boat still drifted onward, and it was not more than twelvefeet off, when the sailor exclaimed, -- "But it is our own boat! she has broken her moorings, and floated downthe current. I must say she has arrived very opportunely. " "Our boat?" murmured the engineer. Pencroft was right. It was indeed the canoe, of which the rope hadundoubtedly broken, and which had come alone from the sources of theMercy. It was very important to seize it before the rapid current shouldhave swept it away out of the mouth of the river, but Neb and Pencroftcleverly managed this by means of a long pole. The canoe touched the shore. The engineer leaped in first, and found, on examining the rope, that it had been really worn through by rubbingagainst the rocks. "Well, " said the reporter to him, in a low voice, "this is a strangething. " "Strange indeed!" returned Cyrus Harding. Strange or not, it was very fortunate. Herbert, the reporter, Neb, andPencroft, embarked in turn. There was no doubt about the rope havingbeen worn through, but the astonishing part of the affair was, that theboat should arrive just at the moment when the settlers were there toseize it on its way, for a quarter of an hour earlier or later it wouldhave been lost in the sea. If they had been living in the time of genii, this incident wouldhave given them the right to think that the island was haunted by somesupernatural being, who used his power in the service of the castaways! A few strokes of the oar brought the settlers to the mouth of theMercy. The canoe was hauled up on the beach near the Chimneys, and allproceeded towards the ladder of Granite House. But at that moment, Top barked angrily, and Neb, who was looking for thefirst steps, uttered a cry. There was no longer a ladder! Chapter 6 Cyrus Harding stood still, without saying a word. His companionssearched in the darkness on the wall, in case the wind should havemoved the ladder, and on the ground, thinking that it might have fallendown.... But the ladder had quite disappeared. As to ascertaining ifa squall had blown it on the landing-place, half way up, that wasimpossible in the dark. "If it is a joke, " cried Pencroft, "it is a very stupid one! To comehome and find no staircase to go up to your room by--that's nothing forweary men to laugh at. " Neb could do nothing but cry out "Oh! oh! oh!" "I begin to think that very curious things happen in Lincoln Island!"said Pencroft. "Curious?" replied Gideon Spilett, "not at all, Pencroft, nothing can bemore natural. Some one has come during our absence, taken possession ofour dwelling and drawn up the ladder. " "Some one, " cried the sailor. "But who?" "Who but the hunter who fired the bullet?" replied the reporter. "Well, if there is any one up there, " replied Pencroft, who began tolose patience, "I will give them a hail, and they must answer. " And in a stentorian voice the sailor gave a prolonged "Halloo!" whichwas echoed again and again from the cliff and rocks. The settlers listened and they thought they heard a sort of chucklinglaugh, of which they could not guess the origin. But no voice replied toPencroft, who in vain repeated his vigorous shouts. There was something indeed in this to astonish the most apatheticof men, and the settlers were not men of that description. In theirsituation every incident had its importance, and, certainly, during theseven months which they had spent on the island, they had not before metwith anything of so surprising a character. Be that as it may, forgetting their fatigue in the singularity of theevent, they remained below Granite House, not knowing what to think, not knowing what to do, questioning each other without any hope ofa satisfactory reply, every one starting some supposition each moreunlikely than the last. Neb bewailed himself, much disappointed at notbeing able to get into his kitchen, for the provisions which theyhad had on their expedition were exhausted, and they had no means ofrenewing them. "My friends, " at last said Cyrus Harding, "there is only one thing to bedone at present; wait for day, and then act according to circumstances. But let us go to the Chimneys. There we shall be under shelter, and ifwe cannot eat, we can at least sleep. " "But who is it that has played us this cool trick?" again askedPencroft, unable to make up his mind to retire from the spot. Whoever it was, the only thing practicable was to do as the engineerproposed, to go to the Chimneys and there wait for day. In the meanwhileTop was ordered to mount guard below the windows of Granite House, andwhen Top received an order he obeyed it without any questioning. Thebrave dog therefore remained at the foot of the cliff while his masterwith his companions sought a refuge among the rocks. To say that the settlers, notwithstanding their fatigue, slept well onthe sandy floor of the Chimneys would not be true. It was not only thatthey were extremely anxious to find out the cause of what had happened, whether it was the result of an accident which would be discovered atthe return of day, or whether on the contrary it was the work of a humanbeing; but they also had very uncomfortable beds. That could not behelped, however, for in some way or other at that moment their dwellingwas occupied, and they could not possibly enter it. Now Granite House was more than their dwelling, it was their warehouse. There were all the stores belonging to the colony, weapons, instruments, tools, ammunition, provisions, etc. To think that all that might bepillaged and that the settlers would have all their work to do overagain, fresh weapons and tools to make, was a serious matter. Theiruneasiness led one or other of them also to go out every few minutes tosee if Top was keeping good watch. Cyrus Harding alone waited with hishabitual patience, although his strong mind was exasperated at beingconfronted with such an inexplicable fact, and he was provoked athimself for allowing a feeling to which he could not give a name, togain an influence over him. Gideon Spilett shared his feelings in thisrespect, and the two conversed together in whispers of the inexplicablecircumstance which baffled even their intelligence and experience. "It is a joke, " said Pencroft; "it is a trick some one has played us. Well, I don't like such jokes, and the joker had better look out forhimself, if he falls into my hands, I can tell him. " As soon as the first gleam of light appeared in the east, the colonists, suitably armed, repaired to the beach under Granite House. The risingsun now shone on the cliff and they could see the windows, the shuttersof which were closed, through the curtains of foliage. All here was in order; but a cry escaped the colonists when they sawthat the door, which they had closed on their departure, was now wideopen. Some one had entered Granite House--there could be no more doubt aboutthat. The upper ladder, which generally hung from the door to the landing, was in its place, but the lower ladder was drawn up and raised tothe threshold. It was evident that the intruders had wished to guardthemselves against a surprise. Pencroft hailed again. No reply. "The beggars, " exclaimed the sailor. "There they are sleeping quietlyas if they were in their own house. Hallo there, you pirates, brigands, robbers, sons of John Bull!" When Pencroft, being a Yankee, treated any one to the epithet of "son ofJohn Bull, " he considered he had reached the last limits of insult. The sun had now completely risen, and the whole facade of Granite Housebecame illuminated by its rays; but in the interior as well as on theexterior all was quiet and calm. The settlers asked if Granite House was inhabited or not, and yet theposition of the ladder was sufficient to show that it was; it was alsocertain that the inhabitants, whoever they might be, had not been ableto escape. But how were they to be got at? Herbert then thought of fastening a cord to an arrow, and shooting thearrow so that it should pass between the first rounds of the ladderwhich hung from the threshold. By means of the cord they would thenbe able to draw down the ladder to the ground, and so re-establish thecommunication between the beach and Granite House. There was evidentlynothing else to be done, and, with a little skill, this method mightsucceed. Very fortunately bows and arrows had been left at the Chimneys, where they also found a quantity of light hibiscus cord. Pencroftfastened this to a well-feathered arrow. Then Herbert fixing it to hisbow, took a careful aim for the lower part of the ladder. Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Neb drew back, so as to seeif anything appeared at the windows. The reporter lifted his gun to hisshoulder and covered the door. The bow was bent, the arrow flew, taking the cord with it, and passedbetween the two last rounds. The operation had succeeded. Herbert immediately seized the end of the cord, but, at that moment whenhe gave it a pull to bring down the ladder, an arm, thrust suddenly outbetween the wall and the door, grasped it and dragged it inside GraniteHouse. "The rascals!" shouted the sailor. "If a ball can do anything for you, you shall not have long to wait for it. "But who was it?" asked Neb. "Who was it? Didn't you see?" "No. " "It was a monkey, a sapajou, an orangoutang, a baboon, a gorilla, asagoin. Our dwelling has been invaded by monkeys, who climbed up theladder during our absence. " And, at this moment, as if to bear witness to the truth of the sailor'swords, two or three quadrumana showed themselves at the windows, from which they had pushed back the shutters, and saluted the realproprietors of the place with a thousand hideous grimaces. "I knew that it was only a joke, " cried Pencroft; "but one of the jokersshall pay the penalty for the rest. " So saying, the sailor, raising his piece, took a rapid aim at one of themonkeys and fired. All disappeared, except one who fell mortally woundedon the beach. This monkey, which was of a large size, evidently belongedto the first order of the quadrumana. Whether this was a chimpanzee, anorangoutang, or a gorilla, he took rank among the anthropoid apes, whoare so called from their resemblance to the human race. However, Herbertdeclared it to be an orangoutang. "What a magnificent beast!" cried Neb. "Magnificent, if you like, " replied Pencroft; "but still I do not seehow we are to get into our house. " "Herbert is a good marksman, " said the reporter, "and his bow is here. He can try again. " "Why, these apes are so cunning, " returned Pencroft; "they won't showthemselves again at the windows and so we can't kill them; and when Ithink of the mischief they may do in the rooms and storehouse--" "Have patience, " replied Harding; "these creatures cannot keep us longat bay. " "I shall not be sure of that till I see them down here, " replied thesailor. "And now, captain, do you know how many dozens of these fellowsare up there?" It was difficult to reply to Pencroft, and as for the young boy makinganother attempt, that was not easy; for the lower part of the ladderhad been drawn again into the door, and when another pull was given, theline broke and the ladder remained firm. The case was really perplexing. Pencroft stormed. There was a comic side to the situation, but he didnot think it funny at all. It was certain that the settlers would end byreinstating themselves in their domicile and driving out the intruders, but when and how? this is what they were not able to say. Two hours passed, during which the apes took care not to showthemselves, but they were still there, and three or four times a nose ora paw was poked out at the door or windows, and was immediately salutedby a gun-shot. "Let us hide ourselves, " at last said the engineer. "Perhaps the apeswill think we have gone quite away and will show themselves again. LetSpilett and Herbert conceal themselves behind those rocks and fire onall that may appear. " The engineer's orders were obeyed, and while the reporter and the lad, the best marksmen in the colony, posted themselves in a good position, but out of the monkeys' sight, Neb, Pencroft, and Cyrus climbed theplateau and entered the forest in order to kill some game, for it wasnow time for breakfast and they had no provisions remaining. In half an hour the hunters returned with a few rock pigeons, which theyroasted as well as they could. Not an ape had appeared. Gideon Spilettand Herbert went to take their share of the breakfast, leaving Top towatch under the windows. They then, having eaten, returned to theirpost. Two hours later, their situation was in no degree improved. Thequadrumana gave no sign of existence, and it might have been supposedthat they had disappeared; but what seemed more probable was that, terrified by the death of one of their companions, and frightened by thenoise of the firearms, they had retreated to the back part of the houseor probably even into the store-room. And when they thought ofthe valuables which this storeroom contained, the patience so muchrecommended by the engineer, fast changed into great irritation, andthere certainly was room for it. "Decidedly it is too bad, " said the reporter; "and the worst of it is, there is no way of putting an end to it. " "But we must drive these vagabonds out somehow, " cried the sailor. "We could soon get the better of them, even if there are twenty of therascals; but for that, we must meet them hand to hand. Come now, isthere no way of getting at them?" "Let us try to enter Granite House by the old opening at the lake, "replied the engineer. "Oh!" shouted the sailor, "and I never thought of that. " This was in reality the only way by which to penetrate into GraniteHouse so as to fight with and drive out the intruders. The opening was, it is true, closed up with a wall of cemented stones, which it would benecessary to sacrifice, but that could easily be rebuilt. Fortunately, Cyrus Harding had not as yet effected his project of hiding this openingby raising the waters of the lake, for the operation would then havetaken some time. It was already past twelve o'clock, when the colonists, well armed andprovided with picks and spades, left the Chimneys, passed beneath thewindows of Granite House, after telling Top to remain at his post, andbegan to ascend the left bank of the Mercy, so as to reach ProspectHeights. But they had not made fifty steps in this direction, when they heard thedog barking furiously. And all rushed down the bank again. Arrived at the turning, they saw that the situation had changed. In fact, the apes, seized with a sudden panic, from some unknown cause, were trying to escape. Two or three ran and clambered from one windowto another with the agility of acrobats. They were not even trying toreplace the ladder, by which it would have been easy to descend; perhapsin their terror they had forgotten this way of escape. The colonists, now being able to take aim without difficulty, fired. Some, wounded orkilled, fell back into the rooms, uttering piercing cries. The rest, throwing themselves out, were dashed to pieces in their fall, and in afew minutes, so far as they knew, there was not a living quadrumana inGranite House. At this moment the ladder was seen to slip over the threshold, thenunroll and fall to the ground. "Hullo!" cried the sailor, "this is queer!" "Very strange!" murmured the engineer, leaping first up the ladder. "Take care, captain!" cried Pencroft, "perhaps there are still some ofthese rascals. "We shall soon see, " replied the engineer, without stopping however. All his companions followed him, and in a minute they had arrived at thethreshold. They searched everywhere. There was no one in the rooms norin the storehouse, which had been respected by the band of quadrumana. "Well now, and the ladder, " cried the sailor; "who can the gentlemanhave been who sent us that down?" But at that moment a cry was heard, and a great orang, who had hiddenhimself in the passage, rushed into the room, pursued by Neb. "Ah, the robber!" cried Pencroft. And hatchet in hand, he was about to cleave the head of the animal, whenCyrus Harding seized his arm, saying, -- "Spare him, Pencroft. " "Pardon this rascal?" "Yes! it was he who threw us the ladder!" And the engineer said this in such a peculiar voice that it wasdifficult to know whether he spoke seriously or not. Nevertheless, they threw themselves on the orang, who defended himselfgallantly, but was soon overpowered and bound. "There!" said Pencroft. "And what shall we make of him, now we've gothim?" "A servant!" replied Herbert. The lad was not joking in saying this, for he knew how this intelligentrace could be turned to account. The settlers then approached the ape and gazed at it attentively. Hebelonged to the family of anthropoid apes, of which the facial angle isnot much inferior to that of the Australians and Hottentots. It was anorangoutang, and as such, had neither the ferocity of the gorilla, northe stupidity of the baboon. It is to this family of the anthropoid apesthat so many characteristics belong which prove them to be possessedof an almost human intelligence. Employed in houses, they can wait attable, sweep rooms, brush clothes, clean boots, handle a knife, fork, and spoon properly, and even drink wine... Doing everything as well asthe best servant that ever walked upon two legs. Buffon possessed oneof these apes, who served him for a long time as a faithful and zealousservant. The one which had been seized in the hall of Granite House was a greatfellow, six feet high, with an admirably poportioned frame, a broadchest, head of a moderate size, the facial angle reaching sixty-fivedegrees, round skull, projecting nose, skin covered with soft glossyhair, in short, a fine specimen of the anthropoids. His eyes, rathersmaller than human eyes, sparkled with intelligence; his white teethglittered under his mustache, and he wore a little curly brown beard. "A handsome fellow!" said Pencroft; "if we only knew his language, wecould talk to him. " "But, master, " said Neb, "are you serious? Are we going to take him as aservant?" "Yes, Neb, " replied the engineer, smiling. "But you must not bejealous. " "And I hope he will make an excellent servant, " added Herbert. "Heappears young, and will be easy to educate, and we shall not be obligedto use force to subdue him, nor draw his teeth, as is sometimes done. Hewill soon grow fond of his masters if they are kind to him. " "And they will be, " replied Pencroft, who had forgotten all his rancoragainst "the jokers. " Then, approaching the orang, -- "Well, old boy!" he asked, "how are you?" The orang replied by a little grunt which did not show any anger. "You wish to join the colony?" again asked the sailor. "You are going toenter the service of Captain Cyrus Harding?" Another respondent grunt was uttered by the ape. "And you will be satisfied with no other wages than your food?" Third affirmative grunt. "This conversation is slightly monotonous, " observed Gideon Spilett. "So much the better, " replied Pencroft; "the best servants are those whotalk the least. And then, no wages, do you hear, my boy? We will giveyou no wages at first, but we will double them afterwards if we arepleased with you. " Thus the colony was increased by a new member. As to his name the sailorbegged that in memory of another ape which he had known, he might becalled Jupiter, and Jup for short. And so, without more ceremony, Master Jup was installed in GraniteHouse. Chapter 7 The settlers in Lincoln Island had now regained their dwelling, withouthaving been obliged to reach it by the old opening, and were thereforespared the trouble of mason's work. It was certainly lucky, that at themoment they were about to set out to do so, the apes had been seizedwith that terror, no less sudden than inexplicable, which had driventhem out of Granite House. Had the animals discovered that theywere about to be attacked from another direction? This was the onlyexplanation of their sudden retreat. During the day the bodies of the apes were carried into the wood, wherethey were buried; then the settlers busied themselves in repairing thedisorder caused by the intruders, disorder but not damage, for althoughthey had turned everything in the rooms topsy-turvy, yet they had brokennothing. Neb relighted his stove, and the stores in the larder furnisheda substantial repast, to which all did ample justice. Jup was not forgotten, and he ate with relish some stonepine almondsand rhizome roots, with which he was abundantly supplied. Pencroft hadunfastened his arms, but judged it best to have his legs tied until theywere more sure of his submission. Then, before retiring to rest, Harding and his companions seated roundtheir table, discussed those plans, the execution of which was mostpressing. The most important and most urgent was the establishment of abridge over the Mercy, so as to form a communication with the southernpart of the island and Granite House; then the making of an enclosurefor the musmons or other woolly animals which they wished to capture. These two projects would help to solve the difficulty as to theirclothing, which was now serious. The bridge would render easy thetransport of the balloon case, which would furnish them with linen, andthe inhabitants of the enclosure would yield wool which would supplythem with winter clothes. As to the enclosure, it was Cyrus Harding's intention to establish it atthe sources of the Red Creek, where the ruminants would find fresh andabundant pasture. The road between Prospect Heights and the sources ofthe stream was already partly beaten, and with a better cart than thefirst, the material could be easily conveyed to the spot, especially ifthey could manage to capture some animals to draw it. But though there might be no inconvenience in the enclosure being so farfrom Granite House, it would not be the same with the poultry-yard, towhich Neb called the attention of the colonists. It was indeed necessarythat the birds should be close within reach of the cook, and no placeappeared more favorable for the establishment of the said poultry-yardthan that portion of the banks of the lake which was close to the oldopening. Water-birds would prosper there as well as others, and the coupleof tinamous taken in their last excursion would be the first to bedomesticated. The next day, the 3rd of November, the new works were begun by theconstruction of the bridge, and all hands were required for thisimportant task. Saws, hatchets, and hammers were shouldered by thesettlers, who, now transformed into carpenters, descended to the shore. There Pencroft observed, -- "Suppose, that during our absence, Master Jup takes it into his head todraw up the ladder which he so politely returned to us yesterday?" "Let us tie its lower end down firmly, " replied Cyrus Harding. This was done by means of two stakes securely fixed in the sand. Thenthe settlers, ascending the left bank of the Mercy, soon arrived at theangle formed by the river. There they halted, in order to ascertain if the bridge could be thrownacross. The place appeared suitable. In fact, from this spot, to Port Balloon, discovered the day before onthe southern coast, there was only a distance of three miles and ahalf, and from the bridge to the Port, it would be easy to make a goodcart-road which would render the communication between Granite House andthe south of the island extremely easy. Cyrus Harding now imparted to his companions a scheme for completelyisolating Prospect Heights so as to shelter it from the attacks both ofquadrupeds and quadrumana. In this way, Granite House, the Chimneys, thepoultry-yard, and all the upper part of the plateau which was to be usedfor cultivation, would be protected against the depredations of animals. Nothing could be easier than to execute this project, and this is howthe engineer intended to set to work. The plateau was already defended on three sides by water-courses, eitherartificial or natural. On the northwest, by the shores of Lake Grant, from the entrance of the passage to the breach made in the banks of thelake for the escape of the water. On the north, from this breach to the sea, by the new water-course whichhad hollowed out a bed for itself across the plateau and shore, aboveand below the fall, and it would be enough to dig the bed of this creeka little deeper to make it impracticable for animals, on all the easternborder by the sea itself, from the mouth of the aforesaid creek to themouth of the Mercy. Lastly, on the south, from the mouth to the turn of the Mercy where thebridge was to be established. The western border of the plateau now remained between the turn of theriver and the southern angle of the lake, a distance of about a mile, which was open to all comers. But nothing could be easier than to dig abroad deep ditch, which could be filled from the lake, and the overflowof which would throw itself by a rapid fall into the bed of the Mercy. The level of the lake would, no doubt, be somewhat lowered by this freshdischarge of its waters, but Cyrus Harding had ascertained that thevolume of water in the Red Creek was considerable enough to allow of theexecution of this project. "So then, " added the engineer, "Prospect Heights will become a regularisland, being surrounded with water on all sides, and only communicatingwith the rest of our domain by the bridge which we are about to throwacross the Mercy, the two little bridges already established above andbelow the fall; and, lastly, two other little bridges which must beconstructed, one over the canal which I propose to dig, the other acrossto the left bank of the Mercy. Now, if these bridges can be raised atwill, Prospect Heights will be guarded from any surprise. " The bridge was the most urgent work. Trees were selected, cut down, stripped of their branches, and cut into beams, joists, and planks. Theend of the bridge which rested on the right bank of the Mercy was to befirm, but the other end on the left bank was to be movable, so that itmight be raised by means of a counterpoise, as some canal bridges aremanaged. This was certainly a considerable work, and though it was skillfullyconducted, it took some time, for the Mercy at this place was eightyfeet wide. It was therefore necessary to fix piles in the bed ofthe river so as to sustain the floor of the bridge and establish apile-driver to act on the tops of these piles, which would thus form twoarches and allow the bridge to support heavy loads. Happily there was no want of tools with which to shape the wood, norof iron-work to make it firm, nor of the ingenuity of a man who had amarvelous knowledge of the work, nor lastly, the zeal of his companions, who in seven months had necessarily acquired great skill in the use oftheir tools; and it must be said that not the least skilful was GideonSpilett, who in dexterity almost equaled the sailor himself. "Who wouldever have expected so much from a newspaper man!" thought Pencroft. The construction of the Mercy bridge lasted three weeks of regularhard work. They even breakfasted on the scene of their labors, and theweather being magnificent, they only returned to Granite House to sleep. During this period it may be stated that Master Jup grew more accustomedto his new masters, whose movements he always watched with veryinquisitive eyes. However, as a precautionary measure, Pencroft did notas yet allow him complete liberty, rightly wishing to wait until thelimits of the plateau should be settled by the projected works. Topand Jup were good friends and played willingly together, but Jup dideverything solemnly. On the 20th of November the bridge was finished. The movable part, balanced by the counterpoise, swung easily, and only a slight effort wasneeded to rise it; between its hinge and the last cross-bar on whichit rested when closed, there existed a space of twenty feet, which wassufficiently wide to prevent any animals from crossing. The settlers now began to talk of fetching the balloon-case, which theywere anxious to place in perfect security; but to bring it, it would benecessary to take a cart to Port Balloon, and consequently, necessary tobeat a road through the dense forests of the Far West. This would takesome time. Also, Neb and Pencroft having gone to examine into the stateof things at Port Balloon, and reported that the stock of cloth wouldsuffer no damage in the grotto where it was stored, it was decided thatthe work at Prospect Heights should not be discontinued. "That, " observed Pencroft, "will enable us to establish our poultry-yardunder better conditions, since we need have no fear of visits from foxesnor the attacks of other beasts. " "Then, " added Neb, "we can clear the plateau, and transplant wild plantsto it. " "And prepare our second corn-field!" cried the sailor with a triumphantair. In fact, the first corn-field sown with a single grain had prosperedadmirably, thanks to Pencroft's care. It had produced the ten earsforetold by the engineer, and each ear containing eighty grains, thecolony found itself in possession of eight hundred grains, in sixmonths, which promised a double harvest each year. These eight hundred grains, except fifty, which were prudently reserved, were to be sown in a new field, but with no less care than was bestowedon the single grain. The field was prepared, then surrounded with a strong palisade, high andpointed, which quadrupeds would have found difficulty in leaping. As tobirds, some scarecrows, due to Pencroft's ingenious brain, were enoughto frighten them. The seven hundred and fifty grains deposited in veryregular furrows were then left for nature to do the rest. On the 21st of November, Cyrus Harding began to plan the canal which wasto close the plateau on the west, from the south angle of Lake Grant tothe angle of the Mercy. There was there two or three feet of vegetableearth, and below that granite. It was therefore necessary to manufacturesome more nitro-glycerine, and the nitro-glycerine did its accustomedwork. In less than a fortnight a ditch, twelve feet wide and six deep, was dug out in the hard ground of the plateau. A new trench was made bythe same means in the rocky border of the lake, forming a small stream, to which they gave the name of Creek Glycerine, and which was thus anaffluent of the Mercy. As the engineer had predicted, the level of thelake was lowered, though very slightly. To complete the enclosure thebed of the stream on the beach was considerably enlarged, and the sandsupported by means of stakes. By the end of the first fortnight of December these works were finished, and Prospect Heights--that is to say, a sort of irregular pentagon, having a perimeter of nearly four miles, surrounded by a liquidbelt--was completely protected from depredators of every description. During the month of December, the heat was very great. In spite of it, however, the settlers continued their work, and as they were anxious topossess a poultry-yard they forthwith commenced it. It is useless to say that since the enclosing of the plateau had beencompleted, Master Jup had been set at liberty. He did not leave hismasters, and evinced no wish to escape. He was a gentle animal, thoughvery powerful and wonderfully active. He was already taught to makehimself useful by drawing loads of wood and carting away the stoneswhich were extracted from the bed of Creek Glycerine. The poultry-yard occupied an area of two hundred square yards, on thesoutheastern bank of the lake. It was surrounded by a palisade, andin it were constructed various shelters for the birds which were topopulate it. These were simply built of branches and divided intocompartments, made ready for the expected guests. The first were the two tinamous, which were not long in having a numberof young ones; they had for companions half a dozen ducks, accustomed tothe borders of the lake. Some belonged to the Chinese species, of whichthe wings open like a fan, and which by the brilliancy of their plumagerival the golden pheasants. A few days afterwards, Herbert snared acouple of gallinaceae, with spreading tails composed of long feathers, magnificent alectors, which soon became tame. As to pelicans, kingfishers, water-hens, they came of themselves to the shores of thepoultry-yard, and this little community, after some disputes, cooing, screaming, clucking, ended by settling down peacefully, and increased inencouraging proportion for the future use of the colony. Cyrus Harding, wishing to complete his performance, established apigeon-house in a corner of the poultry-yard. There he lodged a dozenof those pigeons which frequented the rocks of the plateau. These birdssoon became accustomed to returning every evening to their new dwelling, and showed more disposition to domesticate themselves than theircongeners, the wood-pigeons. Lastly, the time had come for turning the balloon-case to use, bycutting it up to make shirts and other articles; for as to keeping it inits present form, and risking themselves in a balloon filled with gas, above a sea of the limits of which they had no idea, it was not to bethought of. It was necessary to bring the case to Granite House, and the colonistsemployed themselves in rendering their heavy cart lighter and moremanageable. But though they had a vehicle, the moving power was yet tobe found. But did there not exist in the island some animal which might supply theplace of the horse, ass, or ox? That was the question. "Certainly, " said Pencroft, "a beast of burden would be very useful tous until the captain has made a steam cart, or even an engine, for someday we shall have a railroad from Granite House to Port Balloon, with abranch line to Mount Franklin!" One day, the 23rd of December, Neb and Top were heard shouting andbarking, each apparently trying to see who could make the most noise. The settlers, who were busy at the Chimneys, ran, fearing some vexatiousincident. What did they see? Two fine animals of a large size that had imprudentlyventured on the plateau, when the bridges were open. One would have saidthey were horses, or at least donkeys, male and female, of a fine shape, dove-colored, the legs and tail white, striped with black on the headand neck. They advanced quietly without showing any uneasiness, andgazed at the men, in whom they could not as yet recognize their futuremasters. "These are onagers!" cried Herbert, "animals something between the zebraand the quagga!" "Why not donkeys?" asked Neb. "Because they have not long ears, and their shape is more graceful!" "Donkeys or horses, " interrupted Pencroft, "they are 'moving powers, ' asthe captain would say, and as such must be captured!" The sailor, without frightening the animals, crept through the grassto the bridge over Creek Glycerine, lowered it, and the onagers wereprisoners. Now, should they seize them with violence and master them by force? No. It was decided that for a few days they should be allowed to roamfreely about the plateau, where there was an abundance of grass, and theengineer immediately began to prepare a stable near the poultry-yard, in which the onagers might find food, with a good litter, and shelterduring the night. This done, the movements of the two magnificent creatures were leftentirely free, and the settlers avoided even approaching them so as toterrify them. Several times, however, the onagers appeared to wish toleave the plateau, too confined for animals accustomed to the plainsand forests. They were then seen following the water-barrier whicheverywhere presented itself before them, uttering short neighs, thengalloping through the grass, and becoming calmer, they would remainentire hours gazing at the woods, from which they were cut off for ever! In the meantime harness of vegetable fiber had been manufactured, andsome days after the capture of the onagers, not only the cart was ready, but a straight road, or rather a cutting, had been made through theforests of the Far West, from the angle of the Mercy to Port Balloon. The cart might then be driven there, and towards the end of Decemberthey tried the onagers for the first time. Pencroft had already coaxed the animals to come and eat out of his hand, and they allowed him to approach without making any difficulty, but onceharnessed they reared and could with difficulty be held in. However, itwas not long before they submitted to this new service, for the onager, being less refractory than the zebra, is frequently put in harnessin the mountainous regions of Southern Africa, and it has even beenacclimatized in Europe, under zones of a relative coolness. On this day all the colony, except Pencroft who walked at the animals'heads, mounted the cart, and set out on the road to Port Balloon. Of course they were jolted over the somewhat rough road, but the vehiclearrived without any accident, and was soon loaded with the case andrigging of the balloon. At eight o'clock that evening the cart, after passing over the Mercybridge, descended the left bank of the river, and stopped on the beach. The onagers being unharnessed, were thence led to their stable, andPencroft before going to sleep gave vent to his feelings in a deep sighof satisfaction that awoke all the echoes of Granite House. Chapter 8 The first week of January was devoted to the manufacture of the linengarments required by the colony. The needles found in the box were usedby sturdy if not delicate fingers, and we may be sure that what was sewnwas sewn firmly. There was no lack of thread, thanks to Cyrus Harding's idea ofre-employing that which had been already used in the covering of theballoon. This with admirable patience was all unpicked by Gideon Spilettand Herbert, for Pencroft had been obliged to give this work up, as itirritated him beyond measure; but he had no equal in the sewing partof the business. Indeed, everybody knows that sailors have a remarkableaptitude for tailoring. The cloth of which the balloon-case was made was then cleaned by meansof soda and potash, obtained by the incineration of plants, in such away that the cotton, having got rid of the varnish, resumed its naturalsoftness and elasticity; then, exposed to the action of the atmosphere, it soon became perfectly white. Some dozen shirts and sock--the latternot knitted, of course, but made of cotton--were thus manufactured. Whata comfort it was to the settlers to clothe themselves again in cleanlinen, which was doubtless rather rough, but they were not troubledabout that! and then to go to sleep between sheets, which made thecouches at Granite House into quite comfortable beds! It was about this time also that they made boots of seal-leather, whichwere greatly needed to replace the shoes and boots brought from America. We may be sure that these new shoes were large enough and never pinchedthe feet of the wearers. With the beginning of the year 1866 the heat was very great, butthe hunting in the forests did not stand still. Agouties, peccaries, capybaras, kangaroos, game of all sorts, actually swarmed there, andSpilett and Herbert were too good marksmen ever to throw away their shotuselessly. Cyrus Harding still recommended them to husband the ammunition, and hetook measures to replace the powder and shot which had been found inthe box, and which he wished to reserve for the future. How did he knowwhere chance might one day cast his companions and himself in theevent of their leaving their domain? They should, then, prepare for theunknown future by husbanding their ammunition and by substituting for itsome easily renewable substance. To replace lead, of which Harding had found no traces in the island, heemployed granulated iron, which was easy to manufacture. These bullets, not having the weight of leaden bullets, were made larger, and eachcharge contained less, but the skill of the sportsmen made up thisdeficiency. As to powder, Cyrus Harding would have been able to makethat also, for he had at his disposal saltpeter, sulphur, and coal; butthis preparation requires extreme care, and without special tools it isdifficult to produce it of a good quality. Harding preferred, therefore, to manufacture pyroxyle, that is to say gun-cotton, a substance in whichcotton is not indispensable, as the elementary tissue of vegetables maybe used, and this is found in an almost pure state, not only in cotton, but in the textile fiber of hemp and flax, in paper, the pith of theelder, etc. Now, the elder abounded in the island towards the mouth ofRed Creek, and the colonists had already made coffee of the berries ofthese shrubs, which belong to the family of the caprifoliaceae. The only thing to be collected, therefore, was elder-pith, for as to theother substance necessary for the manufacture of pyroxyle, it was onlyfuming azotic acid. Now, Harding having sulphuric acid at his disposal, had already been easily able to produce azotic acid by attacking thesaltpeter with which nature supplied him. He accordingly resolved tomanufacture and employ pyroxyle, although it has some inconveniences, that is to say, a great inequality of effect, an excessiveinflammability, since it takes fire at one hundred and seventydegrees instead of two hundred and forty, and lastly, an instantaneousdeflagration which might damage the firearms. On the other hand, theadvantages of pyroxyle consist in this, that it is not injured by damp, that it does not make the gun-barrels dirty, and that its force is fourtimes that of ordinary powder. To make pyroxyle, the cotton must be immersed in the fuming azotic acidfor a quarter of an hour, then washed in cold water and dried. Nothingcould be more simple. Cyrus Harding had only at his disposal the ordinary azotic acid and notthe fuming or monohydrate azotic acid, that is to say, acid which emitswhite vapors when it comes in contact with damp air; but by substitutingfor the latter ordinary azotic acid, mixed, in the proportion of fromthree to five volumes of concentrated sulphuric acid, the engineerobtained the same result. The sportsmen of the island therefore soonhad a perfectly prepared substance, which, employed discreetly, producedadmirable results. About this time the settlers cleared three acres of the plateau, andthe rest was preserved in a wild state, for the benefit of the onagers. Several excursions were made into the Jacamar Wood and the forests ofthe Far West, and they brought back from thence a large collection ofwild vegetables, spinach, cress, radishes, and turnips, which carefulculture would soon improve, and which would temper the regimen on whichthe settlers had till then subsisted. Supplies of wood and coal werealso carted. Each excursion was at the same time a means of improvingthe roads, which gradually became smoother under the wheels of the cart. The rabbit-warren still continued to supply the larder of Granite House. As fortunately it was situated on the other side of Creek Glycerine, its inhabitants could not reach the plateau nor ravage the newly-madeplantation. The oyster-bed among the rocks was frequently renewed andfurnished excellent molluscs. Besides that, the fishing, either inthe lake or the Mercy, was very profitable, for Pencroft had made somelines, armed with iron hooks, with which they frequently caught finetrout, and a species of fish whose silvery sides were speckled withyellow, and which were also extremely savory. Master Neb, who wasskilled in the culinary art, knew how to vary agreeably the bill offare. Bread alone was wanting at the table of the settlers, and as hasbeen said, they felt this privation greatly. The settlers hunted too the turtles which frequented the shores ofCape Mandible. At this place the beach was covered with little mounds, concealing perfectly spherical turtles' eggs, with white hard shells, the albumen of which does not coagulate as that of birds' eggs. Theywere hatched by the sun, and their number was naturally considerable, aseach turtle can lay annually two hundred and fifty. "A regular egg-field, " observed Gideon Spilett, "and we have nothing todo but to pick them up. " But not being contented with simply the produce, they made chase afterthe producers, the result of which was that they were able to bring backto Granite House a dozen of these chelonians, which were really valuablefrom an alimentary point of view. The turtle soup, flavored witharomatic herbs, often gained well-merited praises for its preparer, Neb. We must here mention another fortunate circumstance by which new storesfor the winter were laid in. Shoals of salmon entered the Mercy, andascended the country for several miles. It was the time at which thefemales, going to find suitable places in which to spawn, precede themales and make a great noise through the fresh water. A thousand ofthese fish, which measured about two feet and a half in length, came upthe river, and a large quantity were retained by fixing dams acrossthe stream. More than a hundred were thus taken, which were salted andstored for the time when winter, freezing up the streams, would renderfishing impracticable. By this time the intelligent Jup was raisedto the duty of valet. He had been dressed in a jacket, white linenbreeches, and an apron, the pockets of which were his delight. Theclever orang had been marvelously trained by Neb, and any one would havesaid that the Negro and the ape understood each other when they talkedtogether. Jup had besides a real affection for Neb, and Neb returnedit. When his services were not required, either for carrying wood or forclimbing to the top of some tree, Jup passed the greatest part of histime in the kitchen, where he endeavored to imitate Neb in all that hesaw him do. The black showed the greatest patience and even extremezeal in instructing his pupil, and the pupil exhibited remarkableintelligence in profiting by the lessons he received from his master. Judge then of the pleasure Master Jup gave to the inhabitants of GraniteHouse when, without their having had any idea of it, he appeared oneday, napkin on his arm, ready to wait at table. Quick, attentive, heacquitted himself perfectly, changing the plates, bringing dishes, pouring out water, all with a gravity which gave intense amusement tothe settlers, and which enraptured Pencroft. "Jup, some soup!" "Jup, a little agouti!" "Jup, a plate!" "Jup! Good Jup! Honest Jup!" Nothing was heard but that, and Jup without ever being disconcerted, replied to every one, watched for everything, and he shook his head in aknowing way when Pencroft, referring to his joke of the first day, saidto him, -- "Decidedly, Jup, your wages must be doubled. " It is useless to say that the orang was now thoroughly domesticated atGranite House, and that he often accompanied his masters to the forestwithout showing any wish to leave them. It was most amusing to see himwalking with a stick which Pencroft had given him, and which he carriedon his shoulder like a gun. If they wished to gather some fruit fromthe summit of a tree, how quickly he climbed for it. If the wheel of thecart stuck in the mud, with what energy did Jup with a single heave ofhis shoulder put it right again. "What a jolly fellow he is!" cried Pencroft often. "If he was asmischievous as he is good, there would be no doing anything with him!" It was towards the end of January the colonists began their labors inthe center of the island. It had been decided that a corral should beestablished near the sources of the Red Creek, at the foot of MountFranklin, destined to contain the ruminants, whose presence would havebeen troublesome at Granite House, and especially for the musmons, whowere to supply the wool for the settlers' winter garments. Each morning, the colony, sometimes entire, but more often representedonly by Harding, Herbert, and Pencroft, proceeded to the sources of theCreek, a distance of not more than five miles, by the newly beaten roadto which the name of Corral Road had been given. There a site was chosen, at the back of the southern ridge of themountain. It was a meadow land, dotted here and there with clumps oftrees, and watered by a little stream, which sprung from the slopeswhich closed it in on one side. The grass was fresh, and it was nottoo much shaded by the trees which grew about it. This meadow was tobe surrounded by a palisade, high enough to prevent even the most agileanimals from leaping over. This enclosure would be large enough tocontain a hundred musmons and wild goats, with all the young ones theymight produce. The perimeter of the corral was then traced by the engineer, andthey would then have proceeded to fell the trees necessary for theconstruction of the palisade, but as the opening up of the road hadalready necessitated the sacrifice of a considerable number, those werebrought and supplied a hundred stakes, which were firmly fixed in theground. The construction of this corral did not take less than three weeks, for besides the palisade, Cyrus Harding built large sheds, in which theanimals could take shelter. These buildings had also to be made verystrong, for musmons are powerful animals, and their first fury was to befeared. The stakes, sharpened at their upper end and hardened by fire, had been fixed by means of cross-bars, and at regular distances propsassured the solidity of the whole. The corral finished, a raid had to be made on the pastures frequentedby the ruminants. This was done on the 7th of February, on a beautifulsummer's day, and every one took part in it. The onagers, already welltrained, were ridden by Spilett and Herbert, and were of great use. The maneuver consisted simply in surrounding the musmons and goats, andgradually narrowing the circle around them. Cyrus Harding, Pencroft, Neb, and Jup, posted themselves in different parts of the wood, whilethe two cavaliers and Top galloped in a radius of half a mile round thecorral. The musmons were very numerous in this part of the island. These fineanimals were as large as deer; their horns were stronger than those ofthe ram, and their gray-colored fleece was mixed with long hair. This hunting day was very fatiguing. Such going and coming, and runningand riding and shouting! Of a hundred musmons which had been surrounded, more than two-thirds escaped, but at last, thirty of these animals andten wild goats were gradually driven back towards the corral, the opendoor of which appearing to offer a means of escape, they rushed in andwere prisoners. In short, the result was satisfactory, and the settlers had no reason tocomplain. There was no doubt that the flock would prosper, and that atno distant time not only wool but hides would be abundant. That evening the hunters returned to Granite House quite exhausted. However, notwithstanding their fatigue, they returned the next dayto visit the corral. The prisoners had been trying to overthrow thepalisade, but of course had not succeeded, and were not long in becomingmore tranquil. During the month of February, no event of any importance occurred. Thedaily labors were pursued methodically, and, as well as improving theroads to the corral and to Port Balloon, a third was commenced, which, starting from the enclosure, proceeded towards the western coast. Theyet unknown portion of Lincoln Island was that of the wood-coveredSerpentine Peninsula, which sheltered the wild beasts, from which GideonSpilett was so anxious to clear their domain. Before the cold season should appear the most assiduous care was givento the cultivation of the wild plants which had been transplanted fromthe forest to Prospect Heights. Herbert never returned from an excursionwithout bringing home some useful vegetable. One day, it was somespecimens of the chicory tribe, the seeds of which by pressure yield anexcellent oil; another, it was some common sorrel, whose antiscorbuticqualities were not to be despised; then, some of those precious tubers, which have at all times been cultivated in South America, potatoes, ofwhich more than two hundred species are now known. The kitchen garden, now well stocked and carefully defended from the birds, was dividedinto small beds, where grew lettuces, kidney potatoes, sorrel, turnips, radishes, and other coneiferae. The soil on the plateau was particularlyfertile, and it was hoped that the harvests would be abundant. They had also a variety of different beverages, and so long as they didnot demand wine, the most hard to please would have had no reason tocomplain. To the Oswego tea, and the fermented liquor extracted from theroots of the dragonnier, Harding had added a regular beer, made fromthe young shoots of the spruce-fir, which, after having been boiledand fermented, made that agreeable drink called by the Anglo-Americansspring-beer. Towards the end of the summer, the poultry-yard was possessed ofa couple of fine bustards, which belonged to the houbara species, characterized by a sort of feathery mantle; a dozen shovelers, whoseupper mandible was prolonged on each side by a membraneous appendage;and also some magnificent cocks, similar to the Mozambique cocks, the comb, caruncle, and epidermis being black. So far, everything hadsucceeded, thanks to the activity of these courageous and intelligentmen. Nature did much for them, doubtless; but faithful to the greatprecept, they made a right use of what a bountiful Providence gave them. After the heat of these warm summer days, in the evening when their workwas finished and the sea-breeze began to blow, they liked to sit on theedge of Prospect Heights, in a sort of veranda, covered with creepers, which Neb had made with his own hands. There they talked, theyinstructed each other, they made plans, and the rough good-humor ofthe sailor always amused this little world, in which the most perfectharmony had never ceased to reign. They often spoke of their country, of their dear and great America. Whatwas the result of the War of Secession? It could not have been greatlyprolonged. Richmond had doubtless soon fallen into the hands of GeneralGrant. The taking of the capital of the Confederates must have been thelast action of this terrible struggle. Now the North had triumphed inthe good cause, how welcome would have been a newspaper to the exiles inLincoln Island! For eleven months all communication between them and therest of their fellow-creatures had been interrupted, and in a short timethe 24th of March would arrive, the anniversary of the day on whichthe balloon had thrown them on this unknown coast. They were then merecastaways, not even knowing how they should preserve their miserablelives from the fury of the elements! And now, thanks to the knowledge oftheir captain, and their own intelligence, they were regular colonists, furnished with arms, tools, and instruments; they had been able to turnto their profit the animals, plants, and minerals of the island, that isto say, the three kingdoms of Nature. Yes; they often talked of all these things and formed still more plans. As to Cyrus Harding he was for the most part silent, and listened tohis companions more often than he spoke to them. Sometimes he smiledat Herbert's ideas or Pencroft's nonsense, but always and everywhere hepondered over those inexplicable facts, that strange enigma, of whichthe secret still escaped him! Chapter 9 The weather changed during the first week of March. There had been afull moon at the commencement of the month, and the heat was excessive. The atmosphere was felt to be full of electricity, and a period of somelength of tempestuous weather was to be feared. Indeed, on the 2nd, peals of thunder were heard, the wind blew from theeast, and hail rattled against the facade of Granite House likevolleys of grape-shot. The door and windows were immediately closed, or everything in the rooms would have been drenched. On seeing thesehailstones, some of which were the size of a pigeon's egg, Pencroft'sfirst thought was that his cornfield was in serious danger. He directly rushed to his field, where little green heads were alreadyappearing, and by means of a great cloth, he managed to protect hiscrop. This bad weather lasted a week, during which time the thunder rolledwithout cessation in the depths of the sky. The colonists, not having any pressing work out of doors, profitedby the bad weather to work at the interior of Granite House, thearrangement of which was becoming more complete from day to day. Theengineer made a turning-lathe, with which he turned several articlesboth for the toilet and the kitchen, particularly buttons, the want ofwhich was greatly felt. A gunrack had been made for the firearms, whichwere kept with extreme care, and neither tables nor cupboards were leftincomplete. They sawed, they planed, they filed, they turned; and duringthe whole of this bad season, nothing was heard but the grindingof tools or the humming of the turning-lathe which responded to thegrowling of the thunder. Master Jup had not been forgotten, and he occupied a room at the back, near the storeroom, a sort of cabin with a cot always full of goodlitter, which perfectly suited his taste. "With good old Jup there is never any quarreling, " often repeatedPencroft, "never any improper reply. What a servant, Neb, what aservant!" Of course Jup was now well used to service. He brushed their clothes, he turned the spit, he waited at table, he swept the rooms, he gatheredwood, and he performed another admirable piece of service whichdelighted Pencroft--he never went to sleep without first coming to tuckup the worthy sailor in his bed. As to the health of the members of the colony, bipeds or bimana, quadrumana or quadrupeds, it left nothing to be desired. With their lifein the open air, on this salubrious soil, under that temperate zone, working both with head and hands, they could not suppose that illnesswould ever attack them. All were indeed wonderfully well. Herbert had already grown two inchesin the year. His figure was forming and becoming more manly, and hepromised to be an accomplished man, physically as well as morally. Besides he improved himself during the leisure hours which manualoccupations left to him; he read the books found in the case; and afterthe practical lessons which were taught by the very necessity of theirposition, he found in the engineer for science, and the reporter forlanguages, masters who were delighted to complete his education. The tempest ended about the 9th of March, but the sky remained coveredwith clouds during the whole of this last summer month. The atmosphere, violently agitated by the electric commotions, could not recover itsformer purity, and there was almost invariably rain and fog, except forthree or four fine days on which several excursions were made. Aboutthis time the female onager gave birth to a young one which belonged tothe same sex as its mother, and which throve capitally. In the corral, the flock of musmons had also increased, and several lambs alreadybleated in the sheds, to the great delight of Neb and Herbert, who hadeach their favorite among these newcomers. An attempt was also madefor the domestication of the peccaries, which succeeded well. A sty wasconstructed under the poultry-yard, and soon contained several youngones in the way to become civilized, that is to say, to become fatunder Neb's care. Master Jup, entrusted with carrying them theirdaily nourishment, leavings from the kitchen, etc. , acquitted himselfconscientiously of his task. He sometimes amused himself at the expenseof his little pensioners by tweaking their tails; but this was mischief, and not wickedness, for these little twisted tails amused him like aplaything, and his instinct was that of a child. One day in this monthof March, Pencroft, talking to the engineer, reminded Cyrus Harding of apromise which the latter had not as yet had time to fulfil. "You once spoke of an apparatus which would take the place of the longladders at Granite House, captain, " said he; "won't you make it someday?" "Nothing will be easier; but is this a really useful thing?" "Certainly, captain. After we have given ourselves necessaries, let usthink a little of luxury. For us it may be luxury, if you like, butfor things it is necessary. It isn't very convenient to climb up a longladder when one is heavily loaded. " "Well, Pencroft, we will try to please you, " replied Cyrus Harding. "But you have no machine at your disposal. " "We will make one. " "A steam machine?" "No, a water machine. " And, indeed, to work his apparatus there was already a natural forceat the disposal of the engineer which could be used without greatdifficulty. For this, it was enough to augment the flow of the littlestream which supplied the interior of Granite House with water. Theopening among the stones and grass was then increased, thus producinga strong fall at the bottom of the passage, the overflow from whichescaped by the inner well. Below this fall the engineer fixed a cylinderwith paddles, which was joined on the exterior with a strong cablerolled on a wheel, supporting a basket. In this way, by means of a longrope reaching to the ground, which enabled them to regulate the motivepower, they could rise in the basket to the door of Granite House. It was on the 17th of March that the lift acted for the first time, andgave universal satisfaction. Henceforward all the loads, wood, coal, provisions, and even the settlers themselves, were hoisted by thissimple system, which replaced the primitive ladder, and, as may besupposed, no one thought of regretting the change. Top particularly wasenchanted with this improvement, for he had not, and never could havepossessed Master Jup's skill in climbing ladders, and often it was onNeb's back, or even on that of the orang that he had been obliged tomake the ascent to Granite House. About this time, too, Cyrus Hardingattempted to manufacture glass, and he at first put the old pottery-kilnto this new use. There were some difficulties to be encountered; but, after several fruitless attempts, he succeeded in setting up a glassmanufactory, which Gideon Spilett and Herbert, his usual assistants, didnot leave for several days. As to the substances used in the compositionof glass, they are simply sand, chalk, and soda, either carbonate orsulphate. Now the beach supplied sand, lime supplied chalk, sea-weedssupplied soda, pyrites supplied sulphuric acid, and the ground suppliedcoal to heat the kiln to the wished-for temperature. Cyrus Harding thussoon had everything ready for setting to work. The tool, the manufacture of which presented the most difficulty, wasthe pipe of the glass-maker, an iron tube, five or six feet long, whichcollects on one end the material in a state of fusion. But by means ofa long, thin piece of iron rolled up like the barrel of a gun, Pencroftsucceeded in making a tube soon ready for use. On the 28th of March the tube was heated. A hundred parts of sand, thirty-five of chalk, forty of sulphate of soda, mixed with two or threeparts of powdered coal, composed the substance, which was placed incrucibles. When the high temperature of the oven had reduced it to aliquid, or rather a pasty state, Cyrus Harding collected with the tubea quantity of the paste: he turned it about on a metal plate, previouslyarranged, so as to give it a form suitable for blowing, then he passedthe tube to Herbert, telling him to blow at the other extremity. And Herbert, swelling out his cheeks, blew so much and so well into thetube-taking care to twirl it round at the same time--that his breathdilated the glassy mass. Other quantities of the substance in a stateof fusion were added to the first, and in a short time the result was abubble which measured a foot in diameter. Harding then took the tubeout of Herbert's hands, and, giving it a pendulous motion, he ended bylengthening the malleable bubble so as to give it a cylindroconic shape. The blowing operation had given a cylinder of glass terminated by twohemispheric caps, which were easily detached by means of a sharp irondipped in cold water; then, by the same proceeding, this cylinder wascut lengthways, and after having been rendered malleable by a secondheating, it was extended on a plate and spread out with a wooden roller. The first pane was thus manufactured, and they had only to perform thisoperation fifty times to have fifty panes. The windows at Granite Housewere soon furnished with panes; not very white, perhaps, but stillsufficiently transparent. As to bottles and tumblers, that was only play. They were satisfied withthem, besides, just as they came from the end of the tube. Pencroft hadasked to be allowed to "blow" in his turn, and it was great fun forhim; but he blew so hard that his productions took the most ridiculousshapes, which he admired immensely. Cyrus Harding and Herbert, while hunting one day, had entered the forestof the Far West, on the left bank of the Mercy, and, as usual, thelad was asking a thousand questions of the engineer, who answered themheartily. Now, as Harding was not a sportsman, and as, on the otherside, Herbert was talking chemistry and natural philosophy, numbers ofkangaroos, capybaras, and agouties came within range, which, however, escaped the lad's gun; the consequence was that the day was alreadyadvanced, and the two hunters were in danger of having made auseless excursion, when Herbert, stopping, and uttering a cry of joy, exclaimed, -- "Oh, Captain Harding, do you see that tree?" and he pointed to a shrub, rather than a tree, for it was composed of a single stem, covered with ascaly bark, which bore leaves streaked with little parallel veins. "And what is this tree which resembles a little palm?" asked Harding. "It is a 'cycas revoluta, ' of which I have a picture in our dictionaryof Natural History!" said Herbert. "But I can't see any fruit on this shrub!" observed his companion. "No, captain, " replied Herbert; "but its stem contains a flour withwhich nature has provided us all ready ground. " "It is, then, the bread-tree?" "Yes, the bread-tree. " "Well, my boy, " replied the engineer, "this is a valuable discovery, since our wheat harvest is not yet ripe; I hope that you are notmistaken!" Herbert was not mistaken: he broke the stem of a cycas, which wascomposed of a glandulous tissue, containing a quantity of floury pith, traversed with woody fiber, separated by rings of the same substance, arranged concentrically. With this fecula was mingled a mucilaginousjuice of disagreeable flavor, but which it would be easy to get rid ofby pressure. This cellular substance was regular flour of a superiorquality, extremely nourishing; its exportation was formerly forbidden bythe Japanese laws. Cyrus Harding and Herbert, after having examined that part of the FarWest where the cycas grew, took their bearings, and returned to GraniteHouse, where they made known their discovery. The next day the settlers went to collect some, and returned to GraniteHouse with an ample supply of cycas stems. The engineer constructed apress, with which to extract the mucilaginous juice mingled with thefecula, and he obtained a large quantity of flour, which Neb soontransformed into cakes and puddings. This was not quite real wheatenbread, but it was very like it. Now, too, the onager, the goats, and the sheep in the corral furnisheddaily the milk necessary to the colony. The cart, or rather a sort oflight carriole which had replaced it, made frequent journeys to thecorral, and when it was Pencroft's turn to go he took Jup, and let himdrive, and Jup, cracking his whip, acquitted himself with his customaryintelligence. Everything prospered, as well in the corral as in Granite House, andcertainly the settlers, if it had not been that they were so far fromtheir native land, had no reason to complain. They were so well suitedto this life, and were, besides, so accustomed to the island, that theycould not have left its hospitable soil without regret! And yet so deeply is the love of his country implanted in the heart ofman, that if a ship had unexpectedly come in sight of the island, thecolonists would have made signals, would have attracted her attention, and would have departed! It was the 1st of April, a Sunday, Easter Day, which Harding and hiscompanions sanctified by rest and prayer. The day was fine, such as anOctober day in the Northern Hemisphere might be. All, towards the evening after dinner, were seated under the verandaon the edge of Prospect Heights, and they were watching thedarkness creeping up from the horizon. Some cups of the infusion ofelder-berries, which took the place of coffee, had been served by Neb. They were speaking of the island and of its isolated situation in thePacific, which led Gideon Spilett to say, -- "My dear Cyrus, have you ever, since you possessed the sextant found inthe case, again taken the position of our island?" "No, " replied the engineer. "But it would perhaps be a good thing to do it with this instrument, which is more perfect than that which you before used. " "What is the good?" said Pencroft. "The island is quite comfortablewhere it is!" "Well, who knows, " returned the reporter, "who knows but that we may bemuch nearer inhabited land than we think?" "We shall know to-morrow, " replied Cyrus Harding, "and if it had notbeen for the occupations which left me no leisure, we should have knownit already. " "Good!" said Pencroft. "The captain is too good an observer to bemistaken, and, if it has not moved from its place, the island is justwhere he put it. " "We shall see. " On the next day, therefore, by means of the sextant, the engineer madethe necessary observations to verify the position which he hadalready obtained, and this was the result of his operation. His firstobservation had given him the situation of Lincoln Island, -- In west longitude: from 1500 to 1550; In south latitude: from 300 to 350 The second gave exactly: In longitude: 1500 30' In south latitude: 340 57' So then, notwithstanding the imperfection of his apparatus, CyrusHarding had operated with so much skill that his error did not exceedfive degrees. "Now, " said Gideon Spilett, "since we possess an atlas as well as asextant, let us see, my dear Cyrus, the exact position which LincolnIsland occupies in the Pacific. " Herbert fetched the atlas, and the map of the Pacific was opened, andthe engineer, compass in hand, prepared to determine their position. Suddenly the compasses stopped, and he exclaimed, "But an island exists in this part of the Pacific already!" "An island?" cried Pencroft. "Tabor Island. " "An important island?" "No, an islet lost in the Pacific, and which perhaps has never beenvisited. " "Well, we will visit it, " said Pencroft. "We?" "Yes, captain. We will build a decked boat, and I will undertake tosteer her. At what distance are we from this Tabor Island?" "About a hundred and fifty miles to the northeast, " replied Harding. "A hundred and fifty miles! And what's that?" returned Pencroft. "Inforty-eight hours, with a good wind, we should sight it!" And, on this reply, it was decided that a vessel should be constructedin time to be launched towards the month of next October, on the returnof the fine season. Chapter 10 When Pencroft had once got a plan in his head, he had no peace till itwas executed. Now he wished to visit Tabor Island, and as a boat of acertain size was necessary for this voyage, he determined to build one. What wood should he employ? Elm or fir, both of which abounded in theisland? They decided for the fir, as being easy to work, but whichstands water as well as the elm. These details settled, it was agreed that since the fine season wouldnot return before six months, Cyrus Harding and Pencroft should workalone at the boat. Gideon Spilett and Herbert were to continue tohunt, and neither Neb nor Master Jup, his assistant, were to leave thedomestic duties which had devolved upon them. Directly the trees were chosen, they were felled, stripped of theirbranches, and sawn into planks as well as sawyers would have been ableto do it. A week after, in the recess between the Chimneys and thecliff, a dockyard was prepared, and a keel five-and-thirty feet long, furnished with a stern-post at the stern and a stem at the bows, layalong the sand. Cyrus Harding was not working in the dark at this new trade. He knew asmuch about ship-building as about nearly everything else, and he hadat first drawn the model of his ship on paper. Besides, he was ablyseconded by Pencroft, who, having worked for several years in a dockyardin Brooklyn, knew the practical part of the trade. It was not untilafter careful calculation and deep thought that the timbers were laid onthe keel. Pencroft, as may be believed, was all eagerness to carry out his newenterprise, and would not leave his work for an instant. A single thing had the honor of drawing him, but for one day only, fromhis dockyard. This was the second wheat-harvest, which was gathered inon the 15th of April. It was as much a success as the first, and yieldedthe number of grains which had been predicted. "Five bushels, captain, " said Pencroft, alter having scrupulouslymeasured his treasure. "Five bushels, " replied the engineer; "and a hundred and thirty thousandgrains a bushel will make six hundred and fifty thousand grains. " "Well, we will sow them all this time, " said the sailor, "except alittle in reserve. " "Yes, Pencroft, and if the next crop gives a proportionate yield, weshall have four thousand bushels. " "And shall we eat bread?" "We shall eat bread. " "But we must have a mill. "We will make one. " The third corn-field was very much larger than the two first, and thesoil, prepared with extreme care, received the precious seed. That done, Pencroft returned to his work. During this time Spilett and Herbert hunted in the neighborhood, andthey ventured deep into the still unknown parts of the Far West, theirguns loaded with ball, ready for any dangerous emergency. It was a vastthicket of magnificent trees, crowded together as if pressed for room. The exploration of these dense masses of wood was difficult inthe extreme, and the reporter never ventured there without thepocket-compass, for the sun scarcely pierced through the thick foliageand it would have been very difficult for them to retrace their way. It naturally happened that game was more rare in those situations wherethere was hardly sufficient room to move; two or three large herbivorousanimals were however killed during the last fortnight of April. Thesewere koalas, specimens of which the settlers had already seen to thenorth of the lake, and which stupidly allowed themselves to be killedamong the thick branches of the trees in which they took refuge. Theirskins were brought back to Granite House, and there, by the help ofsulphuric acid, they were subjected to a sort of tanning process whichrendered them capable of being used. On the 30th of April, the two sportsmen were in the depth of the FarWest, when the reporter, preceding Herbert a few paces, arrived ina sort of clearing, into which the trees more sparsely scattered hadpermitted a few rays to penetrate. Gideon Spilett was at first surprisedat the odor which exhaled from certain plants with straight stalks, round and branchy, bearing grape-like clusters of flowers and very smallberries. The reporter broke off one or two of these stalks and returnedto the lad, to whom he said, -- "What can this be, Herbert?" "Well, Mr. Spilett, " said Herbert, "this is a treasure which will secureyou Pencroft's gratitude forever. " "Is it tobacco?" "Yes, and though it may not be of the first quality, it is none the lesstobacco!" "Oh, good old Pencroft! Won't he be pleased! But we must not let himsmoke it all, he must give us our share. " "Ah! an idea occurs to me, Mr. Spilett, " replied Herbert. "Don't let ussay anything to Pencroft yet; we will prepare these leaves, and one fineday we will present him with a pipe already filled!" "All right, Herbert, and on that day our worthy companion will havenothing left to wish for in this world. " The reporter and the lad secured a good store of the precious plant, andthen returned to Granite House, where they smuggled it in with as muchprecaution as if Pencroft had been the most vigilant and severe ofcustom-house officers. Cyrus Harding and Neb were taken into confidence, and the sailorsuspected nothing during the whole time, necessarily somewhat long, which was required in order to dry the small leaves, chop them up, andsubject them to a certain torrefaction on hot stones. This took twomonths; but all these manipulations were successfully carried on unknownto Pencroft, for, occupied with the construction of his boat, he onlyreturned to Granite House at the hour of rest. For some days they had observed an enormous animal two or three milesout in the open sea swimming around Lincoln Island. This was a whaleof the largest size, which apparently belonged to the southern species, called the "Cape Whale. " "What a lucky chance it would be if we could capture it!" cried thesailor. "Ah! if we only had a proper boat and a good harpoon, I wouldsay 'After the beast, ' for he would be well worth the trouble ofcatching!" "Well, Pencroft, " observed Harding, "I should much like to watch youhandling a harpoon. It would be very interesting. " "I am astonished, " said the reporter, "to see a whale in thiscomparatively high latitude. " "Why so, Mr. Spilett?" replied Herbert. "We are exactly in that part ofthe Pacific which English and American whalemen call the whale field, and it is here, between New Zealand and South America, that the whalesof the Southern Hemisphere are met with in the greatest numbers. " And Pencroft returned to his work, not without uttering a sigh ofregret, for every sailor is a born fisherman, and if the pleasure offishing is in exact proportion to the size of the animal, one can judgehow a whaler feels in sight of a whale. And if this had only been forpleasure! But they could not help feeling how valuable such a prizewould have been to the colony, for the oil, fat, and bones would havebeen put to many uses. Now it happened that this whale appeared to have no wish to leave thewaters of the island. Therefore, whether from the windows of GraniteHouse, or from Prospect Heights, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, when theywere not hunting, or Neb, unless presiding over his fires, never leftthe telescope, but watched all the animal's movements. The cetacean, having entered far into Union Bay, made rapid furrows across it fromMandible Cape to Claw Cape, propelled by its enormously powerful flukes, on which it supported itself, and making its way through the waterat the rate little short of twelve knots an hour. Sometimes also itapproached so near to the island that it could be clearly distinguished. It was the southern whale, which is completely black, the head beingmore depressed than that of the northern whale. They could also see it throwing up from its air-holes to a greatheight a cloud of vapor, or of water, for, strange as it may appear, naturalists and whalers are not agreed on this subject. Is it air or isit water which is thus driven out? It is generally admitted to be vapor, which, condensing suddenly by contact with the cold air, falls again asrain. However, the presence of this mammifer preoccupied the colonists. Itirritated Pencroft especially, as he could think of nothing else whileat work. He ended by longing for it, like a child for a thing which ithas been denied. At night he talked about it in his sleep, and certainlyif he had had the means of attacking it, if the sloop had been in a fitstate to put to sea, he would not have hesitated to set out in pursuit. But what the colonists could not do for themselves chance did for them, and on the 3rd of May shouts from Neb, who had stationed himself at thekitchen window, announced that the whale was stranded on the beach ofthe island. Herbert and Gideon Spilett, who were just about to set out hunting, left their guns, Pencroft threw down his ax, and Harding and Neb joiningtheir companions, all rushed towards the scene of action. The stranding had taken place on the beach of Flotsam Point, three milesfrom Granite House, and at high tide. It was therefore probable that thecetacean would not be able to extricate itself easily; at any rate itwas best to hasten, so as to cut off its retreat if necessary. They ranwith pick-axes and iron-tipped poles in their hands, passed over theMercy bridge, descended the right bank of the river, along the beach, and in less than twenty minutes the settlers were close to the enormousanimal, above which flocks of birds already hovered. "What a monster!" cried Neb. And the exclamation was natural, for it was a southern whale, eightyfeet long, a giant of the species, probably not weighing less than ahundred and fifty thousand pounds! In the meanwhile, the monster thus stranded did not move, nor attempt bystruggling to regain the water while the tide was still high. It was dead, and a harpoon was sticking out of its left side. "There are whalers in these quarters, then?" said Gideon Spilettdirectly. "Oh, Mr. Spilett, that doesn't prove anything!" replied Pencroft. "Whales have been known to go thousands of miles with a harpoon inthe side, and this one might even have been struck in the north of theAtlantic and come to die in the south of the Pacific, and it would benothing astonishing. " Pencroft, having torn the harpoon from the animal's side, read thisinscription on it: MARIA STELLA, VINEYARD "A vessel from the Vineyard! A ship from my country!" he cried. "The'Maria Stella!' A fine whaler, 'pon my word; I know her well! Oh, myfriends, a vessel from the Vineyard!--a whaler from the Vineyard!" And the sailor brandishing the harpoon, repeated, not without emotion, the name which he loved so well--the name of his birthplace. But as it could not be expected that the "Maria Stella" would come toreclaim the animal harpooned by her, they resolved to begin cutting itup before decomposition should commence. The birds, who had watchedthis rich prey for several days, had determined to take possession of itwithout further delay, and it was necessary to drive them off by firingat them repeatedly. The whale was a female, and a large quantity of milk was taken from it, which, according to the opinion of the naturalist Duffenbach, might passfor cow's milk, and, indeed, it differs from it neither in taste, color, nor density. Pencroft had formerly served on board a whaling-ship, and he couldmethodically direct the operation of cutting up, a sufficientlydisagreeable operation lasting three days, but from which the settlersdid not flinch, not even Gideon Spilett, who, as the sailor said, wouldend by making a "real good castaway. " The blubber, cut in parallel slices of two feet and a half in thickness, then divided into pieces which might weigh about a thousand pounds each, was melted down in large earthen pots brought to the spot, for they didnot wish to taint the environs of Granite House, and in this fusion itlost nearly a third of its weight. But there was an immense quantity of it; the tongue alone yielded sixthousand pounds of oil, and the lower lip four thousand. Then, besidesthe fat, which would insure for a long time a store of stearine andglycerine, there were still the bones, for which a use could doubtlessbe found, although there were neither umbrellas nor stays used atGranite House. The upper part of the mouth of the cetacean was, indeed, provided on both sides with eight hundred horny blades, very elastic, of a fibrous texture, and fringed at the edge like great combs, at whichthe teeth, six feet long, served to retain the thousands of animalculae, little fish, and molluscs, on which the whale fed. The operation finished, to the great satisfaction of the operators, theremains of the animal were left to the birds, who would soon make everyvestige of it disappear, and their usual daily occupations were resumedby the inmates of Granite House. However, before returning to the dockyard, Cyrus Harding conceivedthe idea of fabricating certain machines, which greatly excited thecuriosity of his companions. He took a dozen of the whale's bones, cutthem into six equal parts, and sharpened their ends. "This machine is not my own invention, and it is frequently employedby the Aleutian hunters in Russian America. You see these bones, myfriends; well, when it freezes, I will bend them, and then wet themwith water till they are entirely covered with ice, which will keep thembent, and I will strew them on the snow, having previously covered themwith fat. Now, what will happen if a hungry animal swallows one of thesebaits? Why, the heat of his stomach will melt the ice, and the bone, springing straight, will pierce him with its sharp points. " "Well! I do call that ingenious!" said Pencroft. "And it will spare the powder and shot, " rejoined Cyrus Harding. "That will be better than traps!" added Neb. In the meanwhile the boat-building progressed, and towards the end ofthe month half the planking was completed. It could already be seen thather shape was excellent, and that she would sail well. Pencroft worked with unparalleled ardor, and only a sturdy frame couldhave borne such fatigue; but his companions were preparing in secret areward for his labors, and on the 31st of May he was to meet with one ofthe greatest joys of his life. On that day, after dinner, just as he was about to leave the table, Pencroft felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the hand of Gideon Spilett, who said, -- "One moment, Master Pencroft, you mustn't sneak off like that! You'veforgotten your dessert. " "Thank you, Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "I am going back to mywork. " "Well, a cup of coffee, my friend?" "Nothing more. " "A pipe, then?" Pencroft jumped up, and his great good-natured face grew pale when hesaw the reporter presenting him with a ready-filled pipe, and Herbertwith a glowing coal. The sailor endeavored to speak, but could not get out a word; so, seizing the pipe, he carried it to his lips, then applying the coal, he drew five or six great whiffs. A fragrant blue cloud soon arose, andfrom its depths a voice was heard repeating excitedly, -- "Tobacco! real tobacco!" "Yes, Pencroft, " returned Cyrus Harding, "and very good tobacco too!" "O, divine Providence; sacred Author of all things!" cried the sailor. "Nothing more is now wanting to our island. " And Pencroft smoked, and smoked, and smoked. "And who made this discovery?" he asked at length. "You, Herbert, nodoubt?" "No, Pencroft, it was Mr. Spilett. " "Mr. Spilett!" exclaimed the sailor, seizing the reporter, and claspinghim to his breast with such a squeeze that he had never felt anythinglike it before. "Oh Pencroft, " said Spilett, recovering his breath at last, "a truce forone moment. You must share your gratitude with Herbert, who recognizedthe plant, with Cyrus, who prepared it, and with Neb, who took a greatdeal of trouble to keep our secret. " "Well, my friends, I will repay you some day, " replied the sailor. "Nowwe are friends for life. " Chapter 11 Winter arrived with the month of June, which is the December of thenorthern zones, and the great business was the making of warm and solidclothing. The musmons in the corral had been stripped of their wool, and thisprecious textile material was now to be transformed into stuff. Of course Cyrus Harding, having at his disposal neither carders, combers, polishers, stretchers, twisters, mule-jenny, nor self-actingmachine to spin the wool, nor loom to weave it, was obliged to proceedin a simpler way, so as to do without spinning and weaving. And indeedhe proposed to make use of the property which the filaments of woolpossess when subjected to a powerful pressure of mixing together, and ofmanufacturing by this simple process the material called felt. This feltcould then be obtained by a simple operation which, if it diminishedthe flexibility of the stuff, increased its power of retaining heat inproportion. Now the wool furnished by the musmons was composed of veryshort hairs, and was in a good condition to be felted. The engineer, aided by his companions, including Pencroft, who was oncemore obliged to leave his boat, commenced the preliminary operations, the subject of which was to rid the wool of that fat and oily substancewith which it is impregnated, and which is called grease. This cleaningwas done in vats filled with water, which was maintained at thetemperature of seventy degrees, and in which the wool was soaked forfour-and-twenty hours; it was then thoroughly washed in baths of soda, and, when sufficiently dried by pressure, it was in a state to becompressed, that is to say, to produce a solid material, rough, nodoubt, and such as would have no value in a manufacturing center ofEurope or America, but which would be highly esteemed in the LincolnIsland markets. This sort of material must have been known from the most ancient times, and, in fact, the first woolen stuffs were manufactured by the processwhich Harding was now about to employ. Where Harding's engineeringqualifications now came into play was in the construction of the machinefor pressing the wool; for he knew how to turn ingeniously to profitthe mechanical force, hitherto unused, which the waterfall on the beachpossessed to move a fulling-mill. Nothing could be more rudimentary. The wool was placed in troughs, andupon it fell in turns heavy wooden mallets; such was the machine inquestion, and such it had been for centuries until the time when themallets were replaced by cylinders of compression, and the material wasno longer subjected to beating, but to regular rolling. The operation, ably directed by Cyrus Harding, was a complete success. The wool, previously impregnated with a solution of soap, intended onthe one hand to facilitate the interlacing, the compression, and thesoftening of the wool, and on the other to prevent its diminution bythe beating, issued from the mill in the shape of thick felt cloth. Theroughnesses with which the staple of wool is naturally filled were sothoroughly entangled and interlaced together that a material was formedequally suitable either for garments or bedclothes. It was certainlyneither merino, muslin, cashmere, rep, satin, alpaca, cloth, norflannel. It was "Lincolnian felt, " and Lincoln Island possessed yetanother manufacture. The colonists had now warm garments and thickbedclothes, and they could without fear await the approach of the winterof 1866-67. The severe cold began to be felt about the 20th of June, and, to hisgreat regret, Pencroft was obliged to suspend his boat-building, whichhe hoped to finish in time for next spring. The sailor's great idea was to make a voyage of discovery to TaborIsland, although Harding could not approve of a voyage simply forcuriosity's sake, for there was evidently nothing to be found on thisdesert and almost arid rock. A voyage of a hundred and fifty miles in acomparatively small vessel, over unknown seas, could not but cause himsome anxiety. Suppose that their vessel, once out at sea, should beunable to reach Tabor Island, and could not return to Lincoln Island, what would become of her in the midst of the Pacific, so fruitful ofdisasters? Harding often talked over this project with Pencroft, and he found himstrangely bent upon undertaking this voyage, for which determination hehimself could give no sufficient reason. "Now, " said the engineer one day to him, "I must observe, my friend, that after having said so much, in praise of Lincoln Island, afterhaving spoken so often of the sorrow you would feel if you were obligedto forsake it, you are the first to wish to leave it. " "Only to leave it for a few days, " replied Pencroft, "only for a fewdays, captain. Time to go and come back, and see what that islet islike!" "But it is not nearly as good as Lincoln Island. " "I know that beforehand. " "Then why venture there?" "To know what is going on in Tabor Island. " "But nothing is going on there; nothing could happen there. " "Who knows?" "And if you are caught in a hurricane?" "There is no fear of that in the fine season, " replied Pencroft. "But, captain, as we must provide against everything, I shall ask yourpermission to take Herbert only with me on this voyage. " "Pencroft, " replied the engineer, placing his hand on the sailor'sshoulder, "if any misfortune happens to you, or to this lad, whomchance has made our child, do you think we could ever cease to blameourselves?" "Captain Harding, " replied Pencroft, with unshaken confidence, "weshall not cause you that sorrow. Besides, we will speak further of thisvoyage, when the time comes to make it. And I fancy, when you have seenour tight-rigged little craft, when you have observed how she behaves atsea, when we sail round our island, for we will do so together--I fancy, I say, that you will no longer hesitate to let me go. I don't concealfrom you that your boat will be a masterpiece. " "Say 'our' boat, at least, Pencroft, " replied the engineer, disarmed forthe moment. The conversation ended thus, to be resumed later on, withoutconvincing either the sailor or the engineer. The first snow fell towards the end of the month of June. The corral hadpreviously been largely supplied with stores, so that daily visits toit were not requisite; but it was decided that more than a week shouldnever be allowed to pass without someone going to it. Traps were again set, and the machines manufactured by Harding weretried. The bent whalebones, imprisoned in a case of ice, and coveredwith a thick outer layer of fat, were placed on the border of the forestat a spot where animals usually passed on their way to the lake. To the engineer's great satisfaction, this invention, copied from theAleutian fishermen, succeeded perfectly. A dozen foxes, a few wildboars, and even a jaguar, were taken in this way, the animals beingfound dead, their stomachs pierced by the unbent bones. An incident must here be related, not only as interesting in itself, butbecause it was the first attempt made by the colonists to communicatewith the rest of mankind. Gideon Spilett had already several times pondered whether to throw intothe sea a letter enclosed in a bottle, which currents might perhapscarry to an inhabited coast, or to confide it to pigeons. But how could it be seriously hoped that either pigeons or bottles couldcross the distance of twelve hundred miles which separated the islandfrom any inhabited land? It would have been pure folly. But on the 30th of June the capture was effected, not withoutdifficulty, of an albatross, which a shot from Herbert's gun hadslightly wounded in the foot. It was a magnificent bird, measuring tenfeet from wing to wing, and which could traverse seas as wide as thePacific. Herbert would have liked to keep this superb bird, as its wound wouldsoon heal, and he thought he could tame it; but Spilett explained tohim that they should not neglect this opportunity of attempting tocommunicate by this messenger with the lands of the Pacific; for if thealbatross had come from some inhabited region, there was no doubt butthat it would return there so soon as it was set free. Perhaps in his heart Gideon Spilett, in whom the journalist sometimescame to the surface, was not sorry to have the opportunity of sendingforth to take its chance an exciting article relating the adventuresof the settlers in Lincoln Island. What a success for the authorizedreporter of the New York Herald, and for the number which should containthe article, if it should ever reach the address of its editor, theHonorable James Bennett! Gideon Spilett then wrote out a concise account, which was placed in astrong waterproof bag, with an earnest request to whoever might find itto forward it to the office of the New York Herald. This little bag wasfastened to the neck of the albatross, and not to its foot, for thesebirds are in the habit of resting on the surface of the sea; thenliberty was given to this swift courier of the air, and it was notwithout some emotion that the colonists watched it disappear in themisty west. "Where is he going to?" asked Pencroft. "Towards New Zealand, " replied Herbert. "A good voyage to you, " shouted the sailor, who himself did not expectany great result from this mode of correspondence. With the winter, work had been resumed in the interior of Granite House, mending clothes and different occupations, among others making the sailsfor their vessel, which were cut from the inexhaustible balloon-case. During the month of July the cold was intense, but there was no lack ofeither wood or coal. Cyrus Harding had established a second fireplace inthe dining-room, and there the long winter evenings were spent. Talkingwhile they worked, reading when the hands remained idle, the time passedwith profit to all. It was real enjoyment to the settlers when in their room, well lightedwith candles, well warmed with coal, after a good dinner, elderberrycoffee smoking in the cups, the pipes giving forth an odoriferous smoke, they could hear the storm howling without. Their comfort would have beencomplete, if complete comfort could ever exist for those who are farfrom their fellow-creatures, and without any means of communication withthem. They often talked of their country, of the friends whom they hadleft, of the grandeur of the American Republic, whose influence couldnot but increase; and Cyrus Harding, who had been much mixed up with theaffairs of the Union, greatly interested his auditors by his recitals, his views, and his prognostics. It chanced one day that Spilett was led to say-- "But now, my dear Cyrus, all this industrial and commercial movementto which you predict a continual advance, does it not run the danger ofbeing sooner or later completely stopped?" "Stopped! And by what?" "By the want of coal, which may justly be called the most precious ofminerals. " "Yes, the most precious indeed, " replied the engineer; "and it wouldseem that nature wished to prove that it was so by making the diamond, which is simply pure carbon crystallized. " "You don't mean to say, captain, " interrupted Pencroft, "that we burndiamonds in our stoves in the shape of coal?" "No, my friend, " replied Harding. "However, " resumed Gideon Spilett, "you do not deny that some day thecoal will be entirely consumed?" "Oh! the veins of coal are still considerable, and the hundredthousand miners who annually extract from them a hundred millions ofhundredweights have not nearly exhausted them. " "With the increasing consumption of coal, " replied Gideon Spilett, "itcan be foreseen that the hundred thousand workmen will soon become twohundred thousand, and that the rate of extraction will be doubled. " "Doubtless; but after the European mines, which will be soon worked morethoroughly with new machines, the American and Australian mines will fora long time yet provide for the consumption in trade. " "For how long a time?" asked the reporter. "For at least two hundred and fifty or three hundred years. " "That is reassuring for us, but a bad look-out for ourgreat-grandchildren!" observed Pencroft. "They will discover something else, " said Herbert. "It is to be hoped so, " answered Spilett, "for without coal there wouldbe no machinery, and without machinery there would be no railways, nosteamers, no manufactories, nothing of that which is indispensable tomodern civilization!" "But what will they find?" asked Pencroft. "Can you guess, captain?" "Nearly, my friend. " "And what will they burn instead of coal?" "Water, " replied Harding. "Water!" cried Pencroft, "water as fuel for steamers and engines! waterto heat water!" "Yes, but water decomposed into its primitive elements, " replied CyrusHarding, "and decomposed doubtless, by electricity, which will then havebecome a powerful and manageable force, for all great discoveries, bysome inexplicable laws, appear to agree and become complete at the sametime. Yes, my friends, I believe that water will one day be employedas fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it, used singly ortogether, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, ofan intensity of which coal is not capable. Some day the coalrooms ofsteamers and the tenders of locomotives will, instead of coal, be storedwith these two condensed gases, which will burn in the furnaces withenormous calorific power. There is, therefore, nothing to fear. As longas the earth is inhabited it will supply the wants of its inhabitants, and there will be no want of either light or heat as long as theproductions of the vegetable, mineral or animal kingdoms do not fail us. I believe, then, that when the deposits of coal are exhausted we shallheat and warm ourselves with water. Water will be the coal of thefuture. " "I should like to see that, " observed the sailor. "You were born too soon, Pencroft, " returned Neb, who only took part inthe discussion by these words. However, it was not Neb's speech which interrupted the conversation, butTop's barking, which broke out again with that strange intonation whichhad before perplexed the engineer. At the same time Top began to runround the mouth of the well, which opened at the extremity of theinterior passage. "What can Top be barking in that way for?" asked Pencroft. "And Jup be growling like that?" added Herbert. In fact the orang, joining the dog, gave unequivocal signs of agitation, and, singular to say, the two animals appeared more uneasy than angry. "It is evident, " said Gideon Spilett, "that this well is in directcommunication with the sea, and that some marine animal comes from timeto time to breathe at the bottom. " "That's evident, " replied the sailor, "and there can be no otherexplanation to give. Quiet there, Top!" added Pencroft, turning to thedog, "and you, Jup, be off to your room!" The ape and the dog were silent. Jup went off to bed, but Top remainedin the room, and continued to utter low growls at intervals during therest of the evening. There was no further talk on the subject, but theincident, however, clouded the brow of the engineer. During the remainder of the month of July there was alternate rain andfrost. The temperature was not so low as during the preceding winter, and its maximum did not exceed eight degrees Fahrenheit. But althoughthis winter was less cold, it was more troubled by storms and squalls;the sea besides often endangered the safety of the Chimneys. At timesit almost seemed as if an under-current raised these monstrous billowswhich thundered against the wall of Granite House. When the settlers, leaning from their windows, gazed on the huge waterymasses breaking beneath their eyes, they could not but admire themagnificent spectacle of the ocean in its impotent fury. The wavesrebounded in dazzling foam, the beach entirely disapppearing under theraging flood, and the cliff appearing to emerge from the sea itself, thespray rising to a height of more than a hundred feet. During these storms it was difficult and even dangerous to venture out, owing to the frequently falling trees; however, the colonists neverallowed a week to pass without having paid a visit to the corral. Happily, this enclosure, sheltered by the southeastern spur of MountFranklin, did not greatly suffer from the violence of the hurricanes, which spared its trees, sheds, and palisades; but the poultry-yard onProspect Heights, being directly exposed to the gusts of wind from theeast, suffered considerable damage. The pigeon-house was twice unroofedand the paling blown down. All this required to be remade more solidlythan before, for, as may be clearly seen, Lincoln Island was situated inone of the most dangerous parts of the Pacific. It really appeared as ifit formed the central point of vast cyclones, which beat it perpetuallyas the whip does the top, only here it was the top which was motionlessand the whip which moved. During the first week of the month of Augustthe weather became more moderate, and the atmosphere recovered the calmwhich it appeared to have lost forever. With the calm the cold againbecame intense, and the thermometer fell to eight degrees Fahrenheit, below zero. On the 3rd of August an excursion which had been talked of for severaldays was made into the southeastern part of the island, towards TadornMarsh. The hunters were tempted by the aquatic game which took up theirwinter quarters there. Wild duck, snipe, teal and grebe abounded there, and it was agreed that a day should be devoted to an expedition againstthese birds. Not only Gideon Spilett and Herbert, but Pencroft and Neb also took partin this excursion. Cyrus Harding alone, alleging some work as an excuse, did not join them, but remained at Granite House. The hunters proceeded in the direction of Port Balloon, in order toreach the marsh, after having promised to be back by the evening. Topand Jup accompanied them. As soon as they had passed over the MercyBridge, the engineer raised it and returned, intending to put intoexecution a project for the performance of which he wished to be alone. Now this project was to minutely explore the interior well, the mouthof which was on a level with the passage of Granite House, and whichcommunicated with the sea, since it formerly supplied a way to thewaters of the lake. Why did Top so often run round this opening? Why did he utter suchstrange barks when a sort of uneasiness seemed to draw him towards thiswell? Why did Jup join Top in a sort of common anxiety? Had this wellbranches besides the communication with the sea? Did it spread towardsother parts of the island? This is what Cyrus Harding wished to know. Hehad resolved, therefore, to attempt the exploration of the well duringthe absence of his companions, and an opportunity for doing so had nowpresented itself. It was easy to descend to the bottom of the well by employing the ropeladder which had not been used since the establishment of the lift. Theengineer drew the ladder to the hole, the diameter of which measurednearly six feet, and allowed it to unroll itself after having securelyfastened its upper extremity. Then, having lighted a lantern, taken arevolver, and placed a cutlass in his belt, he began the descent. The sides were everywhere entire; but points of rock jutted out here andthere, and by means of these points it would have been quite possiblefor an active creature to climb to the mouth of the well. The engineer remarked this; but although he carefully examined thesepoints by the light of his lantern, he could find no impression, nofracture which could give any reason to suppose that they had eitherrecently or at any former time been used as a staircase. Cyrus Hardingdescended deeper, throwing the light of his lantern on all sides. He saw nothing suspicious. When the engineer had reached the last rounds he came upon the water, which was then perfectly calm. Neither at its level nor in any otherpart of the well, did any passage open, which could lead to the interiorof the cliff. The wall which Harding struck with the hilt of his cutlasssounded solid. It was compact granite, through which no living beingcould force a way. To arrive at the bottom of the well and then climbup to its mouth it was necessary to pass through the channel under therocky subsoil of the beach, which placed it in communication with thesea, and this was only possible for marine animals. As to the questionof knowing where this channel ended, at what point of the shore, and atwhat depth beneath the water, it could not be answered. Then Cyrus Harding, having ended his survey, re-ascended, drew up theladder, covered the mouth of the well, and returned thoughtfully to thediningroom, saying to himself, -- "I have seen nothing, and yet there is something there!" Chapter 12 In the evening the hunters returned, having enjoyed good sport, andbeing literally loaded with game; indeed, they had as much as four mencould possibly carry. Top wore a necklace of teal and Jup wreaths ofsnipe round his body. "Here, master, " cried Neb; "here's something to employ our time!Preserved and made into pies we shall have a welcome store! But I musthave some one to help me. I count on you, Pencroft. " "No, Neb, " replied the sailor; "I have the rigging of the vessel tofinish and to look after, and you will have to do without me. " "And you, Mr. Herbert?" "I must go to the corral to-morrow, Neb, " replied the lad. "It will be you then, Mr. Spilett, who will help me?" "To oblige you, Neb, I will, " replied the reporter; "but I warn you thatif you disclose your receipts to me, I shall publish them. " "Whenever you like, Mr. Spilett, " replied Neb; "whenever you like. " And so the next day Gideon Spilett became Neb's assistant and wasinstalled in his culinary laboratory. The engineer had previously madeknown to him the result of the exploration which he had made the daybefore, and on this point the reporter shared Harding's opinion, thatalthough he had found nothing, a secret still remained to be discovered! The frost continued for another week, and the settlers did not leaveGranite House unless to look after the poultry-yard. The dwellingwas filled with appetizing odors, which were emitted from the learnedmanipulation of Neb and the reporter. But all the results of the chasewere not made into preserved provisions; and as the game kept perfectlyin the intense cold, wild duck and other fowl were eaten fresh, anddeclared superior to all other aquatic birds in the known world. During this week, Pencroft, aided by Herbert, who handled thesailmaker's needle with much skill, worked with such energy that thesails of the vessel were finished. There was no want of cordage. Thanksto the rigging which had been discovered with the case of the balloon, the ropes and cables from the net were all of good quality, and thesailor turned them all to account. To the sails were attached strongbolt ropes, and there still remained enough from which to make thehalyards, shrouds, and sheets, etc. The blocks were manufactured byCyrus Harding under Pencroft's directions by means of the turning lathe. It therefore happened that the rigging was entirely prepared before thevessel was finished. Pencroft also manufactured a flag, that flag sodear to every true American, containing the stars and stripes of theirglorious Union. The colors for it were supplied from certain plantsused in dyeing, and which were very abundant in the island; only to thethirty-seven stars, representing the thirty-seven States of the Union, which shine on the American flag, the sailor added a thirty-eighth, thestar of "the State of Lincoln, " for he considered his island as alreadyunited to the great republic. "And, " said he, "it is so already inheart, if not in deed!" In the meantime, the flag was hoisted at the central window of GraniteHouse, and the settlers saluted it with three cheers. The cold season was now almost at an end, and it appeared as if thissecond winter was to pass without any unusual occurrence, when on thenight of the 11th of August, the plateau of Prospect Heights was menacedwith complete destruction. After a busy day the colonists were sleeping soundly, when towards fouro'clock in the morning they were suddenly awakened by Top's barking. The dog was not this time barking near the mouth of the well, but atthe threshold of the door, at which he was scratching as if he wished toburst it open. Jup was also uttering piercing cries. "Hello, Top!" cried Neb, who was the first awake. But the dog continuedto bark more furiously than ever. "What's the matter now?" asked Harding. And all dressing in haste rushed to the windows, which they opened. Beneath their eyes was spread a sheet of snow which looked gray in thedim light. The settlers could see nothing, but they heard a singularyelping noise away in the darkness. It was evident that the beach hadbeen invaded by a number of animals which could not be seen. "What are they?" cried Pencroft. "Wolves, jaguars, or apes?" replied Neb. "They have nearly reached the plateau, " said the reporter. "And our poultry-yard, " exclaimed Herbert, "and our garden!" "Where can they have crossed?" asked Pencroft. "They must have crossed the bridge on the shore, " replied the engineer, "which one of us must have forgotten to close. " "True, " said Spilett, "I remember having left it open. " "A fine job you have made of it, Mr. Spilett, " cried the sailor. "What is done cannot be undone, " replied Cyrus Harding. "We must consultwhat it will now be best to do. " Such were the questions and answers which were rapidly exchanged betweenHarding and his companions. It was certain that the bridge had beencrossed, that the shore had been invaded by animals, and that whateverthey might be they could by ascending the left bank of the Mercy reachProspect Heights. They must therefore be advanced against quickly andfought with if necessary. "But what are these beasts?" was asked a second time, as the yelpingswere again heard more loudly than before. These yelps made Herbertstart, and he remembered having heard them before during his first visitto the sources of the Red Creek. "They are colpeo foxes!" he exclaimed. "Forward!" shouted the sailor. And all arming themselves with hatchets, carbines, and revolvers, threwthemselves into the lift and soon set foot on the shore. Colpeos are dangerous animals when in great numbers and irritated byhunger, nevertheless the colonists did not hesitate to throw themselvesinto the midst of the troop, and their first shots vividly lighting upthe darkness made their assailants draw back. The chief thing was to hinder these plunderers from reaching theplateau, for the garden and the poultry-yard would then have been attheir mercy, and immense, perhaps irreparable mischief, would inevitablybe the result, especially with regard to the corn-field. But as theinvasion of the plateau could only be made by the left bank of theMercy, it was sufficient to oppose the colpeos on the narrow bankbetween the river and the cliff of granite. This was plain to all, and, by Cyrus Harding's orders, they reached thespot indicated by him, while the colpeos rushed fiercely throughthe gloom. Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft and Neb postedthemselves in impregnable line. Top, his formidable jaws open, precededthe colonists, and he was followed by Jup, armed with knotty cudgel, which he brandished like a club. The night was extremely dark, it was only by the flashes from therevolvers as each person fired that they could see their assailants, whowere at least a hundred in number, and whose eyes were glowing like hotcoals. "They must not pass!" shouted Pencroft. "They shall not pass!" returned the engineer. But if they did not pass it was not for want of having attempted it. Those in the rear pushed on the foremost assailants, and it was anincessant struggle with revolvers and hatchets. Several colpeos alreadylay dead on the ground, but their number did not appear to diminish, and it might have been supposed that reinforcements were continuallyarriving over the bridge. The colonists were soon obliged to fight at close quarters, not withoutreceiving some wounds, though happily very slight ones. Herbert had, with a shot from his revolver, rescued Neb, on whose back a colpeo hadsprung like a tiger cat. Top fought with actual fury, flying at thethroats of the foxes and strangling them instantaneously. Jup wieldedhis weapon valiantly, and it was in vain that they endeavored to keephim in the rear. Endowed doubtless with sight which enabled him topierce the obscurity, he was always in the thick of the fight utteringfrom time to time--a sharp hissing sound, which was with him the sign ofgreat rejoicing. At one moment he advanced so far, that by the light from a revolverhe was seen surrounded by five or six large colpeos, with whom he wascoping with great coolness. However, the struggle was ended at last, and victory was on the sideof the settlers, but not until they had fought for two long hours! Thefirst signs of the approach of day doubtless determined the retreat oftheir assailants, who scampered away towards the North, passing over thebridge, which Neb ran immediately to raise. When day had sufficientlylighted up the field of battle, the settlers counted as many as fiftydead bodies scattered about on the shore. "And Jup!" cried Pencroft; "where is Jup?" Jup had disappeared. Hisfriend Neb called him, and for the first time Jup did not reply to hisfriend's call. Everyone set out in search of Jup, trembling lest he should be foundamong the slain; they cleared the place of the bodies which stained thesnow with their blood. Jup was found in the midst of a heap of colpeoswhose broken jaws and crushed bodies showed that they had to do with theterrible club of the intrepid animal. Poor Jup still held in his hand the stump of his broken cudgel, butdeprived of his weapon he had been overpowered by numbers, and his chestwas covered with severe wounds. "He is living, " cried Neb, who was bending over him. "And we will save him, " replied the sailor. "We will nurse him as if hewas one of ourselves. " It appeared as if Jup understood, for he leaned his head on Pencroft'sshoulder as if to thank him. The sailor was wounded himself, but hiswound was insignificant, as were those of his companions; for thanks totheir firearms they had been almost always able to keep their assailantsat a distance. It was therefore only the orang whose condition wasserious. Jup, carried by Neb and Pencroft, was placed in the lift, and only aslight moan now and then escaped his lips. He was gently drawn up toGranite House. There he was laid on a mattress taken from one of thebeds, and his wounds were bathed with the greatest care. It did notappear that any vital part had been reached, but Jup was very weak fromloss of blood, and a high fever soon set in after his wounds had beendressed. He was laid down, strict diet was imposed, "just like a realperson, " as Neb said, and they made him swallow several cups ofa cooling drink, for which the ingredients were supplied from thevegetable medicine chest of Granite House. Jup was at first restless, but his breathing gradually became more regular, and he was leftsleeping quietly. From time to time Top, walking on tip-toe, as onemight say, came to visit his friend, and seemed to approve of all thecare that had been taken of him. One of Jup's hands hung over the sideof his bed, and Top licked it with a sympathizing air. They employed the day in interring the dead, who were dragged to theforest of the Far West, and there buried deep. This attack, which might have had such serious consequences, was alesson to the settlers, who from this time never went to bed until oneof their number had made sure that all the bridges were raised, and thatno invasion was possible. However, Jup, after having given them serious anxiety for severaldays, began to recover. His constitution brought him through, the fevergradually subsided, and Gideon Spilett, who was a bit of a doctor, pronounced him quite out of danger. On the 16th of August, Jup began toeat. Neb made him nice little sweet dishes, which the invalid devouredwith great relish, for if he had a pet failing it was that of beingsomewhat of a gourmend, and Neb had never done anything to cure him ofthis fault. "What would you have?" said he to Gideon Spilett, who sometimesexpostulated with him for spoiling the ape. "Poor Jup has no otherpleasure than that of the palate, and I am only too glad to be able toreward his services in this way!" Ten days after taking to his bed, on the 21st of August, Master Juparose. His wounds were healed, and it was evident that he would notbe long in regaining his usual strength and agility. Like allconvalescents, he was tremendously hungry, and the reporter allowed himto eat as much as he liked, for he trusted to that instinct, whichis too often wanting in reasoning beings, to keep the orang from anyexcess. Neb was delighted to see his pupil's appetite returning. "Eat away, my Jup, " said he, "and don't spare anything; you have shedyour blood for us, and it is the least I can do to make you strongagain!" On the 25th of August Neb's voice was heard calling to his companions. "Captain, Mr. Spilett, Mr. Herbert, Pencroft, come! come!" The colonists, who were together in the dining-room, rose at Neb's call, who was then in Jup's room. "What's the matter?" asked the reporter. "Look, " replied Neb, with a shout of laughter. And what did they see?Master Jup smoking calmly and seriously, sitting crosslegged like a Turkat the entrance to Granite House! "My pipe, " cried Pencroft. "He has taken my pipe! Hello, my honest Jup, I make you a present of it! Smoke away, old boy, smoke away!" And Jup gravely puffed out clouds of smoke which seemed to give himgreat satisfaction. Harding did not appear to be much astonished at thisincident, and he cited several examples of tame apes, to whom the use oftobacco had become quite familiar. But from this day Master Jup had a pipe of his own, the sailor'sex-pipe, which was hung in his room near his store of tobacco. He filledit himself, lighted it with a glowing coal, and appeared to bethe happiest of quadrumana. It may readily be understood that thissimilarity of tastes of Jup and Pencroft served to tighten the bonds offriendship which already existed between the honest ape and the worthysailor. "Perhaps he is really a man, " said Pencroft sometimes to Neb. "Shouldyou be surprised to hear him beginning to speak to us some day?" "My word, no, " replied Neb. "What astonishes me is that he hasn't spokento us before, for now he wants nothing but speech!" "It would amuse me all the same, " resumed the sailor, "if some fine dayhe said to me, 'Suppose we change pipes, Pencroft. '" "Yes, " replied Neb, "what a pity he was born dumb!" With the month of September the winter ended, and the works were againeagerly commenced. The building of the vessel advanced rapidly, she wasalready completely decked over, and all the inside parts of the hullwere firmly united with ribs bent by means of steam, which answered allthe purposes of a mold. As there was no want of wood, Pencroft proposed to the engineer to givea double lining to the hull, to insure the strength of the vessel. Harding, not knowing what the future might have in store for them, approved the sailor's idea of making the craft as strong as possible. The interior and deck of the vessel was entirely finished towards the15th of September. For calking the seams they made oakum of dry seaweed, which was hammered in between the planks; then these seams were coveredwith boiling tar, which was obtained in great abundance from the pinesin the forest. The management of the vessel was very simple. She had from the firstbeen ballasted with heavy blocks of granite walled up, in a bed of lime, twelve thousand pounds of which they stowed away. A deck was placed over this ballast, and the interior was divided intotwo cabins; two benches extended along them and served also as lockers. The foot of the mast supported the partition which separated the twocabins, which were reached by two hatchways let into the deck. Pencroft had no trouble in finding a tree suitable for the mast. Hechose a straight young fir, with no knots, and which he had only tosquare at the step, and round off at the top. The ironwork of the mast, the rudder and the hull had been roughly but strongly forged at theChimneys. Lastly, yards, masts, boom, spars, oars, etc. , were allfurnished by the first week in October, and it was agreed that a trialtrip should be taken round the island, so as to ascertain how the vesselwould behave at sea, and how far they might depend upon her. During all this time the necessary works had not been neglected. The corral was enlarged, for the flock of musmons and goats had beenincreased by a number of young ones, who had to be housed and fed. Thecolonists had paid visits also to the oyster bed, the warren, the coaland iron mines, and to the till then unexplored districts of the FarWest forest, which abounded in game. Certain indigenous plants werediscovered, and those fit for immediate use contributed to vary thevegetable stores of Granite House. They were a species of ficoide, some similar to those of the Cape, witheatable fleshy leaves, others bearing seeds containing a sort of flour. On the 10th of October the vessel was launched. Pencroft was radiantwith joy, the operation was perfectly successful; the boat completelyrigged, having been pushed on rollers to the water's edge, was floatedby the rising tide, amid the cheers of the colonists, particularly ofPencroft, who showed no modesty on this occasion. Besides his importancewas to last beyond the finishing of the vessel, since, after havingbuilt her, he was to command her. The grade of captain was bestowed uponhim with the approbation of all. To satisfy Captain Pencroft, it was nownecessary to give a name to the vessel, and, after many propositions hadbeen discussed, the votes were all in favor of the "Bonadventure. " Assoon as the "Bonadventure" had been lifted by the rising tide, it wasseen that she lay evenly in the water, and would be easily navigated. However, the trial trip was to be made that very day, by an excursionoff the coast. The weather was fine, the breeze fresh, and the seasmooth, especially towards the south coast, for the wind was blowingfrom the northwest. "All hands on board, " shouted Pencroft; but breakfast was firstnecessary, and it was thought best to take provisions on board, in theevent of their excursion being prolonged until the evening. Cyrus Harding was equally anxious to try the vessel, the model of whichhad originated with him, although on the sailor's advice he had alteredsome parts of it, but he did not share Pencroft's confidence in her, and as the latter had not again spoken of the voyage to Tabor Island, Harding hoped he had given it up. He would have indeed great reluctancein letting two or three of his companions venture so far in so small aboat, which was not of more than fifteen tons' burden. At half-past ten everybody was on board, even Top and Jup, and Herbertweighed the anchor, which was fast in the sand near the mouth of theMercy. The sail was hoisted, the Lincolnian flag floated from themasthead, and the "Bonadventure, " steered by Pencroft, stood out to sea. The wind blowing out of Union Bay she ran before it, and thus showed herowners, much to their satisfaction, that she possessed a remarkably fastpair of heels, according to Pencroft's mode of speaking. After havingdoubled Flotsam Point and Claw Cape, the captain kept her close hauled, so as to sail along the southern coast of the island, when it was foundshe sailed admirably within five points of the wind. All hands wereenchanted, they had a good vessel, which, in case of need, would beof great service to them, and with fine weather and a fresh breeze thevoyage promised to be charming. Pencroft now stood off the shore, three or four miles across from PortBalloon. The island then appeared in all its extent and under a newaspect, with the varied panorama of its shore from Claw Cape to ReptileEnd, the forests in which dark firs contrasted with the young foliageof other trees and overlooked the whole, and Mount Franklin whose loftyhead was still whitened with snow. "How beautiful it is!" cried Herbert. "Yes, our island is beautiful and good, " replied Pencroft. "I love it asI loved my poor mother. It received us poor and destitute, and now whatis wanting to us five fellows who fell on it from the sky?" "Nothing, " replied Neb; "nothing, captain. " And the two brave men gave three tremendous cheers in honor of theirisland! During all this time Gideon Spilett, leaning against the mast, sketchedthe panorama which was developed before his eyes. Cyrus Harding gazed on it in silence. "Well, Captain Harding, " asked Pencroft, "what do you think of ourvessel?" "She appears to behave well, " replied the engineer. "Good! And do you think now that she could undertake a voyage of someextent?" "What voyage, Pencroft?" "One to Tabor Island, for instance. " "My friend, " replied Harding, "I think that in any pressing emergencywe need not hesitate to trust ourselves to the 'Bonadventure' even fora longer voyage; but you know I should see you set off to Tabor Islandwith great uneasiness, since nothing obliges you to go there. " "One likes to know one's neighbors, " returned the sailor, who wasobstinate in his idea. "Tabor Island is our neighbor, and the only one!Politeness requires us to go at least to pay a visit. " "By Jove, " said Spilett, "our friend Pencroft has become very particularabout the proprieties all at once!" "I am not particular about anything at all, " retorted the sailor, whowas rather vexed by the engineer's opposition, but who did not wish tocause him anxiety. "Consider, Pencroft, " resumed Harding, "you cannot go alone to TaborIsland. " "One companion will be enough for me. " "Even so, " replied the engineer, "you will risk depriving the colony ofLincoln Island of two settlers out of five. " "Out of six, " answered Pencroft; "you forget Jup. " "Out of seven, " added Neb; "Top is quite worth another. " "There is no risk at all in it, captain, " replied Pencroft. "That is possible, Pencroft; but I repeat it is to expose ourselvesuselessly. " The obstinate sailor did not reply, and let the conversation drop, quitedetermined to resume it again. But he did not suspect that an incidentwould come to his aid and change into an act of humanity that which wasat first only a doubtful whim. After standing off the shore the "Bonadventure" again approached itin the direction of Port Balloon. It was important to ascertain thechannels between the sandbanks and reefs, that buoys might be laid downsince this little creek was to be the harbor. They were not more than half a mile from the coast, and it was necessaryto tack to beat against the wind. The "Bonadventure" was then going at avery moderate rate, as the breeze, partly intercepted by the high land, scarcely swelled her sails, and the sea, smooth as glass, was onlyrippled now and then by passing gusts. Herbert had stationed himself in the bows that he might indicate thecourse to be followed among the channels, when all at once he shouted, -- "Luff, Pencroft, luff!" "What's the matter, " replied the sailor; "a rock?" "No--wait, " said Herbert; "I don't quite see. Luff again--right--now. " So saying, Herbert, leaning over the side, plunged his arm into thewater, and pulled it out, exclaiming, -- "A bottle!" He held in his hand a corked bottle which he had just seized a fewcables' length from the shore. Cyrus Harding took the bottle. Without uttering a single word he drewthe cork, and took from it a damp paper, on which were written thesewords:-- "Castaway.... Tabor island: 153deg W. Long. , 37deg 11' S. Lat. " Chapter 13 "A castaway!" exclaimed Pencroft; "left on this Tabor Island not twohundred miles from us! Ah, Captain Harding, you won't now oppose mygoing. " "No, Pencroft, " replied Cyrus Harding; "and you shall set out as soon aspossible. " "To-morrow?" "To-morrow!" The engineer still held in his hand the paper which he had taken fromthe bottle. He contemplated it for some instants, then resumed, "From this document, my friends, from the way in which it is worded, we may conclude this: first, that the castaway on Tabor Island is a manpossessing a considerable knowledge of navigation, since he gives thelatitude and longitude of the island exactly as we ourselves found it, and to a second of approximation; secondly, that he is either English orAmerican, as the document is written in the English language. " "That is perfectly logical, " answered Spilett; "and the presence of thiscastaway explains the arrival of the case on the shores of our island. There must have been a wreck, since there is a castaway. As to thelatter, whoever he may be, it is lucky for him that Pencroft thought ofbuilding this boat and of trying her this very day, for a day later andthis bottle might have been broken on the rocks. " "Indeed, " said Herbert, "it is a fortunate chance that the'Bonadventure' passed exactly where the bottle was still floating!" "Does not this appear strange to you?" asked Harding of Pencroft. "It appears fortunate, that's all, " answered the sailor. "Do you seeanything extraordinary in it, captain? The bottle must go somewhere, andwhy not here as well as anywhere else?" "Perhaps you are right, Pencroft, " replied the engineer; "and yet--" "But, " observed Herbert, "there's nothing to prove that this bottle hasbeen floating long in the sea. " "Nothing, " replied Gideon Spilett, "and the document appears even tohave been recently written. What do you think about it, Cyrus?" During this conversation Pencroft had not remained inactive. He had putthe vessel about, and the "Bonadventure, " all sails set, was runningrapidly towards Claw Cape. Every one was thinking of the castaway on Tabor Island. Should theybe in time to save him? This was a great event in the life of thecolonists! They themselves were but castaways, but it was to be fearedthat another might not have been so fortunate, and their duty was to goto his succor. Claw Cape was doubled, and about four o'clock the "Bonadventure" droppedher anchor at the mouth of the Mercy. That same evening the arrangements for the new expedition were made. It appeared best that Pencroft and Herbert, who knew how to work thevessel, should undertake the voyage alone. By setting out the next day, the 10th of October, they would arrive on the 13th, for with the presentwind it would not take more than forty-eight hours to make this passageof a hundred and fifty miles. One day in the island, three or four toreturn, they might hope therefore that on the 17th they would againreach Lincoln Island. The weather was fine, the barometer was rising, the wind appeared settled, everything then was in favor of these bravemen whom an act of humanity was taking far from their island. Thus it had been agreed that Cyrus Harding, Neb, and Gideon Spilettshould remain at Granite House, but an objection was raised, andSpilett, who had not forgotten his business as reporter to the New YorkHerald, having declared that he would go by swimming rather than losesuch an opportunity, he was admitted to take a part in the voyage. The evening was occupied in transporting on board the "Bonadventure, "articles of bedding, utensils, arms, ammunition, a compass, provisionsfor a week; this being rapidly done, the colonists ascended to GraniteHouse. The next day, at five o'clock in the morning, the farewells were said, not without some emotion on both sides, and Pencroft setting sail madetowards Claw Cape, which had to be doubled in order to proceed to thesouthwest. The "Bonadventure" was already a quarter of a mile from the coast whenthe passengers perceived on the heights of Granite House two men wavingtheir farewells; they were Cyrus Harding and Neb. "Our friends, " exclaimed Spilett, "this is our first separation infifteen months. " Pencroft, the reporter and Herbert waved in return, and Granite Housesoon disappeared behind the high rocks of the Cape. During the first part of the day the "Bonadventure" was still in sightof the southern coast of Lincoln Island, which soon appeared just likea green basket, with Mount Franklin rising from the center. The heights, diminished by distance, did not present an appearance likely to temptvessels to touch there. Reptile End was passed in about an hour, thoughat a distance of about ten miles. At this distance it was no longer possible to distinguish anything ofthe Western Coast, which stretched away to the ridges of Mount Franklin, and three hours after the last of Lincoln Island sank below the horizon. The "Bonadventure" behaved capitally. Bounding over the waves sheproceeded rapidly on her course. Pencroft had hoisted the foresail, andsteering by the compass followed a rectilinear direction. From time totime Herbert relieved him at the helm, and the lad's hand was so firmthat the sailor had not a point to find fault with. Gideon Spilett chatted sometimes with one, sometimes with the other, ifwanted he lent a hand with the ropes, and Captain Pencroft was perfectlysatisfied with his crew. In the evening the crescent moon, which would not be in its firstquarter until the 16th, appeared in the twilight and soon set again. Thenight was dark but starry, and the next day again promised to be fine. Pencroft prudently lowered the foresail, not wishing to be caught bya sudden gust while carrying too much canvas; it was perhaps anunnecessary precaution on such a calm night, but Pencroft was a prudentsailor and cannot be blamed for it. The reporter slept part of the night. Pencroft and Herbert took turnsfor a spell of two hours each at the helm. The sailor trusted Herbert ashe would himself, and his confidence was justified by the coolness andjudgment of the lad. Pencroft gave him his directions as a commander tohis steersman, and Herbert never allowed the "Bonadventure" to swerveeven a point. The night passed quickly, as did the day of the 12th ofOctober. A south-easterly direction was strictly maintained. Unless the"Bonadventure" fell in with some unknown current she would come exactlywithin sight of Tabor Island. As to the sea over which the vessel was then sailing, it was absolutelydeserted. Now and then a great albatross or frigate bird passed withingunshot, and Gideon Spilett wondered if it was to one of them that hehad confided his last letter addressed to the New York Herald. Thesebirds were the only beings that appeared to frequent this part of theocean between Tabor and Lincoln Islands. "And yet, " observed Herbert, "this is the time that whalers usuallyproceed towards the southern part of the Pacific. Indeed I do not thinkthere could be a more deserted sea than this. " "It is not quite so deserted as all that, " replied Pencroft. "What do you mean?" asked the reporter. "We are on it. Do you take our vessel for a wreck and us for porpoises?" And Pencroft laughed at his joke. By the evening, according to calculation, it was thought that the"Bonadventure" had accomplished a distance of a hundred and twenty milessince her departure from Lincoln Island, that is to say in thirty-sixhours, which would give her a speed of between three and four knotsan hour. The breeze was very slight and might soon drop altogether. However, it was hoped that the next morning by break of day, if thecalculation had been correct and the course true, they would sight TaborIsland. Neither Gideon Spilett, Herbert, nor Pencroft slept that night. In theexpectation of the next day they could not but feel some emotion. There was so much uncertainty in their enterprise! Were they near TaborIsland? Was the island still inhabited by the castaway to whose succorthey had come? Who was this man? Would not his presence disturb thelittle colony till then so united? Besides, would he be content toexchange his prison for another? All these questions, which would nodoubt be answered the next day, kept them in suspense, and at the dawnof day they all fixed their gaze on the western horizon. "Land!" shouted Pencroft at about six o'clock in the morning. And it was impossible that Pencroft should be mistaken, it wasevident that land was there. Imagine the joy of the little crew ofthe "Bonadventure. " In a few hours they would land on the beach of theisland! The low coast of Tabor Island, scarcely emerging from the sea, was notmore than fifteen miles distant. The head of the "Bonadventure, " which was a little to the south of theisland, was set directly towards it, and as the sun mounted in the east, its rays fell upon one or two headlands. "This is a much less important isle than Lincoln Island, " observedHerbert, "and is probably due like ours to some submarine convulsion. " At eleven o'clock the "Bonadventure" was not more than two miles off, and Pencroft, while looking for a suitable place at which to land, proceeded very cautiously through the unknown waters. The whole of theisland could now be surveyed, and on it could be seen groups of gumand other large trees, of the same species as those growing on LincolnIsland. But the astonishing thing was that no smoke arose to show thatthe island was inhabited, no signal whatever appeared on the shore! And yet the document was clear enough; there was a castaway, and thiscastaway should have been on the watch. In the meanwhile the "Bonadventure" entered the winding channels amongthe reefs, and Pencroft observed every turn with extreme care. He hadput Herbert at the helm, posting himself in the bows, inspecting thewater, while he held the halliard in his hand, ready to lower the sailat a moment's notice. Gideon Spilett with his glass eagerly scanned theshore, though without perceiving anything. However, at about twelve o'clock the keel of the "Bonadventure" gratedon the bottom. The anchor was let go, the sails furled, and the crew ofthe little vessel landed. And there was no reason to doubt that this was Tabor Island, sinceaccording to the most recent charts there was no island in this part ofthe Pacific between New Zealand and the American Coast. The vessel was securely moored, so that there should be no danger ofher being carried away by the receding tide; then Pencroft and hiscompanions, well armed, ascended the shore, so as to gain an elevationof about two hundred and fifty or three hundred feet which rose at adistance of half a mile. "From the summit of that hill, " said Spilett, "we can no doubt obtain acomplete view of the island, which will greatly facilitate our search. " "So as to do here, " replied Herbert, "that which Captain Harding did thevery first thing on Lincoln Island, by climbing Mount Franklin. " "Exactly so, " answered the reporter, "and it is the best plan. " While thus talking the explorers had advanced along a clearingwhich terminated at the foot of the hill. Flocks of rock-pigeons andsea-swallows, similar to those of Lincoln Island, fluttered around them. Under the woods which skirted the glade on the left they could hear thebushes rustling and see the grass waving, which indicated the presenceof timid animals, but still nothing to show that the island wasinhabited. Arrived at the foot of the hill, Pencroft, Spilett, and Herbert climbedit in a few minutes, and gazed anxiously round the horizon. They were on an islet, which did not measure more than six miles incircumference, its shape not much bordered by capes or promontories, bays or creeks, being a lengthened oval. All around, the lonely seaextended to the limits of the horizon. No land nor even a sail was insight. This woody islet did not offer the varied aspects of Lincoln Island, arid and wild in one part, but fertile and rich in the other. On thecontrary this was a uniform mass of verdure, out of which rose two orthree hills of no great height. Obliquely to the oval of the island rana stream through a wide meadow falling into the sea on the west by anarrow mouth. "The domain is limited, " said Herbert. "Yes, " rejoined Pencroft: "It would have been too small for us. " "And moreover, " said the reporter, "it appears to be uninhabited. " "Indeed, " answered Herbert, "nothing here betrays the presence of man. " "Let us go down, " said Pencroft, "and search. " The sailor and his two companions returned to the shore, to the placewhere they had left the "Bonadventure. " They had decided to make the tour of the island on foot, beforeexploring the interior; so that not a spot should escape theirinvestigations. The beach was easy to follow, and only in some placeswas their way barred by large rocks, which, however, they easily passedround. The explorers proceeded towards the south, disturbing numerousflocks of sea-birds and herds of seals, which threw themselves into thesea as soon as they saw the strangers at a distance. "Those beasts yonder, " observed the reporter, "do not see men for thefirst time. They fear them, therefore they must know them. " An hour after their departure they arrived on the southern point of theislet, terminated by a sharp cape, and proceeded towards the north alongthe western coast, equally formed by sand and rocks, the backgroundbordered with thick woods. There was not a trace of a habitation in any part, not the print of ahuman foot on the shore of the island, which after four hours' walkinghad been gone completely round. It was to say the least very extraordinary, and they were compelled tobelieve that Tabor Island was not or was no longer inhabited. Perhaps, after all the document was already several months or several years old, and it was possible in this case, either that the castaway had beenenabled to return to his country, or that he had died of misery. Pencroft, Spilett, and Herbert, forming more or less probableconjectures, dined rapidly on board the "Bonadventure" so as to beable to continue their excursion until nightfall. This was done at fiveo'clock in the evening, at which hour they entered the wood. Numerous animals fled at their approach, being principally, one mightsay, only goats and pigs, which were obviously European species. Doubtless some whaler had landed them on the island, where they hadrapidly increased. Herbert resolved to catch one or two living, and takethem back to Lincoln Island. It was no longer doubtful that men at some period or other had visitedthis islet, and this became still more evident when paths appearedtrodden through the forest, felled trees, and everywhere traces of thehand of man; but the trees were becoming rotten, and had been felledmany years ago; the marks of the axe were velveted with moss, and thegrass grew long and thick on the paths, so that it was difficult to findthem. "But, " observed Gideon Spilett, "this not only proves that men havelanded on the island, but also that they lived on it for some time. Now, who were these men? How many of them remain?" "The document, " said Herbert, "only spoke of one castaway. " "Well, if he is still on the island, " replied Pencroft, "it isimpossible but that we shall find him. " The exploration was continued. The sailor and his companions naturallyfollowed the route which cut diagonally across the island, and they werethus obliged to follow the stream which flowed towards the sea. If the animals of European origin, if works due to a human hand, showedincontestably that men had already visited the island, several specimensof the vegetable kingdom did not prove it less. In some places, in themidst of clearings, it was evident that the soil had been planted withculinary plants, at probably the same distant period. What, then, was Herbert's joy, when he recognized potatoes, chicory, sorrel, carrots, cabbages, and turnips, of which it was sufficient tocollect the seed to enrich the soil of Lincoln Island. "Capital, jolly!" exclaimed Pencroft. "That will suit Neb as well as us. Even if we do not find the castaway, at least our voyage will not havebeen useless, and God will have rewarded us. " "Doubtless, " replied Gideon Spilett, "but to see the state in which wefind these plantations, it is to be feared that the island has not beeninhabited for some time. " "Indeed, " answered Herbert, "an inhabitant, whoever he was, could nothave neglected such an important culture!" "Yes, " said Pencroft, "the castaway has gone. " "We must suppose so. " "It must then be admitted that the document has already a distant date?" "Evidently. " "And that the bottle only arrived at Lincoln Island after having floatedin the sea a long time. " "Why not?" returned Pencroft. "But night is coming on, " added he, "and Ithink that it will be best to give up the search for the present. " "Let us go on board, and to-morrow we will begin again, " said thereporter. This was the wisest course, and it was about to be followed whenHerbert, pointing to a confused mass among the trees, exclaimed, -- "A hut!" All three immediately ran towards the dwelling. In the twilight it wasjust possible to see that it was built of planks and covered with athick tarpaulin. The half-closed door was pushed open by Pencroft, who entered with arapid step. The hut was empty! Chapter 14 Pencroft, Herbert, and Gideon Spilett remained silent in the midst ofthe darkness. Pencroft shouted loudly. No reply was made. The sailor then struck a light and set fire to a twig. This lighted fora minute a small room, which appeared perfectly empty. At the back wasa rude fireplace, with a few cold cinders, supporting an armful of drywood. Pencroft threw the blazing twig on it, the wood crackled and gaveforth a bright light. The sailor and his two companions then perceived a disordered bed, ofwhich the damp and yellow coverlets proved that it had not been used fora long time. In the corner of the fireplace were two kettles, coveredwith rust, and an overthrown pot. A cupboard, with a few moldy sailor'sclothes; on the table a tin plate and a Bible, eaten away by damp; in acorner a few tools, a spade, pickaxe, two fowling-pieces, one of whichwas broken; on a plank, forming a shelf, stood a barrel of powder, stilluntouched, a barrel of shot, and several boxes of caps, all thicklycovered with dust, accumulated, perhaps, by many long years. "There is no one here, " said the reporter. "No one, " replied Pencroft. "It is a long time since this room has been inhabited, " observedHerbert. "Yes, a very long time!" answered the reporter. "Mr. Spilett, " then said Pencroft, "instead of returning on board, Ithink that it would be well to pass the night in this hut. " "You are right, Pencroft, " answered Gideon Spilett, "and if its ownerreturns, well! perhaps he will not be sorry to find the place takenpossession of. " "He will not return, " said the sailor, shaking his head. "You think that he has quitted the island?" asked the reporter. "If he had quitted the island he would have taken away his weapons andhis tools, " replied Pencroft. "You know the value which castaways seton such articles as these the last remains of a wreck. No! no!" repeatedthe sailor, in a tone of conviction; "no, he has not left the island! Ifhe had escaped in a boat made by himself, he would still less have leftthese indispensable and necessary articles. No! he is on the island!" "Living?" asked Herbert. "Living or dead. But if he is dead, I suppose he has not buried himself, and so we shall at least find his remains!" It was then agreed that the night should be passed in the deserteddwelling, and a store of wood found in a corner was sufficient to warmit. The door closed, Pencroft, Herbert and Spilett remained there, seated on a bench, talking little but wondering much. They were in aframe of mind to imagine anything or expect anything. They listenedeagerly for sounds outside. The door might have opened suddenly, anda man presented himself to them without their being in the leastsurprised, notwithstanding all that the hut revealed of abandonment, and they had their hands ready to press the hands of this man, thiscastaway, this unknown friend, for whom friends were waiting. But no voice was heard, the door did not open. The hours thus passedaway. How long the night appeared to the sailor and his companions! Herbertalone slept for two hours, for at his age sleep is a necessity. Theywere all three anxious to continue their exploration of the day before, and to search the most secret recesses of the islet! The inferencesdeduced by Pencroft were perfectly reasonable, and it was nearly certainthat, as the hut was deserted, and the tools, utensils, and weapons werestill there, the owner had succumbed. It was agreed, therefore, thatthey should search for his remains, and give them at least Christianburial. Day dawned; Pencroft and his companions immediately proceeded to surveythe dwelling. It had certainly been built in a favorable situation, at the back of a little hill, sheltered by five or six magnificentgum-trees. Before its front and through the trees the axe had prepareda wide clearing, which allowed the view to extend to the sea. Beyond alawn, surrounded by a wooden fence falling to pieces, was the shore, onthe left of which was the mouth of the stream. The hut had been built of planks, and it was easy to see that theseplanks had been obtained from the hull or deck of a ship. It wasprobable that a disabled vessel had been cast on the coast of theisland, that one at least of the crew had been saved, and that by meansof the wreck this man, having tools at his disposal, had built thedwelling. And this became still more evident when Gideon Spilett, after havingwalked around the hut, saw on a plank, probably one of those whichhad formed the armor of the wrecked vessel, these letters already halfeffaced: BR--TAN--A "Britannia, " exclaimed Pencroft, whom the reporter had called; "it isa common name for ships, and I could not say if she was English orAmerican!" "It matters very little, Pencroft!" "Very little indeed, " answered the sailor, "and we will save thesurvivor of her crew if he is still living, to whatever country he maybelong. But before beginning our search again let us go on board the'Bonadventure'. " A sort of uneasiness had seized Pencroft upon the subject of his vessel. Should the island be inhabited after all, and should some one have takenpossession of her? But he shrugged his shoulders at such an unreasonablesupposition. At any rate the sailor was not sorry to go to breakfast onboard. The road already trodden was not long, scarcely a mile. They setout on their walk, gazing into the wood and thickets through which goatsand pigs fled in hundreds. Twenty minutes after leaving the hut Pencroft and his companions reachedthe western coast of the island, and saw the "Bonadventure" held fast byher anchor, which was buried deep in the sand. Pencroft could not restrain a sigh of satisfaction. After all thisvessel was his child, and it is the right of fathers to be often uneasywhen there is no occasion for it. They returned on board, breakfasted, so that it should not be necessaryto dine until very late; then the repast being ended, the explorationwas continued and conducted with the most minute care. Indeed, it wasvery probable that the only inhabitant of the island had perished. Itwas therefore more for the traces of a dead than of a living man thatPencroft and his companions searched. But their searches were vain, andduring the half of that day they sought to no purpose among the thicketsof trees which covered the islet. There was then scarcely any doubtthat, if the castaway was dead, no trace of his body now remained, butthat some wild beast had probably devoured it to the last bone. "We will set off to-morrow at daybreak, " said Pencroft to his twocompanions, as about two o'clock they were resting for a few minutesunder the shade of a clump of firs. "I should think that we might without scruple take the utensils whichbelonged to the castaway, " added Herbert. "I think so, too, " returned Gideon Spilett, "and these arms and toolswill make up the stores of Granite House. The supply of powder and shotis also most important. " "Yes, " replied Pencroft, "but we must not forget to capture a couple ortwo of those pigs, of which Lincoln Island is destitute. " "Nor to gather those seeds, " added Herbert, "which will give us all thevegetables of the Old and the New Worlds. " "Then perhaps it would be best, " said the reporter, "to remain a daylonger on Tabor Island, so as to collect all that may be useful to us. " "No, Mr. Spilett, " answered Pencroft, "I will ask you to set offto-morrow at daybreak. The wind seems to me to be likely to shift to thewest, and after having had a fair wind for coming we shall have a fairwind for going back. " "Then do not let us lose time, " said Herbert, rising. "We won't waste time, " returned Pencroft. "You, Herbert, go and gatherthe seeds, which you know better than we do. While you do that, Mr. Spilett and I will go and have a pig hunt, and even without Top I hopewe shall manage to catch a few!" Herbert accordingly took the path which led towards the cultivated partof the islet, while the sailor and the reporter entered the forest. Many specimens of the porcine race fled before them, and these animals, which were singularly active, did not appear to be in a humor to allowthemselves to be approached. However, after an hour's chase, the hunters had just managed to get holdof a couple lying in a thicket, when cries were heard resounding fromthe north part of the island, With the cries were mingled terribleyells, in which there was nothing human. Pencroft and Gideon Spilett were at once on their feet, and the pigsby this movement began to run away, at the moment when the sailor wasgetting ready the rope to bind them. "That's Herbert's voice, " said the reporter. "Run!" exclaimed Pencroft. And the sailor and Spilett immediately ran at full speed towards thespot from whence the cries proceeded. They did well to hasten, for at a turn of the path near a clearing theysaw the lad thrown on the ground and in the grasp of a savage being, apparently a gigantic ape, who was about to do him some great harm. To rush on this monster, throw him on the ground in his turn, snatchHerbert from him, then bind him securely, was the work of a minute forPencroft and Gideon Spilett. The sailor was of Herculean strength, thereporter also very powerful, and in spite of the monster's resistance hewas firmly tied so that he could not even move. "You are not hurt, Herbert?" asked Spilett. "No, no!" "Oh, if this ape had wounded him!" exclaimed Pencroft. "But he is not an ape, " answered Herbert. At these words Pencroft and Gideon Spilett looked at the singular beingwho lay on the ground. Indeed it was not an ape; it was a human being, a man. But what a man! A savage in all the horrible acceptation of theword, and so much the more frightful that he seemed fallen to the lowestdegree of brutishness! Shaggy hair, untrimmed beard descending to the chest, the body almostnaked except a rag round the waist, wild eyes, enormous hands withimmensely long nails, skin the color of mahogany, feet as hard as ifmade of horn, such was the miserable creature who yet had a claim to becalled a man. But it might justly be asked if there were yet a soul inthis body, or if the brute instinct alone survived in it! "Are you quite sure that this is a man, or that he has ever been one?"said Pencroft to the reporter. "Alas! there is no doubt about it, " replied Spilett. "Then this must be the castaway?" asked Herbert. "Yes, " replied Gideon Spilett, "but the unfortunate man has no longeranything human about him!" The reporter spoke the truth. It was evident that if the castaway hadever been a civilized being, solitude had made him a savage, or worse, perhaps a regular man of the woods. Hoarse sounds issued from his throatbetween his teeth, which were sharp as the teeth of a wild beast made totear raw flesh. Memory must have deserted him long before, and for a long time also hehad forgotten how to use his gun and tools, and he no longer knew how tomake a fire! It could be seen that he was active and powerful, but thephysical qualities had been developed in him to the injury of the moralqualities. Gideon Spilett spoke to him. He did not appear to understandor even to hear. And yet on looking into his eyes, the reporter thoughthe could see that all reason was not extinguished in him. However, theprisoner did not struggle, nor even attempt to break his bonds. Was heoverwhelmed by the presence of men whose fellow he had once been? Had hefound in some corner of his brain a fleeting remembrance which recalledhim to humanity? If free, would he attempt to fly, or would he remain?They could not tell, but they did not make the experiment; and aftergazing attentively at the miserable creature, -- "Whoever he may be, " remarked Gideon Spilett, "whoever he may havebeen, and whatever he may become, it is our duty to take him with us toLincoln Island. " "Yes, yes!" replied Herbert, "and perhaps with care we may arouse in himsame gleam of intelligence. " "The soul does not die, " said the reporter, "and it would be a greatsatisfaction to rescue one of God's creatures from brutishness. " Pencroft shook his head doubtfully. "We must try at any rate, " returned the reporter; "humanity commandsus. " It was indeed their duty as Christians and civilized beings. All threefelt this, and they well knew that Cyrus Harding would approve of theiracting thus. "Shall we leave him bound?" asked the sailor. "Perhaps he would walk if his feet were unfastened, " said Herbert. "Let us try, " replied Pencroft. The cords which shackled the prisoner's feet were cut off, but his armsremained securely fastened. He got up by himself and did not manifestany desire to run away. His hard eyes darted a piercing glance at thethree men, who walked near him, but nothing denoted that he recollectedbeing their fellow, or at least having been so. A continual hissingsound issued from his lips, his aspect was wild, but he did not attemptto resist. By the reporter's advice the unfortunate man was taken to the hut. Perhaps the sight of the things that belonged to him would make someimpression on him! Perhaps a spark would be sufficient to revive hisobscured intellect, to rekindle his dulled soul. The dwelling wasnot far off. In a few minutes they arrived there, but the prisonerremembered nothing, and it appeared that he had lost consciousness ofeverything. What could they think of the degree of brutishness into which thismiserable being had fallen, unless that his imprisonment on the isletdated from a very distant period and after having arrived there arational being solitude had reduced him to this condition. The reporter then thought that perhaps the sight of fire would havesome effect on him, and in a moment one of those beautiful flames, thatattract even animals, blazed up on the hearth. The sight of the flameseemed at first to fix the attention of the unhappy object, but soonhe turned away and the look of intelligence faded. Evidently there wasnothing to be done, for the time at least, but to take him on boardthe "Bonadventure. " This was done, and he remained there in Pencroft'scharge. Herbert and Spilett returned to finish their work; and some hours afterthey came back to the shore, carrying the utensils and guns, a store ofvegetables, of seeds, some game, and two couple of pigs. All was embarked, and the "Bonadventure" was ready to weigh anchor andsail with the morning tide. The prisoner had been placed in the fore-cabin, where he remained quiet, silent, apparently deaf and dumb. Pencroft offered him something to eat, but he pushed away the cookedmeat that was presented to him and which doubtless did not suit him. Buton the sailor showing him one of the ducks which Herbert had killed, hepounced on it like a wild beast, and devoured it greedily. "You think that he will recover his senses?" asked Pencroft. "It isnot impossible that our care will have an effect upon him, for it issolitude that has made him what he is, and from this time forward hewill be no longer alone. " "The poor man must no doubt have been in this state for a long time, "said Herbert. "Perhaps, " answered Gideon Spilett. "About what age is he?" asked the lad. "It is difficult to say, " replied the reporter, "for it is impossible tosee his features under the thick beard which covers his face, but he isno longer young, and I suppose he might be about fifty. " "Have you noticed, Mr. Spilett, how deeply sunk his eyes are?" askedHerbert. "Yes, Herbert, but I must add that they are more human than one couldexpect from his appearance. " "However, we shall see, " replied Pencroft, "and I am anxious to knowwhat opinion Captain Harding will have of our savage. We went to lookfor a human creature, and we are bringing back a monster! After all, wedid what we could. " The night passed, and whether the prisoner slept or not could not beknown, but at any rate, although he had been unbound, he did notmove. He was like a wild animal, which appears stunned at first by itscapture, and becomes wild again afterwards. At daybreak the next morning, the 15th of October, the change of weatherpredicted by Pencroft occurred. The wind having shifted to the northwestfavored the return of the "Bonadventure, " but at the same time itfreshened, which might render navigation more difficult. At five o'clock in the morning the anchor was weighed. Pencroft took areef in the mainsail, and steered towards the north-east, so as to sailstraight for Lincoln Island. The first day of the voyage was not marked by any incident. The prisonerremained quiet in the fore-cabin, and as he had been a sailor itappeared that the motion of the vessel might produce on him a salutaryreaction. Did some recollection of his former calling return to him?However that might be, he remained tranquil, astonished rather thandepressed. The next day the wind increased, blowing more from the north, consequently in a less favorable direction for the "Bonadventure. "Pencroft was soon obliged to sail close-hauled, and without sayinganything about it he began to be uneasy at the state of the sea, whichfrequently broke over the bows. Certainly, if the wind did not moderate, it would take a longer time to reach Lincoln Island than it had taken tomake Tabor Island. Indeed, on the morning of the 17th, the "Bonadventure" had beenforty-eight hours at sea, and nothing showed that she was near theisland. It was impossible, besides, to estimate the distance traversed, or to trust to the reckoning for the direction, as the speed had beenvery irregular. Twenty-four hours after there was yet no land in sight. The wind wasright ahead and the sea very heavy. The sails were close-reefed, andthey tacked frequently. On the 18th, a wave swept completely over the"Bonadventure"; and if the crew had not taken the precaution of lashingthemselves to the deck, they would have been carried away. On this occasion Pencroft and his companions, who were occupied withloosing themselves, received unexpected aid from the prisoner, whoemerged from the hatchway as if his sailor's instinct had suddenlyreturned, broke a piece out of the bulwarks with a spar so as to letthe water which filled the deck escape. Then the vessel being clear, hedescended to his cabin without having uttered a word. Pencroft, GideonSpilett, and Herbert, greatly astonished, let him proceed. Their situation was truly serious, and the sailor had reason to fearthat he was lost on the wide sea without any possibility of recoveringhis course. The night was dark and cold. However, about eleven o'clock, the windfell, the sea went down, and the speed of the vessel, as she laboredless, greatly increased. Neither Pencroft, Spilett, nor Herbert thought of taking an hour'ssleep. They kept a sharp look-out, for either Lincoln Island could notbe far distant and would be sighted at daybreak, or the "Bonadventure, "carried away by currents, had drifted so much that it would beimpossible to rectify her course. Pencroft, uneasy to the last degree, yet did not despair, for he had a gallant heart, and grasping the tillerhe anxiously endeavored to pierce the darkness which surrounded them. About two o'clock in the morning he started forward, -- "A light! a light!" he shouted. Indeed, a bright light appeared twenty miles to the northeast. LincolnIsland was there, and this fire, evidently lighted by Cyrus Harding, showed them the course to be followed. Pencroft, who was bearing toomuch to the north, altered his course and steered towards the fire, which burned brightly above the horizon like a star of the firstmagnitude. Chapter 15 The next day, the 20th of October, at seven o'clock in the morning, after a voyage of four days, the "Bonadventure" gently glided up to thebeach at the mouth of the Mercy. Cyrus Harding and Neb, who had become very uneasy at the bad weather andthe prolonged absence of their companions, had climbed at daybreak tothe plateau of Prospect Heights, and they had at last caught sight ofthe vessel which had been so long in returning. "God be praised! there they are!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding. As to Neb in his joy, he began to dance, to twirl round, clapping hishands and shouting, "Oh! my master!" A more touching pantomime than thefinest discourse. The engineer's first idea, on counting the people on the deck of the"Bonadventure, " was that Pencroft had not found the castaway of TaborIsland, or at any rate that the unfortunate man had refused to leave hisisland and change one prison for another. Indeed Pencroft, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert were alone on the deck ofthe "Bonadventure. " The moment the vessel touched, the engineer and Neb were waiting onthe beach, and before the passengers had time to leap on to the sand, Harding said: "We have been very uneasy at your delay, my friends! Didyou meet with any accident?" "No, " replied Gideon Spilett; "on the contrary, everything wentwonderfully well. We will tell you all about it. " "However, " returned the engineer, "your search has been unsuccessful, since you are only three, just as you went!" "Excuse me, captain, " replied the sailor, "we are four. " "You have found the castaway?" "Yes. " "And you have brought him?" "Yes. " "Living?" "Yes. " "Where is he? Who is he?" "He is, " replied the reporter, "or rather he was a man! There, Cyrus, that is all we can tell you!" The engineer was then informed of all that had passed during the voyage, and under what conditions the search had been conducted; how the onlydwelling in the island had long been abandoned; how at last a castawayhad been captured, who appeared no longer to belong to the humanspecies. "And that's just the point, " added Pencroft, "I don't know if we havedone right to bring him here. " "Certainly you have, Pencroft, " replied the engineer quickly. "But the wretched creature has no sense!" "That is possible at present, " replied Cyrus Harding, "but only a fewmonths ago the wretched creature was a man like you and me. And whoknows what will become of the survivor of us after a long solitude onthis island? It is a great misfortune to be alone, my friends; and itmust be believed that solitude can quickly destroy reason, since youhave found this poor creature in such a state!" "But, captain, " asked Herbert, "what leads you to think that thebrutishness of the unfortunate man began only a few months back?" "Because the document we found had been recently written, " answered theengineer, "and the castaway alone can have written it. " "Always supposing, " observed Gideon Spilett, "that it had not beenwritten by a companion of this man, since dead. " "That is impossible, my dear Spilett. " "Why so?" asked the reporter. "Because the document would then have spoken of two castaways, " repliedHarding, "and it mentioned only one. " Herbert then in a few words related the incidents of the voyage, anddwelt on the curious fact of the sort of passing gleam in the prisoner'smind, when for an instant in the height of the storm he had become asailor. "Well, Herbert, " replied the engineer, "you are right to attach greatimportance to this fact. The unfortunate man cannot be incurable, anddespair has made him what he is; but here he will find his fellow-men, and since there is still a soul in him, this soul we shall save!" The castaway of Tabor Island, to the great pity of the engineer andthe great astonishment of Neb, was then brought from the cabin which heoccupied in the fore part of the "Bonadventure"; when once on land hemanifested a wish to run away. But Cyrus Harding approaching, placed his hand on his shoulder with agesture full of authority, and looked at him with infinite tenderness. Immediately the unhappy man, submitting to a superior will, graduallybecame calm, his eyes fell, his head bent, and he made no moreresistance. "Poor fellow!" murmured the engineer. Cyrus Harding had attentively observed him. To judge by his appearancethis miserable being had no longer anything human about him, andyet Harding, as had the reporter already, observed in his look anindefinable trace of intelligence. It was decided that the castaway, or rather the stranger as he wasthenceforth termed by his companions, should live in one of the roomsof Granite House, from which, however, he could not escape. He was ledthere without difficulty, and with careful attention, it might, perhaps, be hoped that some day he would be a companion to the settlers inLincoln Island. Cyrus Harding, during breakfast, which Neb had hastened to prepare, as the reporter, Herbert, and Pencroft were dying of hunger, heard indetail all the incidents which had marked the voyage of exploration tothe islet. He agreed with his friends on this point, that the strangermust be either English or American, the name Britannia leading themto suppose this, and, besides, through the bushy beard, and underthe shaggy, matted hair, the engineer thought he could recognize thecharacteristic features of the Anglo-Saxon. "But, by the bye, " said Gideon Spilett, addressing Herbert, "you nevertold us how you met this savage, and we know nothing, except that youwould have been strangled, if we had not happened to come up in time tohelp you!" "Upon my word, " answered Herbert, "it is rather difficult to say how ithappened. I was, I think, occupied in collecting my plants, when I hearda noise like an avalanche falling from a very tall tree. I scarcelyhad time to look round. This unfortunate man, who was without doubtconcealed in a tree, rushed upon me in less time than I take to tell youabout it, and unless Mr. Spilett and Pencroft--" "My boy!" said Cyrus Harding, "you ran a great danger, but, perhaps, without that, the poor creature would have still hidden himself fromyour search, and we should not have had a new companion. " "You hope, then, Cyrus, to succeed in reforming the man?" asked thereporter. "Yes, " replied the engineer. Breakfast over, Harding and his companions left Granite House andreturned to the beach. They there occupied themselves in unloading the"Bonadventure, " and the engineer, having examined the arms and tools, saw nothing which could help them to establish the identity of thestranger. The capture of pigs, made on the islet, was looked upon as being veryprofitable to Lincoln Island, and the animals were led to the sty, wherethey soon became at home. The two barrels, containing the powder and shot, as well as the boxof caps, were very welcome. It was agreed to establish a smallpowder-magazine, either outside Granite House or in the Upper Cavern, where there would be no fear of explosion. However, the use of pyroxylewas to be continued, for this substance giving excellent results, therewas no reason for substituting ordinary powder. When the unloading of the vessel was finished, -- "Captain, " said Pencroft, "I think it would be prudent to put our'Bonadventure' in a safe place. " "Is she not safe at the mouth of the Mercy?" asked Cyrus Harding. "No, captain, " replied the sailor. "Half of the time she is stranded onthe sand, and that works her. She is a famous craft, you see, and shebehaved admirably during the squall which struck us on our return. " "Could she not float in the river?" "No doubt, captain, she could; but there is no shelter there, and in theeast winds, I think that the 'Bonadventure' would suffer much from thesurf. " "Well, where would you put her, Pencroft?" "In Port Balloon, " replied the sailor. "That little creek, shut in byrocks, seems to me to be just the harbor we want. " "Is it not rather far?" "Pooh! it is not more than three miles from Granite House, and we have afine straight road to take us there!" "Do it then, Pencroft, and take your 'Bonadventure' there, " repliedthe engineer, "and yet I would rather have her under our more immediateprotection. When we have time, we must make a little harbor for her. " "Famous!" exclaimed Pencroft. "A harbor with a lighthouse, a pier, anddock! Ah! really with you, captain, everything becomes easy. " "Yes, my brave Pencroft, " answered the engineer, "but on condition, however, that you help me, for you do as much as three men in all ourwork. " Herbert and the sailor then re-embarked on board the "Bonadventure, "the anchor was weighed, the sail hoisted, and the wind drove her rapidlytowards Claw Cape. Two hours after, she was reposing on the tranquilwaters of Port Balloon. During the first days passed by the stranger in Granite House, had healready given them reason to think that his savage nature was becomingtamed? Did a brighter light burn in the depths of that obscured mind? Inshort, was the soul returning to the body? Yes, to a certainty, and to such a degree, that Cyrus Harding and thereporter wondered if the reason of the unfortunate man had ever beentotally extinguished. At first, accustomed to the open air, to theunrestrained liberty which he had enjoyed on Tabor Island, the strangermanifested a sullen fury, and it was feared that he might throwhimself onto the beach, out of one of the windows of Granite House. But gradually he became calmer, and more freedom was allowed to hismovements. They had reason to hope, and to hope much. Already, forgetting hiscarnivorous instincts, the stranger accepted a less bestial nourishmentthan that on which he fed on the islet, and cooked meat did not producein him the same sentiment of repulsion which he had showed on boardthe "Bonadventure. " Cyrus Harding had profited by a moment when he wassleeping, to cut his hair and matted beard, which formed a sort ofmane and gave him such a savage aspect. He had also been clothed moresuitably, after having got rid of the rag which covered him. The resultwas that, thanks to these attentions, the stranger resumed a morehuman appearance, and it even seemed as if his eyes had become milder. Certainly, when formerly lighted up by intelligence, this man's facemust have had a sort of beauty. Every day, Harding imposed on himself the task of passing some hoursin his company. He came and worked near him, and occupied himself indifferent things, so as to fix his attention. A spark, indeed, would besufficient to reillumine that soul, a recollection crossing that brainto recall reason. That had been seen, during the storm, on board the"Bonadventure!" The engineer did not neglect either to speak aloud, soas to penetrate at the same time by the organs of hearing and sight thedepths of that torpid intelligence. Sometimes one of his companions, sometimes another, sometimes all joined him. They spoke most often ofthings belonging to the navy, which must interest a sailor. At times, the stranger gave some slight attention to what was said, and the settlers were soon convinced that he partly understood them. Sometimes the expression of his countenance was deeply sorrowful, aproof that he suffered mentally, for his face could not be mistaken;but he did not speak, although at different times, however, they almostthought that words were about to issue from his lips. At all events, thepoor creature was quite quiet and sad! But was not his calm only apparent? Was not his sadness only the resultof his seclusion? Nothing could yet be ascertained. Seeing only certainobjects and in a limited space, always in contact with the colonists, to whom he would soon become accustomed, having no desires to satisfy, better fed, better clothed, it was natural that his physical natureshould gradually improve; but was he penetrated with the sense of a newlife? or rather, to employ a word which would be exactly applicableto him, was he not becoming tamed, like an animal in company with hismaster? This was an important question, which Cyrus Harding was anxiousto answer, and yet he did not wish to treat his invalid roughly! Wouldhe ever be a convalescent? How the engineer observed him every moment! How he was on the watch forhis soul, if one may use the expression! How he was ready to grasp it!The settlers followed with real sympathy all the phases of the cureundertaken by Harding. They aided him also in this work of humanity, andall, except perhaps the incredulous Pencroft, soon shared both his hopeand his faith. The calm of the stranger was deep, as has been said, and he even showeda sort of attachment for the engineer, whose influence he evidentlyfelt. Cyrus Harding resolved then to try him, by transporting himto another scene, from that ocean which formerly his eyes had beenaccustomed to contemplate, to the border of the forest, which mightperhaps recall those where so many years of his life had been passed! "But, " said Gideon Spilett, "can we hope that he will not escape, ifonce set at liberty?" "The experiment must be tried, " replied the engineer. "Well!" said Pencroft. "When that fellow is outside, and feels the freshair, he will be off as fast as his legs can carry him!" "I do not think so, " returned Harding. "Let us try, " said Spilett. "We will try, " replied the engineer. This was on the 30th of October, and consequently the castaway of TaborIsland had been a prisoner in Granite House for nine days. It waswarm, and a bright sun darted its rays on the island. Cyrus Harding andPencroft went to the room occupied by the stranger, who was found lyingnear the window and gazing at the sky. "Come, my friend, " said the engineer to him. The stranger rose immediately. His eyes were fixed on Cyrus Harding, andhe followed him, while the sailor marched behind them, little confidentas to the result of the experiment. Arrived at the door, Harding and Pencroft made him take his place inthe lift, while Neb, Herbert, and Gideon Spilett waited for them beforeGranite House. The lift descended, and in a few moments all were unitedon the beach. The settlers went a short distance from the stranger, so as to leave himat liberty. He then made a few steps toward the sea, and his look brightened withextreme animation, but he did not make the slightest attempt to escape. He was gazing at the little waves which, broken by the islet, rippled onthe sand. "This is only the sea, " observed Gideon Spilett, "and possibly it doesnot inspire him with any wish to escape!" "Yes, " replied Harding, "we must take him to the plateau, on the borderof the forest. There the experiment will be more conclusive. " "Besides, he could not run away, " said Neb, "since the bridge israised. " "Oh!" said Pencroft, "that isn't a man to be troubled by a stream likeCreek Glycerine! He could cross it directly, at a single bound!" "We shall soon see, " Harding contented himself with replying, his eyesnot quitting those of his patient. The latter was then led towards the mouth of the Mercy, and all climbingthe left bank of the river, reached Prospect Heights. Arrived at the spot on which grew the first beautiful trees of theforest, their foliage slightly agitated by the breeze, the strangerappeared greedily to drink in the penetrating odor which filled theatmosphere, and a long sigh escaped from his chest. The settlers kept behind him, ready to seize him if he made any movementto escape! And, indeed, the poor creature was on the point of springing into thecreek which separated him from the forest, and his legs were bent for aninstant as if for a spring, but almost immediately he stepped back, halfsank down, and a large tear fell from his eyes. "Ah!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding, "you have become a man again, for you canweep!" Chapter 16 Yes! the unfortunate man had wept! Some recollection doubtless hadflashed across his brain, and to use Cyrus Harding's expression, bythose tears he was once more a man. The colonists left him for some time on the plateau, and withdrewthemselves to a short distance, so that he might feel himself free; buthe did not think of profiting by this liberty, and Harding soon broughthim back to Granite House. Two days after this occurrence, the strangerappeared to wish gradually to mingle with their common life. Heevidently heard and understood, but no less evidently was he strangelydetermined not to speak to the colonists; for one evening, Pencroft, listening at the door of his room, heard these words escape from hislips:-- "No! here! I! never!" The sailor reported these words to his companions. "There is some painful mystery there!" said Harding. The stranger had begun to use the laboring tools, and he worked in thegarden. When he stopped in his work, as was often the case, he remainedretired within himself, but on the engineer's recommendation, theyrespected the reserve which he apparently wished to keep. If one of thesettlers approached him, he drew back, and his chest heaved with sobs, as if overburdened! Was it remorse that overwhelmed him thus? They were compelled to believeso, and Gideon Spilett could not help one day making this observation, -- "If he does not speak it is because he has, I fear, things too seriousto be told!" They must be patient and wait. A few days later, on the 3rd of November, the stranger, working on theplateau, had stopped, letting his spade drop to the ground, and Harding, who was observing him from a little distance, saw that tears were againflowing from his eyes. A sort of irresistible pity led him towards theunfortunate man, and he touched his arm lightly. "My friend!" said he. The stranger tried to avoid his look, and Cyrus Harding havingendeavored to take his hand, he drew back quickly. "My friend, " said Harding in a firmer voice, "look at me, I wish it!" The stranger looked at the engineer, and seemed to be under his power, as a subject under the influence of a mesmerist. He wished to run away. But then his countenance suddenly underwent a transformation. His eyesflashed. Words struggled to escape from his lips. He could no longercontain himself! At last he folded his arms; then, in a hollowvoice, --"Who are you?" he asked Cyrus Harding. "Castaways, like you, " replied the engineer, whose emotion was deep. "Wehave brought you here, among your fellow-men. " "My fellow-men!.... I have none!" "You are in the midst of friends. " "Friends!--for me! friends!" exclaimed the stranger, hiding his face inhis hands. "No--never--leave me! leave me!" Then he rushed to the side of the plateau which overlooked the sea, andremained there a long time motionless. Harding rejoined his companions and related to them what had justhappened. "Yes! there is some mystery in that man's life, " said Gideon Spilett, "and it appears as if he had only re-entered society by the path ofremorse. " "I don't know what sort of a man we have brought here, " said the sailor. "He has secrets--" "Which we will respect, " interrupted Cyrus Harding quickly. "If he hascommitted any crime, he has most fearfully expiated it, and in our eyeshe is absolved. " For two hours the stranger remained alone on the shore, evidently underthe influence of recollections which recalled all his past life--amelancholy life doubtless--and the colonists, without losing sight ofhim, did not attempt to disturb his solitude. However, after two hours, appearing to have formed a resolution, he came to find Cyrus Harding. His eyes were red with the tears he had shed, but he wept no longer. His countenance expressed deep humility. He appeared anxious, timorous, ashamed, and his eyes were constantly fixed on the ground. "Sir, " said he to Harding, "your companions and you, are you English?" "No, " answered the engineer, "we are Americans. " "Ah!" said the stranger, and he murmured, "I prefer that!" "And you, my friend?" asked the engineer. "English, " replied he hastily. And as if these few words had been difficult to say, he retreated to thebeach, where he walked up and down between the cascade and the mouth ofthe Mercy, in a state of extreme agitation. Then, passing one moment close to Herbert, he stopped and in a stifledvoice, -- "What month?" he asked. "December, " replied Herbert. "What year?" "1866. " "Twelve years! twelve years!" he exclaimed. Then he left him abruptly. Herbert reported to the colonists the questions and answers which hadbeen made. "This unfortunate man, " observed Gideon Spilett, "was no longeracquainted with either months or years!" "Yes!" added Herbert, "and he had been twelve years already on the isletwhen we found him there!" "Twelve years!" rejoined Harding. "Ah! twelve years of solitude, after awicked life, perhaps, may well impair a man's reason!" "I am induced to think, " said Pencroft, "that this man was not wreckedon Tabor Island, but that in consequence of some crime he was leftthere. " "You must be right, Pencroft, " replied the reporter, "and if it is soit is not impossible that those who left him on the island may return tofetch him some day!" "And they will no longer find him, " said Herbert. "But then, " added Pencroft, "they must return, and--" "My friends, " said Cyrus Harding, "do not let us discuss this questionuntil we know more about it. I believe that the unhappy man hassuffered, that he has severely expiated his faults, whatever they mayhave been, and that the wish to unburden himself stifles him. Do not letus press him to tell us his history! He will tell it to us doubtless, and when we know it, we shall see what course it will be best to follow. He alone besides can tell us, if he has more than a hope, a certainty, of returning some day to his country, but I doubt it!" "And why?" asked the reporter. "Because that, in the event of his being sure of being delivered at acertain time, he would have waited the hour of his deliverance and wouldnot have thrown this document into the sea. No, it is more probable thathe was condemned to die on that islet, and that he never expected to seehis fellow-creatures again!" "But, " observed the sailor, "there is one thing which I cannot explain. " "What is it?" "If this man had been left for twelve years on Tabor Island, one maywell suppose that he had been several years already in the wild state inwhich we found him!" "That is probable, " replied Cyrus Harding. "It must then be many years since he wrote that document!" "No doubt, " and yet the document appears to have been recently written! "Besides, how do you know that the bottle which enclosed the documentmay not have taken several years to come from Tabor Island to LincolnIsland?" "That is not absolutely impossible, " replied the reporter. "Might it not have been a long time already on the coast of the island?" "No, " answered Pencroft, "for it was still floating. We could not evensuppose that after it had stayed for any length of time on the shore, itwould have been swept off by the sea, for the south coast is all rocks, and it would certainly have been smashed to pieces there!" "That is true, " rejoined Cyrus Harding thoughtfully. "And then, " continued the sailor, "if the document was several yearsold, if it had been shut up in that bottle for several years, it wouldhave been injured by damp. Now, there is nothing of the kind, and it wasfound in a perfect state of preservation. " The sailor's reasoning was very just, and pointed out anincomprehensible fact, for the document appeared to have been recentlywritten, when the colonists found it in the bottle. Moreover, it gavethe latitude and longitude of Tabor Island correctly, which implied thatits author had a more complete knowledge of hydrography than could beexpected of a common sailor. "There is in this, again, something unaccountable, " said the engineer, "but we will not urge our companions to speak. When he likes, myfriends, then we shall be ready to hear him!" During the following days the stranger did not speak a word, and did notonce leave the precincts of the plateau. He worked away, without losinga moment, without taking a minute's rest, but always in a retired place. At meal times he never came to Granite House, although invited severaltimes to do so, but contented himself with eating a few raw vegetables. At nightfall he did not return to the room assigned to him, but remainedunder some clump of trees, or when the weather was bad crouched in somecleft of the rocks. Thus he lived in the same manner as when he had noother shelter than the forests of Tabor Island, and as all persuasionto induce him to improve his life was in vain, the colonistswaited patiently. And the time was near, when, as it seemed, almostinvoluntarily urged by his conscience, a terrible confession escapedhim. On the 10th of November, about eight o'clock in the evening, as nightwas coming on, the stranger appeared unexpectedly before the settlers, who were assembled under the veranda. His eyes burned strangely, and hehad quite resumed the wild aspect of his worst days. Cyrus Harding and his companions were astounded on seeing that, overcomeby some terrible emotion, his teeth chattered like those of a personin a fever. What was the matter with him? Was the sight of hisfellow-creatures insupportable to him? Was he weary of this return to acivilized mode of existence? Was he pining for his former savagelife? It appeared so, as soon he was heard to express himself in theseincoherent sentences:-- "Why am I here?.... By what right have you dragged me from my islet?.... Do you think there could be any tie between you and me?.... Do you knowwho I am--what I have done--why I was there--alone? And who toldyou that I was not abandoned there--that I was not condemned to diethere?.... Do you know my past?.... How do you know that I have notstolen, murdered--that I am not a wretch--an accursed being--only fit tolive like a wild beast, far from all--speak--do you know it?" The colonists listened without interrupting the miserable creature, fromwhom these broken confessions escaped, as it were, in spite of himself. Harding wishing to calm him, approached him, but he hastily drew back. "No! no!" he exclaimed; "one word only--am I free?" "You are free, " answered the engineer. "Farewell, then!" he cried, and fled like a madman. Neb, Pencroft, and Herbert ran also towards the edge of the wood--butthey returned alone. "We must let him alone!" said Cyrus Harding. "He will never come back!" exclaimed Pencroft. "He will come back, " replied the engineer. Many days passed; but Harding--was it a sort ofpresentiment?--presentiment in the fixed idea that sooner or later theunhappy man would return. "It is the last revolt of his wild nature, " said he, "which remorse hastouched, and which renewed solitude will terrify. " In the meanwhile, works of all sorts were continued, as well on ProspectHeights as at the corral, where Harding intended to build a farm. It isunnecessary to say that the seeds collected by Herbert on TaborIsland had been carefully sown. The plateau thus formed one immensekitchen-garden, well laid out and carefully tended, so that the arms ofthe settlers were never in want of work. There was always something tobe done. As the esculents increased in number, it became necessary toenlarge the simple beds, which threatened to grow into regular fieldsand replace the meadows. But grass abounded in other parts of theisland, and there was no fear of the onagers being obliged to go onshort allowance. It was well worth while, besides, to turn ProspectHeights into a kitchen-garden, defended by its deep belt of creeks, andto remove them to the meadows, which had no need of protection againstthe depredations of quadrumana and quadrapeds. On the 15th of November, the third harvest was gathered in. Howwonderfully had the field increased in extent, since eighteen monthsago, when the first grain of wheat was sown! The second crop of sixhundred thousand grains produced this time four thousand bushels, orfive hundred millions of grains! The colony was rich in corn, for ten bushels alone were sufficient forsowing every year to produce an ample crop for the food both of men andbeasts. The harvest was completed, and the last fortnight of the monthof November was devoted to the work of converting it into food for man. In fact, they had corn, but not flour, and the establishment of a millwas necessary. Cyrus Harding could have utilized the second fall whichflowed into the Mercy to establish his motive power, the firstbeing already occupied with moving the felting mill, but, after someconsultation, it was decided that a simple windmill should be built onProspect Heights. The building of this presented no more difficulty thanthe building of the former, and it was moreover certain that there wouldbe no want of wind on the plateau, exposed as it was to the sea breezes. "Not to mention, " said Pencroft, "that the windmill will be more livelyand will have a good effect in the landscape!" They set to work by choosing timber for the frame and machinery of themill. Some large stones, found at the north of the lake, could be easilytransformed into millstones, and as to the sails, the inexhaustible caseof the balloon furnished the necessary material. Cyrus Harding made his model, and the site of the mill was chosen alittle to the right of the poultry-yard, near the shore of the lake. Theframe was to rest on a pivot supported with strong timbers, so that itcould turn with all the machinery it contained according as the windrequired it. The work advanced rapidly. Neb and Pencroft had becomevery skilful carpenters, and had nothing to do but to copy the modelsprovided by the engineer. Soon a sort of cylindrical box, in shape like a pepper-pot, with apointed roof, rose on the spot chosen. The four frames which formed thesails had been firmly fixed in the center beam, so as to form a certainangle with it, and secured with iron clamps. As to the differentparts of the internal mechanism, the box destined to contain the twomillstones, the fixed stone and the moving stone, the hopper, a sort oflarge square trough, wide at the top, narrow at the bottom, which wouldallow the grain to fall on the stones, the oscillating spout intended toregulate the passing of the grain, and lastly the bolting machine, whichby the operation of sifting, separates the bran from the flour, were made without difficulty. The tools were good, and the work notdifficult, for in reality, the machinery of a mill is very simple. Thiswas only a question of time. Every one had worked at the construction of the mill, and on the 1stof December it was finished. As usual, Pencroft was delighted with hiswork, and had no doubt that the apparatus was perfect. "Now for a good wind, " said he, "and we shall grind our first harvestsplendidly!" "A good wind, certainly, " answered the engineer, "but not too much, Pencroft. " "Pooh! our mill would only go the faster!" "There is no need for it to go so very fast, " replied Cyrus Harding. "Itis known by experience that the greatest quantity of work is performedby a mill when the number of turns made by the sails in a minute is sixtimes the number of feet traversed by the wind in a second. A moderatebreeze, which passes over twenty-four feet to the second, will givesixteen turns to the sails during a minute, and there is no need ofmore. " "Exactly!" cried Herbert, "a fine breeze is blowing from the northeast, which will soon do our business for us. " There was no reason for delaying the inauguration of the mill, for thesettlers were eager to taste the first piece of bread in Lincoln Island. On this morning two or three bushels of wheat were ground, and the nextday at breakfast a magnificent loaf, a little heavy perhaps, althoughraised with yeast, appeared on the table at Granite House. Every onemunched away at it with a pleasure which may be easily understood. In the meanwhile, the stranger had not reappeared. Several times GideonSpilett and Herbert searched the forest in the neighborhood of GraniteHouse, without meeting or finding any trace of him. They becameseriously uneasy at this prolonged absence. Certainly, the formersavage of Tabor island could not be perplexed how to live in the forest, abounding in game, but was it not to be feared that he had resumed hishabits, and that this freedom would revive in him his wild instincts?However, Harding, by a sort of presentiment, doubtless, always persistedin saying that the fugitive would return. "Yes, he will return!" he repeated with a confidence which hiscompanions could not share. "When this unfortunate man was on TaborIsland, he knew himself to be alone! Here, he knows that fellow-men areawaiting him! Since he has partially spoken of his past life, the poorpenitent will return to tell the whole, and from that day he will belongto us!" The event justified Cyrus Harding's predictions. On the 3rd of December, Herbert had left the plateau to go and fish on the southern bank of thelake. He was unarmed, and till then had never taken any precautions fordefense, as dangerous animals had not shown themselves on that part ofthe island. Meanwhile, Pencroft and Neb were working in the poultry-yard, whileHarding and the reporter were occupied at the Chimneys in making soda, the store of soap being exhausted. Suddenly cries resounded, -- "Help! help!" Cyrus Harding and the reporter, being at too great a distance, had notbeen able to hear the shouts. Pencroft and Neb, leaving the poultry-yardin all haste, rushed towards the lake. But before then, the stranger, whose presence at this place no one hadsuspected, crossed Creek Glycerine, which separated the plateau from theforest, and bounded up the opposite bank. Herbert was there face to face with a fierce jaguar, similar to theone which had been killed on Reptile End. Suddenly surprised, he wasstanding with his back against a tree, while the animal gathering itselftogether was about to spring. But the stranger, with no other weapon than a knife, rushed on theformidable animal, who turned to meet this new adversary. The struggle was short. The stranger possessed immense strength andactivity. He seized the jaguar's throat with one powerful hand, holdingit as in a vise, without heeding the beast's claws which tore his flesh, and with the other he plunged his knife into its heart. The jaguar fell. The stranger kicked away the body, and was about tofly at the moment when the settlers arrived on the field of battle, butHerbert, clinging to him, cried, -- "No, no! you shall not go!" Harding advanced towards the stranger, who frowned when he saw himapproaching. The blood flowed from his shoulder under his torn shirt, but he took no notice of it. "My friend, " said Cyrus Harding, "we have just contracted a debt ofgratitude to you. To save our boy you have risked your life!" "My life!" murmured the stranger. "What is that worth? Less thannothing!" "You are wounded?" "It is no matter. " "Will you give me your hand?" And as Herbert endeavored to seize the hand which had just saved him, the stranger folded his arms, his chest heaved, his look darkened, andhe appeared to wish to escape, but making a violent effort over himself, and in an abrupt tone, -- "Who are you?" he asked, "and what do you claim to be to me?" It was the colonists' history which he thus demanded, and for the firsttime. Perhaps this history recounted, he would tell his own. In a few words Harding related all that had happened since theirdeparture from Richmond; how they had managed, and what resources theynow had at their disposal. The stranger listened with extreme attention. Then the engineer told who they all were, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft, Neb, himself, and, he added, that the greatest happiness theyhad felt since their arrival in Lincoln Island was on the return of thevessel from Tabor Island, when they had been able to include among thema new companion. At these words the stranger's face flushed, his head sunk on his breast, and confusion was depicted on his countenance. "And now that you know us, " added Cyrus Harding, "will you give us yourhand?" "No, " replied the stranger in a hoarse voice; "no! You are honest men!And I--" Chapter 17 These last words justified the colonists' presentiment. There had beensome mournful past, perhaps expiated in the sight of men, but from whichhis conscience had not yet absolved him. At any rate the guilty man feltremorse, he repented, and his new friends would have cordially pressedthe hand which they sought; but he did not feel himself worthy to extendit to honest men! However, after the scene with the jaguar, he did notreturn to the forest, and from that day did not go beyond the enclosureof Granite House. What was the mystery of his life? Would the stranger one day speak ofit? Time alone could show. At any rate, it was agreed that his secretshould never be asked from him, and that they would live with him as ifthey suspected nothing. For some days their life continued as before. Cyrus Harding and GideonSpilett worked together, sometimes chemists, sometimes experimentalists. The reporter never left the engineer except to hunt with Herbert, forit would not have been prudent to allow the lad to ramble alone in theforest; and it was very necessary to be on their guard. As to Neband Pencroft, one day at the stables and poultry-yard, another at thecorral, without reckoning work in Granite House, they were never in wantof employment. The stranger worked alone, and he had resumed his usual life, neverappearing at meals, sleeping under the trees in the plateau, nevermingling with his companions. It really seemed as if the society ofthose who had saved him was insupportable to him! "But then, " observed Pencroft, "why did he entreat the help of hisfellow-creatures? Why did he throw that paper into the sea?" "He will tell us why, " invariably replied Cyrus Harding. "When?" "Perhaps sooner than you think, Pencroft. " And, indeed, the day of confession was near. On the 10th of December, a week after his return to Granite House, Harding saw the stranger approaching, who, in a calm voice and humbletone, said to him: "Sir, I have a request to make of you. " "Speak, " answered the engineer, "but first let me ask you a question. " At these words the stranger reddened, and was on the point ofwithdrawing. Cyrus Harding understood what was passing in the mind ofthe guilty man, who doubtless feared that the engineer would interrogatehim on his past life. Harding held him back. "Comrade, " said he, "we are not only your companions but your friends. Iwish you to believe that, and now I will listen to you. " The stranger pressed his hand over his eyes. He was seized with asort of trembling, and remained a few moments without being able toarticulate a word. "Sir, " said he at last, "I have come to beg you to grant me a favor. " "What is it?" "You have, four or five miles from here, a corral for your domesticatedanimals. These animals need to be taken care of. Will you allow me tolive there with them?" Cyrus Harding gazed at the unfortunate man for a few moments with afeeling of deep commiseration; then, -- "My friend, " said he, "the corral has only stables hardly fit foranimals. " "It will be good enough for me, sir. " "My friend, " answered Harding, "we will not constrain you in anything. You wish to live at the corral, so be it. You will, however, be alwayswelcome at Granite House. But since you wish to live at the corralwe will make the necessary arrangements for your being comfortablyestablished there. " "Never mind that, I shall do very well. " "My friend, " answered Harding, who always intentionally made use of thiscordial appellation, "you must let us judge what it will be best to doin this respect. " "Thank you, sir, " replied the stranger as he withdrew. The engineer then made known to his companions the proposal which hadbeen made to him, and it was agreed that they should build a woodenhouse at the corral, which they would make as comfortable as possible. That very day the colonists repaired to the corral with the necessarytools, and a week had not passed before the house was ready to receiveits tenant. It was built about twenty feet from the sheds, and fromthere it was easy to overlook the flock of sheep, which then numberedmore than eighty. Some furniture, a bed, table, bench, cupboard, andchest were manufactured, and a gun, ammunition, and tools were carriedto the corral. The stranger, however, had seen nothing of his new dwelling, and hehad allowed the settlers to work there without him, while he occupiedhimself on the plateau, wishing, doubtless, to put the finishing stroketo his work. Indeed, thanks to him, all the ground was dug up and readyto he sowed when the time came. It was on the 20th of December that all the arrangements at the corralwere completed. The engineer announced to the stranger that his dwellingwas ready to receive him, and the latter replied that he would go andsleep there that very evening. On this evening the colonists were gathered in the diningroom of GraniteHouse. It was then eight o'clock, the hour at which their companion wasto leave them. Not wishing to trouble him by their presence, and thusimposing on him the necessity of saying farewells which might perhaps bepainful to him, they had left him alone and ascended to Granite House. Now, they had been talking in the room for a few minutes, when a lightknock was heard at the door. Almost immediately the stranger entered, and without any preamble, -- "Gentlemen, " said he, "before I leave you, it is right that you shouldknow my history. I will tell it you. " These simple words profoundly impressed Cyrus Harding and hiscompanions. The engineer rose. "We ask you nothing, my friend, " said he; "it is your right to besilent. " "It is my duty to speak. " "Sit down, then. " "No, I will stand. " "We are ready to hear you, " replied Harding. The stranger remained standing in a corner of the room, a little in theshade. He was bareheaded, his arms folded across his chest, and itwas in this posture that in a hoarse voice, speaking like some onewho obliges himself to speak, he gave the following recital, which hisauditors did not once interrupt:-- "On the 20th of December, 1854, a steam-yacht, belonging to a Scotchnobleman, Lord Glenarvan, anchored off Cape Bernouilli, on the westerncoast of Australia, in the thirty-seventh parallel. On board this yachtwere Lord Glenarvan and his wife, a major in the English army, a Frenchgeographer, a young girl, and a young boy. These two last were thechildren of Captain Grant, whose ship, the 'Britannia, ' had been lost, crew and cargo, a year before. The 'Duncan' was commanded by CaptainJohn Mangles, and manned by a crew of fifteen men. "This is the reason the yacht at this time lay off the coast ofAustralia. Six months before, a bottle, enclosing a document written inEnglish, German, and French, had been found in the Irish Sea, and pickedup by the 'Duncan. ' This document stated in substance that there stillexisted three survivors from the wreck of the 'Britannia, ' that thesesurvivors were Captain Grant and two of his men, and that they had foundrefuge on some land, of which the document gave the latitude, but ofwhich the longitude, effaced by the sea, was no longer legible. "This latitude was 37deg 11' south; therefore, the longitude beingunknown, if they followed the thirty-seventh parallel over continentsand seas, they would be certain to reach the spot inhabited by CaptainGrant and his two companions. The English Admiralty having hesitated toundertake this search, Lord Glenarvan resolved to attempt everything tofind the captain. He communicated with Mary and Robert Grant, who joinedhim. The 'Duncan' yacht was equipped for the distant voyage, in whichthe nobleman's family and the captain's children wished to take part, and the 'Duncan, ' leaving Glasgow, proceeded towards the Atlantic, passed through the Straits of Magellan, and ascended the Pacific asfar as Patagonia, where, according to a previous interpretation of thedocument, they supposed that Captain Grant was a prisoner among theIndians. "The 'Duncan' disembarked her passengers on the western coast ofPatagonia, and sailed to pick them up again on the eastern coast atCape Corrientes. Lord Glenarvan traversed Patagonia, following thethirty-seventh parallel, and having found no trace of the captain, here-embarked on the 13th of November, so as to pursue his search throughthe Ocean. "After having unsuccessfully visited the islands of Tristan d'Acunha andAmsterdam, situated in her course, the 'Duncan, ' as I have said, arrivedat Cape Bernouilli, on the Australian coast, on the 20th of December, 1854. "It was Lord Glenarvan's intention to traverse Australia as he hadtraversed America, and he disembarked. A few miles from the coast wasestablished a farm, belonging to an Irishman, who offered hospitality tothe travelers. Lord Glenarvan made known to the Irishman the causewhich had brought him to these parts, and asked if he knew whether athree-masted English vessel, the 'Britannia, ' had been lost less thantwo years before on the west coast of Australia. "The Irishman had never heard of this wreck, but, to the great surpriseof the bystanders, one of his servants came forward and said, -- "'My lord, praise and thank God! If Captain Grant is still living, he isliving on the Australian shores. ' "'Who are you?' asked Lord Glenarvan. "'A Scotchman like yourself, my lord, ' replied the man; 'I am one ofCaptain Grant's crew--one of the castaways of the "Britannia. '" "This man was called Ayrton. He was, in fact, the boatswain's mate ofthe 'Britannia, ' as his papers showed. But, separated from Captain Grantat the moment when the ship struck upon the rocks, he had till thenbelieved that the captain with all his crew had perished, and that he, Ayrton, was the sole survivor of the 'Britannia. ' "'Only, ' he added, 'it was not on the west coast, but on the east coastof Australia that the vessel was lost, and if Captain Grant is stillliving, as his document indicates, he is a prisoner among the natives, and it is on the other coast that he must be looked for. ' "This man spoke in a frank voice and with a confident look; his wordscould not be doubted. The irishman, in whose service he had been formore than a year, answered for his trustworthiness. Lord Glenarvan, therefore, believed in the fidelity of this man and, by his advice, resolved to cross Australia, following the thirty-seventh parallel. LordGlenarvan, his wife, the two children, the major, the Frenchman, CaptainMangles, and a few sailors composed the little band under the commandof Ayrton, while the 'Duncan, ' under charge of the mate, Tom Austin, proceeded to Melbourne, there to await Lord Glenarvan's instructions. "They set out on the 23rd of December, 1854. "It is time to say that Ayrton was a traitor. He was, indeed, theboatswain's mate of the 'Britannia, ' but, after some dispute with hiscaptain, he endeavored to incite the crew to mutiny and seize the ship, and Captain Grant had landed him, on the 8th of April, 1852, on thewest coast of Australia, and then sailed, leaving him there, as was onlyjust. "Therefore this wretched man knew nothing of the wreck of the'Britannia'; he had just heard of it from Glenarvan's account. Since hisabandonment, he had become, under the name of Ben Joyce, the leader ofthe escaped convicts; and if he boldly maintained that the wreck hadtaken place on the east coast, and led Lord Glenarvan to proceed in thatdirection, it was that he hoped to separate him from his ship, seize the'Duncan, ' and make the yacht a pirate in the Pacific. " Here the stranger stopped for a moment. His voice trembled, but hecontinued, -- "The expedition set out and proceeded across Australia. It wasinevitably unfortunate, since Ayrton, or Ben Joyce, as he may becalled, guided it, sometimes preceded, sometimes followed by his band ofconvicts, who had been told what they had to do. "Meanwhile, the 'Duncan' had been sent to Melbourne for repairs. It wasnecessary, then, to get Lord Glenarvan to order her to leave Melbourneand go to the east coast of Australia, where it would be easy to seizeher. After having led the expedition near enough to the coast, in themidst of vast forests with no resources, Ayrton obtained a letter, whichhe was charged to carry to the mate of the 'Duncan'--a letter whichordered the yacht to repair immediately to the east coast, to TwofoldBay, that is to say a few days' journey from the place where theexpedition had stopped. It was there that Ayrton had agreed to meet hisaccomplices, and two days after gaining possession of the letter, hearrived at Melbourne. "So far the villain had succeeded in his wicked design. He would be ableto take the 'Duncan' into Twofold Bay, where it would be easy for theconvicts to seize her, and her crew massacred, Ben Joyce would becomemaster of the seas. But it pleased God to prevent the accomplishment ofthese terrible projects. "Ayrton, arrived at Melbourne, delivered the letter to the mate, TomAustin, who read it and immediately set sail, but judge of Ayrton's rageand disappointment, when the next day he found that the mate was takingthe vessel, not to the east coast of Australia, to Twofold Bay, but tothe east coast of New Zealand. He wished to stop him, but Austin showedhim the letter!... And indeed, by a providential error of the Frenchgeographer, who had written the letter, the east coast of New Zealandwas mentioned as the place of destination. "All Ayrton's plans were frustrated! He became outrageous. They put himin irons. He was then taken to the coast of New Zealand, not knowingwhat would become of his accomplices, or what would become of LordGlenarvan. "The 'Duncan' cruised about on this coast until the 3rd of March. Onthat day Ayrton heard the report of guns. The guns on the 'Duncan' werebeing fired, and soon Lord Glenarvan and his companions came on board. "This is what had happened. "After a thousand hardships, a thousand dangers, Lord Glenarvan hadaccomplished his journey, and arrived on the east coast of Australia, atTwofold Bay. 'Not "Duncan!' He telegraphed to Melbourne. They answered, "Duncan" sailed on the 18th instant. Destination unknown. ' "Lord Glenarvan could only arrive at one conclusion; that his honestyacht had fallen into the hands of Ben Joyce, and had become a piratevessel! "However, Lord Glenarvan would not give up. He was a bold and generousman. He embarked in a merchant vessel, sailed to the west coast of NewZealand, traversed it along the thirty-seventh parallel, withoutfinding any trace of Captain Grant; but on the other side, to hisgreat surprise, and by the will of Heaven, he found the 'Duncan, ' undercommand of the mate, who had been waiting for him for five weeks! "This was on the 3rd of March, 1855. Lord Glenarvan was now on board the'Duncan, ' but Ayrton was there also. He appeared before the nobleman, who wished to extract from him all that the villain knew about CaptainGrant. Ayrton refused to speak. Lord Glenarvan then told him, that atthe first port they put into, he would be delivered up to the Englishauthorities. Ayrton remained mute. "The 'Duncan' continued her voyage along the thirty-seventh parallel. In the meanwhile, Lady Glenarvan undertook to vanquish the resistance ofthe ruffian. "At last, her influence prevailed, and Ayrton, in exchange for what hecould tell, proposed that Lord Glenarvan should leave him on some islandin the Pacific, instead of giving him up to the English authorities. Lord Glenarvan, resolving to do anything to obtain information aboutCaptain Grant, consented. "Ayrton then related all his life, and it was certain that he knewnothing from the day on which Captain Grant had landed him on theAustralian coast. "Nevertheless, Lord Glenarvan kept the promise which he had given. The'Duncan' continued her voyage and arrived at Tabor Island. It was therethat Ayrton was to be landed, and it was there also that, by averitable miracle, they found Captain Grant and two men, exactly on thethirty-seventh parallel. "The convict, then, went to take their place on this desert islet, andat the moment he left the yacht these words were pronounced by LordGlenarvan:-- "'Here, Ayrton, you will be far from any land, and without any possiblecommunication with your fellow-creatures. You can-not escape from thisislet on which the 'Duncan' leaves you. You will be alone, under the eyeof a God who reads the depths of the heart, but you will be neitherlost nor forgotten, as was Captain Grant. Unworthy as you are to beremembered by men, men will remember you. I know where you are Ayrton, and I know where to find you. I will never forget it! "And the 'Duncan, ' making sail, soon disappeared. This was 18th ofMarch, 1855. (The events which have just been briefly related are taken from a work which some of our readers have no doubt read, and which is entitled, "Captain Grant's children. " They will remark on this occasion, as well as later, some discrepancy in the dates; but later again, they will understand why the real dates were not at first given. ) "Ayrton was alone, but he had no want of either ammunition, weapons, tools, or seeds. "At his, the convict's disposal, was the house built by honest CaptainGrant. He had only to live and expiate in solitude the crimes which hehad committed. "Gentlemen, he repented, he was ashamed of his crimes and was verymiserable! He said to himself, that if men came some day to takehim from that islet, he must be worthy to return among them! How hesuffered, that wretched man! How he labored to recover himself by work!How he prayed to be reformed by prayer! For two years, three years, thiswent on, but Ayrton, humbled by solitude, always looking for some shipto appear on the horizon, asking himself if the time of expiation wouldsoon be complete, suffered as none other suffered! Oh! how dreadful wasthis solitude, to a heart tormented by remorse! "But doubtless Heaven had not sufficiently punished this unhappy man, for he felt that he was gradually becoming a savage! He felt thatbrutishness was gradually gaining on him! "He could not say if it was after two or three years of solitude, but atlast he became the miserable creature you found! "I have no need to tell you, gentlemen, that Ayrton, Ben Joyce, and I, are the same. " Cyrus Harding and his companions rose at the end of this account. Itis impossible to say how much they were moved! What misery, grief, anddespair lay revealed before them! "Ayrton, " said Harding, rising, "you have been a great criminal, butHeaven must certainly think that you have expiated your crimes! Thathas been proved by your having been brought again among yourfellow-creatures. Ayrton, you are forgiven! And now you will be ourcompanion?" Ayrton drew back. "Here is my hand!" said the engineer. Ayrton grasped the hand which Harding extended to him, and great tearsfell from his eyes. "Will you live with us?" asked Cyrus Harding. "Captain Harding, leave me some time longer, " replied Ayrton, "leave mealone in the hut in the corral!" "As you like, Ayrton, " answered Cyrus Harding. Ayrton was going towithdraw, when the engineer addressed one more question to him:-- "One word more, my friend. Since it was your intention to live alone, why did you throw into the sea the document which put us on your track?" "A document?" repeated Ayrton, who did not appear to know what he meant. "Yes, the document which we found enclosed in a bottle, giving us theexact position of Tabor Island!" Ayrton passed his hand over his brow, then after having thought, "Inever threw any document into the sea!" he answered. "Never?" exclaimed Pencroft. "Never!" And Ayrton, bowing, reached the door and departed. Chapter 18 "Poor man!" said Herbert, who had rushed to the door, but returned, having seen Ayrton slide down the rope on the lift and disappear in thedarkness. "He will come back, " said Cyrus Harding. "Come, now, captain, " exclaimed Pencroft, "what does that mean? What!wasn't it Ayrton who threw that bottle into the sea? Who was it then?" Certainly, if ever a question was necessary to be made, it was that one! "It was he, " answered Neb, "only the unhappy man was half-mad. " "Yes!" said Herbert, "and he was no longer conscious of what he wasdoing. " "It can only be explained in that way, my friends, " replied Hardingquickly, "and I understand now how Ayrton was able to point out exactlythe situation of Tabor Island, since the events which had preceded hisbeing left on the island had made it known to him. " "However, " observed Pencroft, "if he was not yet a brute when he wrotethat document, and if he threw it into the sea seven or eight years ago, how is it that the paper has not been injured by damp?" "That proves, " answered Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was deprived ofintelligence at a more recent time than he thinks. " "Of course it must be so, " replied Pencroft, "without that the factwould be unaccountable. " "Unaccountable indeed, " answered the engineer, who did not appeardesirous to prolong the conversation. "But has Ayrton told the truth?" asked the sailor. "Yes, " replied the reporter. "The story which he has told is true inevery point. I remember quite well the account in the newspapers of theyacht expedition undertaken by Lord Glenarvan, and its result. " "Ayrton has told the truth, " added Harding. "Do not doubt it, Pencroft, for it was painful to him. People tell the truth when they accusethemselves like that!" The next day--the 21st of December--the colonists descended to thebeach, and having climbed the plateau they found nothing of Ayrton. Hehad reached his house in the corral during the night and the settlersjudged it best not to agitate him by their presence. Time woulddoubtless perform what sympathy had been unable to accomplish. Herbert, Pencroft, and Neb resumed their ordinary occupations. On thisday the same work brought Harding and the reporter to the workshop atthe Chimneys. "Do you know, my dear Cyrus, " said Gideon Spilett, "that the explanationyou gave yesterday on the subject of the bottle has not satisfied me atall! How can it be supposed that the unfortunate man was able to writethat document and throw the bottle into the sea without having theslightest recollection of it?" "Nor was it he who threw it in, my dear Spilett. " "You think then--" "I think nothing, I know nothing!" interrupted Cyrus Harding. "I amcontent to rank this incident among those which I have not been able toexplain to this day!" "Indeed, Cyrus, " said Spilett, "these things are incredible! Yourrescue, the case stranded on the sand, Top's adventure, and lastly thisbottle... Shall we never have the answer to these enigmas?" "Yes!" replied the engineer quickly, "yes, even if I have to penetrateinto the bowels of this island!" "Chance will perhaps give us the key to this mystery!" "Chance! Spilett! I do not believe in chance, any more than I believe inmysteries in this world. There is a reason for everything unaccountablewhich has happened here, and that reason I shall discover. But in themeantime we must work and observe. " The month of January arrived. The year 1867 commenced. The summeroccupations were assiduously continued. During the days which followed, Herbert and Spilett having gone in the direction of the corral, ascertained that Ayrton had taken possession of the habitation whichhad been prepared for him. He busied himself with the numerous flockconfided to his care, and spared his companions the trouble of comingevery two or three days to visit the corral. Nevertheless, in order notto leave Ayrton in solitude for too long a time, the settlers often paidhim a visit. It was not unimportant either, in consequence of some suspicionsentertained by the engineer and Gideon Spilett, that this part ofthe island should be subject to a surveillance of some sort, and thatAyrton, if any incident occurred unexpectedly, should not neglect toinform the inhabitants of Granite House of it. Nevertheless it might happen that something would occur which it wouldbe necessary to bring rapidly to the engineer's knowledge. Independentlyof facts bearing on the mystery of Lincoln Island, many othersmight happen, which would call for the prompt interference of thecolonists, --such as the sighting of a vessel, a wreck on the westerncoast, the possible arrival of pirates, etc. Therefore Cyrus Harding resolved to put the corral in instantaneouscommunication with Granite House. It was on the 10th of January that he made known his project to hiscompanions. "Why! how are you going to manage that, captain?" asked Pencroft. "Doyou by chance happen to think of establishing a telegraph?" "Exactly so, " answered the engineer. "Electric?" cried Herbert. "Electric, " replied Cyrus Harding. "We have all the necessary materialsfor making a battery, and the most difficult thing will be to stretchthe wires, but by means of a drawplate I think we shall manage it. " "Well, after that, " returned the sailor, "I shall never despair ofseeing ourselves some day rolling along on a railway!" They then set to work, beginning with the most difficult thing, for, ifthey failed in that, it would be useless to manufacture the battery andother accessories. The iron of Lincoln Island, as has been said, was of excellent quality, and consequently very fit for being drawn out. Harding commenced bymanufacturing a drawplate, that is to say, a plate of steel, piercedwith conical holes of different sizes, which would successively bringthe wire to the wished-for tenacity. This piece of steel, after havingbeen tempered, was fixed in as firm a way as possible in a solidframework planted in the ground, only a few feet from the great fall, the motive power of which the engineer intended to utilize. In fact asthe fulling-mill was there, although not then in use, its beam movedwith extreme power would serve to stretch out the wire by rolling itround itself. It was a delicate operation, and required much care. Theiron, prepared previously in long thin rods, the ends of which weresharpened with the file, having been introduced into the largest hole ofthe drawplate, was drawn out by the beam which wound it round itself, to a length of twenty-five or thirty feet, then unrolled, and the sameoperation was performed successively through the holes of a less size. Finally, the engineer obtained wires from forty to fifty feet long, which could be easily fastened together and stretched over the distanceof five miles, which separated the corral from the bounds of GraniteHouse. It did not take more than a few days to perform this work, and indeedas soon as the machine had been commenced, Cyrus Harding left hiscompanions to follow the trade of wiredrawers, and occupied himself withmanufacturing his battery. It was necessary to obtain a battery with a constant current. It isknown that the elements of modern batteries are generally composed ofretort coal, zinc, and copper. Copper was absolutely wanting to theengineer, who, notwithstanding all his researches, had never been ableto find any trace of it in Lincoln Island, and was therefore obliged todo without it. Retort coal, that is to say, the hard graphite whichis found in the retorts of gas manufactories, after the coal hasbeen dehydrogenized, could have been obtained, but it would have beennecessary to establish a special apparatus, involving great labor. Asto zinc, it may be remembered that the case found at Flotsam Point waslined with this metal, which could not be better utilized than for thispurpose. Cyrus Harding, after mature consideration, decided to manufacture avery simple battery, resembling as nearly as possible that inventedby Becquerel in 1820, and in which zinc only is employed. The othersubstances, azotic acid and potash, were all at his disposal. The way in which the battery was composed was as follows, and theresults were to be attained by the reaction of acid and potash on eachother. A number of glass bottles were made and filled with azotic acid. The engineer corked them by means of a stopper through which passed aglass tube, bored at its lower extremity, and intended to be plungedinto the acid by means of a clay stopper secured by a rag. Into thistube, through its upper extremity, he poured a solution of potash, previously obtained by burning and reducing to ashes various plants, and in this way the acid and potash could act on each other through theclay. Cyrus Harding then took two slips of zinc, one of which was plungedinto azotic acid, the other into a solution of potash. A current wasimmediately produced, which was transmitted from the slip of zinc in thebottle to that in the tube, and the two slips having been connected by ametallic wire the slip in the tube became the positive pole, and that inthe bottle the negative pole of the apparatus. Each bottle, therefore, produced as many currents as united would be sufficient to produce allthe phenomena of the electric telegraph. Such was the ingenious and verysimple apparatus constructed by Cyrus Harding, an apparatus which wouldallow them to establish a telegraphic communication between GraniteHouse and the corral. On the 6th of February was commenced the planting along the road tothe corral, of posts furnished with glass insulators, and intended tosupport the wire. A few days after, the wire was extended, ready toproduce the electric current at a rate of twenty thousand miles asecond. Two batteries had been manufactured, one for Granite House, the otherfor the corral; for if it was necessary the corral should be able tocommunicate with Granite House it might also be useful that GraniteHouse should be able to communicate with the corral. As to the receiver and manipulator, they were very simple. At the twostations the wire was wound round a magnet, that is to say, round apiece of soft iron surrounded with a wire. The communication was thusestablished between the two poles; the current, starting from thepositive pole, traversed the wire, passed through the magnet which wastemporarily magnetized, and returned through the earth to the negativepole. If the current was interrupted, the magnet immediately becameunmagnetized. It was sufficient to place a plate of soft iron before themagnet, which, attracted during the passage of the current, would fallback when the current was interrupted. This movement of the plate thusobtained, Harding could easily fasten to it a needle arranged on a dial, bearing the letters of the alphabet, and in this way communicate fromone station to the other. All was completely arranged by the 12th of February. On this day, Harding, having sent the current through the wire, asked if allwas going on well at the corral, and received in a few moments asatisfactory reply from Ayrton. Pencroft was wild with joy, and everymorning and evening he sent a telegram to the corral, which alwaysreceived an answer. This mode of communication presented two very real advantages: firstly, because it enabled them to ascertain that Ayrton was at the corral; andsecondly, that he was thus not left completely isolated. Besides, CyrusHarding never allowed a week to pass without going to see him, andAyrton came from time to time to Granite House, where he always found acordial welcome. The fine season passed away in the midst of the usual work. Theresources of the colony, particularly in vegetables and corn, increasedfrom day to day, and the plants brought from Tabor Island had succeededperfectly. The plateau of Prospect Heights presented an encouraging aspect. Thefourth harvest had been admirable and it may be supposed that no onethought of counting whether the four hundred thousand millions of grainsduly appeared in the crop. However, Pencroft had thought of doing so, but Cyrus Harding having told him that even if he managed to count threehundred grains a minute, or nine thousand an hour, it would take himnearly five thousand five-hundred years to finish his task, the honestsailor considered it best to give up the idea. The weather was splendid, the temperature very warm in the day time, butin the evening the sea-breezes tempered the heat of the atmosphere andprocured cool nights for the inhabitants of Granite House. There were, however, a few storms, which, although they were not of long duration, swept over Lincoln Island with extraordinary fury. The lightning blazedand the thunder continued to roll for some hours. At this period the little colony was extremely prosperous. The tenants of the poultry-yard swarmed, and they lived on the surplus, but it became necessary to reduce the population to a more moderatenumber. The pigs had already produced young, and it may be understoodthat their care for these animals absorbed a great part of Neb andPencroft's time. The onagers, who had two pretty colts, were most oftenmounted by Gideon Spilett and Herbert, who had become an excellent riderunder the reporter's instruction, and they also harnessed them to thecart either for carrying wood and coal to Granite House, or differentmineral productions required by the engineer. Several expeditions were made about this time into the depths of the FarWest Forests. The explorers could venture there without having anythingto fear from the heat, for the sun's rays scarcely penetrated throughthe thick foliage spreading above their heads. They thus visited all theleft bank of the Mercy, along which ran the road from the corral to themouth of Falls River. But in these excursions the settlers took care to be well armed, forthey met with savage wild boars, with which they often had a tussle. They also, during this season, made fierce war against the jaguars. Gideon Spilett had vowed a special hatred against them, and his pupilHerbert seconded him well. Armed as they were, they no longer fearedto meet one of those beasts. Herbert's courage was superb, and thereporter's sang-froid astonishing. Already twenty magnificent skinsornamented the dining-room of Granite House, and if this continued, thejaguar race would soon be extinct in the island, the object aimed at bythe hunters. The engineer sometimes took part in the expeditions made to the unknownparts of the island, which he surveyed with great attention. It was forother traces than those of animals that he searched the thickets of thevast forest, but nothing suspicious ever appeared. Neither Top nor Jup, who accompanied him, ever betrayed by their behavior that there wasanything strange there, and yet more than once again the dog barked atthe mouth of the well, which the engineer had before explored withoutresult. At this time Gideon Spilett, aided by Herbert, took several views ofthe most picturesque parts of the island, by means of the photographicapparatus found in the cases, and of which they had not as yet made anyuse. This apparatus, provided with a powerful object-glass, was verycomplete. Substances necessary for the photographic reproduction, collodion for preparing the glass plate, nitrate of silver to render itsensitive, hyposulfate of soda to fix the prints obtained, chloride ofammonium in which to soak the paper destined to give the positive proof, acetate of soda and chloride of gold in which to immerse the paper, nothing was wanting. Even the papers were there, all prepared, and before laying in the printing-frame upon the negatives, it wassufficient to soak them for a few minutes in the solution of nitrate ofsilver. The reporter and his assistant became in a short time very skilfuloperators, and they obtained fine views of the country, such as theisland, taken from Prospect Heights with Mount Franklin in the distance, the mouth of the Mercy, so picturesquely framed in high rocks, the gladeand the corral, with the spurs of the mountain in the background, thecurious development of Claw Cape, Flotsam Point, etc. Nor did the photographers forget to take the portraits of all theinhabitants of the island, leaving out no one. "It multiplies us, " said Pencroft. And the sailor was enchanted to see his own countenance, faithfullyreproduced, ornamenting the walls of Granite House, and he stoppedas willingly before this exhibition as he would have done before therichest shop-windows in Broadway. But it must be acknowledged that the most successful portrait wasincontestably that of Master Jup. Master Jup had sat with a gravity notto be described, and his portrait was lifelike! "He looks as if he was just going to grin!" exclaimed Pencroft. And if Master Jup had not been satisfied, he would have been verydifficult to please; but he was quite contented and contemplated his owncountenance with a sentimental air which expressed some small amount ofconceit. The summer heat ended with the month of March. The weather was sometimesrainy, but still warm. The month of March, which corresponds to theSeptember of northern latitudes, was not so fine as might have beenhoped. Perhaps it announced an early and rigorous winter. It might have been supposed one morning--the 21 st--that the first snowhad already made its appearance. In fact Herbert looking early from oneof the windows of Granite House, exclaimed, -- "Hallo! the islet is covered with snow!" "Snow at this time?" answered the reporter, joining the boy. Their companions were soon beside them, but could only ascertain onething, that not only the islet but all the beach below Granite House wascovered with one uniform sheet of white. "It must be snow!" said Pencroft. "Or rather it's very like it!" replied Neb. "But the thermometer marks fifty-eight degrees!" observed GideonSpilett. Cyrus Harding gazed at the sheet of white without saying anything, forhe really did not know how to explain this phenomenon, at this time ofyear and in such a temperature. "By Jove!" exclaimed Pencroft, "all our plants will be frozen!" And the sailor was about to descend, when he was preceded by the nimbleJup, who slid down to the sand. But the orang had not touched the ground, when the snowy sheet arose anddispersed in the air in such innumerable flakes that the light of thesun was obscured for some minutes. "Birds!" cried Herbert. They were indeed swarms of sea-birds, with dazzling white plumage. They had perched by thousands on the islet and on the shore, and theydisappeared in the distance, leaving the colonists amazed as if theyhad been present at some transformation scene, in which summer succeededwinter at the touch of a fairy's wand. Unfortunately the change had beenso sudden, that neither the reporter nor the lad had been able to bringdown one of these birds, of which they could not recognize the species. A few days after came the 26th of March, the day on which, two yearsbefore, the castaways from the air had been thrown upon Lincoln Island. Chapter 19 Two years already! and for two years the colonists had had nocommunication with their fellow-creatures! They were without news fromthe civilized world, lost on this island, as completely as if they hadbeen on the most minute star of the celestial hemisphere! What was now happening in their country? The picture of their nativeland was always before their eyes, the land torn by civil war at thetime they left it, and which the Southern rebellion was perhaps stillstaining with blood! It was a great sorrow to them, and they oftentalked together of these things, without ever doubting however thatthe cause of the North must triumph, for the honor of the AmericanConfederation. During these two years not a vessel had passed in sight of the island;or, at least, not a sail had been seen. It was evident that LincolnIsland was out of the usual track, and also that it was unknown, --as wasbesides proved by the maps, --for though there was no port, vessels mighthave visited it for the purpose of renewing their store of water. Butthe surrounding ocean was deserted as far as the eye could reach, andthe colonists must rely on themselves for regaining their native land. However, one chance of rescue existed, and this chance was discussedone day on the first week of April, when the colonists were gatheredtogether in the dining-room of Granite House. They had been talking of America, of their native country, which theyhad so little hope of ever seeing again. "Decidedly we have only one way, " said Spilett, "one single way forleaving Lincoln Island, and that is, to build a vessel large enough tosail several hundred miles. It appears to me, that when one has built aboat it is just as easy to build a ship!" "And in which we might go to the Pomoutous, " added Herbert, "just aseasily as we went to Tabor Island. " "I do not say no, " replied Pencroft, who had always the casting votein maritime questions; "I do not say no, although it is not exactly thesame thing to make a long as a short voyage! If our little craft hadbeen caught in any heavy gale of wind during the voyage to Tabor Island, we should have known that land was at no great distance either way; buttwelve hundred miles is a pretty long way, and the nearest land is atleast that distance!" "Would you not, in that case, Pencroft, attempt the adventure?" askedthe reporter. "I will attempt anything that is desired, Mr. Spilett, " answered thesailor, "and you know well that I am not a man to flinch!" "Remember, besides, that we number another sailor amongst us now, "remarked Neb. "Who is that?" asked Pencroft. "Ayrton. " "If he will consent to come, " said Pencroft. "Nonsense!" returned the reporter; "do you think that if LordGlenarvan's yacht had appeared at Tabor Island, while he was stillliving there, Ayrton would have refused to depart?" "You forget, my friends, " then said Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was notin possession of his reason during the last years of his stay there. Butthat is not the question. The point is to know if we may count amongour chances of being rescued, the return of the Scotch vessel. Now, Lord Glenarvan promised Ayrton that he would return to take him off fromTabor Island when he considered that his crimes were expiated, and Ibelieve that he will return. " "Yes, " said the reporter, "and I will add that he will return soon, forit is twelve years since Ayrton was abandoned. " "Well!" answered Pencroft, "I agree with you that the nobleman willreturn, and soon too. But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, and notat Lincoln Island. " "That is the more certain, " replied Herbert, "as Lincoln Island is noteven marked on the map. " "Therefore, my friends, " said the engineer, "we ought to take thenecessary precautions for making our presence and that of Ayrton onLincoln Island known at Tabor Island. " "Certainly, " answered the reporter, "and nothing is easier than to placein the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling, a noticewhich Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, giving theposition of our island. " "It is a pity, " remarked the sailor, "that we forgot to take thatprecaution on our first visit to Tabor Island. " "And why should we have done it?" asked Herbert. "At that time we didnot know Ayrton's history; we did not know that any one was likely tocome some day to fetch him, and when we did know his history, the seasonwas too advanced to allow us to return then to Tabor Island. " "Yes, " replied Harding, "it was too late, and we must put off the voyageuntil next spring. " "But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that, " said Pencroft. "That is not probable, " replied the engineer, "for Lord Glenarvan wouldnot choose the winter season to venture into these seas. Either he hasalready returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been with us, that isto say, during the last five months and has left again; or he will notcome till later, and it will be time enough in the first fine Octoberdays to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there. " "We must allow, " said Neb, "that it will be very unfortunate if the'Duncan' has returned to these parts only a few months ago!" "I hope that it is not so, " replied Cyrus Harding, "and that Heaven hasnot deprived us of the best chance which remains to us. " "I think, " observed the reporter, "that at any rate we shall know whatwe have to depend on when we have been to Tabor Island, for if the yachthas returned there, they will necessarily have left some traces of theirvisit. " "That is evident, " answered the engineer. "So then, my friends, sincewe have this chance of returning to our country, we must wait patiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see what will be best to do. " "At any rate, " remarked Pencroft, "it is well understood that if wedo leave Lincoln Island, it will not be because we were uncomfortablethere!" "No, Pencroft, " replied the engineer, "it will be because we are farfrom all that a man holds dearest in the world, his family, his friends, his native land!" Matters being thus decided, the building of a vessel large enough tosail either to the Archipelagoes in the north, or to New Zealand inthe west, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in theiraccustomed occupations, with a view to wintering a third time in GraniteHouse. However, it was agreed that before the stormy weather came on, theirlittle vessel should be employed in making a voyage round the island. A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and the colonistshad but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west and north, from themouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes, as well as of the narrow baybetween them, which opened like a shark's jaws. The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Hardingfully acquiesced in it, for he himself wished to see this part of hisdomain. The weather was variable, but the barometer did not fluctuate by suddenmovements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather. However, during the first week of April, after a sudden barometrical fall, arenewed rise was marked by a heavy gale of wind, lasting five or sixdays; then the needle of the instrument remained stationary at aheight of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weather appearedpropitious for an excursion. The departure was fixed for the 16th of April, and the "Bonadventure, "anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage which might be ofsome duration. Cyrus Harding informed Ayrton of the projected expedition, and proposedthat he should take part in it, but Ayrton preferring to remain onshore, it was decided that he should come to Granite House during theabsence of his companions. Master Jup was ordered to keep him company, and made no remonstrance. On the morning of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top, embarked. A fine breeze blew from the south-west, and the "Bonadventure"tacked on leaving Port Balloon so as to reach Reptile End. Of the ninetymiles which the perimeter of the island measured, twenty included thesouth coast between the port and the promontory. The wind being rightahead it was necessary to hug the shore. It took the whole day to reach the promontory, for the vessel on leavingport had only two hours of ebb tide and had therefore to make way forsix hours against the flood. It was nightfall before the promontory wasdoubled. The sailor then proposed to the engineer that they should continuesailing slowly with two reefs in the sail. But Harding preferred toanchor a few cable-lengths from the shore, so as to survey that part ofthe coast during the day. It was agreed also that as they were anxiousfor a minute exploration of the coast they should not sail during thenight, but would always, when the weather permitted it, be at anchornear the shore. The night was passed under the promontory, and the wind having fallen, nothing disturbed the silence. The passengers, with the exception of thesailor, scarcely slept as well on board the "Bonadventure" as they wouldhave done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleep however. Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on the larboard tackthey could keep close to the shore. The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had alreadyexplored it on foot, and yet it again excited their admiration. Theycoasted along as close in as possible, so as to notice everything, avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there. Several times also they anchored, and Gideon Spilett took photographs ofthe superb scenery. About noon the "Bonadventure" arrived at the mouth of Falls River. Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered trees appeared, and threemiles further even these dwindled into solitary groups among the westernspurs of the mountain, whose arid ridge sloped down to the shore. What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast!In proportion as one was woody and fertile so was the other rugged andbarren! It might have been designated as one of those iron coasts, asthey are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared toindicate that a sudden crystallization had been produced in the yetliquid basalt of some distant geological sea. These stupendous masseswould have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first onthis part of the island! They had not been able to perceive the sinisteraspect of this shore from the summit of Mount Franklin, for theyoverlooked it from too great a height, but viewed from the sea itpresented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equaled in anycorner of the globe. The "Bonadventure" sailed along this coast for the distance of half amile. It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes, from twenty to three hundred feet in height, and of all shapes, roundlike towers, prismatic like steeples, pyramidal like obelisks, conicallike factory chimneys. An iceberg of the Polar seas could not have beenmore capricious in its terrible sublimity! Here, bridges were thrownfrom one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave, into thedepths of which the eye could not penetrate; in one place, large vaultedexcavations presented a monumental aspect; in another, a crowd ofcolumns, spires, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral everpossessed. Every caprice of nature, still more varied than those of theimagination, appeared on this grand coast, which extended over a lengthof eight or nine miles. Cyrus Harding and his companions gazed, with a feeling of surprisebordering on stupefaction. But, although they remained silent, Top, not being troubled with feelings of this sort, uttered barks which wererepeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff. The engineereven observed that these barks had something strange in them, like thosewhich the dog had uttered at the mouth of the well in Granite House. "Let us go close in, " said he. And the "Bonadventure" sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore. Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existedthere? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern, not a cleft which couldserve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliff waswashed by the surf. Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vessel continuedher course at a few cables-length from the coast. In the northwest part of the island the shore became again flat andsandy. A few trees here and there rose above a low, marshy ground, whichthe colonists had already surveyed, and in violent contrast to the otherdesert shore, life was again manifested by the presence of myriads ofwater-fowl. That evening the "Bonadventure" anchored in a small bayto the north of the island, near the land, such was the depth of waterthere. The night passed quietly, for the breeze died away with the lastlight of day, and only rose again with the first streaks of dawn. As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is to say, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ramble of two hours or so, andreturned with several strings of wild duck and snipe. Top haddone wonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal andcleverness. At eight o'clock in the morning the "Bonadventure" set sail, and ranrapidly towards North Mandible Cape, for the wind was right astern andfreshening rapidly. "However, " observed Pencroft, "I should not be surprised if a gale cameup from the west. Yesterday the sun set in a very red-looking horizon, and now, this morning, those mares-tails don't forbode anything good. " These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, theirheight from the sea being less than five thousand feet. They look likelight pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces somesudden change in the weather. "Well, " said Harding, "let us carry as much sail as possible, and runfor shelter into Shark Gulf. I think that the 'Bonadventure' will besafe there. " "Perfectly, " replied Pencroft, "and besides, the north coast is merelysand, very uninteresting to look at. " "I shall not be sorry, " resumed the engineer, "to pass not only to-nightbut to-morrow in that bay, which is worth being carefully explored. " "I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it or not, "answered Pencroft, "for the sky looks very threatening towards the west. Dirty weather is coming on!" "At any rate we have a favorable wind for reaching Cape Mandible, "observed the reporter. "A very fine wind, " replied the sailor; "but we must tack to enter thegulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknown quarters. " "Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks, " added Herbert, "if wejudge by what we saw on the south coast of Shark Gulf. " "Pencroft, " said Cyrus Harding, "do as you think best, we will leave itto you. " "Don't make your mind uneasy, captain, " replied the sailor, "I shall notexpose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into my ribsthan a sharp rock into those of my 'Bonadventure!'" That which Pencroft called ribs was the pan of his vessel under water, and he valued it more than his own skin. "What o'clock is it?" asked Pencroft. "Ten o'clock, " replied Gideon Spilett. "And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?" "About fifteen miles, " replied the engineer. "That's a matter of two hours and a half, " said the sailor, "and weshall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock. Unluckily, thetide will be turning at that moment, and will be ebbing out of the gulf. I am afraid that it will be very difficult to get in, having both windand tide against us. " "And the more so that it is a full moon to-day, " remarked Herbert, "andthese April tides are very strong. " "Well, Pencroft, " asked Harding, "can you not anchor off the Cape?" "Anchor near land, with bad weather coming on!" exclaimed the sailor. "What are you thinking of, captain? We should run aground, of acertainty!" "What will you do then?" "I shall try to keep in the offing until the flood, that is to say, tillabout seven in the evening, and if there is still light enough I willtry to enter the gulf; if not, we must stand off and on during thenight, and we will enter to-morrow at sunrise. " "As I told you, Pencroft, we will leave it to you, " answered Harding. "Ah!" said Pencroft, "if there was only a lighthouse on the coast, itwould be much more convenient for sailors. " "Yes, " replied Herbert, "and this time we shall have no obligingengineer to light a fire to guide us into port!" "Why, indeed, my dear Cyrus, " said Spilett, "we have never thanked you;but frankly, without that fire we should never have been able--" "A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words. "We mean, captain, " answered Pencroft, "that on board the 'Bonadventure'we were very anxious during the few hours before our return, and weshould have passed to windward of the island, if it had not been for theprecaution you took of lighting a fire the night of the 19th of October, on Prospect Heights. " "Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer. "And this time, " continued the sailor, "unless the idea occurs toAyrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!" "No! No one!" answered Cyrus Harding. A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vessel, with the reporter, the engineer bent down and whispered, -- "If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that Inever lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October, neitheron Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!" Chapter 20 Things happened as Pencroft had predicted, he being seldom mistaken inhis prognostications. The wind rose, and from a fresh breeze it soonincreased to a regular gale; that is to say, it acquired a speed of fromforty to forty-five miles an hour, before which a ship in the open seawould have run under close-reefed topsails. Now, as it was nearly sixo'clock when the "Bonadventure" reached the gulf, and as at thatmoment the tide turned, it was impossible to enter. They were thereforecompelled to stand off, for even if he had wished to do so, Pencroftcould not have gained the mouth of the Mercy. Hoisting the jib to themainmast by way of a storm-sail, he hove to, putting the head of thevessel towards the land. Fortunately, although the wind was strong the sea, being sheltered bythe land, did not run very high. They had then little to fear fromthe waves, which always endanger small craft. The "Bonadventure" woulddoubtlessly not have capsized, for she was well ballasted, but enormousmasses of water falling on the deck might injure her if her timberscould not sustain them. Pencroft, as a good sailor, was preparedfor anything. Certainly, he had great confidence in his vessel, butnevertheless he awaited the return of day with some anxiety. During the night, Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett had no opportunityfor talking together, and yet the words pronounced in the reporter'sear by the engineer were well worth being discussed, together with themysterious influence which appeared to reign over Lincoln Island. GideonSpilett did not cease from pondering over this new and inexplicableincident, the appearance of a fire on the coast of the island. The firehad actually been seen! His companions, Herbert and Pencroft, had seenit with him! The fire had served to signalize the position of the islandduring that dark night, and they had not doubted that it was lighted bythe engineer's hand; and here was Cyrus Harding expressly declaring thathe had never done anything of the sort! Spilett resolved to recur tothis incident as soon as the "Bonadventure" returned, and to urge CyrusHarding to acquaint their companions with these strange facts. Perhapsit would be decided to make in common a complete investigation of everypart of Lincoln Island. However that might be, on this evening no fire was lighted on these yetunknown shores, which formed the entrance to the gulf, and the littlevessel stood off during the night. When the first streaks of dawn appeared in the western horizon, thewind, which had slightly fallen, shifted two points, and enabledPencroft to enter the narrow gulf with greater ease. Towards seveno'clock in the morning, the "Bonadventure, " weathering the NorthMandible Cape, entered the strait and glided on to the waters, sostrangely enclosed in the frame of lava. "Well, " said Pencroft, "this bay would make admirable roads, in which awhole fleet could lie at their ease!" "What is especially curious, " observed Harding, "is that the gulfhas been formed by two rivers of lava, thrown out by the volcano, andaccumulated by successive eruptions. The result is that the gulf iscompletely sheltered on all sides, and I believe that even in thestormiest weather, the sea here must be as calm as a lake. " "No doubt, " returned the sailor, "since the wind has only that narrowentrance between the two capes to get in by, and, besides, the northcape protects that of the south in a way which would make the entranceof gusts very difficult. I declare our 'Bonadventure' could stay herefrom one end of the year to the other, without even dragging at heranchor!" "It is rather large for her!" observed the reporter. "Well! Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "I agree that it is too largefor the 'Bonadventure, ' but if the fleets of the Union were in want of aharbor in the Pacific, I don't think they would ever find a better placethan this!" "We are in the shark's mouth, " remarked Nab, alluding to the form of thegulf. "Right into its mouth, my honest Nab!" replied Herbert, "but you are notafraid that it will shut upon us, are you?" "No, Mr. Herbert, " answered Neb, "and yet this gulf here doesn't pleaseme much! It has a wicked look!" "Hallo!" cried Pencroft, "here is Neb turning up his nose at my gulf, just as I was thinking of presenting it to America!" "But, at any rate, is the water deep enough?" asked the engineer, "for adepth sufficient for the keel of the 'Bonadventure' would not be enoughfor those of our iron-clads. " "That is easily found out, " replied Pencroft. And the sailor sounded with a long cord, which served him as alead-line, and to which was fastened a lump of iron. This cord measurednearly fifty fathoms, and its entire length was unrolled without findingany bottom. "There, " exclaimed Pencroft, "our iron-clads can come here after all!They would not run aground!" "Indeed, " said Gideon Spilett, "this gulf is a regular abyss, but, taking into consideration the volcanic origin of the island, it is notastonishing that the sea should offer similar depressions. " "One would say too, " observed Herbert, "that these cliffs were perfectlyperpendicular; and I believe that at their foot, even with a line fiveor six times longer, Pencroft would not find bottom. " "That is all very well, " then said the reporter, "but I must point outto Pencroft that his harbor is wanting in one very important respect!" "And what is that, Mr. Spilett?" "An opening, a cutting of some sort, to give access to the interior ofthe island. I do not see a spot on which we could land. " And, infact, the steep lava cliffs did not afford a single place suitable forlanding. They formed an insuperable barrier, recalling, but with morewildness, the fiords of Norway. The "Bonadventure, " coasting as closeas possible along the cliffs, did not discover even a projection whichwould allow the passengers to leave the deck. Pencroft consoled himself by saying that with the help of a mine theycould soon open out the cliff when that was necessary, and then, asthere was evidently nothing to be done in the gulf, he steered hisvessel towards the strait and passed out at about two o'clock in theafternoon. "Ah!" said Nab, uttering a sigh of satisfaction. One might really say that the honest Negro did not feel at his ease inthose enormous jaws. The distance from Mandible Cape to the mouth of the Mercy was not morethan eight miles. The head of the "Bonadventure" was put towards GraniteHouse, and a fair wind filling her sails, she ran rapidly along thecoast. To the enormous lava rocks succeeded soon those capricious sand dunes, among which the engineer had been so singularly recovered, and whichseabirds frequented in thousands. About four o'clock, Pencroft leaving the point of the islet on hisleft, entered the channel which separated it from the coast, and at fiveo'clock the anchor of the "Bonadventure" was buried in the sand at themouth of the Mercy. The colonists had been absent three days from their dwelling. Ayrtonwas waiting for them on the beach, and Jup came joyously to meet them, giving vent to deep grunts of satisfaction. A complete exploration of the coast of the island had now been made, and no suspicious appearances had been observed. If any mysterious beingresided on it, it could only be under cover of the impenetrable forestof the Serpentine Peninsula, to which the colonists had not yet directedtheir investigations. Gideon Spilett discussed these things with the engineer, and it wasagreed that they should direct the attention of their companions to thestrange character of certain incidents which had occurred on the island, and of which the last was the most unaccountable. However, Harding, returning to the fact of a fire having been kindled onthe shore by an unknown hand, could not refrain from repeating for thetwentieth time to the reporter, -- "But are you quite sure of having seen it? Was it not a partial eruptionof the volcano, or perhaps some meteor?" "No, Cyrus, " answered the reporter, "it was certainly a fire lighted bythe hand of man. Besides; question Pencroft and Herbert. They saw it asI saw it myself, and they will confirm my words. " In consequence, therefore, a few days after, on the 25th of April, inthe evening, when the settlers were all collected on Prospect Heights, Cyrus Harding began by saying, -- "My friends, I think it my duty to call your attention to certainincidents which have occurred in the island, on the subject of which Ishall be happy to have your advice. These incidents are, so to speak, supernatural--" "Supernatural!" exclaimed the sailor, emitting a volume of smoke fromhis mouth. "Can it be possible that our island is supernatural?" "No, Pencroft, but mysterious, most certainly, " replied the engineer;"unless you can explain that which Spilett and I have until now failedto understand. " "Speak away, captain, " answered the sailor. "Well, have you understood, " then said the engineer, "how was it thatafter falling into the sea, I was found a quarter of a mile into theinterior of the island, and that, without my having any consciousness ofmy removal there?" "Unless, being unconscious--" said Pencroft. "That is not admissible, " replied the engineer. "But to continue. Haveyou understood how Top was able to discover your retreat five miles fromthe cave in which I was lying?" "The dog's instinct--" observed Herbert. "Singular instinct!" returned the reporter, "since notwithstanding thestorm of rain and wind which was raging during that night, Top arrivedat the Chimneys, dry and without a speck of mud!" "Let us continue, " resumed the engineer. "Have you understood how ourdog was so strangely thrown up out of the water of the lake, after hisstruggle with the dugong?" "No! I confess, not at all, " replied Pencroft, "and the wound which thedugong had in its side, a wound which seemed to have been made with asharp instrument; that can't be understood, either. " "Let us continue again, " said Harding. "Have you understood, my friends, how that bullet got into the body of the young peccary; how that casehappened to be so fortunately stranded, without there being any traceof a wreck; how that bottle containing the document presented itselfso opportunely, during our first sea-excursion; how our canoe, havingbroken its moorings, floated down the current of the Mercy and rejoinedus at the very moment we needed it; how after the ape invasion theladder was so obligingly thrown down from Granite House; and lastly, howthe document, which Ayrton asserts was never written by him, fell intoour hands?" As Cyrus Harding thus enumerated, without forgetting one, the singularincidents which had occurred in the island, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroftstared at each other, not knowing what to reply, for this succession ofincidents, grouped thus for the first time, could not but excite theirsurprise to the highest degree. "'Pon my word, " said Pencroft at last, "you are right, captain, and itis difficult to explain all these things!" "Well, my friends, " resumed the engineer, "a last fact has just beenadded to these, and it is no less incomprehensible than the others!" "What is it, captain?" asked Herbert quickly. "When you were returning from Tabor Island, Pencroft, " continued theengineer, "you said that a fire appeared on Lincoln Island?" "Certainly, " answered the sailor. "And you are quite certain of having seen this fire?" "As sure as I see you now. " "You also, Herbert?" "Why, captain, " cried Herbert, "that fire was blazing like a star of thefirst magnitude!" "But was it not a star?" urged the engineer. "No, " replied Pencroft, "for the sky was covered with thick clouds, andat any rate a star would not have been so low on the horizon. But Mr. Spilett saw it as well as we, and he will confirm our words. " "I will add, " said the reporter, "that the fire was very bright, andthat it shot up like a sheet of lightning. " "Yes, yes! exactly, " added Herbert, "and it was certainly placed on theheights of Granite House. " "Well, my friends, " replied Cyrus Harding, "during the night of the 19thof October, neither Neb nor I lighted any fire on the coast. " "You did not!" exclaimed Pencroft, in the height of his astonishment, not being able to finish his sentence. "We did not leave Granite House, " answered Cyrus Harding, "and if a fireappeared on the coast, it was lighted by another hand than ours!" Pencroft, Herbert, and Neb were stupefied. No illusion could bepossible, and a fire had actually met their eyes during the night of the19th of October. Yes! they had to acknowledge it, a mystery existed! Aninexplicable influence, evidently favorable to the colonists, but veryirritating to their curiosity, was executed always in the nick of timeon Lincoln Island. Could there be some being hidden in its profoundestrecesses? It was necessary at any cost to ascertain this. Harding also reminded his companions of the singular behavior of Top andJup when they prowled round the mouth of the well, which placed GraniteHouse in communication with the sea, and he told them that he hadexplored the well, without discovering anything suspicious. The finalresolve taken, in consequence of this conversation, by all the membersof the colony, was that as soon as the fine season returned they wouldthoroughly search the whole of the island. But from that day Pencroft appeared to be anxious. He felt as if theisland which he had made his own personal property belonged to himentirely no longer, and that he shared it with another master, towhom, willing or not, he felt subject. Neb and he often talked of thoseunaccountable things, and both, their natures inclining them to themarvelous, were not far from believing that Lincoln Island was under thedominion of some supernatural power. In the meanwhile, the bad weather came with the month of May, theNovember of the northern zones. It appeared that the winter wouldbe severe and forward. The preparations for the winter season weretherefore commenced without delay. Nevertheless, the colonists were well prepared to meet the winter, however hard it might be. They had plenty of felt clothing, and themusmons, very numerous by this time, had furnished an abundance of woolnecessary for the manufacture of this warm material. It is unnecessary to say that Ayrton had been provided with thiscomfortable clothing. Cyrus Harding proposed that he should come tospend the bad season with them in Granite House, where he would bebetter lodged than at the corral, and Ayrton promised to do so, as soonas the last work at the corral was finished. He did this towards themiddle of April. From that time Ayrton shared the common life, and madehimself useful on all occasions; but still humble and sad, he never tookpart in the pleasures of his companions. For the greater part of this, the third winter which the settlers passedin Lincoln Island, they were confined to Granite House. There were manyviolent storms and frightful tempests, which appeared to shake the rocksto their very foundations. Immense waves threatened to overwhelm theisland, and certainly any vessel anchored near the shore would havebeen dashed to pieces. Twice, during one of these hurricanes, the Mercyswelled to such a degree as to give reason to fear that the bridgeswould be swept away, and it was necessary to strengthen those on theshore, which disappeared under the foaming waters, when the sea beatagainst the beach. It may well be supposed that such storms, comparable to water-spouts inwhich were mingled rain and snow, would cause great havoc on theplateau of Prospect Heights. The mill and the poultry-yard particularlysuffered. The colonists were often obliged to make immediate repairs, without which the safety of the birds would have been seriouslythreatened. During the worst weather, several jaguars and troops of quadrumanaventured to the edge of the plateau, and it was always to be feared thatthe most active and audacious would, urged by hunger, manage to crossthe stream, which besides, when frozen, offered them an easy passage. Plantations and domestic animals would then have been infalliblydestroyed, without a constant watch, and it was often necessary tomake use of the guns to keep those dangerous visitors at a respectfuldistance. Occupation was not wanting to the colonists, for withoutreckoning their out-door cares, they had always a thousand plans for thefitting up of Granite House. They had also some fine sporting excursions, which were made during thefrost in the vast Tadorn Marsh. Gideon Spilett and Herbert, aided byJup and Top, did not miss a shot in the midst of myriads of wild-duck, snipe, teal, and others. The access to these hunting-grounds was easy;besides, whether they reached them by the road to Port Balloon, afterhaving passed the Mercy Bridge, or by turning the rocks from FlotsamPoint, the hunters were never distant from Granite House more than twoor three miles. Thus passed the four winter months, which were really rigorous, that isto say, June, July, August, and September. But, in short, Granite Housedid not suffer much from the inclemency of the weather, and it wasthe same with the corral, which, less exposed than the plateau, andsheltered partly by Mount Franklin, only received the remains of thehurricanes, already broken by the forests and the high rocks of theshore. The damages there were consequently of small importance, and theactivity and skill of Ayrton promptly repaired them, when some time inOctober he returned to pass a few days in the corral. During this winter, no fresh inexplicable incident occurred. Nothingstrange happened, although Pencroft and Neb were on the watch for themost insignificant facts to which they attached any mysterious cause. Top and Jup themselves no longer growled round the well or gave anysigns of uneasiness. It appeared, therefore, as if the series ofsupernatural incidents was interrupted, although they often talked ofthem during the evenings in Granite House, and they remained thoroughlyresolved that the island should be searched, even in those parts themost difficult to explore. But an event of the highest importance, andof which the consequences might be terrible, momentarily diverted fromtheir projects Cyrus Harding and his companions. It was the month of October. The fine season was swiftly returning. Nature was reviving; and among the evergreen foliage of the coniferaewhich formed the border of the wood, already appeared the young leavesof the banksias, deodars, and other trees. It may be remembered that Gideon Spilett and Herbert had, at differenttimes, taken photographic views of Lincoln Island. Now, on the 17th of this month of October, towards three o'clock inthe afternoon, Herbert, enticed by the charms of the sky, thought ofreproducing Union Bay, which was opposite to Prospect Heights, from CapeMandible to Claw Cape. The horizon was beautifully clear, and the sea, undulating under a softbreeze, was as calm as the waters of a lake, sparkling here and thereunder the sun's rays. The apparatus had been placed at one of the windows of the dining-roomat Granite House, and consequently overlooked the shore and the bay. Herbert proceeded as he was accustomed to do, and the negative obtained, he went away to fix it by means of the chemicals deposited in a darknook of Granite House. Returning to the bright light, and examining it well, Herbert perceivedon his negative an almost imperceptible little spot on the sea horizon. He endeavored to make it disappear by reiterated washing, but could notaccomplish it. "It is a flaw in the glass, " he thought. And then he had the curiosity to examine this flaw with a strongmagnifier which he unscrewed from one of the telescopes. But he had scarcely looked at it, when he uttered a cry, and the glassalmost fell from his hands. Immediately running to the room in which Cyrus Harding then was, heextended the negative and magnifier towards the engineer, pointing outthe little spot. Harding examined it; then seizing his telescope he rushed to the window. The telescope, after having slowly swept the horizon, at last stopped onthe looked-for spot, and Cyrus Harding, lowering it, pronounced one wordonly, -- "A vessel!" And in fact a vessel was in sight, off Lincoln Island! PART 3 THE SECRET OF THE ISLAND Chapter 1 It was now two years and a half since the castaways from the balloon hadbeen thrown on Lincoln Island, and during that period there had been nocommunication between them and their fellow-creatures. Once the reporterhad attempted to communicate with the inhabited world by confiding toa bird a letter which contained the secret of their situation, but thatwas a chance on which it was impossible to reckon seriously. Ayrton, alone, under the circumstances which have been related, had come tojoin the little colony. Now, suddenly, on this day, the 17th of October, other men had unexpectedly appeared in sight of the island, on thatdeserted sea! There could be no doubt about it! A vessel was there! But would shepass on, or would she put into port? In a few hours the colonists woulddefinitely know what to expect. Cyrus Harding and Herbert having immediately called Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Neb into the dining-room of Granite House, told themwhat had happened. Pencroft, seizing the telescope, rapidly swept thehorizon, and stopping on the indicated point, that is to say, onthat which had made the almost imperceptible spot on the photographicnegative, -- "I'm blessed but it is really a vessel!" he exclaimed, in a voice whichdid not express any great amount of satisfaction. "Is she coming here?" asked Gideon Spilett. "Impossible to say anything yet, " answered Pencroft, "for her riggingalone is above the horizon, and not a bit of her hull can be seen. " "What is to be done?" asked the lad. "Wait, " replied Harding. And for a considerable time the settlers remained silent, given up toall the thoughts, and the emotions, all the fears, all the hopes, whichwere aroused by this incident--the most important which had occurredsince their arrival in Lincoln Island. Certainly, the colonists were notin the situation of castaways abandoned on a sterile islet, constantlycontending against a cruel nature for their miserable existence, andincessantly tormented by the longing to return to inhabited countries. Pencroft and Neb, especially, who felt themselves at once so happy andso rich, would not have left their island without regret. They wereaccustomed, besides, to this new life in the midst of the domain whichtheir intelligence had as it were civilized. But at any rate this shipbrought news from the world, perhaps even from their native land. It wasbringing fellow-creatures to them, and it may be conceived how deeplytheir hearts were moved at the sight! From time to time Pencroft took the glass and rested himself at thewindow. From thence he very attentively examined the vessel, which wasat a distance of twenty miles to the east. The colonists had as yet, therefore, no means of signalizing their presence. A flag would not havebeen perceived; a gun would not have been heard; a fire would not havebeen visible. However, it was certain that the island, overtopped byMount Franklin, could not escape the notice of the vessel's lookout. Butwhy was the ship coming there? Was it simple chance which brought it tothat part of the Pacific, where the maps mentioned no land except TaborIsland, which itself was out of the route usually followed by vesselsfrom the Polynesian Archipelagoes, from New Zealand, and from theAmerican coast? To this question, which each one asked himself, a replywas suddenly made by Herbert. "Can it be the 'Duncan'?" he cried. The "Duncan, " as has been said, was Lord Glenarvan's yacht, which hadleft Ayrton on the islet, and which was to return there someday to fetchhim. Now, the islet was not so far distant from Lincoln Island, butthat a vessel, standing for the one, could pass in sight of the other. Ahundred and fifty miles only separated them in longitude, and seventy inlatitude. "We must tell Ayrton, " said Gideon Spilett, "and send for himimmediately. He alone can say if it is the 'Duncan. '" This was the opinion of all, and the reporter, going to the telegraphicapparatus which placed the corral in communication with Granite House, sent this telegram:--"Come with all possible speed. " In a few minutes the bell sounded. "I am coming, " replied Ayrton. Then the settlers continued to watch the vessel. "If it is the 'Duncan, '" said Herbert, "Ayrton will recognize herwithout difficulty, since he sailed on board her for some time. " "And if he recognizes her, " added Pencroft, "it will agitate himexceedingly!" "Yes, " answered Cyrus Harding; "but now Ayrton is worthy to return onboard the 'Duncan, ' and pray Heaven that it is indeed Lord Glenarvan'syacht, for I should be suspicious of any other vessel. These areill-famed seas, and I have always feared a visit from Malay pirates toour island. " "We could defend it, ', cried Herbert. "No doubt, my boy, " answered the engineer smiling, "but it would bebetter not to have to defend it. " "A useless observation, " said Spilett. "Lincoln Island is unknown tonavigators, since it is not marked even on the most recent maps. Doyou think, Cyrus, that that is a sufficient motive for a ship, findingherself unexpectedly in sight of new land, to try and visit rather thanavoid it?" "Certainly, " replied Pencroft. "I think so too, " added the engineer. "It may even be said that it isthe duty of a captain to come and survey any land or island not yetknown, and Lincoln Island is in this position. " "Well, " said Pencroft, "suppose this vessel comes and anchors there afew cables-lengths from our island, what shall we do?" This sudden question remained at first without any reply. But CyrusHarding, after some moments' thought, replied in the calm tone which wasusual to him, -- "What we shall do, my friends? What we ought to do is this:--we willcommunicate with the ship, we will take our passage on board her, and wewill leave our island, after having taken possession of it in the nameof the United States. Then we will return with any who may wish tofollow us to colonize it definitely, and endow the American Republicwith a useful station in this part of the Pacific Ocean!" "Hurrah!" exclaimed Pencroft, "and that will be no small presentwhich we shall make to our country! The colonization is already almostfinished; names are given to every part of the island; there isa natural port, fresh water, roads, a telegraph, a dockyard, andmanufactories; and there will be nothing to be done but to inscribeLincoln Island on the maps!" "But if anyone seizes it in our absence?" observed Gideon Spilett. "Hang it!" cried the sailor. "I would rather remain all alone to guardit: and trust to Pencroft, they shouldn't steal it from him, like awatch from the pocket of a swell!" For an hour it was impossible to say with any certainty whether thevessel was or was not standing towards Lincoln Island. She wasnearer, but in what direction was she sailing? This Pencroft could notdetermine. However, as the wind was blowing from the northeast, in allprobability the vessel was sailing on the starboard tack. Besides, thewind was favorable for bringing her towards the island, and, the seabeing calm, she would not be afraid to approach although the shallowswere not marked on the chart. Towards four o'clock--an hour after he had been sent for--Ayrton arrivedat Granite House. He entered the dining-room saying, -- "At your service, gentlemen. " Cyrus Harding gave him his hand, as was his custom to do, and, leadinghim to the window, -- "Ayrton, " said he, "we have begged you to come here for an importantreason. A ship is in sight of the island. " Ayrton at first paled slightly, and for a moment his eyes became dim;then, leaning out the window, he surveyed the horizon, but could seenothing. "Take this telescope, " said Spilett, "and look carefully, Ayrton, forit is possible that this ship may be the 'Duncan' come to these seas forthe purpose of taking you home again. " "The 'Duncan!'" murmured Ayrton. "Already?" This last word escapedAyrton's lips as if involuntarily, and his head drooped upon his hands. Did not twelve years' solitude on a desert island appear to him asufficient expiation? Did not the penitent yet feel himself pardoned, either in his own eyes or in the eyes of others? "No, " said he, "no! it cannot be the 'Duncan'!" "Look, Ayrton, " then said the engineer, "for it is necessary that weshould know beforehand what to expect. " Ayrton took the glass and pointed it in the direction indicated. Duringsome minutes he examined the horizon without moving, without uttering aword. Then, -- "It is indeed a vessel, " said he, "but I do not think she is the'Duncan. '" "Why do you not think so?" asked Gideon Spilett. "Because the 'Duncan' is a steam-yacht, and I cannot perceive any traceof smoke either above or near that vessel. " "Perhaps she is simply sailing, " observed Pencroft. "The wind isfavorable for the direction which she appears to be taking, and she maybe anxious to economize her coal, being so far from land. " "It is possible that you may be right, Mr. Pencroft, " answered Ayrton, "and that the vessel has extinguished her fires. We must wait until sheis nearer, and then we shall soon know what to expect. " So saying, Ayrton sat down in a corner of the room and remained silent. The colonists again discussed the strange ship, but Ayrton took nopart in the conversation. All were in such a mood that they found itimpossible to continue their work. Gideon Spilett and Pencroft wereparticularly nervous, going, coming, not able to remain still in oneplace. Herbert felt more curiosity. Neb alone maintained his usualcalm manner. Was not his country that where his master was? As to theengineer, he remained plunged in deep thought, and in his heart fearedrather than desired the arrival of the ship. In the meanwhile, thevessel was a little nearer the island. With the aid of the glass, it wasascertained that she was a brig, and not one of those Malay proas, whichare generally used by the pirates of the Pacific. It was, therefore, reasonable to believe that the engineer's apprehensions would not bejustified, and that the presence of this vessel in the vicinity of theisland was fraught with no danger. Pencroft, after a minute examination, was able positively to affirm thatthe vessel was rigged as a brig, and that she was standing obliquelytowards the coast, on the starboard tack, under her topsails andtop-gallant-sails. This was confirmed by Ayrton. But by continuing inthis direction she must soon disappear behind Claw Cape, as the windwas from the southwest, and to watch her it would be then necessaryto ascend the height of Washington Bay, near Port Balloon--a provokingcircumstance, for it was already five o'clock in the evening, and thetwilight would soon make any observation extremely difficult. "What shall we do when night comes on?" asked Gideon Spilett. "Shall welight a fire, so as to signal our presence on the coast?" This was a serious question, and yet, although the engineer stillretained some of his presentiments, it was answered in the affirmative. During the night the ship might disappear and leave for ever, and, thisship gone, would another ever return to the waters of Lincoln Island?Who could foresee what the future would then have in store for thecolonists? "Yes, " said the reporter, "we ought to make known to that vessel, whoever she may be, that the island is inhabited. To neglect theopportunity which is offered to us might be to create everlastingregrets. " It was therefore decided that Neb and Pencroft should go to PortBalloon, and that there, at nightfall, they should light an immensefire, the blaze of which would necessarily attract the attention of thebrig. But at the moment when Neb and the sailor were preparing to leaveGranite House, the vessel suddenly altered her course, and stooddirectly for Union Bay. The brig was a good sailer, for she approachedrapidly. Neb and Pencroft put off their departure, therefore, and theglass was put into Ayrton's hands, that he might ascertain for certainwhether the ship was or was not the "Duncan. " The Scotch yacht was alsorigged as a brig. The question was, whether a chimney could be discernedbetween the two masts of the vessel, which was now at a distance of onlyfive miles. The horizon was still very clear. The examination was easy, and Ayrtonsoon let the glass fall again, saying-- "It is not the 'Duncan'! It could not be!" Pencroft again brought the brig within the range of the telescope, andcould see that she was of between three and four hundred tons burden, wonderfully narrow, well-masted, admirably built, and must be a veryrapid sailer. But to what nation did she belong? That was difficult tosay. "And yet, " added the sailor, "a flag is floating from her peak, but Icannot distinguish the colors of it. " "In half an hour we shall be certain about that, " answered the reporter. "Besides, it is very evident that the intention of the captain of thisship is to land, and, consequently, if not today, to-morrow at thelatest, we shall make his acquaintance. " "Never mind!" said Pencroft. "It is best to know whom we have to dealwith, and I shall not be sorry to recognize that fellow's colors!" And, while thus speaking, the sailor never left the glass. The day beganto fade, and with the day the breeze fell also. The brig's ensign hungin folds, and it became more and more difficult to observe it. "It is not the American flag, " said Pencroft from time to time, "nor theEnglish, the red of which could be easily seen, nor the French or Germancolors, nor the white flag of Russia, nor the yellow of Spain. One wouldsay it was all one color. Let's see: in these seas, what do we generallymeet with? The Chilean flag?--but that is tri-color. Brazilian?--it isgreen. Japanese?--it is yellow and black, while this--" At that moment the breeze blew out the unknown flag. Ayrton seizing thetelescope which the sailor had put down, put it to his eye, and in ahoarse voice, -- "The black flag!" he exclaimed. And indeed the somber bunting was floating from the mast of the brig, and they had now good reason for considering her to be a suspiciousvessel! Had the engineer, then, been right in his presentiments? Was this apirate vessel? Did she scour the Pacific, competing with the Malay proaswhich still infest it? For what had she come to look at the shores ofLincoln Island? Was it to them an unknown island, ready to becomea magazine for stolen cargoes? Had she come to find on the coast asheltered port for the winter months? Was the settlers' honest domaindestined to be transformed into an infamous refuge--the headquarters ofthe piracy of the Pacific? All these ideas instinctively presented themselves to the colonists'imaginations. There was no doubt, besides, of the signification whichmust be attached to the color of the hoisted flag. It was that ofpirates! It was that which the "Duncan" would have carried, had theconvicts succeeded in their criminal design! No time was lost beforediscussing it. "My friends, " said Cyrus Harding, "perhaps this vessel only wishes tosurvey the coast of the island. Perhaps her crew will not land. There isa chance of it. However that may be, we ought to do everything we can tohide our presence here. The windmill on Prospect Heights is too easilyseen. Let Ayrton and Neb go and take down the sails. We must alsoconceal the windows of Granite House with thick branches. All the firesmust be extinguished, so that nothing may betray the presence of men onthe island. " "And our vessel?" said Herbert. "Oh, " answered Pencroft, "she is sheltered in Port Balloon, and I defyany of those rascals there to find her!" The engineer's orders were immediately executed. Neb and Ayrtonascended the plateau, and took the necessary precautions to concealany indication of a settlement. While they were thus occupied, theircompanions went to the border of Jacamar Wood, and brought back a largequantity of branches and creepers, which would at some distance appearas natural foliage, and thus disguise the windows in the granite cliff. At the same time, the ammunition and guns were placed ready so as to beat hand in case of an unexpected attack. When all these precautions had been taken, -- "My friends, " said Harding, and his voice betrayed some emotion, "if thewretches endeavor to seize Lincoln Island, we shall defend it--shall wenot?" "Yes, Cyrus, " replied the reporter, "and if necessary we will die todefend it!" The engineer extended his hand to his companions, who pressed it warmly. Ayrton remained in his corner, not joining the colonists. Perhaps he, the former convict, still felt himself unworthy to do so! Cyrus Harding understood what was passing in Ayrton's mind, and going tohim-- "And you, Ayrton, " he asked, "what will you do?" "My duty, " answered Ayrton. He then took up his station near the window and gazed through thefoliage. It was now half-past seven. The sun had disappeared twenty minutes agobehind Granite House. Consequently the Eastern horizon was becomingobscured. In the meanwhile the brig continued to advance towards UnionBay. She was now not more than two miles off, and exactly opposite theplateau of Prospect Heights, for after having tacked off Claw Cape, shehad drifted towards the north in the current of the rising tide. Onemight have said that at this distance she had already entered the vastbay, for a straight line drawn from Claw Cape to Cape Mandible wouldhave rested on her starboard quarter. Was the brig about to penetrate far into the bay? That was the firstquestion. When once in the bay, would she anchor there? That was thesecond. Would she not content herself with only surveying the coast, andstand out to sea again without landing her crew? They would know this inan hour. The colonists could do nothing but wait. Cyrus Harding had not seen the suspected vessel hoist the black flagwithout deep anxiety. Was it not a direct menace against the work whichhe and his companions had till now conducted so successfully? Had thesepirates--for the sailors of the brig could be nothing else--alreadyvisited the island, since on approaching it they had hoisted theircolors. Had they formerly invaded it, so that certain unaccountablepeculiarities might be explained in this way? Did there exist in the asyet unexplored parts some accomplice ready to enter into communicationwith them? To all these questions which he mentally asked himself, Harding knew notwhat to reply; but he felt that the safety of the colony could not butbe seriously threatened by the arrival of the brig. However, he and his companions were determined to fight to the lastgasp. It would have been very important to know if the pirateswere numerous and better armed than the colonists. But how was thisinformation to be obtained? Night fell. The new moon had disappeared. Profound darkness envelopedthe island and the sea. No light could pierce through the heavy pilesof clouds on the horizon. The wind had died away completely with thetwilight. Not a leaf rustled on the trees, not a ripple murmured onthe shore. Nothing could be seen of the ship, all her lights beingextinguished, and if she was still in sight of the island, herwhereabouts could not be discovered. "Well! who knows?" said Pencroft. "Perhaps that cursed craft will standoff during the night, and we shall see nothing of her at daybreak. " As if in reply to the sailor's observation, a bright light flashed inthe darkness, and a cannon-shot was heard. The vessel was still there and had guns on board. Six seconds elapsed between the flash and the report. Therefore the brig was about a mile and a quarter from the coast. At the same time, the chains were heard rattling through thehawse-holes. The vessel had just anchored in sight of Granite House! Chapter 2 There was no longer any doubt as to the pirates' intentions. They haddropped anchor at a short distance from the island, and it was evidentthat the next day by means of their boats they purposed to land on thebeach! Cyrus Harding and his companions were ready to act, but, determinedthough they were, they must not forget to be prudent. Perhaps theirpresence might still be concealed in the event of the pirates contentingthemselves with landing on the shore without examining the interior ofthe island. It might be, indeed, that their only intention was to obtainfresh water from the Mercy, and it was not impossible that the bridge, thrown across a mile and a half from the mouth, and the manufactory atthe Chimneys might escape their notice. But why was that flag hoisted at the brig's peak? What was that shotfired for? Pure bravado doubtless, unless it was a sign of the act oftaking possession. Harding knew now that the vessel was well armed. Andwhat had the colonists of Lincoln Island to reply to the pirates' guns?A few muskets only. "However, " observed Cyrus Harding, "here we are in an impregnableposition. The enemy cannot discover the mouth of the outlet, now that itis hidden under reeds and grass, and consequently it would be impossiblefor them to penetrate into Granite House. " "But our plantations, our poultry-yard, our corral, all, everything!"exclaimed Pencroft, stamping his foot. "They may spoil everything, destroy everything in a few hours!" "Everything, Pencroft, " answered Harding, "and we have no means ofpreventing them. " "Are they numerous? that is the question, " said the reporter. "If theyare not more than a dozen, we shall be able to stop them, but forty, fifty, more perhaps!" "Captain Harding, " then said Ayrton, advancing towards the engineer, "will you give me leave?" "For what, my friend?" "To go to that vessel to find out the strength of her crew. " "But Ayrton--" answered the engineer, hesitating, "you will risk yourlife--" "Why not, sir?" "That is more than your duty. " "I have more than my duty to do, " replied Ayrton. "Will you go to the ship in the boat?" asked Gideon Spilett. "No, sir, but I will swim. A boat would be seen where a man may glidebetween wind and water. " "Do you know that the brig is a mile and a quarter from the shore?" saidHerbert. "I am a good swimmer, Mr. Herbert. " "I tell you it is risking your life, " said the engineer. "That is no matter, " answered Ayrton. "Captain Harding, I ask this as afavor. Perhaps it will be a means of raising me in my own eyes!" "Go, Ayrton, " replied the engineer, who felt sure that a refusal wouldhave deeply wounded the former convict, now become an honest man. "I will accompany you, " said Pencroft. "You mistrust me!" said Ayrton quickly. Then more humbly, -- "Alas!" "No! no!" exclaimed Harding with animation, "no, Ayrton, Pencroft doesnot mistrust you. You interpret his words wrongly. " "Indeed, " returned the sailor, "I only propose to accompany Ayrton asfar as the islet. It may be, although it is scarcely possible, that oneof these villains has landed, and in that case two men will not be toomany to hinder him from giving the alarm. I will wait for Ayrton on theislet, and he shall go alone to the vessel, since he has proposed to doso. " These things agreed to, Ayrton made preparations for his departure. His plan was bold, but it might succeed, thanks to the darkness of thenight. Once arrived at the vessel's side, Ayrton, holding on to the mainchains, might reconnoiter the number and perhaps overhear the intentionsof the pirates. Ayrton and Pencroft, followed by their companions, descended to thebeach. Ayrton undressed and rubbed himself with grease, so as to sufferless from the temperature of the water, which was still cold. He might, indeed, be obliged to remain in it for several hours. Pencroft and Neb, during this time, had gone to fetch the boat, mooreda few hundred feet higher up, on the bank of the Mercy, and by the timethey returned, Ayrton was ready to start. A coat was thrown over hisshoulders, and the settlers all came round him to press his hand. Ayrton then shoved off with Pencroft in the boat. It was half-past ten in the evening when the two adventurers disappearedin the darkness. Their companions returned to wait at the Chimneys. The channel was easily traversed, and the boat touched the oppositeshore of the islet. This was not done without precaution, for fear lestthe pirates might be roaming about there. But after a careful survey, it was evident that the islet was deserted. Ayrton then, followed byPencroft, crossed it with a rapid step, scaring the birds nestled in theholes of the rocks; then, without hesitating, he plunged into the sea, and swam noiselessly in the direction of the ship, in which a few lightshad recently appeared, showing her exact situation. As to Pencroft, he crouched down in a cleft of the rock, and awaited the return of hiscompanion. In the meanwhile, Ayrton, swimming with a vigorous stroke, glidedthrough the sheet of water without producing the slightest ripple. Hishead just emerged above it and his eyes were fixed on the dark hull ofthe brig, from which the lights were reflected in the water. He thoughtonly of the duty which he had promised to accomplish, and nothing of thedanger which he ran, not only on board the ship, but in the sea, oftenfrequented by sharks. The current bore him along and he rapidly recededfrom the shore. Half an hour afterwards, Ayrton, without having been either seen orheard, arrived at the ship and caught hold of the main-chains. He tookbreath, then, hoisting himself up, he managed to reach the extremity ofthe cutwater. There were drying several pairs of sailors' trousers. Heput on a pair. Then settling himself firmly, he listened. They were notsleeping on board the brig. On the contrary, they were talking, singing, laughing. And these were the sentences, accompanied with oaths, whichprincipally struck Ayrton:-- "Our brig is a famous acquisition. " "She sails well, and merits her name of the 'Speedy. '" "She would show all the navy of Norfolk a clean pair of heels. " "Hurrah for her captain!" "Hurrah for Bob Harvey!" What Ayrton felt when he overheard this fragment of conversation may beunderstood when it is known that in this Bob Harvey he recognized oneof his old Australian companions, a daring sailor, who had continued hiscriminal career. Bob Harvey had seized, on the shores of Norfolk Islandthis brig, which was loaded with arms, ammunition, utensils, and toolsof all sorts, destined for one of the Sandwich Islands. All his gang hadgone on board, and pirates after having been convicts, these wretches, more ferocious than the Malays themselves, scoured the Pacific, destroying vessels, and massacring their crews. The convicts spoke loudly, they recounted their deeds, drinking deeplyat the same time, and this is what Ayrton gathered. The actual crewof the "Speedy" was composed solely of English prisoners, escaped fromNorfolk Island. Here it may be well to explain what this island was. In 29deg 2' southlatitude, and 165deg 42' east longitude, to the east of Australia, isfound a little island, six miles in circumference, overlooked by MountPitt, which rises to a height of 1, 100 feet above the level of the sea. This is Norfolk Island, once the seat of an establishment in which werelodged the most intractable convicts from the English penitentiaries. They numbered 500, under an iron discipline, threatened with terriblepunishments, and were guarded by 150 soldiers, and 150 employedunder the orders of the governor. It would be difficult to imaginea collection of greater ruffians. Sometimes, --although veryrarely, --notwithstanding the extreme surveillance of which they werethe object, many managed to escape, and seizing vessels which theysurprised, they infested the Polynesian Archipelagoes. Thus had Bob Harvey and his companions done. Thus had Ayrton formerlywished to do. Bob Harvey had seized the brig "Speedy, " anchored in sightof Norfolk Island; the crew had been massacred; and for a year this shiphad scoured the Pacific, under the command of Harvey, now a pirate, andwell known to Ayrton! The convicts were, for the most part, assembled under the poop; but afew, stretched on the deck, were talking loudly. The conversation still continued amid shouts and libations. Ayrtonlearned that chance alone had brought the "Speedy" in sight of LincolnIsland; Bob Harvey had never yet set foot on it; but, as Cyrus Hardinghad conjectured, finding this unknown land in his course, its positionbeing marked on no chart, he had formed the project of visiting it, and, if he found it suitable, of making it the brig's headquarters. As to the black flag hoisted at the "Speedy's" peak, and the gun whichhad been fired, in imitation of men-of-war when they lower theircolors, it was pure piratical bravado. It was in no way a signal, and nocommunication yet existed between the convicts and Lincoln Island. The settlers' domain was now menaced with terrible danger. Evidentlythe island, with its water, its harbor, its resources of all kinds soincreased in value by the colonists, and the concealment afforded byGranite House, could not but be convenient for the convicts; in theirhands it would become an excellent place of refuge, and, being unknown, it would assure them, for a long time perhaps, impunity and security. Evidently, also, the lives of the settlers would not be respected, andBob Harvey and his accomplices' first care would be to massacre themwithout mercy. Harding and his companions had, therefore, not even thechoice of flying and hiding themselves in the island, since the convictsintended to reside there, and since, in the event of the "Speedy"departing on an expedition, it was probable that some of the crew wouldremain on shore, so as to settle themselves there. Therefore, itwould be necessary to fight, to destroy every one of these scoundrels, unworthy of pity, and against whom any means would be right. So thoughtAyrton, and he well knew that Cyrus Harding would be of his way ofthinking. But was resistance and, in the last place, victory possible? That woulddepend on the equipment of the brig, and the number of men which shecarried. This Ayrton resolved to learn at any cost, and as an hour after hisarrival the vociferations had begun to die away, and as a large numberof the convicts were already buried in a drunken sleep, Ayrton did nothesitate to venture onto the "Speedy's" deck, which the extinguishedlanterns now left in total darkness. He hoisted himself onto thecutwater, and by the bowsprit arrived at the forecastle. Then, glidingamong the convicts stretched here and there, he made the round of theship, and found that the "Speedy" carried four guns, which would throwshot of from eight to ten pounds in weight. He found also, on touchingthem that these guns were breech-loaders. They were therefore, of modernmake, easily used, and of terrible effect. As to the men lying on the deck, they were about ten in number, butit was to be supposed that more were sleeping down below. Besides, bylistening to them, Ayrton had understood that there were fifty onboard. That was a large number for the six settlers of Lincoln Island tocontend with! But now, thanks to Ayrton's devotion, Cyrus Harding wouldnot be surprised, he would know the strength of his adversaries, andwould make his arrangements accordingly. There was nothing more for Ayrton to do but to return, and render to hiscompanions an account of the mission with which he had charged himself, and he prepared to regain the bows of the brig, so that he might lethimself down into the water. But to this man, whose wish was, as he hadsaid, to do more than his duty, there came an heroic thought. This wasto sacrifice his own life, but save the island and the colonists. CyrusHarding evidently could not resist fifty ruffians, all well armed, who, either by penetrating by main force into Granite House, or by starvingout the besieged, could obtain from them what they wanted. And then hethought of his preservers--those who had made him again a man, and anhonest mm, those to whom he owed all--murdered without pity, their worksdestroyed, their island turned into a pirates' den! He said to himselfthat he, Ayrton, was the principal cause of so many disasters, since hisold companion, Bob Harvey, had but realized his own plans, and afeeling of horror took possession of him. Then he was seized with anirresistible desire to blow up the brig and with her, all whom she hadon board. He would perish in the explosion, but he would have done hisduty. Ayrton did not hesitate. To reach the powder-room, which is alwayssituated in the after-part of a vessel, was easy. There would be no wantof powder in a vessel which followed such a trade, and a spark would beenough to destroy it in an instant. Ayrton stole carefully along the between-decks, strewn with numeroussleepers, overcome more by drunkenness than sleep. A lantern was lightedat the foot of the mainmast, round which was hung a gun-rack, furnishedwith weapons of all sorts. Ayrton took a revolver from the rack, and assured himself that it wasloaded and primed. Nothing more was needed to accomplish the work ofdestruction. He then glided towards the stern, so as to arrive under thebrig's poop at the powder-magazine. It was difficult to proceed along the dimly lighted deck withoutstumbling over some half-sleeping convict, who retorted by oaths andkicks. Ayrton was, therefore, more than once obliged to halt. But atlast he arrived at the partition dividing the aftercabin, and found thedoor opening into the magazine itself. Ayrton, compelled to force it open, set to work. It was a difficultoperation to perform without noise, for he had to break a padlock. Butunder his vigorous hand, the padlock broke, and the door was open. At that moment a hand was laid on Ayrton's shoulder. "What are you doing here?" asked a tail man, in a harsh voice, who, standing in the shadow, quickly threw the light of a lantern in Ayrton'sface. Ayrton drew beck. In the rapid flash of the lantern, he had recognizedhis former accomplice, Bob Harvey, who could not have known him, as hemust have thought Ayrton long since dead. "What are you doing here?" again said Bob Harvey, seizing Ayrton by thewaistband. But Ayrton, without replying, wrenched himself from his grasp andattempted to rush into the magazine. A shot fired into the midst of thepowder-casks, and all would be over! "Help, lads!" shouted Bob Harvey. At his shout two or three pirates awoke, jumped up, and, rushing onAyrton, endeavored to throw him down. He soon extricated himself fromtheir grasp. He fired his revolver, and two of the convicts fell, buta blow from a knife which he could not ward off made a gash in hisshoulder. Ayrton perceived that he could no longer hope to carry out his project. Bob Harvey had reclosed the door of the powder-magazine, and a movementon the deck indicated a general awakening of the pirates. Ayrton mustreserve himself to fight at the side of Cyrus Harding. There was nothingfor him but flight! But was flight still possible? It was doubtful, yet Ayrton resolved todare everything in order to rejoin his companions. Four barrels of the revolver were still undischarged. Two werefired--one, aimed at Bob Harvey, did not wound him, or at any rateonly slightly, and Ayrton, profiting by the momentary retreat of hisadversaries, rushed towards the companion-ladder to gain the deck. Passing before the lantern, he smashed it with a blow from the butt ofhis revolver. A profound darkness ensued, which favored his flight. Twoor three pirates, awakened by the noise, were descending the ladder atthe same moment. A fifth shot from Ayrton laid one low, and the others drew back, notunderstanding what was going on. Ayrton was on deck in two bounds, andthree seconds later, having discharged his last barrel in the face ofa pirate who was about to seize him by the throat, he leaped over thebulwarks into the sea. Ayrton had not made six strokes before shots were splashing around himlike hail. What were Pencroft's feelings, sheltered under a rock on the islet! Whatwere those of Harding, the reporter, Herbert, and Neb, crouched in theChimneys, when they heard the reports on board the brig! They rushed outon to the beach, and, their guns shouldered, they stood ready to repelany attack. They had no doubt about it themselves! Ayrton, surprised by the pirates, had been murdered, and, perhaps, the wretches would profit by the nightto make a descent on the island! Half an hour was passed in terrible anxiety. The firing had ceased, andyet neither Ayrton nor Pencroft had reappeared. Was the islet invaded?Ought they not to fly to the help of Ayrton and Pencroft? But how? Thetide being high at that time, rendered the channel impassable. The boatwas not there! We may imagine the horrible anxiety which took possessionof Harding and his companions! At last, towards half-past twelve, a boat, carrying two men, touched thebeach. It was Ayrton, slightly wounded in the shoulder, and Pencroft, safe and sound, whom their friends received with open arms. All immediately took refuge in the Chimneys. There Ayrton recounted allthat had passed, even to his plan for blowing up the brig, which he hadattempted to put into execution. All hands were extended to Ayrton, who did not conceal from them thattheir situation was serious. The pirates had been alarmed. They knewthat Lincoln Island was inhabited. They would land upon it in numbersand well armed. They would respect nothing. Should the settlers fallinto their hands, they must expect no mercy! "Well, we shall know how to die!" said the reporter. "Let us go in and watch, " answered the engineer. "Have we any chance of escape, captain?" asked the sailor. "Yes, Pencroft. " "Hum! six against fifty!" "Yes! six! without counting--" "Who?" asked Pencroft. Cyrus did not reply, but pointed upwards. Chapter 3 The night passed without incident. The colonists were on the qui vive, and did not leave their post at the Chimneys. The pirates, on theirside, did not appear to have made any attempt to land. Since the lastshots fired at Ayrton not a report, not even a sound, had betrayed thepresence of the brig in the neighborhood of the island. It might havebeen fancied that she had weighed anchor, thinking that she had to dealwith her match, and had left the coast. But it was no such thing, and when day began to dawn the settlers couldsee a confused mass through the morning mist. It was the "Speedy. " "These, my friends, " said the engineer, "are the arrangements whichappear to me best to make before the fog completely clears away. Ithides us from the eyes of the pirates, and we can act without attractingtheir attention. The most important thing is, that the convictsshould believe that the inhabitants of the island are numerous, andconsequently capable of resisting them. I therefore propose that wedivide into three parties. The first of which shall be posted at theChimneys, the second at the mouth of the Mercy. As to the third, I thinkit would be best to place it on the islet, so as to prevent, or at allevents delay, any attempt at landing. We have the use of two rifles andfour muskets. Each of us will be armed, and, as we are amply providedwith powder and shot, we need not spare our fire. We have nothing tofear from the muskets nor even from the guns of the brig. What can theydo against these rocks? And, as we shall not fire from the windows ofGranite House, the pirates will not think of causing irreparable damageby throwing shell against it. What is to be feared is, the necessity ofmeeting hand-to-hand, since the convicts have numbers on their side. Wemust therefore try to prevent them from landing, but without discoveringourselves. Therefore, do not economize the ammunition. Fire often, butwith a sure aim. We have each eight or ten enemies to kill, and theymust be killed!" Cyrus Harding had clearly represented their situation, although he spokein the calmest voice, as if it was a question of directing a pieceof work and not ordering a battle. His companions approved thesearrangements without even uttering a word. There was nothing more to bedone but for each to take his place before the fog should be completelydissipated. Neb and Pencroft immediately ascended to Granite House andbrought back a sufficient quantity of ammunition. Gideon Spilett andAyrton, both very good marksmen, were armed with the two rifles, which carried nearly a mile. The four other muskets were divided amongHarding, Neb, Pencroft, and Herbert. The posts were arranged in the following manner:-- Cyrus Harding and Herbert remained in ambush at the Chimneys, thuscommanding the shore to the foot of Granite House. Gideon Spilett and Neb crouched among the rocks at the mouth of theMercy, from which the drawbridges had been raised, so as to prevent anyone from crossing in a boat or landing on the opposite shore. As to Ayrton and Pencroft, they shoved off in the boat, and prepared tocross the channel and to take up two separate stations on the islet. In this way, shots being fired from four different points at once, the convicts would be led to believe that the island was both largelypeopled and strongly defended. In the event of a landing being effected without their having been ableto prevent it, and also if they saw that they were on the point of beingcut off by the brig's boat, Ayrton and Pencroft were to return in theirboat to the shore and proceed towards the threatened spot. Before starting to occupy their posts, the colonists for the last timewrung each other's hands. Pencroft succeeded in controlling himself sufficiently to suppress hisemotion when he embraced Herbert, his boy! and then they separated. In a few moments Harding and Herbert on one side, the reporter and Nebon the other, had disappeared behind the rocks, and five minutes laterAyrton and Pencroft, having without difficulty crossed the channel, disembarked on the islet and concealed themselves in the clefts of itseastern shore. None of them could have been seen, for they themselves could scarcelydistinguish the brig in the fog. It was half-past six in the morning. Soon the fog began to clear away, and the topmasts of the brig issuedfrom the vapor. For some minutes great masses rolled over the surface ofthe sea, then a breeze sprang up, which rapidly dispelled the mist. The "Speedy" now appeared in full view, with a spring on her cable, herhead to the north, presenting her larboard side to the island. Just asHarding had calculated, she was not more than a mile and a quarter fromthe coast. The sinister black flag floated from the peak. The engineer, with his telescope, could see that the four guns on boardwere pointed at the island. They were evidently ready to fire at amoment's notice. In the meanwhile the "Speedy" remained silent. About thirty piratescould be seen moving on the deck. A few more on the poop; two othersposted in the shrouds, and armed with spyglasses, were attentivelysurveying the island. Certainly, Bob Harvey and his crew would not be able easily to give anaccount of what had happened during the night on board the brig. Hadthis half-naked man, who had forced the door of the powder-magazine, andwith whom they had struggled, who had six times discharged his revolverat them, who had killed one and wounded two others, escaped their shot?Had he been able to swim to shore? Whence did he come? What had been hisobject? Had his design really been to blow up the brig, as Bob Harveyhad thought? All this must be confused enough to the convicts' minds. But what they could no longer doubt was that the unknown island beforewhich the "Speedy" had cast anchor was inhabited, and that there was, perhaps, a numerous colony ready to defend it. And yet no one was to beseen, neither on the shore, nor on the heights. The beach appeared to beabsolutely deserted. At any rate, there was no trace of dwellings. Hadthe inhabitants fled into the interior? Thus probably the pirate captainreasoned, and doubtless, like a prudent man, he wished to reconnoiterthe locality before he allowed his men to venture there. During an hour and a half, no indication of attack or landing could beobserved on board the brig. Evidently Bob Harvey was hesitating. Evenwith his strongest telescopes he could not have perceived one of thesettlers crouched among the rocks. It was not even probable that hisattention had been awakened by the screen of green branches and creepershiding the windows of Granite House, and showing rather conspicuously onthe bare rock. Indeed, how could he imagine that a dwelling was hollowedout, at that height, in the solid granite? From Claw Cape to theMandible Capes, in all the extent of Union Bay, there was nothing tolead him to suppose that the island was or could be inhabited. At eight o'clock, however, the colonists observed a movement on boardthe "Speedy. " A boat was lowered, and seven men jumped into her. Theywere armed with muskets; one took the yoke-lines, four others the oars, and the two others, kneeling in the bows, ready to fire, reconnoiteredthe island. Their object was no doubt to make an examination but not toland, for in the latter case they would have come in larger numbers. Thepirates from their look-out could have seen that the coast was shelteredby an islet, separated from it by a channel half a mile in width. However, it was soon evident to Cyrus Harding, on observing thedirection followed by the boat, that they would not attempt to penetrateinto the channel, but would land on the islet. Pencroft and Ayrton, each hidden in a narrow cleft of the rock, saw themcoming directly towards them, and waited till they were within range. The boat advanced with extreme caution. The oars only dipped into thewater at long intervals. It could now be seen that one of the convictsheld a lead-line in his hand, and that he wished to fathom the depth ofthe channel hollowed out by the current of the Mercy. This showed thatit was Bob Harvey's intention to bring his brig as near as possibleto the coast. About thirty pirates, scattered in the rigging, followedevery movement of the boat, and took the bearings of certain landmarkswhich would allow them to approach without danger. The boat was not morethan two cables-lengths off the islet when she stopped. The man at thetiller stood up and looked for the best place at which to land. At that moment two shots were heard. Smoke curled up from among therocks of the islet. The man at the helm and the man with the lead-linefell backwards into the boat. Ayrton's and Pencroft's balls had struckthem both at the same moment. Almost immediately a louder report was heard, a cloud of smoke issuedfrom the brig's side, and a ball, striking the summit of the rock whichsheltered Ayrton and Pencroft, made it fly in splinters, but the twomarksmen remained unhurt. Horrible imprecations burst from the boat, which immediately continuedits way. The man who had been at the tiller was replaced by one of hiscomrades, and the oars were rapidly plunged into the water. However, instead of returning on board as might have been expected, the boatcoasted along the islet, so as to round its southern point. The piratespulled vigorously at their oars that they might get out of range of thebullets. They advanced to within five cables-lengths of that part of theshore terminated by Flotsam Point, and after having rounded it in asemicircular line, still protected by the brig's guns, they proceededtowards the mouth of the Mercy. Their evident intention was to penetrate into the channel, and cut offthe colonists posted on the islet, in such a way, that whatever theirnumber might be, being placed between the fire from the boat and thefire from the brig, they would find themselves in a very disadvantageousposition. A quarter of an hour passed while the boat advanced in this direction. Absolute silence, perfect calm reigned in the air and on the water. Pencroft and Ayrton, although they knew they ran the risk of beingcut off, had not left their post, both that they did not wish to showthemselves as yet to their assailants, and expose themselves to the"Speedy's" guns, and that they relied on Neb and Gideon Spilett, watching at the mouth of the river, and on Cyrus Harding and Herbert, inambush among the rocks at the Chimneys. Twenty minutes after the first shots were fired, the boat was less thantwo cables-lengths off the Mercy. As the tide was beginning to rise withits accustomed violence, caused by the narrowness of the straits, thepirates were drawn towards the river, and it was only by dint of hardrowing that they were able to keep in the middle of the channel. But, asthey were passing within good range of the mouth of the Mercy, two ballssaluted them, and two more of their number were laid in the bottom ofthe boat. Neb and Spilett had not missed their aim. The brig immediately sent a second ball on the post betrayed by thesmoke, but without any other result than that of splintering the rock. The boat now contained only three able men. Carried on by the current, it shot through the channel with the rapidity of an arrow, passed beforeHarding and Herbert, who, not thinking it within range, withheld theirfire, then, rounding the northern point of the islet with the tworemaining oars, they pulled towards the brig. Hitherto the settlers had nothing to complain of. Their adversarieshad certainly had the worst of it. The latter already counted four menseriously wounded if not dead; they, on the contrary, unwounded, had notmissed a shot. If the pirates continued to attack them in this way, ifthey renewed their attempt to land by means of a boat, they could bedestroyed one by one. It was now seen how advantageous the engineer's arrangements hadbeen. The pirates would think that they had to deal with numerous andwell-armed adversaries, whom they could not easily get the better of. Half an hour passed before the boat, having to pull against the current, could get alongside the "Speedy. " Frightful cries were heard when theyreturned on board with the wounded, and two or three guns were firedwith no results. But now about a dozen other convicts, maddened with rage, and possiblyby the effect of the evening's potations, threw themselves into theboat. A second boat was also lowered, in which eight men took theirplaces, and while the first pulled straight for the islet, to dislodgethe colonists from thence the second maneuvered so as to force theentrance of the Mercy. The situation was evidently becoming very dangerous for Pencroft andAyrton, and they saw that they must regain the mainland. However, they waited till the first boat was within range, when twowell-directed balls threw its crew into disorder. Then, Pencroft andAyrton, abandoning their posts, under fire from the dozen muskets, ranacross the islet at full speed, jumped into their boat, crossed thechannel at the moment the second boat reached the southern end, and ranto hide themselves in the Chimneys. They had scarcely rejoined Cyrus Harding and Herbert, before the isletwas overrun with pirates in every direction. Almost at the same moment, fresh reports resounded from the Mercy station, to which the second boatwas rapidly approaching. Two, out of the eight men who manned her, were mortally wounded by Gideon Spilett and Neb, and the boat herself, carried irresistibly onto the reefs, was stove in at the mouth of theMercy. But the six survivors, holding their muskets above their heads topreserve them from contact with the water, managed to land on the rightbank of the river. Then, finding they were exposed to the fire of theambush there, they fled in the direction of Flotsam Point, out of rangeof the balls. The actual situation was this: on the islet were a dozen convicts, of whom some were no doubt wounded, but who had still a boat at theirdisposal; on the island were six, but who could not by any possibilityreach Granite House, as they could not cross the river, all the bridgesbeing raised. "Hallo, " exclaimed Pencroft as he rushed into the Chimneys, "hallo, captain! What do you think of it, now?" "I think, " answered the engineer, "that the combat will now take a newform, for it cannot be supposed that the convicts will be so foolish asto remain in a position so unfavorable for them!" "They won't cross the channel, " said the sailor. "Ayrton and Mr. Spilett's rifles are there to prevent them. You know that they carrymore than a mile!" "No doubt, " replied Herbert; "but what can two rifles do against thebrig's guns?" "Well, the brig isn't in the channel yet, I fancy!" said Pencroft. "But suppose she does come there?" said Harding. "That's impossible, for she would risk running aground and being lost!" "It is possible, " said Ayrton. "The convicts might profit by the hightide to enter the channel, with the risk of grounding at low tide, itis true; but then, under the fire from her guns, our posts would be nolonger tenable. " "Confound them!" exclaimed Pencroft, "it really seems as if theblackguards were preparing to weigh anchor. " "Perhaps we shall be obliged to take refuge in Granite House!" observedHerbert. "We must wait!" answered Cyrus Harding. "But Mr. Spilett and Neb?" said Pencroft. "They will know when it is best to rejoin us. Be ready, Ayrton. It isyours and Spilett's rifles which must speak now. " It was only too true. The "Speedy" was beginning to weigh her anchor, and her intention was evidently to approach the islet. The tide wouldbe rising for an hour and a half, and the ebb current being alreadyweakened, it would be easy for the brig to advance. But as to enteringthe channel, Pencroft, contrary to Ayrton's opinion, could not believethat she would dare to attempt it. In the meanwhile, the pirates who occupied the islet had graduallyadvanced to the opposite shore, and were now only separated from themainland by the channel. Being armed with muskets alone, they could do no harm to the settlers, in ambush at the Chimneys and the mouth of the Mercy; but, not knowingthe latter to be supplied with long-range rifles, they on their side didnot believe themselves to be exposed. Quite uncovered, therefore, theysurveyed the islet, and examined the shore. Their illusion was of short duration. Ayrton's and Gideon Spilett'srifles then spoke, and no doubt imparted some very disagreeableintelligence to two of the convicts, for they fell backwards. Then there was a general helter-skelter. The ten others, not evenstopping to pick up their dead or wounded companions, fled to the otherside of the islet, tumbled into the boat which had brought them, andpulled away with all their strength. "Eight less!" exclaimed Pencroft. "Really, one would have thought thatMr. Spilett and Ayrton had given the word to fire together!" "Gentlemen, " said Ayrton, as he reloaded his gun, "this is becoming moreserious. The brig is making sail!" "The anchor is weighed!" exclaimed Pencroft. "Yes, and she is already moving. " In fact, they could distinctly hear the creaking of the windlass. The"Speedy" was at first held by her anchor; then, when that had beenraised, she began to drift towards the shore. The wind was blowingfrom the sea; the jib and the foretopsail were hoisted, and the vesselgradually approached the island. From the two posts of the Mercy and the Chimneys they watched herwithout giving a sign of life, but not without some emotion. Whatcould be more terrible for the colonists than to be exposed, at a shortdistance, to the brig's guns, without being able to reply with anyeffect? How could they then prevent the pirates from landing? Cyrus Harding felt this strongly, and he asked himself what it wouldbe possible to do. Before long, he would be called upon for hisdetermination. But what was it to be? To shut themselves up in GraniteHouse, to be besieged there, to remain there for weeks, for months even, since they had an abundance of provisions? So far good! But after that?The pirates would not the less be masters of the island, which theywould ravage at their pleasure, and in time, they would end by havingtheir revenge on the prisoners in Granite House. However, one chance yet remained; it was that Bob Harvey, after all, would not venture his ship into the channel, and that he would keepoutside the islet. He would be still separated from the coast by half amile, and at that distance his shot could not be very destructive. "Never!" repeated Pencroft, "Bob Harvey will never, if he is a goodseaman, enter that channel! He knows well that it would risk the brig, if the sea got up ever so little! And what would become of him withouthis vessel?" In the meanwhile the brig approached the islet, and it could be seenthat she was endeavoring to make the lower end. The breeze was light, and as the current had then lost much of its force, Bob Harvey hadabsolute command over his vessel. The route previously followed by the boats had allowed her toreconnoiter the channel, and she boldly entered it. The pirate's design was now only too evident; he wished to bring herbroadside to bear on the Chimneys and from there to reply with shell andball to the shot which had till then decimated her crew. Soon the "Speedy" reached the point of the islet; she rounded it withease; the mainsail was braced up, and the brig hugging the wind, stoodacross the mouth of the Mercy. "The scoundrels! they are coming!" said Pencroft. At that moment, Cyrus Harding, Ayrton, the sailor, and Herbert, wererejoined by Neb and Gideon Spilett. The reporter and his companion had judged it best to abandon the post atthe Mercy, from which they could do nothing against the ship, and theyhad acted wisely. It was better that the colonists should be together atthe moment when they were about to engage in a decisive action. GideonSpilett and Neb had arrived by dodging behind the rocks, though notwithout attracting a shower of bullets, which had not, however, reachedthem. "Spilett! Neb!" cried the engineer. "You are not wounded?" "No, " answered the reporter, "a few bruises only from the ricochet! Butthat cursed brig has entered the channel!" "Yes, " replied Pencroft, "and in ten minutes she will have anchoredbefore Granite House!" "Have you formed any plan, Cyrus?" asked the reporter. "We must take refuge in Granite House while there is still time, and theconvicts cannot see us. " "That is, my opinion, too, " replied Gideon Spilett, "but once shut up--" "We must be guided by circumstances, " said the engineer. "Let us be off, then, and make haste!" said the reporter. "Would you not wish, captain, that Ayrton and I should remain here?"asked the sailor. "What would be the use of that, Pencroft?" replied Harding. "No. We willnot separate!" There was not a moment to be lost. The colonists left the Chimneys. Abend of the cliff prevented them from being seen by those in the brig, but two or three reports, and the crash of bullets on the rock, toldthem that the "Speedy" was at no great distance. To spring into the lift, hoist themselves up to the door of GraniteHouse, where Top and Jup had been shut up since the evening before, torush into the large room, was the work of a minute only. It was quite time, for the settlers, through the branches, could see the"Speedy, " surrounded with smoke, gliding up the channel. The firing wasincessant, and shot from the four guns struck blindly, both on the Mercypost, although it was not occupied, and on the Chimneys. The rocks weresplintered, and cheers accompanied each discharge. However, theywere hoping that Granite House would be spared, thanks to Harding'sprecaution of concealing the windows when a shot, piercing the door, penetrated into the passage. "We are discovered!" exclaimed Pencroft. The colonists had not, perhaps, been seen, but it was certain that BobHarvey had thought proper to send a ball through the suspected foliagewhich concealed that part of the cliff. Soon he redoubled his attack, when another ball having torn away the leafy screen, disclosed a gapingaperture in the granite. The colonists' situation was desperate. Their retreat was discovered. They could not oppose any obstacle to these missiles, nor protect thestone, which flew in splinters around them. There was nothing to bedone but to take refuge in the upper passage of Granite House, and leavetheir dwelling to be devastated, when a deep roar was heard, followed byfrightful cries! Cyrus Harding and his companions rushed to one of the windows-- The brig, irresistibly raised on a sort of water-spout, had just splitin two, and in less than ten seconds she was swallowed up with all hercriminal crew! Chapter 4 "She has blown up!" cried Herbert. "Yes! blown up, just as if Ayrton had set fire to the powder!" returnedPencroft, throwing himself into the lift together with Neb and the lad. "But what has happened?" asked Gideon Spilett, quite stunned by thisunexpected catastrophe. "Oh! this time, we shall know--" answered the engineer quickly. "What shall we know?--" "Later! later! Come, Spilett. The main point is that these pirates havebeen exterminated!" And Cyrus Harding, hurrying away the reporter and Ayrton, joinedPencroft, Neb, and Herbert on the beach. Nothing could be seen of the brig, not even her masts. After having beenraised by the water-spout, she had fallen on her side, and had sunk inthat position, doubtless in consequence of some enormous leak. But asin that place the channel was not more than twenty feet in depth, itwas certain that the sides of the submerged brig would reappear at lowwater. A few things from the wreck floated on the surface of the water, a raftcould be seen consisting of spare spars, coops of poultry with theiroccupants still living, boxes and barrels, which gradually came to thesurface, after having escaped through the hatchways, but no pieces ofthe wreck appeared, neither planks from the deck, nor timber from thehull, --which rendered the sudden disappearance of the "Speedy" perfectlyinexplicable. However, the two masts, which had been broken and escaped from theshrouds and stays came up, and with their sails, some furled and theothers spread. But it was not necessary to wait for the tide to bringup these riches, and Ayrton and Pencroft jumped into the boat with theintention of towing the pieces of wreck either to the beach or to theislet. But just as they were shoving off, an observation from GideonSpilett arrested them. "What about those six convicts who disembarked on the right bank of theMercy?" said he. In fact, it would not do to forget that the six men whose boat had goneto pieces on the rocks had landed at Flotsam Point. They looked in that direction. None of the fugitives were visible. Itwas probable that, having seen their vessel engulfed in the channel, they had fled into the interior of the island. "We will deal with them later, " said Harding. "As they are armed, theywill still be dangerous; but as it is six against six, the chances areequal. To the most pressing business first. " Ayrton and Pencroft pulled vigorously towards the wreck. The sea was calm and the tide very high, as there had been a new moonbut two days before. A whole hour at least would elapse before the hullof the brig could emerge from the water of the channel. Ayrton and Pencroft were able to fasten the masts and spars by means ofropes, the ends of which were carried to the beach. There, by the unitedefforts of the settlers the pieces of wreck were hauled up. Then theboat picked up all that was floating, coops, barrels, and boxes, whichwere immediately carried to the Chimneys. Several bodies floated also. Among them, Ayrton recognized that ofBob Harvey, which he pointed out to his companion, saying with someemotion, -- "That is what I have been, Pencroft. " "But what you are no longer, brave Ayrton!" returned the sailor warmly. It was singular enough that so few bodies floated. Only five or six werecounted, which were already being carried by the current towards theopen sea. Very probably the convicts had not had time to escape, andthe ship lying over on her side, the greater number of them had remainedbelow. Now the current, by carrying the bodies of these miserable menout to sea, would spare the colonists the sad task of burying them insome corner of their island. For two hours, Cyrus Harding and his companions were solely occupiedin hauling up the spars on to the sand, and then in spreading the sailswhich were perfectly uninjured, to dry. They spoke little, for they wereabsorbed in their work, but what thoughts occupied their minds! The possession of this brig, or rather all that she contained, wasa perfect mine of wealth. In fact, a ship is like a little world inminiature, and the stores of the colony would be increased by a largenumber of useful articles. It would be, on a large scale, equivalent tothe chest found at Flotsam Point. "And besides, " thought Pencroft, "why should it be impossible to refloatthe brig? If she has only a leak, that may be stopped up; a vessel fromthree to four hundred tons, why she is a regular ship compared to our'Bonadventure'! And we could go a long distance in her! We could goanywhere we liked! Captain Harding, Ayrton and I must examine her! Shewould be well worth the trouble!" In fact, if the brig was still fit to navigate, the colonists' chancesof returning to their native land were singularly increased. But, todecide this important question, it was necessary to wait until the tidewas quite low, so that every part of the brig's hull might be examined. When their treasures had been safely conveyed on shore, Harding and hiscompanions agreed to devote some minutes to breakfast. They were almostfamished; fortunately, the larder was not far off, and Neb was notedfor being an expeditious cook. They breakfasted, therefore, near theChimneys, and during their repast, as may be supposed, nothing wastalked of but the event which had so miraculously saved the colony. "Miraculous is the word, " repeated Pencroft, "for it must beacknowledged that those rascals blew up just at the right moment!Granite House was beginning to be uncomfortable as a habitation!" "And can you guess, Pencroft, " asked the reporter, "how it happened, orwhat can have occasioned the explosion?" "Oh! Mr. Spilett, nothing is more simple, " answered Pencroft. "A convictvessel is not disciplined like a man-of-war! Convicts are not sailors. Of course the powder-magazine was open, and as they were firingincessantly, some careless or clumsy fellow just blew up the vessel!" "Captain Harding, " said Herbert, "what astonishes me is that theexplosion has not produced more effect. The report was not loud, andbesides there are so few planks and timbers torn out. It seems as if theship had rather foundered than blown up. " "Does that astonish you, my boy?" asked the engineer. "Yes, captain. " "And it astonishes me also, Herbert, " replied he, "but when we visit thehull of the brig, we shall no doubt find the explanation of the matter. " "Why, captain, " said Pencroft, "you don't suppose that the 'Speedy'simply foundered like a ship which has struck on a rock?" "Why not, " observed Neb, "if there are rocks in the channel?" "Nonsense, Neb, " answered Pencroft, "you did not look at the rightmoment. An instant before she sank, the brig, as I saw perfectly well, rose on an enormous wave, and fell back on her larboard side. Now, ifshe had only struck, she would have sunk quietly and gone to the bottomlike an honest vessel. " "It was just because she was not an honest vessel!" returned Neb. "Well, we shall soon see, Pencroft, " said the engineer. "We shall soon see, " rejoined the sailor, "but I would wager myhead there are no rocks in the channel. Look here, captain, to speakcandidly, do you mean to say that there is anything marvelous in theoccurrence?" Cyrus Harding did not answer. "At any rate, " said Gideon Spilett, "whether rock or explosion, you willagree, Pencroft, that it occurred just in the nick of time!" "Yes! yes!" replied the sailor, "but that is not the question. I askCaptain Harding if he sees anything supernatural in all this. " "I cannot say, Pencroft, " said the engineer. "That is all the answer Ican make. " A reply which did not satisfy Pencroft at all. He stuck to "anexplosion, " and did not wish to give it up. He would never consentto admit that in that channel, with its fine sandy bed, just likethe beach, which he had often crossed at low water, there could be anunknown rock. And besides, at the time the brig foundered, it was high water, that isto say, there was enough water to carry the vessel clear over any rockswhich would not be uncovered at low tide. Therefore, there could nothave been a collision. Therefore, the vessel had not struck. So she hadblown up. And it must be confessed that the sailor's arguments were reasonable. Towards half-past one, the colonists embarked in the boat to visit thewreck. It was to be regretted that the brig's two boats had not beensaved; but one, as has been said, had gone to pieces at the mouth of theMercy, and was absolutely useless; the other had disappeared when thebrig went down, and had not again been seen, having doubtless beencrushed. The hull of the "Speedy" was just beginning to issue from the water. The brig was lying right over on her side, for her masts being broken, pressed down by the weight of the ballast displaced by the shock, thekeel was visible along her whole length. She had been regularly turnedover by the inexplicable but frightful submarine action, which had beenat the same time manifested by an enormous water-spout. The settlers rowed round the hull, and in proportion as the tide wentdown, they could ascertain, if not the cause which had occasioned thecatastrophe, at least the effect produced. Towards the bows, on both sides of the keel, seven or eight feet fromthe beginning of the stem, the sides of the brig were frightfully torn. Over a length of at least twenty feet there opened two large leaks, which would be impossible to stop up. Not only had the copper sheathingand the planks disappeared, reduced, no doubt, to powder, but also theribs, the iron bolts, and treenalls which united them. From the entirelength of the hull to the stern the false keel had been separated withan unaccountable violence, and the keel itself, torn from the carline inseveral places, was split in all its length. "I've a notion!" exclaimed Pencroft, "that this vessel will be difficultto get afloat again. " "It will be impossible, " said Ayrton. "At any rate, " observed Gideon Spilett to the sailor, "the explosion, if there has been one, has produced singular effects! It has split thelower part of the hull, instead of blowing up the deck and topsides!These great rents appear rather to have been made by a rock than by theexplosion of a powder-magazine. " "There is not a rock in the channel!" answered the sailor. "I will admitanything you like, except the rock. " "Let us try to penetrate into the interior of the brig, " said theengineer; "perhaps we shall then know what to think of the cause of herdestruction. " This was the best thing to be done, and it was agreed, besides, totake an inventory of all the treasures on board, and to arrange theirpreservation. Access to the interior of the brig was now easy. The tide was stillgoing down and the deck was practicable. The ballast, composed of heavymasses of iron, had broken through in several places. The noise of thesea could be heard as it rushed out at the holes in the hull. Cyrus Harding and his companions, hatchets in hand, advanced along theshattered deck. Cases of all sorts encumbered it, and, as they hadbeen but a very short time in the water, their contents were perhapsuninjured. They then busied themselves in placing all this cargo in safety. Thewater would not return for several hours, and these hours must beemployed in the most profitable way. Ayrton and Pencroft had, at theentrance made in the hull, discovered tackle, which would serve to hoistup the barrels and chests. The boat received them and transported themto the shore. They took the articles as they came, intending to sortthem afterwards. At any rate, the settlers saw at once, with extreme satisfaction, thatthe brig possessed a very varied cargo--an assortment of all sorts ofarticles, utensils, manufactured goods, and tools--such as the shipswhich make the great coasting-trade of Polynesia are usually laden with. It was probable that they would find a little of everything, and theyagreed that it was exactly what was necessary for the colony of LincolnIsland. However--and Cyrus Harding observed it in silent astonishment--not only, as has been said, had the hull of the brig enormously suffered from theshock, whatever it was, that had occasioned the catastrophe, but theinterior arrangements had been destroyed, especially towards the bows. Partitions and stanchions were smashed, as if some tremendous shell hadburst in the interior of the brig. The colonists could easily go foreand aft, after having removed the cases as they were extricated. Theywere not heavy bales, which would have been difficult to remove, but simple packages, of which the stowage, besides, was no longerrecognizable. The colonists then reached the stern of the brig--the part formerlysurmounted by the poop. It was there that, following Ayrton'sdirections, they must look for the powder-magazine. Cyrus Hardingthought that it had not exploded; that it was possible some barrelsmight be saved, and that the powder, which is usually enclosed in metalcoverings might not have suffered from contact with the water. This, in fact, was just what had happened. They extricated from amonga large number of shot twenty barrels, the insides of which were linedwith copper. Pencroft was convinced by the evidence of his own eyes thatthe destruction of the "Speedy" could not be attributed to an explosion. That part of the hull in which the magazine was situated was, moreover, that which had suffered least. "It may be so, " said the obstinate sailor; "but as to a rock, there isnot one in the channel!" "Then, how did it happen?" asked Herbert. "I don't know, " answered Pencroft, "Captain Harding doesn't know, andnobody knows or ever will know!" Several hours had passed during these researches, and the tide began toflow. Work must be suspended for the present. There was no fear of thebrig being carried away by the sea, for she was already fixed as firmlyas if moored by her anchors. They could, therefore, without inconvenience, wait until the next day toresume operations; but, as to the vessel itself, she was doomed, and itwould be best to hasten to save the remains of her hull, as she wouldnot be long in disappearing in the quicksands of the channel. It was now five o'clock in the evening. It had been a hard day's workfor the men. They ate with good appetite, and notwithstanding theirfatigue, they could not resist, after dinner, their desire of inspectingthe cases which composed the cargo of the "Speedy. " Most of them contained clothes, which, as may be believed, was wellreceived. There were enough to clothe a whole colony--linen for everyone's use, shoes for every one's feet. "We are too rich!" exclaimed Pencroft, "But what are we going to do withall this?" And every moment burst forth the hurrahs of the delighted sailor when hecaught sight of the barrels of gunpowder, firearms and sidearms, balls of cotton, implements of husbandry, carpenter's, joiner's, andblacksmith's tools, and boxes of all kinds of seeds, not in the leastinjured by their short sojourn in the water. Ah, two years before, how these things would have been prized! And now, even though theindustrious colonists had provided themselves with tools, thesetreasures would find their use. There was no want of space in the store-rooms of Granite House, but thatdaytime would not allow them to stow away the whole. It would not doalso to forget that the six survivors of the "Speedy's" crew had landedon the island, for they were in all probability scoundrels of thedeepest dye, and it was necessary that the colonists should be on theirguard against them. Although the bridges over the Mercy were raised, the convicts would not be stopped by a river or a stream and, rendereddesperate, these wretches would be capable of anything. They would see later what plan it would be best to follow; but in themeantime it was necessary to mount guard over cases and packages heapedup near the Chimneys, and thus the settlers employed themselves in turnduring the night. The morning came, however, without the convicts having attempted anyattack. Master Jup and Top, on guard at the foot of Granite House, wouldhave quickly given the alarm. The three following day--the 19th, 20th, and 21st of October--were employed in saving everything of value, or ofany use whatever, either from the cargo or rigging of the brig. At lowtide they overhauled the hold--at high tide they stowed away the rescuedarticles. A great part of the copper sheathing had been torn from thehull, which every day sank lower. But before the sand had swallowed theheavy things which had fallen through the bottom, Ayrton and Pencroft, diving to the bed of the channel, recovered the chains and anchors ofthe brig, the iron of her ballast, and even four guns, which, floated bymeans of empty casks, were brought to shore. It may be seen that the arsenal of the colony had gained by thewreck, as well as the storerooms of Granite House. Pencroft, alwaysenthusiastic in his projects, already spoke of constructing a batteryto command the channel and the mouth of the river. With four guns, he engaged to prevent any fleet, "however powerful it might be, " fromventuring into the waters of Lincoln Island! In the meantime, when nothing remained of the brig but a useless hulk, bad weather came on, which soon finished her. Cyrus Harding had intendedto blow her up, so as to collect the remains on the shore, but a stronggale from the northeast and a heavy sea compelled him to economize hispowder. In fact, on the night of the 23rd, the hull entirely broke up, and someof the wreck was cast up on the beach. As to the papers on board, it is useless to say that, although hecarefully searched the lockers of the poop, Harding did not discoverany trace of them. The pirates had evidently destroyed everything thatconcerned either the captain or the owners of the "Speedy, " and, as thename of her port was not painted on her counter, there was nothing whichwould tell them her nationality. However, by the shape of her boatsAyrton and Pencroft believed that the brig was of English build. A week after the castrophe--or, rather, after the fortunate, thoughinexplicable, event to which the colony owed its preservation--nothingmore could be seen of the vessel, even at low tide. The wreck haddisappeared, and Granite House was enriched by nearly all it hadcontained. However, the mystery which enveloped its strange destruction woulddoubtless never have been cleared away if, on the 30th of November, Neb, strolling on the beach, had not found a piece of a thick iron cylinder, bearing traces of explosion. The edges of this cylinder were twisted andbroken, as if they had been subjected to the action of some explosivesubstance. Neb brought this piece of metal to his master, who was then occupiedwith his companions in the workshop of the Chimneys. Cyrus Harding examined the cylinder attentively, then, turning toPencroft, -- "You persist, my friend, " said he, "in maintaining that the 'Speedy' wasnot lost in consequence of a collision?" "Yes, captain, " answered the sailor. "You know as well as I do thatthere are no rocks in the channel. " "But suppose she had run against this piece of iron?" said the engineer, showing the broken cylinder. "What, that bit of pipe!" exclaimed Pencroft in a tone of perfectincredulity. "My friends, " resumed Harding, "you remember that before she founderedthe brig rose on the summit of a regular waterspout?" "Yes, captain, " replied Herbert. "Well, would you like to know what occasioned that waterspout? It wasthis, " said the engineer, holding up the broken tube. "That?" returned Pencroft. "Yes! This cylinder is all that remains of a torpedo!" "A torpedo!" exclaimed the engineer's companions. "And who put the torpedo there?" demanded Pencroft, who did not like toyield. "All that I can tell you is, that it was not I, " answered Cyrus Harding;"but it was there, and you have been able to judge of its incomparablepower!" Chapter 5 So, then, all was explained by the submarine explosion of this torpedo. Cyrus Harding could not be mistaken, as, during the war of the Union, he had had occasion to try these terrible engines of destruction. Itwas under the action of this cylinder, charged with some explosivesubstance, nitro-glycerine, picrate, or some other material of the samenature, that the water of the channel had been raised like a dome, thebottom of the brig crushed in, and she had sunk instantly, the damagedone to her hull being so considerable that it was impossible to refloather. The "Speedy" had not been able to withstand a torpedo that wouldhave destroyed an ironclad as easily as a fishing-boat! Yes! all was explained, everything--except the presence of the torpedoin the waters of the channel! "My friends, then, " said Cyrus Harding, "we can no longer be in doubtas to the presence of a mysterious being, a castaway like us, perhaps, abandoned on our island, and I say this in order that Ayrton may beacquainted with all the strange events which have occurred during thesetwo years. Who this beneficent stranger is, whose intervention has, sofortunately for us, been manifested on many occasions, I cannot imagine. What his object can be in acting thus, in concealing himself afterrendering us so many services, I cannot understand: But his services arenot the less real, and are of such a nature that only a man possessed ofprodigious power, could render them. Ayrton is indebted to him as muchas we are, for, if it was the stranger who saved me from the waves afterthe fall from the balloon, evidently it was he who wrote the document, who placed the bottle in the channel, and who has made known to us thesituation of our companion. I will add that it was he who guided thatchest, provided with everything we wanted, and stranded it on FlotsamPoint; that it was he who lighted that fire on the heights of theisland, which permitted you to land; that it was he who fired thatbullet found in the body of the peccary; that it was he who plunged thattorpedo into the channel, which destroyed the brig; in a word, that allthose inexplicable events, for which we could not assign a reason, aredue to this mysterious being. Therefore, whoever he may be, whethershipwrecked, or exiled on our island, we shall be ungrateful, if wethink ourselves freed from gratitude towards him. We have contracted adebt, and I hope that we shall one day pay it. " "You are right in speaking thus, my dear Cyrus, " replied Gideon Spilett. "Yes, there is an almost all-powerful being, hidden in some part of theisland, and whose influence has been singularly useful to our colony. I will add that the unknown appears to possess means of action whichborder on the supernatural, if in the events of practical life thesupernatural were recognizable. Is it he who is in secret communicationwith us by the well in Granite House, and has he thus a knowledge of allour plans? Was it he who threw us that bottle, when the vessel made herfirst cruise? Was it he who threw Top out of the lake, and killed thedugong? Was it he, who as everything leads us to believe, saved you fromthe waves, and that under circumstances in which any one else would nothave been able to act? If it was he, he possesses a power which rendershim master of the elements. " The reporter's reasoning was just, and every one felt it to be so. "Yes, " rejoined Cyrus Harding, "if the intervention of a human being isnot more questionable for us, I agree that he has at his disposal meansof action beyond those possessed by humanity. There is a mystery still, but if we discover the man, the mystery will be discovered also. Thequestion, then, is, ought we to respect the incognito of this generousbeing, or ought we to do everything to find him out? What is youropinion on the matter?" "My opinion, " said Pencroft, "is that, whoever he may be, he is a braveman, and he has my esteem!" "Be it so, " answered Harding, "but that is not an answer, Pencroft. " "Master, " then said Neb, "my idea is, that we may search as long as welike for this gentleman whom you are talking about, but that we shallnot discover him till he pleases. " "That's not bad, what you say, Neb, " observed Pencroft. "I am of Neb's opinion, " said Gideon Spilett, "but that is no reason fornot attempting the adventure. Whether we find this mysterious being ornot, we shall at least have fulfilled our duty towards him. " "And you, my boy, give us your opinion, " said the engineer, turning toHerbert. "Oh, " cried Herbert, his countenance full of animation, "how I shouldlike to thank him, he who saved you first, and who has now saved us!" "Of course, my boy, " replied Pencroft, "so would I and all of us. I amnot inquisitive, but I would give one of my eyes to see this individualface to face! It seems to me that he must be handsome, tall, strong, with a splendid beard, radiant hair, and that he must be seated onclouds, a great ball in his hands!" "But, Pencroft, " answered Spilett, "you are describing a picture of theCreator. " "Possibly, Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "but that is how I imaginehim!" "And you, Ayrton?" asked the engineer. "Captain Harding, " replied Ayrton, "I can give you no better advice inthis matter. Whatever you do will be best; when you wish me to join youin your researches, I am ready to follow you. "I thank you, Ayrton, " answered Cyrus Harding, "but I should like a moredirect answer to the question I put to you. You are our companion; youhave already endangered your life several times for us, and you, aswell as the rest, ought to be consulted in the matter of any importantdecision. Speak, therefore. " "Captain Harding, " replied Ayrton, "I think that we ought to doeverything to discover this unknown benefactor. Perhaps he is alone. Perhaps he is suffering. Perhaps he has a life to be renewed. I, too, as you said, have a debt of gratitude to pay him. It was he, it could beonly he who must have come to Tabor Island, who found there the wretchyou knew, and who made known to you that there was an unfortunate manthere to be saved. Therefore it is, thanks to him, that I have become aman again. No, I will never forget him!" "That is settled, then, " said Cyrus Harding. "We will begin ourresearches as soon as possible. We will not leave a corner of the islandunexplored. We will search into its most secret recesses, and willhope that our unknown friend will pardon us in consideration of ourintentions!" For several days the colonists were actively employed in haymaking andthe harvest. Before putting their project of exploring the yet unknownparts of the island into execution, they wished to get all possible workfinished. It was also the time for collecting the various vegetablesfrom the Tabor Island plants. All was stowed away, and happily there wasno want of room in Granite House, in which they might have housed allthe treasures of the island. The products of the colony were there, methodically arranged, and in a safe place, as may be believed, sheltered as much from animals as from man. There was no fear of damp in the middle of that thick mass of granite. Many natural excavations situated in the upper passage were enlargedeither by pick-axe or mine, and Granite House thus became a generalwarehouse, containing all the provisions, arms, tools, and spareutensils--in a word, all the stores of the colony. As to the guns obtained from the brig, they were pretty pieces ofordnance, which, at Pencroft's entreaty, were hoisted by means of tackleand pulleys, right up into Granite House; embrasures were made betweenthe windows, and the shining muzzles of the guns could soon be seenthrough the granite cliff. From this height they commanded all UnionBay. It was like a little Gibraltar, and any vessel anchored off theislet would inevitably be exposed to the fire of this aerial battery. "Captain, " said Pencroft one day, it was the 8th of November, "now thatour fortifications are finished, it would be a good thing if we triedthe range of our guns. " "Do you think that is useful?" asked the engineer. "It is more than useful, it is necessary! Without that how are we toknow to what distance we can send one of those pretty shot with which weare provided?" "Try them, Pencroft, " replied the engineer. "However, I think that inmaking the experiment, we ought to employ, not the ordinary powder, the supply of which, I think, should remain untouched, but the pyroxylewhich will never fail us. " "Can the cannon support the shock of the pyroxyle?" asked the reporter, who was not less anxious than Pencroft to try the artillery of GraniteHouse. "I believe so. However, " added the engineer, "we will be prudent. " Theengineer was right in thinking that the guns were of excellent make. Made of forged steel, and breech-loaders, they ought consequently to beable to bear a considerable charge, and also have an enormous range. In fact, as regards practical effect, the transit described by the ballought to be as extended as possible, and this tension could only beobtained under the condition that the projectile should be impelled witha very great initial velocity. "Now, " said Harding to his companions, "the initial velocity is inproportion to the quantity of powder used. In the fabrication ofthese pieces, everything depends on employing a metal with the highestpossible power of resistance, and steel is incontestably that metal ofall others which resists the best. I have, therefore, reason to believethat our guns will bear without risk the expansion of the pyroxyle gas, and will give excellent results. " "We shall be a great deal more certain of that when we have tried them!"answered Pencroft. It is unnecessary to say that the four cannons were in perfect order. Since they had been taken from the water, the sailor had bestowed greatcare upon them. How many hours he had spent, in rubbing, greasing, andpolishing them, and in cleaning the mechanism! And now the pieces wereas brilliant as if they had been on board a frigate of the United StatesNavy. On this day, therefore, in presence of all the members of the colony, including Master Jup and Top, the four cannon were successively tried. They were charged with pyroxyle, taking into consideration its explosivepower, which, as has been said, is four times that of ordinary powder:the projectile to be fired was cylindroconic. Pencroft, holding the end of the quick-match, stood ready to fire. At Harding's signal, he fired. The shot, passing over the islet, fell into the sea at a distance which could not be calculated withexactitude. The second gun was pointed at the rocks at the end of Flotsam Point, andthe shot striking a sharp rock nearly three miles from Granite House, made it fly into splinters. It was Herbert who had pointed this gun andfired it, and very proud he was of his first shot. Pencroft only wasprouder than he! Such a shot, the honor of which belonged to his dearboy. The third shot, aimed this time at the downs forming the upper sideof Union Bay, struck the sand at a distance of four miles, then havingricocheted: was lost in the sea in a cloud of spray. For the fourth piece Cyrus Harding slightly increased the charge, soas to try its extreme range. Then, all standing aside for fear of itsbursting, the match was lighted by means of a long cord. A tremendous report was heard, but the piece had held good, and thecolonists rushing to the windows, saw the shot graze the rocks ofMandible Cape, nearly five miles from Granite House, and disappear inShark Gulf. "Well, captain, " exclaimed Pencroft, whose cheers might have rivaled thereports themselves, "what do you say of our battery? All the pirates inthe Pacific have only to present themselves before Granite House! Notone can land there now without our permission!" "Believe me, Pencroft, " replied the engineer, "it would be better not tohave to make the experiment. " "Well, " said the sailor, "what ought to be done with regard to thosesix villains who are roaming about the island? Are we to leave themto overrun our forests, our fields, our plantations? These pirates areregular jaguars, and it seems to me we ought not to hesitate to treatthem as such! What do you think, Ayrton?" added Pencroft, turning to hiscompanion. Ayrton hesitated at first to reply, and Cyrus Harding regretted thatPencroft had so thoughtlessly put this question. And he was much movedwhen Ayrton replied in a humble tone, -- "I have been one of those jaguars, Mr. Pencroft. I have no right tospeak. " And with a slow step he walked away. Pencroft understood. "What a brute I am!" he exclaimed. "Poor Ayrton! He has as much right tospeak here as any one!" "Yes, " said Gideon Spilett, "but his reserve does him honor, and it isright to respect the feeling which he has about his sad past. " "Certainly, Mr. Spilett, " answered the sailor, "and there is no fear ofmy doing so again. I would rather bite my tongue off than cause Ayrtonany pain! But to return to the question. It seems to me that theseruffians have no right to any pity, and that we ought to rid the islandof them as soon as possible. " "Is that your opinion, Pencroft?" asked the engineer. "Quite my opinion. " "And before hunting them mercilessly, you would not wait until they hadcommitted some fresh act of hostility against us?" "Isn't what they have done already enough?" asked Pencroft, who did notunderstand these scruples. "They may adopt other sentiments!" said Harding, "and perhaps repent. " "They repent!" exclaimed the sailor, shrugging his shoulders. "Pencroft, think of Ayrton!" said Herbert, taking the sailor's hand. "Hebecame an honest man again!" Pencroft looked at his companions one after the other. He had neverthought of his proposal being met with any objection. His rough naturecould not allow that they ought to come to terms with the rascals whohad landed on the island with Bob Harvey's accomplices, the murderers ofthe crew of the "Speedy, " and he looked upon them as wild beasts whichought to be destroyed without delay and without remorse. "Come!" said be. "Everybody is against me! You wish to be generous tothose villains! Very well; I hope we mayn't repent it!" "What danger shall we run, " said Herbert, "if we take care to be alwayson our guard?" "Hum!" observed the reporter, who had not given any decided opinion. "They are six and well armed. If they each lay hid in a corner, and eachfired at one of us, they would soon be masters of the colony!" "Why have they not done so?" said Herbert. "No doubt because it was nottheir interest to do it. Besides, we are six also. " "Well, well!" replied Pencroft, whom no reasoning could have convinced. "Let us leave these good people to do what they like, and don't thinkanything more about them!" "Come, Pencroft, " said Neb, "don't make yourself out so bad as all that!Suppose one of these unfortunate men were here before you, within goodrange of your guns, you would not fire. " "I would fire on him as I would on a mad dog, Neb, " replied Pencroftcoldly. "Pencroft, " said the engineer, "you have always shown much deference tomy advice; will you, in this matter, yield to me?" "I will do as you please, Captain Harding, " answered the sailor, who wasnot at all convinced. "Very well, wait, and we will not attack them unless we are attackedfirst. " Thus their behavior towards the pirates was agreed upon, althoughPencroft augured nothing good from it. They were not to attack them, butwere to be on their guard. After all, the island was large and fertile. If any sentiment of honesty yet remained in the bottom of their hearts, these wretches might perhaps be reclaimed. Was it not their interest inthe situation in which they found themselves to begin a new life? Atany rate, for humanity's sake alone, it would be right to wait. Thecolonists would no longer as before, be able to go and come withoutfear. Hitherto they had only wild beasts to guard against, and now sixconvicts of the worst description, perhaps, were roaming over theirisland. It was serious, certainly, and to less brave men, it would havebeen security lost! No matter! At present, the colonists had reason ontheir side against Pencroft. Would they be right in the future? Thatremained to be seen. Chapter 6 However, the chief business of the colonists was to make that completeexploration of the island which had been decided upon, and which wouldhave two objects: to discover the mysterious being whose existence wasnow indisputable, and at the same time to find out what had become ofthe pirates, what retreat they had chosen, what sort of life they wereleading, and what was to be feared from them. Cyrus Harding wishedto set out without delay; but as the expedition would be of some daysduration, it appeared best to load the cart with different materials andtools in order to facilitate the organization of the encampments. Oneof the onagers, however, having hurt its leg, could not be harnessedat present, and a few days' rest was necessary. The departure was, therefore, put off for a week, until the 20th of November. The monthof November in this latitude corresponds to the month of May in thenorthern zones. It was, therefore, the fine season. The sun was enteringthe tropic of Capricorn, and gave the longest days in the year. The timewas, therefore, very favorable for the projected expedition, which, if it did not accomplish its principal object, would at any rate befruitful in discoveries, especially of natural productions, sinceHarding proposed to explore those dense forests of the Far West, whichstretched to the extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula. During the nine days which preceded their departure, it was agreed thatthe work on Prospect Heights should be finished off. Moreover, it was necessary for Ayrton to return to the corral, where thedomesticated animals required his care. It was decided that he shouldspend two days there, and return to Granite House after having liberallysupplied the stables. As he was about to start, Harding asked him if he would not like oneof them to accompany him, observing that the island was less safe thanformerly. Ayrton replied that this was unnecessary, as he was enoughfor the work, and that besides he apprehended no danger. If anythingoccurred at the corral, or in the neighborhood, he could instantly warnthe colonists by sending a telegram to Granite House. Ayrton departed at dawn on the 9th, taking the cart drawn by one onager, and two hours after, the electric wire announced that he had found allin order at the corral. During these two days Harding busied himself in executing a projectwhich would completely guard Granite House against any surprise. It wasnecessary to completely conceal the opening of the old outlet, whichwas already walled up and partly hidden under grass and plants, at thesouthern angle of Lake Grant. Nothing was easier, since if the levelof the lake was raised two or three feet, the opening would be quitebeneath it. Now, to raise this level they had only to establish a dam atthe two openings made by the lake, and by which were fed Creek Glycerineand Falls River. The colonists worked with a will, and the two dams which besides did notexceed eight feet in width by three in height, were rapidly erected bymeans of well-cemented blocks of stone. This work finished, it would have been impossible to guess that at thatpart of the lake, there existed a subterranean passage through which theoverflow of the lake formerly escaped. Of course the little stream which fed the reservoir of Granite House andworked the lift, had been carefully preserved, and the water could notfail. The lift once raised, this sure and comfortable retreat would besafe from any surprise. This work had been so quickly done, that Pencroft, Gideon Spilett, andHerbert found time to make an expedition to Port Balloon, The sailor wasvery anxious to know if the little creek in which the "Bonadventure" wasmoored, had been visited by the convicts. "These gentlemen, " he observed, "landed on the south coast, and if theyfollowed the shore, it is to be feared that they may have discovered thelittle harbor, and in that case, I wouldn't give half-a-dollar for our'Bonadventure. '" Pencroft's apprehensions were not without foundation, and a visitto Port Balloon appeared to be very desirable. The sailor and hiscompanions set off on the 10th of November, after dinner, well armed. Pencroft, ostentatiously slipping two bullets into each barrel of hisrifle, shook his head in a way which betokened nothing good to any onewho approached too near him, whether "man or beast, " as he said. GideonSpilett and Herbert also took their guns, and about three o'clock allthree left Granite House. Neb accompanied them to the turn of the Mercy, and after they hadcrossed, he raised the bridge. It was agreed that a gunshot shouldannounce the colonists' return, and that at the signal Neb should returnand reestablish the communication between the two banks of the river. The little band advanced directly along the road which led to thesouthern coast of the island. This was only a distance of three milesand a half, but Gideon Spilett and his companions took two hours totraverse it. They examined all the border of the road, the thick forest, as well as Tabor Marsh. They found no trace of the fugitives who, nodoubt, not having yet discovered the number of the colonists, or themeans of defense which they had at their disposal, had gained the lessaccessible parts of the island. Arrived at Port Balloon, Pencroft saw with extreme satisfaction thatthe "Bonadventure" was tranquilly floating in the narrow creek. However, Port Balloon was so well hidden among high rocks, that it could scarcelybe discovered either from the land or the sea. "Come, " said Pencroft, "the blackguards have not been there yet. Longgrass suits reptiles best, and evidently we shall find them in the FarWest. " "And it's very lucky, for if they had found the 'Bonadventure', " addedHerbert, "they would have gone off in her, and we should have beenprevented from returning to Tabor Island. " "Indeed, " remarked the reporter, "it will be important to take adocument there which will make known the situation of Lincoln Island, and Ayrton's new residence, in case the Scotch yacht returns to fetchhim. " "Well, the 'Bonadventure' is always there, Mr. Spilett, " answered thesailor. "She and her crew are ready to start at a moment's notice!" "I think, Pencroft, that that is a thing to be done after ourexploration of the island is finished. It is possible after all that thestranger, if we manage to find him, may know as much about Tabor Islandas about Lincoln Island. Do not forget that he is certainly the authorof the document, and he may, perhaps, know how far we may count on thereturn of the yacht!" "But!" exclaimed Pencroft, "who in the world can he be? The fellow knowsus and we know nothing about him! If he is a simple castaway, why shouldhe conceal himself! We are honest men, I suppose, and the society ofhonest men isn't unpleasant to any one. Did he come here voluntarily?Can he leave the island if he likes? Is he here still? Will he remainany longer?" Chatting thus, Pencroft, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert got on board andlooked about the deck of the "Bonadventure. " All at once, the sailorhaving examined the bitts to which the cable of the anchor wassecured, -- "Hallo, " he cried, "this is queer!" "What is the matter, Pencroft?" asked the reporter. "The matter is, that it was not I who made this knot!" And Pencroft showed a rope which fastened the cable to the bitt itself. "What, it was not you?" asked Gideon Spilett. "No! I can swear to it. This is a reef knot, and I always make a runningbowline. " "You must be mistaken, Pencroft. " "I am not mistaken!" declared the sailor. "My hand does it so naturally, and one's hand is never mistaken!" "Then can the convicts have been on board?" asked Herbert. "I know nothing about that, " answered Pencroft, "but what is certain, is that some one has weighed the 'Bonadventure's' anchor and dropped itagain! And look here, here is another proof! The cable of the anchor hasbeen run out, and its service is no longer at the hawse-hole. I repeatthat some one has been using our vessel!" "But if the convicts had used her, they would have pillaged her, orrather gone off with her. " "Gone off! where to--to Tabor Island?" replied Pencroft. "Do you think, they would risk themselves in a boat of such small tonnage?" "We must, besides, be sure that they know of the islet, " rejoined thereporter. "However that may be, " said the sailor, "as sure as my name isBonadventure Pencroft, of the Vineyard, our 'Bonadventure' has sailedwithout us!" The sailor was positive that neither Gideon Spilett nor Herbert coulddispute his statement. It was evident that the vessel had been moved, more or less, since Pencroft had brought her to Port Balloon. As to thesailor, he had not the slightest doubt that the anchor had been raisedand then dropped again. Now, what was the use of these two maneuvers, unless the vessel had been employed in some expedition? "But how was it we did not see the 'Bonadventure' pass in the sight ofthe island?" observed the reporter, who was anxious to bring forwardevery possible objection. "Why, Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "they would only have to startin the night with a good breeze, and they would be out of sight of theisland in two hours. " "Well, " resumed Gideon Spilett, "I ask again, what object could theconvicts have had in using the 'Bonadventure, ' and why, after they hadmade use of her, should they have brought her back to port?" "Why, Mr. Spilett, " replied the sailor, "we must put that among theunaccountable things, and not think anything more about it. The chiefthing is that the 'Bonadventure' was there, and she is there now. Only, unfortunately, if the convicts take her a second time, we shall verylikely not find her again in her place!" "Then, Pencroft, " said Herbert, "would it not be wisest to bring the'Bonadventure' off to Granite House?" "Yes and no, " answered Pencroft, "or rather no. The mouth of the Mercyis a bad place for a vessel, and the sea is heavy there. " "But by hauling her up on the sand, to the foot of the Chimneys?" "Perhaps yes, " replied Pencroft. "At any rate, since we must leaveGranite House for a long expedition, I think the 'Bonadventure' will besafer here during our absence, and we shall do best to leave her hereuntil the island is rid of these blackguards. " "That is exactly my opinion, " said the reporter. "At any rate in theevent of bad weather, she will not be exposed here as she would be atthe mouth of the Mercy. " "But suppose the convicts pay her another visit, " said Herbert. "Well, my boy, " replied Pencroft, "not finding her here, they would notbe long in finding her on the sands of Granite House, and, during ourabsence, nothing could hinder them from seizing her! I agree, therefore, with Mr. Spilett, that she must be left in Port Balloon. But, if on ourreturn we have not rid the island of those rascals, it will be prudentto bring our boat to Granite House, until the time when we need not fearany unpleasant visits. " "That's settled. Let us be off, " said the reporter. Pencroft, Herbert, and Gideon Spilett, on their return to Granite House, told the engineer all that had passed, and the latter approved of theirarrangements both for the present and the future. He also promised thesailor that he would study that part of the channel situated between theislet and the coast, so as to ascertain if it would not be possibleto make an artificial harbor there by means of dams. In this way, the"Bonadventure" would be always within reach, under the eyes of thecolonists, and if necessary, under lock and key. That evening a telegram was sent to Ayrton, requesting him to bring fromthe corral a couple of goats, which Neb wished to acclimatize to theplateau. Singularly enough, Ayrton did not acknowledge the receipt ofthe despatch, as he was accustomed to do. This could not but astonishthe engineer. But it might be that Ayrton was not at that moment in thecorral, or even that he was on his way back to Granite House. In fact, two days had already passed since his departure, and it had been decidedthat on the evening of the 10th or at the latest the morning of the11th, he should return. The colonists waited, therefore, for Ayrton toappear on Prospect Heights. Neb and Herbert even watched at the bridgeso as to be ready to lower it the moment their companion presentedhimself. But up to ten in the evening, there were no signs of Ayrton. It was, therefore, judged best to send a fresh despatch, requiring an immediatereply. The bell of the telegraph at Granite House remained mute. The colonists' uneasiness was great. What had happened? Was Ayrton nolonger at the corral, or if he was still there, had he no longer controlover his movements? Could they go to the corral in this dark night? They consulted. Some wished to go, the others to remain. "But, " said Herbert, "perhaps some accident has happened to thetelegraphic apparatus, so that it works no longer?" "That may be, " said the reporter. "Wait till to-morrow, " replied Cyrus Harding. "It is possible, indeed, that Ayrton has not received our despatch, or even that we have notreceived his. " They waited, of course not without some anxiety. At dawn of day, the 11th of November, Harding again sent the electriccurrent along the wire and received no reply. He tried again: the same result. "Off to the corral, " said he. "And well armed!" added Pencroft. It was immediately decided that Granite House should not be left aloneand that Neb should remain there. After having accompanied his friendsto Creek Glycerine, he raised the bridge; and waiting behind a tree hewatched for the return of either his companions or Ayrton. In the event of the pirates presenting themselves and attempting toforce the passage, he was to endeavor to stop them by firing on them, and as a last resource he was to take refuge in Granite House, where, the lift once raised, he would be in safety. Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, and Pencroft were to repairto the corral, and if they did not find Ayrton, search the neighboringwoods. At six o'clock in the morning, the engineer and his three companionshad passed Creek Glycerine, and Neb posted himself behind a small moundcrowned by several dragon trees, on the left bank of the stream. The colonists, after leaving the plateau of Prospect Heights, immediately took the road to the corral. They shouldered their guns, ready to fire on the slightest hostile demonstration. The two rifles andthe two guns had been loaded with ball. The wood was thick on each side of the road and might easily haveconcealed the convicts, who owing to their weapons would have beenreally formidable. The colonists walked rapidly and in silence. Top preceded them, sometimes running on the road, sometimes taking a ramble into the wood, but always quiet and not appearing to fear anything unusual. Andthey could be sure that the faithful dog would not allow them to besurprised, but would bark at the least appearance of danger. Cyrus Harding and his companions followed beside the road the wire whichconnected the corral with Granite House. After walking for nearly twomiles, they had not as yet discovered any explanation of the difficulty. The posts were in good order, the wire regularly extended. However, atthat moment the engineer observed that the wire appeared to be slack, and on arriving at post No. 74, Herbert, who was in advance stopped, exclaiming, -- "The wire is broken!" His companions hurried forward and arrived at the spot where the ladwas standing. The post was rooted up and lying across the path. Theunexpected explanation of the difficulty was here, and it was evidentthat the despatches from Granite House had not been received at thecorral, nor those from the corral at Granite House. "It wasn't the wind that blew down this post, " observed Pencroft. "No, " replied Gideon Spilett. "The earth has been dug up round its foot, and it has been torn up by the hand of man. " "Besides, the wire is broken, " added Herbert, showing that the wire hadbeen snapped. "Is the fracture recent?" asked Harding. "Yes, " answered Herbert, "it has certainly been done quite lately. " "To the corral! to the corral!" exclaimed the sailor. The colonists were now half way between Granite House and the corral, having still two miles and a half to go. They pressed forward withredoubled speed. Indeed, it was to be feared that some serious accident had occurred inthe corral. No doubt, Ayrton might have sent a telegram which had notarrived, but this was not the reason why his companions were so uneasy, for, a more unaccountable circumstance, Ayrton, who had promised toreturn the evening before, had not reappeared. In short, it was notwithout a motive that all communication had been stopped between thecorral and Granite House, and who but the convicts could have anyinterest in interrupting this communication? The settlers hastened on, their hearts oppressed with anxiety. They weresincerely attached to their new companion. Were they to find him struckdown by the hands of those of whom he was formerly the leader? Soon they arrived at the place where the road led along the side of thelittle stream which flowed from the Red Creek and watered the meadowsof the corral. They then moderated their pace so that they should notbe out of breath at the moment when a struggle might be necessary. Theirguns were in their hands ready cocked. The forest was watched on everyside. Top uttered sullen groans which were rather ominous. At last the palisade appeared through the trees. No trace of any damagecould be seen. The gate was shut as usual. Deep silence reigned in thecorral. Neither the accustomed bleating of the sheep nor Ayrton's voicecould be heard. "Let us enter, " said Cyrus Harding. And the engineer advanced, while his companions, keeping watch abouttwenty paces behind him, were ready to fire at a moment's notice. Harding raised the inner latch of the gate and was about to push itback, when Top barked loudly. A report sounded and was responded to by acry of pain. Herbert, struck by a bullet, lay stretched on the ground. Chapter 7 At Herbert's cry, Pencroft, letting his gun fall, rushed towards him. "They have killed him!" he cried. "My boy! They have killed him!" Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett ran to Herbert. The reporter listened to ascertain if the poor lad's heart was stillbeating. "He lives, " said he, "but he must be carried--" "To Granite House? that is impossible!" replied the engineer. "Into the corral, then!" said Pencroft. "In a moment, " said Harding. And he ran round the left corner of the palisade. There he found aconvict, who aiming at him, sent a ball through his hat. In a fewseconds, before he had even time to fire his second barrel, he fell, struck to the heart by Harding's dagger, more sure even than his gun. During this time, Gideon Spilett and the sailor hoisted themselves overthe palisade, leaped into the enclosure, threw down the props whichsupported the inner door, ran into the empty house, and soon, poorHerbert was lying on Ayrton's bed. In a few moments, Harding was by hisside. On seeing Herbert senseless, the sailor's grief was terrible. He sobbed, he cried, he tried to beat his head against the wall. Neither the engineer nor the reporter could calm him. They themselveswere choked with emotion. They could not speak. However, they knew that it depended on them to rescue from death thepoor boy who was suffering beneath their eyes. Gideon Spilett had notpassed through the many incidents by which his life had been checkeredwithout acquiring some slight knowledge of medicine. He knew a littleof everything, and several times he had been obliged to attend to woundsproduced either by a sword-bayonet or shot. Assisted by Cyrus Harding, he proceeded to render the aid Herbert required. The reporter was immediately struck by the complete stupor in whichHerbert lay, a stupor owing either to the hemorrhage, or to the shock, the ball having struck a bone with sufficient force to produce a violentconcussion. Herbert was deadly pale, and his pulse so feeble that Spilett only feltit beat at long intervals, as if it was on the point of stopping. These symptoms were very serious. Herbert's chest was laid bare, and the blood having been stanched withhandkerchiefs, it was bathed with cold water. The contusion, or rather the contused wound appeared, --an oval below thechest between the third and fourth ribs. It was there that Herbert hadbeen hit by the bullet. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett then turned the poor boy over; as theydid so, he uttered a moan so feeble that they almost thought it was hislast sigh. Herberts back was covered with blood from another contused wound, bywhich the ball had immediately escaped. "God be praised!" said the reporter, "the ball is not in the body, andwe shall not have to extract it. " "But the heart?" asked Harding. "The heart has not been touched; if it had been, Herbert would be dead!" "Dead!" exclaimed Pencroft, with a groan. The sailor had only heard the last words uttered by the reporter. "No, Pencroft, " replied Cyrus Harding, "no! He is not dead. His pulsestill beats. He has even uttered a moan. But for your boy's sake, calmyourself. We have need of all our self-possession. " "Do not make us lose it, my friend. " Pencroft was silent, but a reaction set in, and great tears rolled downhis cheeks. In the meanwhile, Gideon Spilett endeavored to collect his ideas, andproceed methodically. After his examination he had no doubt that theball, entering in front, between the seventh and eighth ribs, had issuedbehind between the third and fourth. But what mischief had the ballcommitted in its passage? What important organs had been reached? Aprofessional surgeon would have had difficulty in determining this atonce, and still more so the reporter. However, he knew one thing, this was that he would have to prevent theinflammatory strangulation of the injured parts, then to contend withthe local inflammation and fever which would result from the wound, perhaps mortal! Now, what styptics, what antiphiogistics ought to beemployed? By what means could inflammation be prevented? At any rate, the most important thing was that the two wounds shouldbe dressed without delay. It did not appear necessary to Gideon Spilettthat a fresh flow of blood should be caused by bathing them in tepidwater, and compressing their lips. The hemorrhage had been veryabundant, and Herbert was already too much enfeebled by the loss ofblood. The reporter, therefore, thought it best to simply bathe the two woundswith cold water. Herbert was placed on his left side, and was maintained in thatposition. "He must not be moved. " said Gideon Spilett. "He is in the mostfavorable position for the wounds in his back and chest to suppurateeasily, and absolute rest is necessary. " "What! can't we carry him to Granite House?" asked Pencroft. "No, Pencroft, " replied the reporter. "I'll pay the villains off!" cried the sailor, shaking his fist in amenacing manner. "Pencroft!" said Cyrus Harding. Gideon Spilett had resumed his examination of the wounded boy. Herbertwas still so frightfully pale, that the reporter felt anxious. "Cyrus, " said he, "I am not a surgeon. I am in terrible perplexity. Youmust aid me with your advice, your experience!" "Take courage, my friend, " answered the engineer, pressing thereporter's hand. "Judge coolly. Think only of this: Herbert must besaved!" These words restored to Gideon Spilett that self-possession which he hadlost in a moment of discouragement on feeling his great responsibility. He seated himself close to the bed. Cyrus Harding stood near. Pencrofthad torn up his shirt, and was mechanically making lint. Spilett then explained to Cyrus Harding that he thought he ought firstof all to stop the hemorrhage, but not close the two wounds, or causetheir immediate cicatrization, for there had been internal perforation, and the suppuration must not be allowed to accumulate in the chest. Harding approved entirely, and it was decided that the two wounds shouldbe dressed without attempting to close them by immediate coaptation. And now did the colonists possess an efficacious agent to act againstthe inflammation which might occur? Yes. They had one, for nature had generously lavished it. They had coldwater, that is to say, the most powerful sedative that can be employedagainst inflammation of wounds, the most efficacious therapeutic agentin grave cases, and the one which is now adopted by all physicians. Cold water has, moreover, the advantage of leaving the wound in absoluterest, and preserving it from all premature dressing, a considerableadvantage, since it has been found by experience that contact with theair is dangerous during the first days. Gideon Spilett and Cyrus Harding reasoned thus with their simple goodsense, and they acted as the best surgeon would have done. Compressesof linen were applied to poor Herbert's two wounds, and were keptconstantly wet with cold water. The sailor had at first lighted a fire in the hut, which was not wantingin things necessary for life. Maple sugar, medicinal plants, the samewhich the lad had gathered on the banks of Lake Grant, enabled them tomake some refreshing drinks, which they gave him without his taking anynotice of it. His fever was extremely high, and all that day and nightpassed without his becoming conscious. Herbert's life hung on a thread, and this thread might break at anymoment. The next day, the 12th of November, the hopes of Harding and hiscompanions slightly revived. Herbert had come out of his long stupor. He opened his eyes, he recognized Cyrus Harding, the reporter, andPencroft. He uttered two or three words. He did not know what hadhappened. They told him, and Spilett begged him to remain perfectlystill, telling him that his life was not in danger, and that his woundswould heal in a few days. However, Herbert scarcely suffered at all, and the cold water with which they were constantly bathed, prevented anyinflammation of the wounds. The suppuration was established in a regularway, the fever did not increase, and it might now be hoped that thisterrible wound would not involve any catastrophe. Pencroft felt theswelling of his heart gradually subside. He was like a sister of mercy, like a mother by the bed of her child. Herbert dozed again, but his sleep appeared more natural. "Tell me again that you hope, Mr. Spilett, " said Pencroft. "Tell meagain that you will save Herbert!" "Yes, we will save him!" replied the reporter. "The wound is serious, and, perhaps, even the ball has traversed the lungs, but the perforationof this organ is not fatal. " "God bless you!" answered Pencroft. As may be believed, during the four-and-twenty hours they had been inthe corral, the colonists had no other thought than that of nursingHerbert. They did not think either of the danger which threatened themshould the convicts return, or of the precautions to be taken for thefuture. But on this day, while Pencroft watched by the sick-bed, Cyrus Hardingand the reporter consulted as to what it would be best to do. First of all they examined the corral. There was not a trace of Ayrton. Had the unhappy man been dragged away by his former accomplices? Had heresisted, and been overcome in the struggle? This last supposition wasonly too probable. Gideon Spilett, at the moment he scaled the palisade, had clearly seen some one of the convicts running along the southernspur of Mount Franklin, towards whom Top had sprung. It was one of thosewhose object had been so completely defeated by the rocks at the mouthof the Mercy. Besides, the one killed by Harding, and whose body wasfound outside the enclosure, of course belonged to Bob Harvey's crew. As to the corral, it had not suffered any damage. The gates were closed, and the animals had not been able to disperse in the forest. Nor couldthey see traces of any struggle, any devastation, either in the hut, or in the palisade. The ammunition only, with which Ayrton had beensupplied, had disappeared with him. "The unhappy man has been surprised, " said Harding, "and as he was a manto defend himself, he must have been overpowered. " "Yes, that is to be feared!" said the reporter. "Then, doubtless, theconvicts installed themselves in the corral where they found plenty ofeverything, and only fled when they saw us coming. It is very evident, too, that at this moment Ayrton, whether living or dead, is not here!" "We shall have to beat the forest, " said the engineer, "and rid theisland of these wretches. Pencroft's presentiments were not mistaken, when he wished to hunt them as wild beasts. That would have spared usall these misfortunes!" "Yes, " answered the reporter, "but now we have the right to bemerciless!" "At any rate, " said the engineer, "we are obliged to wait some time, and to remain at the corral until we can carry Herbert without danger toGranite House. " "But Neb?" asked the reporter. "Neb is in safety. " "But if, uneasy at our absence, he would venture to come?" "He must not come!" returned Cyrus Harding quickly. "He would bemurdered on the road!" "It is very probable, however, that he will attempt to rejoin us!" "Ah, if the telegraph still acted, he might be warned! But that isimpossible now! As to leaving Pencroft and Herbert here alone, we couldnot do it! Well, I will go alone to Granite House. " "No, no! Cyrus, " answered the reporter, "you must not expose yourself!Your courage would be of no avail. The villains are evidently watchingthe corral, they are hidden in the thick woods which surround it, and ifyou go we shall soon have to regret two misfortunes instead of one!" "But Neb?" repeated the engineer. "It is now four-and-twenty hours sincehe has had any news of us! He will be sure to come!" "And as he will be less on his guard than we should be ourselves, " addedSpilett, "he will be killed!" "Is there really no way of warning him?" While the engineer thought, his eyes fell on Top, who, going backwardsand forwards seemed to say, -- "Am not I here?" "Top!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding. The animal sprang at his master's call. "Yes, Top will go, " said the reporter, who had understood the engineer. "Top can go where we cannot! He will carry to Granite House the news ofthe corral, and he will bring back to us that from Granite House!" "Quick!" said Harding. "Quick!" Spilett rapidly tore a leaf from his note-book, and wrote these words:-- "Herbert wounded. We are at the corral. Be on your guard. Do not leaveGranite House. Have the convicts appeared in the neighborhood? Reply byTop. " This laconic note contained all that Neb ought to know, and at the sametime asked all that the colonists wished to know. It was folded andfastened to Top's collar in a conspicuous position. "Top, my dog, " said the engineer, caressing the animal, "Neb, Top! Neb!Go, go!" Top bounded at these words. He understood, he knew what was expected ofhim. The road to the corral was familiar to him. In less than an hour hecould clear it, and it might be hoped that where neither Cyrus Hardingnor the reporter could have ventured without danger, Top, running amongthe grass or in the wood, would pass unperceived. The engineer went to the gate of the corral and opened it. "Neb, Top! Neb!" repeated the engineer, again pointing in the directionof Granite House. Top sprang forwards, then almost immediately disappeared. "He will get there!" said the reporter. "Yes, and he will come back, the faithful animal!" "What o'clock is it?" asked Gideon Spilett. "Ten. " "In an hour he may be here. We will watch for his return. " The gate of the corral was closed. The engineer and the reporterre-entered the house. Herbert was still in a sleep. Pencroft kept thecompresser always wet. Spilett, seeing there was nothing he could doat that moment, busied himself in preparing some nourishment, whileattentively watching that part of the enclosure against the hill, atwhich an attack might be expected. The settlers awaited Top's return with much anxiety. A little beforeeleven o'clock, Cyrus Harding and the reporter, rifle in hand, werebehind the gate, ready to open it at the first bark of their dog. They did not doubt that if Top had arrived safely at Granite House, Nebwould have sent him back immediately. They had both been there for about ten minutes, when a report was heard, followed by repeated barks. The engineer opened the gate, and seeing smoke a hundred feet off in thewood, he fired in that direction. Almost immediately Top bounded into the corral, and the gate was quicklyshut. "Top, Top!" exclaimed the engineer, taking the dog's great honest headbetween his hands. A note was fastened to his neck, and Cyrus Harding read these words, traced in Neb's large writing:--"No pirates in the neighborhood ofGranite House. I will not stir. Poor Mr. Herbert!" Chapter 8 So the convicts were still there, watching the corral, and determined tokill the settlers one after the other. There was nothing to be done butto treat them as wild beasts. But great precautions must be taken, forjust now the wretches had the advantage on their side, seeing, and notbeing seen, being able to surprise by the suddenness of their attack, yet not to be surprised themselves. Harding made arrangements, therefore, for living in the corral, of which the provisions would lastfor a tolerable length of time. Ayrton's house had been provided withall that was necessary for existence, and the convicts, scared bythe arrival of the settlers, had not had time to pillage it. It wasprobable, as Gideon Spilett observed, that things had occurred asfollows: The six convicts, disembarking on the island, had followed the southernshore, and after having traversed the double shore of the SerpentinePeninsula, not being inclined to venture into the Far West woods, theyhad reached the mouth of Falls River. From this point, by following theright bank of the watercourse, they would arrive at the spurs of MountFranklin, among which they would naturally seek a retreat, and theycould not have been long in discovering the corral, then uninhabited. There they had regularly installed themselves, awaiting the momentto put their abominable schemes into execution. Ayrton's arrival hadsurprised them, but they had managed to overpower the unfortunate man, and--the rest may be easily imagined! Now, the convicts, --reduced to five, it is true, but well armed, --wereroaming the woods, and to venture there was to expose themselves totheir attacks, which could be neither guarded against nor prevented. "Wait! There is nothing else to be done!" repeated Cyrus Harding. "WhenHerbert is cured, we can organize a general battle of the island, andhave satisfaction of these convicts. That will be the object of ourgrand expedition at the same time--" "As the search for our mysterious protector, " added Gideon Spilett, finishing the engineer's sentence. "And it must be acknowledged, my dearCyrus, that this time his protection was wanting at the very moment whenit was most necessary to us!" "Who knows?" replied the engineer. "What do you mean?" asked the reporter. "That we are not at the end of our trouble yet, my dear Spilett, and that his powerful intervention may have another opportunity ofexercising itself. But that is not the question now. Herbert's lifebefore everything. " This was the colonists' saddest thought. Several days passed, and thepoor boy's state was happily no worse. Cold water, always kept at asuitable temperature, had completely prevented the inflammation of thewounds. It even seemed to the reporter that this water, being slightlysulphurous, --which was explained by the neighborhood of the volcano, had a more direct action on the healing. The suppuration was muchless abundant, and thanks to the incessant care by which he wassurrounded!--Herbert returned to life, and his fever abated. He wasbesides subjected to a severe diet, and consequently his weakness wasand would be extreme; but there was no want of refreshing drinks, andabsolute rest was of the greatest benefit to him. Cyrus Harding, GideonSpilett, and Pencroft had become very skilful in dressing the lad'swounds. All the linen in the house had been sacrificed. Herbert'swounds, covered with compresses and lint, were pressed neither too muchnor too little, so as to cause their cicatrization without effecting anyinflammatory reaction. The reporter used extreme care in the dressing, knowing well the importance of it, and repeating to his companions thatwhich most surgeons willingly admit, that it is perhaps rarer to see adressing well done than an operation well performed. In ten days, on the 22nd of November, Herbert was considerably better. He had begun to take some nourishment. The color was returning to his cheeks, and his bright eyes smiled athis nurses. He talked a little, notwithstanding Pencroft's efforts, whotalked incessantly to prevent him from beginning to speak, and told himthe most improbable stories. Herbert had questioned him on the subjectof Ayrton, whom he was astonished not to see near him, thinking thathe was at the corral. But the sailor, not wishing to distress Herbert, contented himself by replying that Ayrton had rejoined Neb, so as todefend Granite House. "Humph!" said Pencroft, "these pirates! they are gentlemen who haveno right to any consideration! And the captain wanted to win them bykindness! I'll send them some kindness, but in the shape of a goodbullet!" "And have they not been seen again?" asked Herbert. "No, my boy, " answered the sailor, "but we shall find them, and whenyou are cured we shall see if the cowards who strike us from behind willdare to meet us face to face!" "I am still very weak, my poor Pencroft!" "Well! your strength will return gradually! What's a ball through thechest? Nothing but a joke! I've seen many, and I don't think much ofthem!" At last things appeared to be going on well, and if no complicationoccurred, Herbert's recovery might be regarded as certain. But whatwould have been the condition of the colonists if his state had beenaggravated, --if, for example, the ball had remained in his body, if hisarm or his leg had had to be amputated? "No, " said Spilett more than once, "I have never thought of such acontingency without shuddering!" "And yet, if it had been necessary to operate, " said Harding one day tohim, "you would not have hesitated?" "No, Cyrus!" said Gideon Spilett, "but thank God that we have beenspared this complication!" As in so many other conjectures, the colonists had appealed to the logicof that simple good sense of which they had made use so often, and oncemore, thanks to their general knowledge, it had succeeded! But might nota time come when all their science would be at fault? They were aloneon the island. Now, men in all states of society are necessary to eachother. Cyrus Harding knew this well, and sometimes he asked if somecircumstance might not occur which they would be powerless to surmount. It appeared to him besides, that he and his companions, till then sofortunate, had entered into an unlucky period. During the two years anda half which had elapsed since their escape from Richmond, it mightbe said that they had had everything their own way. The island hadabundantly supplied them with minerals, vegetables, animals, and asNature had constantly loaded them, their science had known how to takeadvantage of what she offered them. The wellbeing of the colony was therefore complete. Moreover, in certainoccurrences an inexplicable influence had come to their aid!... But allthat could only be for a time. In short, Cyrus Harding believed that fortune had turned against them. In fact, the convicts' ship had appeared in the waters of the island, and if the pirates had been, so to speak, miraculously destroyed, six ofthem, at least, had escaped the catastrophe. They had disembarked on theisland, and it was almost impossible to get at the five who survived. Ayrton had no doubt been murdered by these wretches, who possessedfirearms, and at the first use that they had made of them, Herbert hadfallen, wounded almost mortally. Were these the first blows aimed byadverse fortune at the colonists? This was often asked by Harding. Thiswas often repeated by the reporter; and it appeared to him also that theintervention, so strange, yet so efficacious, which till then had servedthem so well, had now failed them. Had this mysterious being, whateverhe was, whose existence could not be denied, abandoned the island? Hadhe in his turn succumbed? No reply was possible to these questions. But it must not be imaginedthat because Harding and his companions spoke of these things, they weremen to despair. Far from that. They looked their situation in the face, they analyzed the chances, they prepared themselves for any event, theystood firm and straight before the future, and if adversity was at lastto strike them, it would find in them men prepared to struggle againstit. Chapter 9 The convalescence of the young invalid was regularly progressing. Onething only was now to be desired, that his state would allow him to bebrought to Granite House. However well built and supplied the corralhouse was, it could not be so comfortable as the healthy granitedwelling. Besides, it did not offer the same security, and its tenants, notwithstanding their watchfulness, were here always in fear of someshot from the convicts. There, on the contrary, in the middle of thatimpregnable and inaccessible cliff, they would have nothing to fear, andany attack on their persons would certainly fail. They therefore waitedimpatiently for the moment when Herbert might be moved without dangerfrom his wound, and they were determined to make this move, although thecommunication through Jacamar Wood was very difficult. They had no news from Neb, but were not uneasy on that account. Thecourageous Negro, well entrenched in the depths of Granite House, wouldnot allow himself to be surprised. Top had not been sent again to him, as it appeared useless to expose the faithful dog to some shot whichmight deprive the settlers of their most useful auxiliary. They waited, therefore, although they were anxious to be reunited atGranite House. It pained the engineer to see his forces divided, for itgave great advantage to the pirates. Since Ayrton's disappearance theywere only four against five, for Herbert could not yet be counted, andthis was not the least care of the brave boy, who well understood thetrouble of which he was the cause. The question of knowing how, in their condition, they were to actagainst the pirates, was thoroughly discussed on the 29th of Novemberby Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, and Pencroft, at a moment when Herbertwas asleep and could not hear them. "My friends, " said the reporter, after they had talked of Neb and of theimpossibility of communicating with him, "I think, --like you, that toventure on the road to the corral would be to risk receiving a gunshotwithout being able to return it. But do you not think that the bestthing to be done now is to openly give chase to these wretches?" "That is just what I was thinking, " answered Pencroft. "I believe we'renot fellows to be afraid of a bullet, and as for me, if Captain Hardingapproves, I'm ready to dash into the forest! Why, hang it, one man isequal to another!" "But is he equal to five?" asked the engineer. "I will join Pencroft, " said the reporter, "and both of us, well-armedand accompanied by Top--" "My dear Spilett, and you, Pencroft, " answered Harding, "let us reasoncoolly. If the convicts were hid in one spot of the island, if we knewthat spot, and had only to dislodge them, I would undertake a directattack; but is there not occasion to fear, on the contrary, that theyare sure to fire the first shot?" "Well, captain, " cried Pencroft, "a bullet does not always reach itsmark. " "That which struck Herbert did not miss, Pencroft, " replied theengineer. "Besides, observe that if both of you left the corral I shouldremain here alone to defend it. Do you imagine that the convicts willnot see you leave it, that they will not allow you to enter the forest, and that they will not attack it during your absence, knowing that thereis no one here but a wounded boy and a man?" "You are right, captain, " replied Pencroft, his chest swelling withsullen anger. "You are right; they will do all they can to retake thecorral, which they know to be well stored; and alone you could not holdit against them. " "Oh, if we were only at Granite House!" "If we were at Granite House, " answered the engineer, "the case would bevery different. There I should not be afraid to leave Herbert with one, while the other three went to search the forests of the island. But weare at the corral, and it is best to stay here until we can leave ittogether. " Cyrus Harding's reasoning was unanswerable, and his companionsunderstood it well. "If only Ayrton was still one of us!" said Gideon Spilett. "Poor fellow!his return to social life will have been but of short duration. " "If he is dead, " added Pencroft, in a peculiar tone. "Do you hope, then, Pencroft, that the villains have spared him?" askedGideon Spilett. "Yes, if they had any interest in doing so. " "What! you suppose that Ayrton finding his old companions, forgettingall that he owes us--" "Who knows?" answered the sailor, who did not hazard this shamefulsupposition without hesitating. "Pencroft, " said Harding, taking the sailor's arm, "that is a wickedidea of yours, and you will distress me much if you persist in speakingthus. I will answer for Ayrton's fidelity. " "And I also, " added the reporter quickly. "Yes, yes, captain, I was wrong, " replied Pencroft; "it was a wickedidea indeed that I had, and nothing justifies it. But what can I do? I'mnot in my senses. This imprisonment in the corral wearies me horribly, and I have never felt so excited as I do now. "Be patient, Pencroft, " replied the engineer. "How long will it be, mydear Spilett, before you think Herbert may be carried to Granite House?" "That is difficult to say, Cyrus, " answered the reporter, "for anyimprudence might involve terrible consequences. But his convalescenceis progressing, and if he continues to gain strength, in eight days fromnow--well, we shall see. " Eight days! That would put off the return to Granite House until thefirst days of December. At this time two months of spring had alreadypassed. The weather was fine, and the heat began to be great. Theforests of the island were in full leaf, and the time was approachingwhen the usual crops ought to be gathered. The return to the plateau ofProspect Heights would, therefore, be followed by extensive agriculturallabors, interrupted only by the projected expedition through the island. It can, therefore, be well understood how injurious this seclusion inthe corral must have been to the colonists. But if they were compelled to bow before necessity, they did not do sowithout impatience. Once or twice the reporter ventured out into the road and made thetour of the palisade. Top accompanied him, and Gideon Spilett, his guncocked, was ready for any emergency. He met with no misadventure and found no suspicious traces. His dogwould have warned him of any danger, and, as Top did not bark, it mightbe concluded that there was nothing to fear at the moment at least, andthat the convicts were occupied in another part of the island. However, on his second sortie, on the 27th of November, Gideon Spilett, who had ventured a quarter of a mile into the woods, towards the southof the mountain, remarked that Top scented something. The dog had nolonger his unconcerned manner; he went backwards and forwards, ferretingamong the grass and bushes as if his smell had revealed some suspiciousobject to him. Gideon Spilett followed Top, encouraged him, excited him by his voice, while keeping a sharp look-out, his gun ready to fire, and shelteringhimself behind the trees. It was not probable that Top scented thepresence of man, for in that case, he would have announced it byhalf-uttered, sullen, angry barks. Now, as he did not growl, it wasbecause danger was neither near nor approaching. Nearly five minutes passed thus, Top rummaging, the reporter followinghim prudently when, all at once, the dog rushed towards a thick bush, and drew out a rag. It was a piece of cloth, stained and torn, which Spilett immediatelybrought back to the corral. There it was examined by the colonists, who found that it was a fragment of Ayrton's waistcoat, a piece of thatfelt, manufactured solely by the Granite House factory. "You see, Pencroft, " observed Harding, "there has been resistance on thepart of the unfortunate Ayrton. The convicts have dragged him away inspite of himself! Do you still doubt his honesty?" "No, captain, " answered the sailor, "and I repented of my suspicion along time ago! But it seems to me that something may be learned from theincident. " "What is that?" asked the reporter. "It is that Ayrton was not killed at the corral! That they dragged himaway living, since he has resisted. Therefore, perhaps, he is stillliving!" "Perhaps, indeed, " replied the engineer, who remained thoughtful. This was a hope, to which Ayrton's companions could still hold. Indeed, they had before believed that, surprised in the corral, Ayrton hadfallen by a bullet, as Herbert had fallen. But if the convicts had notkilled him at first, if they had brought him living to another part ofthe island, might it not be admitted that he was still their prisoner?Perhaps, even, one of them had found in Ayrton his old Australiancompanion Ben Joyce, the chief of the escaped convicts. And who knowsbut that they had conceived the impossible hope of bringing back Ayrtonto themselves? He would have been very useful to them, if they had beenable to make him turn traitor! This incident was, therefore, favorably interpreted at the corral, andit no longer appeared impossible that they should find Ayrton again. On his side, if he was only a prisoner, Ayrton would no doubt do allhe could to escape from the hands of the villains, and this would be apowerful aid to the settlers! "At any rate, " observed Gideon Spilett, "if happily Ayrton did manage toescape, he would go directly to Granite House, for he could not knowof the attempted assassination of which Herbert has been a victim, andconsequently would never think of our being imprisoned in the corral. " "Oh! I wish that he was there, at Granite House!" cried Pencroft, "andthat we were there, too! For, although the rascals can do nothing to ourhouse, they may plunder the plateau, our plantations, our poultry-yard!" Pencroft had become a thorough farmer, heartily attached to his crops. But it must be said that Herbert was more anxious than any to returnto Granite House, for he knew how much the presence of the settlerswas needed there. And it was he who was keeping them at the corral!Therefore, one idea occupied his mind--to leave the corral, and when!He believed he could bear removal to Granite House. He was sure hisstrength would return more quickly in his room, with the air and sightof the sea! Several times he pressed Gideon Spilett, but the latter, fearing, withgood reason, that Herbert's wounds, half healed, might reopen on theway, did not give the order to start. However, something occurred which compelled Cyrus Harding and histwo friends to yield to the lad's wish, and God alone knew that thisdetermination might cause them grief and remorse. It was the 29th of November, seven o'clock in the evening. The threesettlers were talking in Herbert's room, when they heard Top utter quickbarks. Harding, Pencroft, and Spilett seized their guns and ran out of thehouse. Top, at the foot of the palisade, was jumping, barking, but itwas with pleasure, not anger. "Some one is coming. " "Yes. " "It is not an enemy!" "Neb, perhaps?" "Or Ayrton?" These words had hardly been exchanged between the engineer and his twocompanions when a body leaped over the palisade and fell on the groundinside the corral. It was Jup, Master Jup in person, to whom Top immediately gave a mostcordial reception. "Jup!" exclaimed Pencroft. "Neb has sent him to us, " said the reporter. "Then, " replied the engineer, "he must have some note on him. " Pencroft rushed up to the orang. Certainly if Neb had any importantmatter to communicate to his master he could not employ a more sure ormore rapid messenger, who could pass where neither the colonists could, nor even Top himself. Cyrus Harding was not mistaken. At Jup's neck hung a small bag, and inthis bag was found a little note traced by Neb's hand. The despair of Harding and his companions may be imagined when they readthese words:-- "Friday, six o'clock in the morning. "Plateau invaded by convicts. "Neb. " They gazed at each other without uttering a word, then they re-enteredthe house. What were they to do? The convicts on Prospect Heights! thatwas disaster, devastation, ruin. Herbert, on seeing the engineer, the reporter, and Pencroft re-enter, guessed that their situation was aggravated, and when he saw Jup, he nolonger doubted that some misfortune menaced Granite House. "Captain Harding, " said he, "I must go; I can bear the journey. I mustgo. " Gideon Spilett approached Herbert; then, having looked at him, -- "Let us go, then!" said he. The question was quickly decided whether Herbert should be carried on alitter or in the cart which had brought Ayrton to the corral. The motionof the litter would have been more easy for the wounded lad, but itwould have necessitated two bearers, that is to say, there would havebeen two guns less for defense if an attack was made on the road. Wouldthey not, on the contrary, by employing the cart leave every arm free?Was it impossible to place the mattress on which Herbert was lying init, and to advance with so much care that any jolt should be avoided? Itcould be done. The cart was brought. Pencroft harnessed the onager. Cyrus Harding andthe reporter raised Herbert's mattress and placed it on the bottom ofthe cart. The weather was fine. The sun's bright rays glanced throughthe trees. "Are the guns ready?" asked Cyrus Harding. They were. The engineer and Pencroft, each armed with a double-barreledgun, and Gideon Spilett carrying his rifle, had nothing to do but start. "Are you comfortable, Herbert?" asked the engineer. "Ah, captain, " replied the lad, "don't be uneasy, I shall not die on theroad!" While speaking thus, it could be seen that the poor boy had called upall his energy, and by the energy of a powerful will had collected hisfailing strength. The engineer felt his heart sink painfully. He still hesitated togive the signal for departure; but that would have driven Herbert todespair--killed him perhaps. "Forward!" said Harding. The gate of the corral was opened. Jup and Top, who knew when to besilent, ran in advance. The cart came out, the gate was reclosed, andthe onager, led by Pencroft, advanced at a slow pace. Certainly, it would have been safer to have taken a different road thanthat which led straight from the corral to Granite House, but the cartwould have met with great difficulties in moving under the trees. It wasnecessary, therefore, to follow this way, although it was well known tothe convicts. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett walked one on each side of the cart, ready to answer to any attack. However, it was not probable that theconvicts would have yet left the plateau of Prospect Heights. Neb's note had evidently been written and sent as soon as the convictshad shown themselves there. Now, this note was dated six o'clock inthe morning, and the active orang, accustomed to come frequently to thecorral, had taken scarcely three quarters of an hour to cross the fivemiles which separated it from Granite House. They would, therefore, besafe at that time, and if there was any occasion for firing, it wouldprobably not be until they were in the neighborhood of Granite House. However, the colonists kept a strict watch. Top and Jup, the latterarmed with his club, sometimes in front, sometimes beating the wood atthe sides of the road, signalized no danger. The cart advanced slowly under Pencroft's guidance. It had left thecorral at half-past seven. An hour after, four out of the five mileshad been cleared, without any incident having occurred. The road wasas deserted as all that part of the Jacamar Wood which lay between theMercy and the lake. There was no occasion for any warning. The woodappeared as deserted as on the day when the colonists first landed onthe island. They approached the plateau. Another mile and they would see the bridgeover Creek Glycerine. Cyrus Harding expected to find it in its place;supposing that the convicts would have crossed it, and that, afterhaving passed one of the streams which enclosed the plateau, theywould have taken the precaution to lower it again, so as to keep open aretreat. At length an opening in the trees allowed the sea-horizon to be seen. But the cart continued its progress, for not one of its defendersthought of abandoning it. At that moment Pencroft stopped the onager, and in a hoarse voice, -- "Oh! the villains!" he exclaimed. And he pointed to a thick smoke rising from the mill, the sheds, and thebuildings at the poultry-yard. A man was moving about in the midst of the smoke. It was Neb. His companions uttered a shout. He heard, and ran to meet them. The convicts had left the plateau nearly half-an-hour before, havingdevastated it! "And Mr. Herbert?" asked Neb. Gideon Spilett returned to the cart. Herbert had lost consciousness! Chapter 10 Of the convicts, the dangers which menaced Granite House, the ruinswith which the plateau was covered, the colonists thought no longer. Herbert's critical state outweighed all other considerations. Would theremoval prove fatal to him by causing some internal injury? The reportercould not affirm it, but he and his companions almost despaired ofthe result. The cart was brought to the bend of the river. There somebranches, disposed as a liner, received the mattress on which lay theunconscious Herbert. Ten minutes after, Cyrus Harding, Spilett, andPencroft were at the foot of the cliff, leaving Neb to take the carton to the plateau of Prospect Heights. The lift was put in motion, andHerbert was soon stretched on his bed in Granite House. What cares were lavished on him to bring him back to life! He smiled fora moment on finding himself in his room, but could scarcely even murmura few words, so great was his weakness. Gideon Spilett examined hiswounds. He feared to find them reopened, having been imperfectly healed. There was nothing of the sort. From whence, then, came this prostration?why was Herbert so much worse? The lad then fell into a kind of feverishsleep, and the reporter and Pencroft remained near the bed. During thistime, Harding told Neb all that had happened at the corral, and Nebrecounted to his master the events of which the plateau had just beenthe theater. It was only during the preceding night that the convicts had appeared onthe edge of the forest, at the approaches to Creek Glycerine. Neb, whowas watching near the poultry-yard, had not hesitated to fire at one ofthe pirates, who was about to cross the stream; but in the darkness hecould not tell whether the man had been hit or not. At any rate, it wasnot enough to frighten away the band, and Neb had only just time to getup to Granite House, where at least he was in safety. But what was he to do there? How prevent the devastations with which theconvicts threatened the plateau? Had Neb any means by which to warnhis master? And, besides, in what situation were the inhabitants of thecorral themselves? Cyrus Harding and his companions had left on the 11thof November, and it was now the 29th. It was, therefore, nineteen dayssince Neb had had other news than that brought by Top--disastrous news:Ayrton disappeared, Herbert severely wounded, the engineer, reporter, and sailor, as it were, imprisoned in the corral! What was he to do? asked poor Neb. Personally he had nothing tofear, for the convicts could not reach him in Granite House. But thebuildings, the plantations, all their arrangements at the mercy of thepirates! Would it not be best to let Cyrus Harding judge of what heought to do, and to warn him, at least, of the danger which threatenedhim? Neb then thought of employing Jup, and confiding a note to him. He knewthe orang's great intelligence, which had been often put to the proof. Jup understood the word corral, which had been frequently pronouncedbefore him, and it may be remembered, too, that he had often driventhe cart thither in company with Pencroft. Day had not yet dawned. Theactive orang would know how to pass unperceived through the woods, ofwhich the convicts, besides, would think he was a native. Neb did not hesitate. He wrote the note, he tied it to Jup's neck, hebrought the ape to the door of Granite House, from which he let down along cord to the ground; then, several times he repeated these words, -- "Jup Jup! corral, corral!" The creature understood, seized the cord, glided rapidly down the beach, and disappeared in the darkness without the convicts' attention havingbeen in the least excited. "You did well, Neb, " said Harding, "but perhaps in not warning us youwould have done still better!" And, in speaking thus, Cyrus Harding thought of Herbert, whose recoverythe removal had so seriously checked. Neb ended his account. The convicts had not appeared at all on thebeach. Not knowing the number of the island's inhabitants, they mightsuppose that Granite House was defended by a large party. They must haveremembered that during the attack by the brig numerous shot had beenfired both from the lower and upper rocks, and no doubt they did notwish to expose themselves. But the plateau of Prospect Heights wasopen to them, and not covered by the fire of Granite House. They gavethemselves up, therefore, to their instinct of destruction, --plundering, burning, devastating everything, --and only retiring half an hour beforethe arrival of the colonists, whom they believed still confined in thecorral. On their retreat, Neb hurried out. He climbed the plateau at the riskof being perceived and fired at, tried to extinguish the fire which wasconsuming the buildings of the poultry-yard, and had struggled, thoughin vain, against it until the cart appeared at the edge of the wood. Such had been these serious events. The presence of the convictsconstituted a permanent source of danger to the settlers in LincolnIsland, until then so happy, and who might now expect still greatermisfortunes. Spilett remained in Granite House with Herbert and Pencroft, whileCyrus Harding, accompanied by Neb, proceeded to judge for himself of theextent of the disaster. It was fortunate that the convicts had not advanced to the foot ofGranite House. The workshop at the Chimneys would in that case nothave escaped destruction. But after all, this evil would have been moreeasily reparable than the ruins accumulated on the plateau of ProspectHeights. Harding and Neb proceeded towards the Mercy, and ascended itsleft bank without meeting with any trace of the convicts; nor on theother side of the river, in the depths of the wood, could they perceiveany suspicious indications. Besides, it might be supposed that in all probability either theconvicts knew of the return of the settlers to Granite House, by havingseen them pass on the road from the corral, or, after the devastation ofthe plateau, they had penetrated into Jacamar Wood, following the courseof the Mercy, and were thus ignorant of their return. In the former case, they must have returned towards the corral, nowwithout defenders, and which contained valuable stores. In the latter, they must have regained their encampment, and would waiton opportunity to recommence the attack. It was, therefore, possible to prevent them, but any enterprise to clearthe island was now rendered difficult by reason of Herbert's condition. Indeed, their whole force would have been barely sufficient to cope withthe convicts, and just now no one could leave Granite House. The engineer and Neb arrived on the plateau. Desolation reignedeverywhere. The fields had been trampled over; the ears of wheat, whichwere nearly full-grown, lay on the ground. The other plantations had notsuffered less. The kitchen-garden was destroyed. Happily, Granite House possessed astore of seed which would enable them to repair these misfortunes. As to the wall and buildings of the poultry-yard and the onagers stable, the fire had destroyed all. A few terrified creatures roamed over theplateau. The birds, which during the fire had taken refuge on the watersof the lake, had already returned to their accustomed spot, and weredabbling on the banks. Everything would have to be reconstructed. Cyrus Harding's face, which was paler than usual, expressed an internalanger which he commanded with difficulty, but he did not utter a word. Once more he looked at his devastated fields, and at the smoke whichstill rose from the ruins, then he returned to Granite House. The following days were the saddest of any that the colonists had passedon the island! Herbert's weakness visibly increased. It appeared thata more serious malady, the consequence of the profound physiologicaldisturbance he had gone through, threatened to declare itself, andGideon Spilett feared such an aggravation of his condition that he wouldbe powerless to fight against it! In fact, Herbert remained in an almost continuous state of drowsiness, and symptoms of delirium began to manifest themselves. Refreshing drinkswere the only remedies at the colonists' disposal. The fever was notas yet very high, but it soon appeared that it would probably recur atregular intervals. Gideon Spilett first recognized this on the 6th ofDecember. The poor boy, whose fingers, nose, and ears had become extremelypale, was at first seized with slight shiverings, horripilations, andtremblings. His pulse was weak and irregular, his skin dry, his thirstintense. To this soon succeeded a hot fit; his face became flushed; hisskin reddened; his pulse quick; then a profuse perspiration broke outafter which the fever seemed to diminish. The attack had lasted nearlyfive hours. Gideon Spilett had not left Herbert, who, it was only too certain, wasnow seized by an intermittent fever, and this fever must be cured at anycost before it should assume a more serious aspect. "And in order to cure it, " said Spilett to Cyrus Harding, "we need afebrifuge. " "A febrifuge--" answered the engineer. "We have neither Peruvian bark, nor sulphate of quinine. " "No, " said Gideon Spilett, "but there are willows on the border ofthe lake, and the bark of the willow might, perhaps, prove to be asubstitute for quinine. " "Let us try it without losing a moment, " replied Cyrus Harding. The bark of the willow has, indeed, been justly considered as asuccedaneum for Peruvian bark, as has also that of the horse-chestnuttree, the leaf of the holly, the snake-root, etc. It was evidentlynecessary to make trial of this substance, although not so valuable asPeruvian bark, and to employ it in its natural state, since they had nomeans for extracting its essence. Cyrus Harding went himself to cut from the trunk of a species of blackwillow, a few pieces of bark; he brought them back to Granite House, andreduced them to a powder, which was administered that same evening toHerbert. The night passed without any important change. Herbert was somewhatdelirious, but the fever did not reappear in the night, and did notreturn either during the following day. Pencroft again began to hope. Gideon Spilett said nothing. It might bethat the fever was not quotidian, but tertian, and that it would returnnext day. Therefore, he awaited the next day with the greatest anxiety. It might have been remarked besides that during this period Herbertremained utterly prostrate, his head weak and giddy. Another symptomalarmed the reporter to the highest degree. Herbert's liver becamecongested, and soon a more intense delirium showed that his brain wasalso affected. Gideon Spilett was overwhelmed by this new complication. He took theengineer aside. "It is a malignant fever, " said he. "A malignant fever!" cried Harding. "You are mistaken, Spilett. Amalignant fever does not declare itself spontaneously; its germ mustpreviously have existed. " "I am not mistaken, " replied the reporter. "Herbert no doubt contractedthe germ of this fever in the marshes of the island. He has already hadone attack; should a second come on and should we not be able to preventa third, he is lost. " "But the willow bark?" "That is insufficient, " answered the reporter, "and the third attack ofa malignant fever, which is not arrested by means of quinine, is alwaysfatal. " Fortunately, Pencroft heard nothing of this conversation or he wouldhave gone mad. It may be imagined what anxiety the engineer and the reporter sufferedduring the day of the 7th of December and the following night. Towards the middle of the day the second attack came on. The crisis wasterrible. Herbert felt himself sinking. He stretched his arms towardsCyrus Harding, towards Spilett, towards Pencroft. He was so young todie! The scene was heart-rending. They were obliged to send Pencroftaway. The fit lasted five hours. It was evident that Herbert could not survivea third. The night was frightful. In his delirium Herbert uttered words whichwent to the hearts of his companions. He struggled with the convicts, he called to Ayrton, he poured forth entreaties to that mysteriousbeing, --that powerful unknown protector, --whose image was stamped uponhis mind; then he again fell into a deep exhaustion which completelyprostrated him. Several times Gideon Spilett thought that the poor boywas dead. The next day, the 8th of December, was but a succession of the faintingfits. Herbert's thin hands clutched the sheets. They had administeredfurther doses of pounded bark, but the reporter expected no result fromit. "If before tomorrow morning we have not given him a more energeticfebrifuge, " said the reporter, "Herbert will be dead. " Night arrived--the last night, it was too much to be feared, of thegood, brave, intelligent boy, so far in advance of his years, and whowas loved by all as their own child. The only remedy which existedagainst this terrible malignant fever, the only specific which couldovercome it, was not to be found in Lincoln Island. During the night of the 8th of December, Herbert was seized by a moreviolent delirium. His liver was fearfully congested, his brain affected, and already it was impossible for him to recognize any one. Would he live until the next day, until that third attack whichmust infallibly carry him off? It was not probable. His strength wasexhausted, and in the intervals of fever he lay as one dead. Towards three o'clock in the morning Herbert uttered a piercing cry. He seemed to be torn by a supreme convulsion. Neb, who was near him, terrified, ran into the next room where his companions were watching. Top, at that moment, barked in a strange manner. All rushed in immediately and managed to restrain the dying boy, who wasendeavoring to throw himself out of his bed, while Spilett, taking hisarm, felt his pulse gradually quicken. It was five in the morning. The rays of the rising sun began to shine inat the windows of Granite House. It promised to be a fine day, and thisday was to be poor Herbert's last! A ray glanced on the table placed near the bed. Suddenly Pencroft, uttering a cry, pointed to the table. On it lay a little oblong box, of which the cover bore thesewords:--"SULPHATE OF QUININE. " Chapter 11 Gideon Spilett took the box and opened it. It contained nearly twohundred grains of a white powder, a few particles of which he carried tohis lips. The extreme bitterness of the substance precluded all doubt;it was certainly the precious extract of quinine, that pre-eminentantifebrile. This powder must be administered to Herbert without delay. How it camethere might be discussed later. "Some coffee!" said Spilett. In a few moments Neb brought a cup of the warm infusion. Gideon Spilettthrew into it about eighteen grains of quinine, and they succeeded inmaking Herbert drink the mixture. There was still time, for the third attack of the malignant fever hadnot yet shown itself. How they longed to be able to add that it wouldnot return! Besides, it must be remarked, the hopes of all had now revived. Themysterious influence had been again exerted, and in a critical moment, when they had despaired of it. In a few hours Herbert was much calmer. The colonists could now discussthis incident. The intervention of the stranger was more evident thanever. But how had he been able to penetrate during the night intoGranite House? It was inexplicable, and, in truth, the proceedings ofthe genius of the island were not less mysterious than was that geniushimself. During this day the sulphate of quinine was administered toHerbert every three hours. The next day some improvement in Herbert's condition was apparent. Certainly, he was not out of danger, intermittent fevers being subjectto frequent and dangerous relapses, but the most assiduous care wasbestowed on him. And besides, the specific was at hand; nor, doubtless, was he who had brought it far distant! And the hearts of all wereanimated by returning hope. This hope was not disappointed. Ten days after, on the 20th of December, Herbert's convalescence commenced. He was still weak, and strict diet had been imposed upon him, but noaccess of fever supervened. And then, the poor boy submitted with suchdocility to all the prescriptions ordered him! He longed so to get well! Pencroft was as a man who has been drawn up from the bottom of an abyss. Fits of joy approaching delirium seized him. When the time for the thirdattack had passed by, he nearly suffocated the reporter in his embrace. Since then, he always called him Dr. Spilett. The real doctor, however, remained undiscovered. "We will find him!" repeated the sailor. Certainly, this man, whoever he was, might expect a somewhat tooenergetic embrace from the worthy Pencroft! The month of December ended, and with it the year 1867, during whichthe colonists of Lincoln Island had of late been so severely tried. They commenced the year 1868 with magnificent weather, great heat, anda tropical temperature, delightfully cooled by the sea-breeze. Herbert'srecovery progressed, and from his bed, placed near one of the windows ofGranite House, he could inhale the fresh air, charged with ozone, whichcould not fail to restore his health. His appetite returned, and whatnumberless delicate, savory little dishes Neb prepared for him! "It is enough to make one wish to have a fever oneself!" said Pencroft. During all this time, the convicts did not once appear in the vicinityof Granite House. There was no news of Ayrton, and though the engineerand Herbert still had some hopes of finding him again, their companionsdid not doubt but that the unfortunate man had perished. However, thisuncertainty could not last, and when once the lad should have recovered, the expedition, the result of which must be so important, would beundertaken. But they would have to wait a month, perhaps, for allthe strength of the colony must be put into requisition to obtainsatisfaction from the convicts. However, Herbert's convalescence progressed rapidly. The congestion ofthe liver had disappeared, and his wounds might be considered completelyhealed. During the month of January, important work was done on the plateauof Prospect Heights; but it consisted solely in saving as much as waspossible from the devastated crops, either of corn or vegetables. Thegrain and the plants were gathered, so as to provide a new harvest forthe approaching half-season. With regard to rebuilding the poultry-yard, wall, or stables, Cyrus Harding preferred to wait. While he and hiscompanions were in pursuit of the convicts, the latter might veryprobably pay another visit to the plateau, and it would be useless togive them an opportunity of recommencing their work of destruction. Whenthe island should be cleared of these miscreants, they would set aboutrebuilding. The young convalescent began to get up in the second week ofJanuary, at first for one hour a day, then two, then three. His strengthvisibly returned, so vigorous was his constitution. He was now eighteenyears of age. He was tall, and promised to become a man of noble andcommanding presence. From this time his recovery, while still requiringcare, --and Dr. Spilett was very strict, --made rapid progress. Towardsthe end of the month, Herbert was already walking about on ProspectHeights, and the beach. He derived, from several sea-baths, which he took in company withPencroft and Neb, the greatest possible benefit. Cyrus Harding thoughthe might now settle the day for their departure, for which the 15th ofFebruary was fixed. The nights, very clear at this time of year, wouldbe favorable to the researches they intended to make all over theisland. The necessary preparations for this exploration were now commenced, andwere important, for the colonists had sworn not to return to GraniteHouse until their twofold object had been achieved; on the one hand, toexterminate the convicts, and rescue Ayrton, if he was still living; onthe other, to discover who it was that presided so effectually over thefortunes of the colony. Of Lincoln Island, the settlers knew thoroughly all the eastern coastfrom Claw Cape to the Mandible Capes, the extensive Tadorn Marsh, theneighborhood of Lake Grant, Jacamar Wood, between the road to the corraland the Mercy, the courses of the Mercy and Red Creek, and lastly, thespurs of Mount Franklin, among which the corral had been established. They had explored, though only in an imperfect manner, the vast shoreof Washington Bay from Claw Cape to Reptile End, the woody and marshyborder of the west coast, and the interminable downs, ending at the openmouth of Shark Gulf. But they had in no way surveyed the woods whichcovered the Serpentine Peninsula, all to the right of the Mercy, theleft bank of Falls River, and the wilderness of spurs and valleys whichsupported three quarters of the base of Mount Franklin, to the east, thenorth, and the west, and where doubtless many secret retreats existed. Consequently, many millions of acres of the island had still escapedtheir investigations. It was, therefore, decided that the expedition should be carried throughthe Far West, so as to include all that region situated on the right ofthe Mercy. It might, perhaps, be better worth while to go direct to the corral, where it might be supposed that the convicts had again taken refuge, either to pillage or to establish themselves there. But either thedevastation of the corral would have been an accomplished fact bythis time, and it would be too late to prevent it, or it had been theconvicts' interest to entrench themselves there, and there would bestill time to go and turn them out on their return. Therefore, after some discussion, the first plan was adhered to, and thesettlers resolved to proceed through the wood to Reptile End. They wouldmake their way with their hatchets, and thus lay the first draft of aroad which would place Granite House in communication with the end ofthe peninsula for a length of from sixteen to seventeen miles. The cart was in good condition. The onagers, well rested, could go along journey. Provisions, camp effects, a portable stove, and variousutensils were packed in the cart, as also weapons and ammunition, carefully chosen from the now complete arsenal of Granite House. But itwas necessary to remember that the convicts were, perhaps, roaming aboutthe woods, and that in the midst of these thick forests a shot mightquickly be fired and received. It was therefore resolved that the littleband of settlers should remain together and not separate under anypretext whatever. It was also decided that no one should remain at Granite House. Topand Jup themselves were to accompany the expedition; the inaccessibledwelling needed no guard. The 14th of February, eve of the departure, was consecrated entirely to repose, and--thanksgiving addressed by thecolonists to the Creator. A place in the cart was reserved for Herbert, who, though thoroughly convalescent, was still a little weak. The nextmorning, at daybreak, Cyrus Harding took the necessary measures toprotect Granite House from any invasion. The ladders, which wereformerly used for the ascent, were brought to the Chimneys and burieddeep in the sand, so that they might be available on the return of thecolonists, for the machinery of the lift had been taken to pieces, andnothing of the apparatus remained. Pencroft stayed the last in GraniteHouse in order to finish this work, and he then lowered himself downby means of a double rope held below, and which, when once hauled down, left no communication between the upper landing and the beach. The weather was magnificent. "We shall have a warm day of it, " said the reporter, laughing. "Pooh! Dr. Spilett, " answered Pencroft, "we shall walk under the shadeof the trees and shan't even see the sun!" "Forward!" said the engineer. The cart was waiting on the beach before the Chimneys. The reportermade Herbert take his place in it during the first hours at least of thejourney, and the lad was obliged to submit to his doctor's orders. Neb placed himself at the onagers' heads. Cyrus Harding, the reporter, and the sailor, walked in front. Top bounded joyfully along. Herbertoffered a seat in his vehicle to Jup, who accepted it without ceremony. The moment for departure had arrived, and the little band set out. The cart first turned the angle of the mouth of the Mercy, then, havingascended the left bank for a mile, crossed the bridge, at the other sideof which commenced the road to Port Balloon, and there the explorers, leaving this road on their left, entered the cover of the immense woodswhich formed the region of the Far West. For the first two miles the widely scattered trees allowed the cart topass with ease; from time to time it became necessary to cut away a fewcreepers and bushes, but no serious obstacle impeded the progress of thecolonists. The thick foliage of the trees threw a grateful shade on the ground. Deodars, Douglas firs, casuarinas, banksias, gum-trees, dragon-trees, and other well-known species, succeeded each other far as the eye couldreach. The feathered tribes of the island were all represented--grouse, jacamars, pheasants, lories, as well as the chattering cockatoos, parrots, and paroquets. Agouties, kangaroos, and capybaras fled swiftlyat their approach; and all this reminded the settlers of the firstexcursions they had made on their arrival at the island. "Nevertheless, " observed Cyrus Harding, "I notice that these creatures, both birds and quadrupeds, are more timid than formerly. These woodshave, therefore, been recently traversed by the convicts, and we shallcertainly find some traces of them. " And, in fact, in several places they could distinguish traces, more orless recent, of the passage of a band of men--here branches broken offthe trees, perhaps to mark out the way; there the ashes of a fire, andfootprints in clayey spots; but nothing which appeared to belong to asettled encampment. The engineer had recommended his companions to refrain from hunting. Thereports of the firearms might give the alarm to the convicts, whowere, perhaps, roaming through the forest. Moreover, the hunters wouldnecessarily ramble some distance from the cart, which it was dangerousto leave unguarded. In the afterpart of the day, when about six miles from Granite House, their progress became much more difficult. In order to make their waythrough some thickets, they were obliged to cut down trees. Beforeentering such places Harding was careful to send in Top and Jup, whofaithfully accomplished their commission, and when the dog and orangreturned without giving any warning, there was evidently nothing tofear, either from convicts or wild beasts, two varieties of the animalkingdom, whose ferocious instincts placed them on the same level. On theevening of the first day the colonists encamped about nine miles fromGranite House, on the border of a little stream falling into the Mercy, and of the existence of which they had till then been ignorant; itevidently, however, belonged to the hydiographical system to which thesoil owed its astonishing fertility. The settlers made a hearty meal, for their appetites were sharpened, and measures were then taken thatthe night might be passed in safety. If the engineer had had only todeal with wild beasts, jaguars or others, he would have simply lightedfires all around his camp, which would have sufficed for its defense;but the convicts would be rather attracted than terrified by the flames, and it was, therefore, better to be surrounded by the profound darknessof night. The watch was, however, carefully organized. Two of the settlers wereto watch together, and every two hours it was agreed that they shouldbe relieved by their comrades. And so, notwithstanding his wish to thecontrary, Herbert was exempted from guard. Pencroft and Gideon Spilettin one party, the engineer and Neb in another, mounted guard in turnsover the camp. The night, however, was but of few hours. The darkness was due rather tothe thickness of the foliage than to the disappearance of the sun. The silence was scarcely disturbed by the howling of jaguars and thechattering of the monkeys, the latter appearing to particularly irritateMaster Jup. The night passed without incident, and on the next day, the15th of February, the journey through the forest, tedious rather thandifficult, was continued. This day they could not accomplish more thansix miles, for every moment they were obliged to cut a road with theirhatchets. Like true settlers, the colonists spared the largest and most beautifultrees, which would besides have cost immense labor to fell, and thesmall ones only were sacrificed, but the result was that the road took avery winding direction, and lengthened itself by numerous detours. During the day Herbert discovered several new specimens not before metwith in the island, such as the tree-fern, with its leaves spread outlike the waters of a fountain, locust-trees, on the long pods ofwhich the onagers browsed greedily, and which supplied a sweet pulpof excellent flavor. There, too, the colonists again found groups ofmagnificent kauries, their cylindrical trunks, crowded with a coneof verdure, rising to a height of two hundred feet. These were thetree-kings of New Zealand, as celebrated as the cedars of Lebanon. As to the fauna, there was no addition to those species already known tothe hunters. Nevertheless, they saw, though unable to get near them, acouple of those large birds peculiar to Australia, a sort of cassowary, called emu, five feet in height, and with brown plumage, which belongto the tribe of waders. Top darted after them as fast as his four legscould carry him, but the emus distanced him with ease, so prodigious wastheir speed. As to the traces left by the convicts, a few more were discovered. Somefootprints found near an apparently recently extinguished fire wereattentively examined by the settlers. By measuring them one after theother, according to their length and breadth, the marks of five men'sfeet were easily distinguished. The five convicts had evidentlycamped on this spot; but, --and this was the object of so minute anexamination, --a sixth footprint could not be discovered, which in thatcase would have been that of Ayrton. "Ayrton was not with them!" said Herbert. "No, " answered Pencroft, "and if he was not with them, it was becausethe wretches had already murdered him! but then these rascals have not aden to which they may be tracked like tigers!" "No, " replied the reporter, "it is more probable that they wander atrandom, and it is their interest to rove about until the time when theywill be masters of the island!" "The masters of the island!" exclaimed the sailor; "the masters of theisland!... " he repeated, and his voice was choked, as if his throat wasseized in an iron grasp. Then in a calmer tone, "Do you know, CaptainHarding, " said he, "what the ball is which I have rammed into my gun?" "No, Pencroft!" "It is the ball that went through Herbert's chest, and I promise you itwon't miss its mark!" But this just retaliation would not bring Ayrton back to life, and fromthe examination of the footprints left in the ground, they must, alas!conclude that all hopes of ever seeing him again must be abandoned. That evening they encamped fourteen miles from Granite House, and CyrusHarding calculated that they could not be more than five miles fromReptile Point. And indeed, the next day the extremity of the peninsula was reached, andthe whole length of the forest had been traversed; but there was nothingto indicate the retreat in which the convicts had taken refuge, northat, no less secret, which sheltered the mysterious unknown. Chapter 12 The next day, the 18th of February, was devoted to the explorationof all that wooded region forming the shore from Reptile End to FallsRiver. The colonists were able to search this forest thoroughly, for, asit was comprised between the two shores of the Serpentine Peninsula, itwas only from three to four miles in breadth. The trees, both by theirheight and their thick foliage, bore witness to the vegetative power ofthe soil, more astonishing here than in any other part of the island. One might have said that a corner from the virgin forests of America orAfrica had been transported into this temperate zone. This led them toconclude that the superb vegetation found a heat in this soil, damp inits upper layer, but warmed in the interior by volcanic fires, whichcould not belong to a temperate climate. The most frequently occurringtrees were knaries and eucalypti of gigantic dimensions. But the colonists' object was not simply to admire the magnificentvegetation. They knew already that in this respect Lincoln Island wouldhave been worthy to take the first rank in the Canary group, to whichthe first name given was that of the Happy Isles. Now, alas! theirisland no longer belonged to them entirely; others had taken possessionof it, miscreants polluted its shores, and they must be destroyed to thelast man. No traces were found on the western coast, although they were carefullysought for. No more footprints, no more broken branches, no moredeserted camps. "This does not surprise me, " said Cyrus Harding to his companions. "The convicts first landed on the island in the neighborhood of FlotsamPoint, and they immediately plunged into the Far West forests, aftercrossing Tadorn Marsh. They then followed almost the same route that wetook on leaving Granite House. This explains the traces we found in thewood. But, arriving on the shore, the convicts saw at once that theywould discover no suitable retreat there, and it was then that, goingnorthwards again, they came upon the corral. " "Where they have perhaps returned, " said Pencroft. "I do not think so, " answered the engineer, "for they would naturallysuppose that our researches would be in that direction. The corral isonly a storehouse to them, and not a definitive encampment. " "I am of Cyrus' opinion, " said the reporter, "and I think that it isamong the spurs of Mount Franklin that the convicts will have made theirlair. " "Then, captain, straight to the corral!" cried Pencroft. "We must finishthem off, and till now we have only lost time!" "No, my friend, " replied the engineer; "you forget that we have a reasonfor wishing to know if the forests of the Far West do not contain somehabitation. Our exploration has a double object, Pencroft. If, on theone hand, we have to chastise crime, we have, on the other, an act ofgratitude to perform. " "That was well said, captain, " replied the sailor, "but, all the same, it is my opinion that we shall not find the gentleman until he pleases. " And truly Pencroft only expressed the opinion of all. It was probablethat the stranger's retreat was not less mysterious than was he himself. That evening the cart halted at the mouth of Falls River. The camp wasorganized as usual, and the customary precautions were taken for thenight. Herbert, become again the healthy and vigorous lad he was beforehis illness, derived great benefit from this life in the open air, between the sea breezes and the vivifying air from the forests. Hisplace was no longer in the cart, but at the head of the troop. The next day, the 19th of February, the colonists, leaving the shore, where, beyond the mouth, basalts of every shape were so picturesquelypiled up, ascended the river by its left bank. The road had been alreadypartly cleared in their former excursions made from the corral to thewest coast. The settlers were now about six miles from Mount Franklin. The engineer's plan was this:--To minutely survey the valley formingthe bed of the river, and to cautiously approach the neighborhood of thecorral; if the corral was occupied, to seize it by force; if it was not, to entrench themselves there and make it the center of the operationswhich had for their object the exploration of Mount Franklin. This plan was unanimously approved by the colonists, for they wereimpatient to regain entire possession of their island. They made their way then along the narrow valley separating two of thelargest spurs of Mount Franklin. The trees, crowded on the river's bank, became rare on the upper slopes of the mountain. The ground was hillyand rough, very suitable for ambushes, and over which they did notventure without extreme precaution. Top and Jup skirmished on theflanks, springing right and left through the thick brushwood, andemulating each other in intelligence and activity. But nothing showedthat the banks of the stream had been recently frequented--nothingannounced either the presence or the proximity of the convicts. Towardsfive in the evening the cart stopped nearly 600 feet from the palisade. A semicircular screen of trees still hid it. It was necessary to reconnoiter the corral, in order to ascertain if itwas occupied. To go there openly, in broad daylight, when the convictswere probably in ambush, would be to expose themselves, as poor Herberthad done, to the firearms of the ruffians. It was better, then, to waituntil night came on. However, Gideon Spilett wished without further delay to reconnoiter theapproaches to the corral, and Pencroft, who was quite out of patience, volunteered to accompany him. "No, my friends, " said the engineer, "wait till night. I will not allowone of you to expose himself in open day. " "But, captain--" answered the sailor, little disposed to obey. "I beg of you, Pencroft, " said the engineer. "Very well!" replied the sailor, who vented his anger in another way, bybestowing on the convicts the worst names in his maritime vocabulary. The colonists remained, therefore, near the cart, and carefully watchedthe neighboring parts of the forest. Three hours passed thus. The wind had fallen, and absolute silencereigned under the great trees. The snapping of the smallest twig, afootstep on the dry leaves, the gliding of a body among the grass, wouldhave been heard without difficulty. All was quiet. Besides, Top, lyingon the grass, his head stretched out on his paws, gave no sign ofuneasiness. At eight o'clock the day appeared far enough advanced forthe reconnaissance to be made under favorable conditions. Gideon Spilettdeclared himself ready to set out accompanied by Pencroft. Cyrus Hardingconsented. Top and Jup were to remain with the engineer, Herbert, andNeb, for a bark or a cry at a wrong moment would give the alarm. "Do not be imprudent, " said Harding to the reporter and Pencroft, "youhave not to gain possession of the corral, but only to find out whetherit is occupied or not. " "All right, " answered Pencroft. And the two departed. Under the trees, thanks to the thickness of their foliage, the obscurityrendered any object invisible beyond a radius of from thirty to fortyfeet. The reporter and Pencroft, halting at any suspicious sound, advanced with great caution. They walked a little distance apart from each other so as to offer aless mark for a shot. And, to tell the truth, they expected every momentto hear a report. Five minutes after leaving the cart, Gideon Spilettand Pencroft arrived at the edge of the wood before the clearing beyondwhich rose the palisade. They stopped. A few straggling beams still fell on the field clear oftrees. Thirty feet distant was the gate of the corral, which appearedto be closed. This thirty feet, which it was necessary to cross fromthe wood to the palisade, constituted the dangerous zone, to borrowa ballistic term: in fact, one or more bullets fired from behind thepalisade might knock over any one who ventured on to this zone. GideonSpilett and the sailor were not men to draw back, but they knew thatany imprudence on their part, of which they would be the first victims, would fall afterwards on their companions. If they themselves werekilled, what would become of Harding, Neb, and Herbert? But Pencroft, excited at feeling himself so near the corral where hesupposed the convicts had taken refuge, was about to press forward, whenthe reporter held him back with a grasp of iron. "In a few minutes it will be quite dark, " whispered Spilett in thesailor's ear, "then will be the time to act. " Pencroft, convulsively clasping the butt-end of his gun, restrained hisenergies, and waited, swearing to himself. Soon the last of the twilight faded away. Darkness, which seemed as ifit issued from the dense forest, covered the clearing. Mount Franklinrose like an enormous screen before the western horizon, and nightspread rapidly over all, as it does in regions of low latitudes. Now wasthe time. The reporter and Pencroft, since posting themselves on the edge of thewood, had not once lost sight of the palisade. The corral appeared tobe absolutely deserted. The top of the palisade formed a line, alittle darker than the surrounding shadow, and nothing disturbed itsdistinctness. Nevertheless, if the convicts were there, they must haveposted one of their number to guard against any surprise. Spilett grasped his companion's hand, and both crept towards the corral, their guns ready to fire. They reached the gate without the darkness being illuminated by a singleray of light. Pencroft tried to push open the gate, which, as the reporter and he hadsupposed, was closed. However, the sailor was able to ascertain that theouter bars had not been put up. It might, then, be concluded that theconvicts were there in the corral, and that very probably they hadfastened the gate in such a way that it could not be forced open. Gideon Spilett and Pencroft listened. Not a sound could be heard inside the palisade. The musmons and thegoats, sleeping no doubt in their huts, in no way disturbed the calm ofnight. The reporter and the sailor hearing nothing, asked themselves whetherthey had not better scale the palisades and penetrate into the corral. This would have been contrary to Cyrus Harding's instructions. It is true that the enterprise might succeed, but it might also fail. Now, if the convicts were suspecting nothing, if they knew nothing ofthe expedition against them, if, lastly, there now existed a chanceof surprising them, ought this chance to be lost by inconsideratelyattempting to cross the palisades? This was not the reporter's opinion. He thought it better to wait untilall the settlers were collected together before attempting to penetrateinto the corral. One thing was certain, that it was possible to reachthe palisade without being seen, and also that it did not appear to beguarded. This point settled, there was nothing to be done but to returnto the cart, where they would consult. Pencroft probably agreed with this decision, for he followed thereporter without making any objection when the latter turned back to thewood. In a few minutes the engineer was made acquainted with the state ofaffairs. "Well, " said he, after a little thought, "I now have reason to believethat the convicts are not in the corral. " "We shall soon know, " said Pencroft, "when we have scaled the palisade. " "To the corral, my friends!" said Cyrus Harding. "Shall we leave the cart in the wood?" asked Neb. "No, " replied the engineer, "it is our wagon of ammunition andprovisions, and, if necessary, it would serve as an entrenchment. " "Forward, then!" said Gideon Spilett. The cart emerged from the wood and began to roll noiselessly towards thepalisade. The darkness was now profound, the silence as complete aswhen Pencroft and the reporter crept over the ground. The thick grasscompletely muffled their footsteps. The colonists held themselves readyto fire. Jup, at Pencroft's orders, kept behind. Neb led Top in a leash, to prevent him from bounding forward. The clearing soon came in sight. It was deserted. Without hesitating, the little band moved towards the palisade. In a short space of time thedangerous zone was passed. Neb remained at the onagers' heads to holdthem. The engineer, the reporter, Herbert, and Pencroft, proceeded tothe door, in order to ascertain if it was barricaded inside. It wasopen! "What do you say now?" asked the engineer, turning to the sailor andSpilett. Both were stupefied. "I can swear, " said Pencroft, "that this gate was shut just now!" The colonists now hesitated. Were the convicts in the corral whenPencroft and the reporter made their reconnaissance? It could not bedoubted, as the gate then closed could only have been opened by them. Were they still there, or had one of their number just gone out? All these questions presented themselves simultaneously to the minds ofthe colonists, but how could they be answered? At that moment, Herbert, who had advanced a few steps into theenclosure, drew back hurriedly, and seized Harding's hand. "What's the matter?" asked the engineer. "A light!" "In the house?" "Yes!" All five advanced and indeed, through the window fronting them, they sawglimmering a feeble light. Cyrus Harding made up his mind rapidly. "Itis our only chance, " said he to his companions, "of finding the convictscollected in this house, suspecting nothing! They are in our power!Forward!" The colonists crossed through the enclosure, holding theirguns ready in their hands. The cart had been left outside under thecharge of Jup and Top, who had been prudently tied to it. Cyrus Harding, Pencroft, and Gideon Spilett on one side, Herbert and Nebon the other, going along by the palisade, surveyed the absolutely darkand deserted corral. In a few moments they were near the closed door of the house. Harding signed to his companions not to stir, and approached the window, then feebly lighted by the inner light. He gazed into the apartment. On the table burned a lantern. Near the table was the bed formerly usedby Ayrton. On the bed lay the body of a man. Suddenly Cyrus Harding drew back, and in a hoarse voice, --"Ayrton!" heexclaimed. Immediately the door was forced rather than opened, and the colonistsrushed into the room. Ayrton appeared to be asleep. His countenance showed that he had longand cruelly suffered. On his wrists and ankles could be seen greatbruises. Harding bent over him. "Ayrton!" cried the engineer, seizing the arm of the man whom he hadjust found again under such unexpected circumstances. At this exclamation Ayrton opened his eyes, and, gazing at Harding, thenat the others, -- "You!" he cried, "you?" "Ayrton! Ayrton!" repeated Harding. "Where am I?" "In the house in the corral!" "Alone?" "Yes!" "But they will come back!" cried Ayrton. "Defend yourselves! defendyourselves!" And he fell back exhausted. "Spilett, " exclaimed the engineer, "we may be attacked at any moment. Bring the cart into the corral. Then, barricade the door, and all comeback here. " Pencroft, Neb, and the reporter hastened to execute the engineer'sorders. There was not a moment to be lost. Perhaps even now the cart wasin the hands of the convicts! In a moment the reporter and his two companions had crossed the corraland reached the gate of the palisade behind which Top was heard growlingsullenly. The engineer, leaving Ayrton for an instant, came out ready to fire. Herbert was at his side. Both surveyed the crest of the spur overlookingthe corral. If the convicts were lying in ambush there, they might knockthe settlers over one after the other. At that moment the moon appeared in the east, above the black curtain ofthe forest, and a white sheet of light spread over the interior of theenclosure. The corral, with its clumps of trees, the little stream whichwatered it, its wide carpet of grass, was suddenly illuminated. Fromthe side of the mountain, the house and a part of the palisade stoodout white in the moonlight. On the opposite side towards the door, theenclosure remained dark. A black mass soon appeared. This was the cartentering the circle of light, and Cyrus Harding could hear the noisemade by the door, as his companions shut it and fastened the interiorbars. But, at that moment, Top, breaking loose, began to bark furiously andrush to the back of the corral, to the right of the house. "Be ready to fire, my friends!" cried Harding. The colonists raised their pieces and waited the moment to fire. Top still barked, and Jup, running towards the dog, uttered shrillcries. The colonists followed him, and reached the borders of the littlestream, shaded by large trees. And there, in the bright moonlight, whatdid they see? Five corpses, stretched on the bank! They were those of the convicts who, four months previously, had landedon Lincoln Island! Chapter 13 How had it happened? who had killed the convicts? Was it Ayrton? No, fora moment before he was dreading their return. But Ayrton was now in a profound stupor, from which it was no longerpossible to rouse him. After uttering those few words he had againbecome unconscious, and had fallen back motionless on the bed. The colonists, a prey to a thousand confused thoughts, under theinfluence of violent excitement, waited all night, without leavingAyrton's house, or returning to the spot where lay the bodies of theconvicts. It was very probable that Ayrton would not be able to throwany light on the circumstances under which the bodies had been found, since he himself was not aware that he was in the corral. But at anyrate he would be in a position to give an account of what had takenplace before this terrible execution. The next day Ayrton awoke from historpor, and his companions cordially manifested all the joy they felt, on seeing him again, almost safe and sound, after a hundred and fourdays separation. Ayrton then in a few words recounted what had happened, or, at least, asmuch as he knew. The day after his arrival at the corral, on the 10th of last November, at nightfall, he was surprised by the convicts, who had scaled thepalisade. They bound and gagged him; then he was led to a dark cavern, at the foot of Mount Franklin, where the convicts had taken refuge. His death had been decided upon, and the next day the convicts wereabout to kill him, when one of them recognized him and called him bythe name which he bore in Australia. The wretches had no scruples as tomurdering Ayrton! They spared Ben Joyce! But from that moment Ayrton was exposed to the importunities of hisformer accomplices. They wished him to join them again, and relied uponhis aid to enable them to gain possession of Granite House, to penetrateinto that hitherto inaccessible dwelling, and to become masters of theisland, after murdering the colonists! Ayrton remained firm. The once convict, now repentant and pardoned, would rather die than betray his companions. Ayrton--bound, gagged, andclosely watched--lived in this cave for four months. Nevertheless the convicts had discovered the corral a short time aftertheir arrival in the island, and since then they had subsisted onAyrton's stores, but did not live at the corral. On the 11th of November, two of the villains, surprised by thecolonists' arrival, fired at Herbert, and one of them returned, boastingof having killed one of the inhabitants of the island; but he returnedalone. His companion, as is known, fell by Cyrus Harding's dagger. Ayrton's anxiety and despair may be imagined when he learned the news ofHerbert's death. The settlers were now only four, and, as it seemed, at the mercy of the convicts. After this event, and during all thetime that the colonists, detained by Herbert's illness, remained in thecorral, the pirates did not leave their cavern, and even after they hadpillaged the plateau of Prospect Heights, they did not think it prudentto abandon it. The ill-treatment inflicted on Ayrton was now redoubled. His hands andfeet still bore the bloody marks of the cords which bound him day andnight. Every moment he expected to be put to death, nor did it appearpossible that he could escape. Matters remained thus until the third week of February. The convicts, still watching for a favorable opportunity, rarely quitted theirretreat, and only made a few hunting excursions, either to the interiorof the island, or the south coast. Ayrton had no further news of his friends, and relinquished all hopeof ever seeing them again. At last, the unfortunate man, weakenedby ill-treatment, fell into a prostration so profound that sight andhearing failed him. From that moment, that is to say, since the last twodays, he could give no information whatever of what had occurred. "But, Captain Harding, " he added, "since I was imprisoned in thatcavern, how is it that I find myself in the corral?" "How is it that the convicts are lying yonder dead, in the middle of theenclosure?" answered the engineer. "Dead!" cried Ayrton, half rising from his bed, notwithstanding hisweakness. His companions supported him. He wished to get up, and with theirassistance he did so. They then proceeded together towards the littlestream. It was now broad daylight. There, on the bank, in the position in which they had been strickenby death in its most instantaneous form, lay the corpses of the fiveconvicts! Ayrton was astounded. Harding and his companions looked at him withoututtering a word. On a sign from the engineer, Neb and Pencroft examinedthe bodies, already stiffened by the cold. They bore no apparent trace of any wound. Only, after carefully examining them, Pencroft found on the forehead ofone, on the chest of another, on the back of this one, on the shoulderof that, a little red spot, a sort of scarcely visible bruise, the causeof which it was impossible to conjecture. "It is there that they have been struck!" said Cyrus Harding. "But with what weapon?" cried the reporter. "A weapon, lightning-like in its effects, and of which we have not thesecret!" "And who has struck the blow?" asked Pencroft. "The avenging power of the island, " replied Harding, "he who brought youhere, Ayrton, whose influence has once more manifested itself, who doesfor us all that which we cannot do for ourselves, and who, his willaccomplished, conceals himself from us. " "Let us make search for him, then!" exclaimed Pencroft. "Yes, we will search for him, " answered Harding, "but we shall notdiscover this powerful being who performs such wonders, until he pleasesto call us to him!" This invisible protection, which rendered their own action unavailing, both irritated and piqued the engineer. The relative inferiority whichit proved was of a nature to wound a haughty spirit. A generosityevinced in such a manner as to elude all tokens of gratitude, implied asort of disdain for those on whom the obligation was conferred, which inCyrus Harding's eyes marred, in some degree, the worth of the benefit. "Let us search, " he resumed, "and God grant that we may some day bepermitted to prove to this haughty protector that he has not to dealwith ungrateful people! What would I not give could we repay him, byrendering him in our turn, although at the price of our lives, somesignal service!" From this day, the thoughts of the inhabitants of Lincoln Island weresolely occupied with the intended search. Everything incited them todiscover the answer to this enigma, an answer which would only be thename of a man endowed with a truly inexplicable, and in some degreesuperhuman power. In a few minutes, the settlers re-entered the house, where theirinfluence soon restored to Ayrton his moral and physical energy. Neband Pencroft carried the corpses of the convicts into the forest, somedistance from the corral, and buried them deep in the ground. Ayrton was then made acquainted with the facts which had occurred duringhis seclusion. He learned Herbert's adventures, and through what varioustrials the colonists had passed. As to the settlers, they had despairedof ever seeing Ayrton again, and had been convinced that the convictshad ruthlessly murdered him. "And now, " said Cyrus Harding, as he ended his recital, "a duty remainsfor us to perform. Half of our task is accomplished, but although theconvicts are no longer to be feared, it is not owing to ourselves thatwe are once more masters of the island. " "Well!" answered Gideon Spilett, "let us search all this labyrinth ofthe spurs of Mount Franklin. We will not leave a hollow, not a holeunexplored! Ah! if ever a reporter found himself face to face with amystery, it is I who now speak to you, my friends!" "And we will not return to Granite House until we have found ourbenefactor, " said Herbert. "Yes, " said the engineer, "we will do all that it is humanly possible todo, but I repeat we shall not find him until he himself permits us. " "Shall we stay at the corral?" asked Pencroft. "We shall stay here, " answered Harding. "Provisions are abundant, and weare here in the very center of the circle we have to explore. Besides, if necessary, the cart will take us rapidly to Granite House. " "Good!" answered the sailor. "Only I have a remark to make. " "What is it?" "Here is the fine season getting on, and we must not forget that we havea voyage to make. " "A voyage?" said Gideon Spilett. "Yes, to Tabor Island, " answered Pencroft. "It is necessary to carry anotice there to point out the position of our island and say that Ayrtonis here in case the Scotch yacht should come to take him off. Who knowsif it is not already too late?" "But, Pencroft, " asked Ayrton, "how do you intend to make this voyage?" "In the 'Bonadventure. '" "The 'Bonadventure!'" exclaimed Ayrton. "She no longer exists. " "My 'Bonadventure' exists no longer!" shouted Pencroft, bounding fromhis seat. "No, " answered Ayrton. "The convicts discovered her in her little harboronly eight days ago, they put to sea in her--" "And?" said Pencroft, his heart beating. "And not having Bob Harvey to steer her, they ran on the rocks, and thevessel went to pieces. " "Oh, the villains, the cutthroats, the infamous scoundrels!" exclaimedPencroft. "Pencroft, " said Herbert, taking the sailor's hand, "we will buildanother 'Bonadventure'--a larger one. We have all the ironwork--all therigging of the brig at our disposal. " "But do you know, " returned Pencroft, "that it will take at least fiveor six months to build a vessel of from thirty to forty tons?" "We can take our time, " said the reporter, "and we must give up thevoyage to Tabor Island for this year. " "Oh, my 'Bonadventure!' my poor 'Bonadventure!'" cried Pencroft, almostbroken-hearted at the destruction of the vessel of which he was soproud. The loss of the "Bonadventure" was certainly a thing to be lamented bythe colonists, and it was agreed that this loss should be repairedas soon as possible. This settled, they now occupied themselves withbringing their researches to bear on the most secret parts of theisland. The exploration was commenced at daybreak on the 19th of February, andlasted an entire week. The base of the mountain, with its spurs andtheir numberless ramifications, formed a labyrinth of valleys andelevations. It was evident that there, in the depths of these narrowgorges, perhaps even in the interior of Mount Franklin itself, was theproper place to pursue their researches. No part of the island couldhave been more suitable to conceal a dwelling whose occupant wished toremain unknown. But so irregular was the formation of the valleys thatCyrus Harding was obliged to conduct the exploration in a strictlymethodical manner. The colonists first visited the valley opening to the south of thevolcano, and which first received the waters of Falls River. ThereAyrton showed them the cavern where the convicts had taken refuge, andin which he had been imprisoned until his removal to the corral. Thiscavern was just as Ayrton had left it. They found there a considerablequantity of ammunition and provisions, conveyed thither by the convictsin order to form a reserve. The whole of the valley bordering on the cave, shaded by fir andother trees, was thoroughly explored, and on turning the point of thesouthwestern spur, the colonists entered a narrower gorge similar to thepicturesque columns of basalt on the coast. Here the trees were fewer. Stones took the place of grass. Goats and musmons gambolled among therocks. Here began the barren part of the island. It could already beseen that, of the numerous valleys branching off at the base of MountFranklin, three only were wooded and rich in pasturage like that of thecorral, which bordered on the west on the Falls River valley, and on theeast on the Red Creek valley. These two streams, which lower down becamerivers by the absorption of several tributaries, were formed by all thesprings of the mountain and thus caused the fertility of its southernpart. As to the Mercy, it was more directly fed from ample springsconcealed under the cover of Jacamar Wood, and it was by springs ofthis nature, spreading in a thousand streamlets, that the soil of theSerpentine Peninsula was watered. Now, of these three well-watered valleys, either might have served as aretreat to some solitary who would have found there everything necessaryfor life. But the settlers had already explored them, and in no part hadthey discovered the presence of man. Was it then in the depths of those barren gorges, in the midst of thepiles of rock, in the rugged northern ravines, among the streams oflava, that this dwelling and its occupant would be found? The northern part of Mount Franklin was at its base composed solely oftwo valleys, wide, not very deep, without any appearance of vegetation, strewn with masses of rock, paved with lava, and varied with greatblocks of mineral. This region required a long and careful exploration. It contained a thousand cavities, comfortless no doubt, but perfectlyconcealed and difficult of access. The colonists even visited dark tunnels, dating from the volcanicperiod, still black from the passage of the fire, and penetrated intothe depths of the mountain. They traversed these somber galleries, waving lighted torches; they examined the smallest excavations; theysounded the shallowest depths, but all was dark and silent. It didnot appear that the foot of man had ever before trodden these ancientpassages, or that his arm had ever displaced one of these blocks, whichremained as the volcano had cast them up above the waters, at the timeof the submersion of the island. However, although these passages appeared to be absolutely deserted, andthe obscurity was complete, Cyrus Harding was obliged to confess thatabsolute silence did not reign there. On arriving at the end of one of these gloomy caverns, extending severalhundred feet into the interior of the mountain, he was surprised to heara deep rumbling noise, increased in intensity by the sonorousness of therocks. Gideon Spilett, who accompanied him, also heard these distantmutterings, which indicated a revivification of the subterranean fires. Several times both listened, and they agreed that some chemical processwas taking place in the bowels of the earth. "Then the volcano is not totally extinct?" said the reporter. "It is possible that since our exploration of the crater, " replied CyrusHarding, "some change has occurred. Any volcano, although consideredextinct, may evidently again burst forth. " "But if an eruption of Mount Franklin occurred, " asked Spilett, "wouldthere not be some danger to Lincoln Island?" "I do not think so, " answered the reporter. "The crater, that is tosay, the safety-valve, exists, and the overflow of smoke and lava, wouldescape, as it did formerly, by this customary outlet. " "Unless the lava opened a new way for itself towards the fertile partsof the island!" "And why, my dear Spilett, " answered Cyrus Harding, "should it notfollow the road naturally traced out for it?" "Well, volcanoes are capricious, " returned the reporter. "Notice, " answered the engineer, "that the inclination of Mount Franklinfavors the flow of water towards the valleys which we are exploring justnow. To turn aside this flow, an earthquake would be necessary to changethe mountain's center of gravity. " "But an earthquake is always to be feared at these times, " observedGideon Spilett. "Always, " replied the engineer, "especially when the subterranean forcesbegin to awake, as they risk meeting with some obstruction, after a longrest. Thus, my dear Spilett, an eruption would be a serious thingfor us, and it would be better that the volcano should not have theslightest desire to wake up. But we could not prevent it, could we? Atany rate, even if it should occur, I do not think Prospect Heights wouldbe seriously threatened. Between them and the mountain, the groundis considerably depressed, and if the lava should ever take a coursetowards the lake, it would be cast on the downs and the neighboringparts of Shark Gulf. " "We have not yet seen any smoke at the top of the mountain, to indicatean approaching eruption, " said Gideon Spilett. "No, " answered Harding, "not a vapor escapes from the crater, for itwas only yesterday that I attentively surveyed the summit. But itis probable that at the lower part of the chimney, time may haveaccumulated rocks, cinders, hardened lava, and that this valve of whichI spoke, may at any time become overcharged. But at the first seriouseffort, every obstacle will disappear, and you may be certain, my dearSpilett, that neither the island, which is the boiler, nor thevolcano, which is the chimney, will burst under the pressure of gas. Nevertheless, I repeat, it would be better that there should not be aneruption. " "And yet we are not mistaken, " remarked the reporter. "Mutterings can bedistinctly heard in the very bowels of the volcano!" "You are right, " said the engineer, again listening attentively. "Therecan be no doubt of it. A commotion is going on there, of which we canneither estimate the importance nor the ultimate result. " Cyrus Harding and Spilett, on coming out, rejoined their companions, towhom they made known the state of affairs. "Very well!" cried Pencroft, "The volcano wants to play his pranks! Lethim try, if he likes! He will find his master!" "Who?" asked Neb. "Our good genius, Neb, our good genius, who will shut his mouth for him, if he so much as pretends to open it!" As may be seen, the sailor's confidence in the tutelary deity of hisisland was absolute, and, certainly, the occult power, manifested untilnow in so many inexplicable ways, appeared to be unlimited; but also itknew how to escape the colonists' most minute researches, for, inspite of all their efforts, in spite of the more than zeal, --theobstinacy, --with which they carried on their exploration, the retreat ofthe mysterious being could not be discovered. From the 19th to the 20th of February the circle of investigation wasextended to all the northern region of Lincoln Island, whose most secretnooks were explored. The colonists even went the length of tapping everyrock. The search was extended to the extreme verge of the mountain. Itwas explored thus to the very summit of the truncated cone terminatingthe first row of rocks, then to the upper ridge of the enormous hat, atthe bottom of which opened the crater. They did more; they visited the gulf, now extinct, but in whose depthsthe rumbling could be distinctly heard. However, no sign of smoke orvapor, no heating of the rock, indicated an approaching eruption. But neither there, nor in any other part of Mount Franklin, did thecolonists find any traces of him of whom they were in search. Their investigations were then directed to the downs. They carefullyexamined the high lava-cliffs of Shark Gulf from the base to the crest, although it was extremely difficult to reach even the level of the gulf. No one!--nothing! Indeed, in these three words was summed up so much fatigue uselesslyexpended, so much energy producing no results, that somewhat of angermingled with the discomfiture of Cyrus Harding and his companions. It was now time to think of returning, for these researches could not beprolonged indefinitely. The colonists were certainly right in believingthat the mysterious being did not reside on the surface of the island, and the wildest fancies haunted their excited imaginations. Pencroftand Neb, particularly, were not contented with the mystery, but allowedtheir imaginations to wander into the domain of the supernatural. On the 25th of February the colonists re-entered Granite House, and bymeans of the double cord, carried by an arrow to the threshold of thedoor, they re-established communication between their habitation and theground. A month later they commemorated, on the 25th of March, the thirdanniversary of their arrival on Lincoln Island. Chapter 14 Three years had passed away since the escape of the prisoners fromRichmond, and how often during those three years had they spoken oftheir country, always present in their thoughts! They had no doubt that the civil war was at an end, and to them itappeared impossible that the just cause of the North had not triumphed. But what had been the incidents of this terrible war? How much blood hadit not cost? How many of their friends must have fallen in the struggle?They often spoke of these things, without as yet being able to foreseethe day when they would be permitted once more to see their country. To return thither, were it but for a few days, to renew the social linkwith the inhabited world, to establish a communication between theirnative land and their island, then to pass the longest, perhaps thebest, portion of their existence in this colony, founded by them, and which would then be dependent on their country, was this a dreamimpossible to realize? There were only two ways of accomplishing it--either a ship must appearoff Lincoln Island, or the colonists must themselves build a vesselstrong enough to sail to the nearest land. "Unless, " said Pencroft, "our good genius, himself provides us with themeans of returning to our country. " And, really, had any one told Pencroft and Neb that a ship of 300 tonswas waiting for them in Shark Gulf or at Port Balloon, they would noteven have made a gesture of surprise. In their state of mind nothingappeared improbable. But Cyrus Harding, less confident, advised them to confine themselves tofact, and more especially so with regard to the building of a vessel--areally urgent work, since it was for the purpose of depositing, assoon as possible, at Tabor Island a document indicating Ayrton's newresidence. As the "Bonadventure" no longer existed, six months at least wouldbe required for the construction of a new vessel. Now winter wasapproaching, and the voyage would not be made before the followingspring. "We have time to get everything ready for the fine season, " remarkedthe engineer, who was consulting with Pencroft about these matters. "Ithink, therefore, my friend, that since we have to rebuild our vesselit will be best to give her larger dimensions. The arrival of the Scotchyacht at Tabor Island is very uncertain. It may even be that, havingarrived several months ago, she has again sailed after having vainlysearched for some trace of Ayrton. Will it not then he best to builda ship which, if necessary, could take us either to the PolynesianArchipelago or to New Zealand? What do you think?" "I think, captain, " answered the sailor; "I think that you are ascapable of building a large vessel as a small one. Neither the wood northe tools are wanting. It is only a question of time. " "And how many months would be required to build a vessel of from 250 to300 tons?" asked Harding. "Seven or eight months at least, " replied Pencroft. "But it must not beforgotten that winter is drawing near, and that in severe frost wood isdifficult to work. We must calculate on several weeks delay, and if ourvessel is ready by next November we may think ourselves very lucky. " "Well, " replied Cyrus Harding, "that will be exactly the most favorabletime for undertaking a voyage of any importance, either to Tabor Islandor to a more distant land. " "So it will, captain, " answered the sailor. "Make out your plans then;the workmen are ready, and I imagine that Ayrton can lend us a goodhelping hand. " The colonists, having been consulted, approved the engineer's plan, and it was, indeed, the best thing to be done. It is true that theconstruction of a ship of from two to three hundred tons would be greatlabor, but the colonists had confidence in themselves, justified bytheir previous success. Cyrus Harding then busied himself in drawing the plan of the vessel andmaking the model. During this time his companions employed themselves infelling and carting trees to furnish the ribs, timbers, and planks. The forest of the Far West supplied the best oaks and elms. They tookadvantage of the opening already made on their last excursion to form apracticable road, which they named the Far West Road, and the trees werecarried to the Chimneys, where the dockyard was established. As tothe road in question, the choice of trees had rendered its directionsomewhat capricious, but at the same time it facilitated the access to alarge part of the Serpentine Peninsula. It was important that the trees should be quickly felled and cut up, forthey could not be used while yet green, and some time was necessary toallow them to get seasoned. The carpenters, therefore, worked vigorouslyduring the month of April, which was troubled only by a few equinoctialgales of some violence. Master Jup aided them dexterously, either byclimbing to the top of a tree to fasten the ropes or by lending hisstout shoulders to carry the lopped trunks. All this timber was piled up under a large shed, built near theChimneys, and there awaited the time for use. The month of April was tolerably fine, as October often is in thenorthern zone. At the same time other work was actively continued, andsoon all trace of devastation disappeared from the plateau ofProspect Heights. The mill was rebuilt, and new buildings rose in thepoultry-yard. It had appeared necessary to enlarge their dimensions, for the feathered population had increased considerably. The stablenow contained five onagers, four of which were well broken, and allowedthemselves to be either driven or ridden, and a little colt. The colonynow possessed a plow, to which the onagers were yoked like regularYorkshire or Kentucky oxen. The colonists divided their work, and theirarms never tired. Then who could have enjoyed better health than theseworkers, and what good humor enlivened the evenings in Granite House asthey formed a thousand plans for the future! As a matter of course Ayrton shared the common lot in every respect, and there was no longer any talk of his going to live at the corral. Nevertheless he was still sad and reserved, and joined more in the workthan in the pleasures of his companions. But he was a valuable workmanat need--strong, skilful, ingenious, intelligent. He was esteemed andloved by all, and he could not be ignorant of it. In the meanwhile the corral was not abandoned. Every other day one ofthe settlers, driving the cart or mounted on an onager, went to lookafter the flock of musmons and goats and bring back the supply ofmilk required by Neb. These excursions at the same time affordedopportunities for hunting. Therefore Herbert and Gideon Spilett, withTop in front, traversed more often than their companions the road tothe corral, and with the capital guns which they carried, capybaras, agouties, kangaroos, and wild pigs for large game, ducks, grouse, jacamars, and snipe for small game, were never wanting in the house. The produce of the warren, of the oyster-bed, several turtles which weretaken, excellent salmon which came up the Mercy, vegetables from theplateau, wild fruit from the forest, were riches upon riches, and Neb, the head cook, could scarcely by himself store them away. The telegraphic wire between the corral and Granite House had of coursebeen repaired, and it was worked whenever one or other of the settlerswas at the corral and found it necessary to spend the night there. Besides, the island was safe now and no attacks were to be feared, atany rate from men. However, that which had happened might happen again. A descent ofpirates, or even of escaped convicts, was always to be feared. It waspossible that companions or accomplices of Bob Harvey had been in thesecret of his plans, and might be tempted to imitate him. The colonists, therefore, were careful to observe the sea around the island, and everyday their telescope covered the horizon enclosed by Union and WashingtonBays. When they went to the corral they examined the sea to the westwith no less attention, and by climbing the spur their gaze extendedover a large section of the western horizon. Nothing suspicious was discerned, but still it was necessary for them tobe on their guard. The engineer one evening imparted to his friends a plan which he hadconceived for fortifying the corral. It appeared prudent to him toheighten the palisade and to flank it with a sort of blockhouse, which, if necessary, the settlers could hold against the enemy. Granite Housemight, by its very position, be considered impregnable; therefore thecorral with its buildings, its stores, and the animals it contained, would always be the object of pirates, whoever they were, who might landon the island, and should the colonists be obliged to shut themselvesup there they ought also to be able to defend themselves without anydisadvantage. This was a project which might be left for consideration, and they were, besides, obliged to put off its execution until the nextspring. About the 15th of May the keel of the new vessel lay along the dockyard, and soon the stem and stern-post, mortised at each of its extremities, rose almost perpendicularly. The keel, of good oak, measured 110 feetin length, this allowing a width of five-and-twenty feet to the midshipbeam. But this was all the carpenters could do before the arrival of thefrosts and bad weather. During the following week they fixed the firstof the stern timbers, but were then obliged to suspend work. During the last days of the month the weather was extremely bad. Thewind blew from the east, sometimes with the violence of a tempest. Theengineer was somewhat uneasy on account of the dockyard shed--whichbesides, he could not have established in any other place near toGranite House--for the islet only imperfectly sheltered the shore fromthe fury of the open sea, and in great storms the waves beat against thevery foot of the granite cliff. But, very fortunately, these fears were not realized. The wind shiftedto the southeast, and there the beach of Granite House was completelycovered by Flotsam Point. Pencroft and Ayrton, the most zealous workmen at the new vessel, pursuedtheir labor as long as they could. They were not men to mind the windtearing at their hair, nor the rain wetting them to the skin, and a blowfrom a hammer is worth just as much in bad as in fine weather. But whena severe frost succeeded this wet period, the wood, its fibers acquiringthe hardness of iron, became extremely difficult to work, and about the10th of June shipbuilding was obliged to be entirely discontinued. Cyrus Harding and his companions had not omitted to observe how severewas the temperature during the winters of Lincoln Island. The cold wascomparable to that experienced in the States of New England, situated atalmost the same distance from the equator. In the northern hemisphere, or at any rate in the part occupied by British America and the north ofthe United States, this phenomenon is explained by the flat conformationof the territories bordering on the pole, and on which there is nointumescence of the soil to oppose any obstacle to the north winds;here, in Lincoln Island, this explanation would not suffice. "It has even been observed, " remarked Harding one day to his companions, "that in equal latitudes the islands and coast regions are less tried bythe cold than inland countries. I have often heard it asserted that thewinters of Lombardy, for example, are not less rigorous than those ofScotland, which results from the sea restoring during the winter theheat which it received during the summer. Islands are, therefore, in abetter situation for benefiting by this restitution. " "But then, Captain Harding, " asked Herbert, "why does Lincoln Islandappear to escape the common law?" "That is difficult to explain, " answered the engineer. "However, Ishould be disposed to conjecture that this peculiarity results from thesituation of the island in the Southern Hemisphere, which, as you know, my boy, is colder than the Northern Hemisphere. " "Yes, " said Herbert, "and icebergs are met with in lower latitudes inthe south than in the north of the Pacific. " "That is true, " remarked Pencroft, "and when I have been serving onboard whalers I have seen icebergs off Cape Horn. " "The severe cold experienced in Lincoln Island, " said Gideon Spilett, "may then perhaps be explained by the presence of floes or icebergscomparatively near to Lincoln Island. " "Your opinion is very admissible indeed, my dear Spilett, " answeredCyrus Harding, "and it is evidently to the proximity of icebergs thatwe owe our rigorous winters. I would draw your attention also to anentirely physical cause, which renders the Southern colder than theNorthern Hemisphere. In fact, since the sun is nearer to this hemisphereduring the summer, it is necessarily more distant during the winter. This explains then the excess of temperature in the two seasons, for, ifwe find the winters very cold in Lincoln Island, we must not forget thatthe summers here, on the contrary, are very hot. " "But why, if you please, captain, " asked Pencroft, knitting his brows, "why should our hemisphere, as you say, be so badly divided? It isn'tjust, that!" "Friend Pencroft, " answered the engineer, laughing, "whether justor not, we must submit to it, and here lies the reason for thispeculiarity. The earth does not describe a circle around the sun, butan ellipse, as it must by the laws of rational mechanics. Now, the earthoccupies one of the foci of the ellipse, and so at one point in itscourse is at its apogee, that is, at its farthest from the sun, andat another point it is at its perigee, or nearest to the sun. Now ithappens that it is during the winter of the southern countries thatit is at its most distant point from the sun, and consequently, in asituation for those regions to feel the greatest cold. Nothing can bedone to prevent that, and men, Pencroft, however learned they may be, can never change anything of the cosmographical order established by GodHimself. " "And yet, " added Pencroft, "the world is very learned. What a big book, captain, might be made with all that is known!" "And what a much bigger book still with all that is not known!" answeredHarding. At last, for one reason or another, the month of June brought the coldwith its accustomed intensity, and the settlers were often confined toGranite House. Ah! how wearisome this imprisonment was to them, and moreparticularly to Gideon Spilett. "Look here, " said he to Neb one day, "I would give you by notarialdeed all the estates which will come to me some day, if you were a goodenough fellow to go, no matter where, and subscribe to some newspaperfor me! Decidedly the thing that is most essential to my happiness isthe knowing every morning what has happened the day before in otherplaces than this!" Neb began to laugh. "'Pon my word, " he replied, "the only thing I think about is my dailywork!" The truth was that indoors as well as out there was no want of work. The colony of Lincoln Island was now at its highest point of prosperity, achieved by three years of continued hard work. The destruction of thebrig had been a new source of riches. Without speaking of the completerig which would serve for the vessel now on the stocks, utensils andtools of all sorts, weapons and ammunition, clothes and instruments, were now piled in the storerooms of Granite House. It had not evenbeen necessary to resort again to the manufacture of the coarse feltmaterials. Though the colonists had suffered from cold during theirfirst winter, the bad season might now come without their having anyreason to dread its severity. Linen was plentiful also, and besides, they kept it with extreme care. From chloride of sodium, which isnothing else than sea salt, Cyrus Harding easily extracted the soda andchlorine. The soda, which it was easy to change into carbonate of soda, and the chlorine, of which he made chloride of lime, were employed forvarious domestic purposes, and especially in bleaching linen. Besides, they did not wash more than four times a year, as was done by familiesin the olden times, and it may be added, that Pencroft and GideonSpilett, while waiting for the postman to bring him his newspaper, distinguished themselves as washermen. So passed the winter months, June, July, and August. They were severe, and the average observations of the thermometer did not give more thaneight degrees of Fahrenheit. It was therefore lower in temperature thanthe preceding winter. But then, what splendid fires blazed continuallyon the hearths of Granite House, the smoke marking the granite wall withlong, zebra-like streaks! Fuel was not spared, as it grew naturally afew steps from them. Besides, the chips of the wood destined for theconstruction of the ship enabled them to economize the coal, whichrequired more trouble to transport. Men and animals were all well. Master Jup was a little chilly, it mustbe confessed. This was perhaps his only weakness, and it was necessaryto make him a well-padded dressing-gown. But what a servant he was, clever, zealous, indefatigable, not indiscreet, not talkative, andhe might have been with reason proposed as a model for all his bipedbrothers in the Old and New Worlds! "As for that, " said Pencroft, "when one has four hands at one's service, of course one's work ought to be done so much the better!" And indeed the intelligent creature did it well. During the seven months which had passed since the last researches maderound the mountain, and during the month of September, which broughtback fine weather, nothing was heard of the genius of the island. Hispower was not manifested in any way. It is true that it would havebeen superfluous, for no incident occurred to put the colonists to anypainful trial. Cyrus Harding even observed that if by chance the communication betweenthe unknown and the tenants of Granite House had ever been establishedthrough the granite, and if Top's instinct had as it were felt it, therewas no further sign of it during this period. The dog's growlinghad entirely ceased, as well as the uneasiness of the orang. The twofriends--for they were such--no longer prowled round the opening of theinner well, nor did they bark or whine in that singular way which fromthe first the engineer had noticed. But could he be sure that this wasall that was to be said about this enigma, and that he should neverarrive at a solution? Could he be certain that some conjuncture wouldnot occur which would bring the mysterious personage on the scene? whocould tell what the future might have in reserve? At last the winter was ended, but an event, the consequences of whichmight be serious occurred in the first days of the returning spring. On the 7th of September, Cyrus Harding, having observed the crater, sawsmoke curling round the summit of the mountain, its first vapors risingin the air. Chapter 15 The colonists, warned by the engineer, left their work and gazed insilence at the summit of Mount Franklin. The volcano had awoke, and the vapor had penetrated the mineral layerheaped at the bottom of the crater. But would the subterranean firesprovoke any violent eruption? This was an event which could not beforeseen. However, even while admitting the possibility of an eruption, it was not probable that the whole of Lincoln Island would suffer fromit. The flow of volcanic matter is not always disastrous, and the islandhad already undergone this trial, as was shown by the streams of lavahardened on the northern slopes of the mountain. Besides, from the shapeof the crater--the opening broken in the upper edge--the matter would bethrown to the side opposite the fertile regions of the island. However, the past did not necessarily answer for the future. Often, atthe summit of volcanoes, the old craters close and new ones open. This had occurred in the two hemispheres--at Etna, Popocatepetl, atOrizabaand on the eve of an eruption there is everything to be feared. In fact, an earthquake--a phenomenon which often accompanies volcaniceruption--is enough to change the interior arrangement of a mountain, and to open new outlets for the burning lava. Cyrus Harding explained these things to his companions, and, withoutexaggerating the state of things, he told them all the pros and cons. After all, they could not prevent it. It did not appear likely thatGranite House would be threatened unless the ground was shaken by anearthquake. But the corral would be in great danger should a new crateropen in the southern side of Mount Franklin. From that day the smoke never disappeared from the top of the mountain, and it could even be perceived that it increased in height andthickness, without any flame mingling in its heavy volumes. Thephenomenon was still concentrated in the lower part of the centralcrater. However, with the fine days work had been continued. The building of thevessel was hastened as much as possible, and, by means of the waterfallon the shore, Cyrus Harding managed to establish an hydraulic sawmill, which rapidly cut up the trunks of trees into planks and joists. Themechanism of this apparatus was as simple as those used in the rusticsawmills of Norway. A first horizontal movement to move the piece ofwood, a second vertical movement to move the saw--this was all that waswanted; and the engineer succeeded by means of a wheel, two cylinders, and pulleys properly arranged. Towards the end of the month of Septemberthe skeleton of the vessel, which was to be rigged as a schooner, layin the dockyard. The ribs were almost entirely completed, and, all thetimbers having been sustained by a provisional band, the shape of thevessel could already be seen. The schooner, sharp in the bows, veryslender in the after-part, would evidently be suitable for a longvoyage, if wanted; but laying the planking would still take aconsiderable time. Very fortunately, the iron work of the pirate brighad been saved after the explosion. From the planks and injured ribsPencroft and Ayrton had extracted the bolts and a large quantityof copper nails. It was so much work saved for the smiths, but thecarpenters had much to do. Shipbuilding was interrupted for a week for the harvest, the haymaking, and the gathering in of the different crops on the plateau. This workfinished, every moment was devoted to finishing the schooner. When nightcame the workmen were really quite exhausted. So as not to lose anytime they had changed the hours for their meals; they dined at twelveo'clock, and only had their supper when daylight failed them. They thenascended to Granite House, when they were always ready to go to bed. Sometimes, however, when the conversation bore on some interestingsubject the hour for sleep was delayed for a time. The colonists thenspoke of the future, and talked willingly of the changes which a voyagein the schooner to inhabited lands would make in their situation. But always, in the midst of these plans, prevailed the thought of asubsequent return to Lincoln Island. Never would they abandon thiscolony, founded with so much labor and with such success, and to whicha communication with America would afford a fresh impetus. Pencroft andNeb especially hoped to end their days there. "Herbert, " said the sailor, "you will never abandon Lincoln Island?" "Never, Pencroft, and especially if you make up your mind to staythere. " "That was made up long ago, my boy, " answered Pencroft. "I shall expectyou. You will bring me your wife and children, and I shall make jollychaps of your youngsters!" "That's agreed, " replied Herbert, laughing and blushing at the sametime. "And you, Captain Harding, " resumed Pencroft enthusiastically, "you willbe still the governor of the island! Ah, how many inhabitants could itsupport? Ten thousand at least!" They talked in this way, allowing Pencroft to run on, and at last thereporter actually started a newspaper--the New Lincoln Herald! So is man's heart. The desire to perform a work which will endure, whichwill survive him, is the origin of his superiority over all other livingcreatures here below. It is this which has established his dominion, andthis it is which justifies it, over all the world. After that, who knows if Jup and Top had not themselves their littledream of the future. Ayrton silently said to himself that he would like to see Lord Glenarvanagain and show himself to all restored. One evening, on the 15th of October, the conversation was prolongedlater than usual. It was nine o'clock. Already, long badly concealedyawns gave warning of the hour of rest, and Pencroft was proceedingtowards his bed, when the electric bell, placed in the dining-room, suddenly rang. All were there, Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Ayrton, Pencroft, Neb. Therefore none of the colonists were at the corral. Cyrus Harding rose. His companions stared at each other, scarcelybelieving their ears. "What does that mean?" cried Neb. "Was it the devil who rang it?" No one answered. "The weather is stormy, " observed Herbert. "Might not its influence ofelectricity--" Herbert did not finish his phrase. The engineer, towards whom all eyeswere turned, shook his head negatively. "We must wait, " said Gideon Spilett. "If it is a signal, whoever it maybe who has made it, he will renew it. " "But who do you think it is?" cried Neb. "Who?" answered Pencroft, "but he--" The sailor's sentence was cut short by a new tinkle of the bell. Harding went to the apparatus, and sent this question to the corral:-- "What do you want?" A few moments later the needle, moving on the alphabetic dial, gave thisreply to the tenants of Granite House:-- "Come to the corral immediately. " "At last!" exclaimed Harding. Yes! At last! The mystery was about to be unveiled. The colonists'fatigue had disappeared before the tremendous interest which was aboutto urge them to the corral, and all wish for rest had ceased. Withouthaving uttered a word, in a few moments they had left Granite House, and were standing on the beach. Jup and Top alone were left behind. Theycould do without them. The night was black. The new moon had disappeared at the same time asthe sun. As Herbert had observed, great stormy clouds formed a loweringand heavy vault, preventing any star rays. A few lightning flashes, reflections from a distant storm, illuminated the horizon. It was possible that a few hours later the thunder would roll over theisland itself. The night was very threatening. But however deep the darkness was, it would not prevent them fromfinding the familiar road to the corral. They ascended the left bank of the Mercy, reached the plateau, passedthe bridge over Creek Glycerine, and advanced through the forest. They walked at a good pace, a prey to the liveliest emotions. There wasno doubt but that they were now going to learn the long-searched-foranswer to the enigma, the name of that mysterious being, so deeplyconcerned in their life, so generous in his influence, so powerfulin his action! Must not this stranger have indeed mingled with theirexistence, have known the smallest details, have heard all that was saidin Granite House, to have been able always to act in the very nick oftime? Every one, wrapped up in his own reflections, pressed forward. Under thearch of trees the darkness was such that even the edge of the roadcould not be seen. Not a sound in the forest. Both animals and birds, influenced by the heaviness of the atmosphere, remained motionlessand silent. Not a breath disturbed the leaves. The footsteps of thecolonists alone resounded on the hardened ground. During the first quarter of an hour the silence was only interrupted bythis remark from Pencroft:-- "We ought to have brought a torch. " And by this reply from the engineer:-- "We shall find one at the corral. " Harding and his companions had left Granite House at twelve minutes pastnine. At forty-seven minutes past nine they had traversed three out ofthe five miles which separated the mouth of the Mercy from the corral. At that moment sheets of lightning spread over the island and illuminedthe dark trees. The flashes dazzled and almost blinded them. Evidentlythe storm would not be long in bursting forth. The flashes gradually became brighter and more rapid. Distant thundergrowled in the sky. The atmosphere was stifling. The colonists proceeded as if they were urged onwards by someirresistible force. At ten o'clock a vivid flash showed them the palisade, and as theyreached the gate the storm burst forth with tremendous fury. In a minute the corral was crossed, and Harding stood before the hut. Probably the house was occupied by the stranger, since it was fromthence that the telegram had been sent. However, no light shone throughthe window. The engineer knocked at the door. No answer. Cyrus Harding opened the door, and the settlers entered the room, whichwas perfectly dark. A light was struck by Neb, and in a few moments thelantern was lighted and the light thrown into every corner of the room. There was no one there. Everything was in the state in which it had beenleft. "Have we been deceived by an illusion?" murmured Cyrus Harding. No! that was not possible! The telegram had clearly said, -- "Come to the corral immediately. " They approached the table specially devoted to the use of the wire. Everything was in order--the pile on the box containing it, as well asall the apparatus. "Who came here the last time?" asked the engineer. "I did, captain, " answered Ayrton. "And that was--" "Four days ago. " "Ah! a note!" cried Herbert, pointing to a paper lying on the table. On this paper were written these words in English:-- "Follow the new wire. " "Forward!" cried Harding, who understood that the despatch had not beensent from the corral, but from the mysterious retreat, communicatingdirectly with Granite House by means of a supplementary wire joined tothe old one. Neb took the lighted lantern, and all left the corral. The stormthen burst forth with tremendous violence. The interval between eachlightning-flash and each thunder-clap diminished rapidly. The summitof the volcano, with its plume of vapor, could be seen by occasionalflashes. There was no telegraphic communication in any part of the corral betweenthe house and the palisade; but the engineer, running straight to thefirst post, saw by the light of a flash a new wire hanging from theisolator to the ground. "There it is!" said he. This wire lay along the ground, and was surrounded with an isolatingsubstance like a submarine cable, so as to assure the free transmissionof the current. It appeared to pass through the wood and the southernspurs of the mountain, and consequently it ran towards the west. "Follow it!" said Cyrus Harding. And the settlers immediately pressed forward, guided by the wire. The thunder continued to roar with such violence that not a word couldbe heard. However, there was no occasion for speaking, but to getforward as fast as possible. Cyrus Harding and his companions then climbed the spur rising betweenthe corral valley and that of Falls River, which they crossed at itsnarrowest part. The wire, sometimes stretched over the lower branchesof the trees, sometimes lying on the ground, guided them surely. Theengineer had supposed that the wire would perhaps stop at the bottom ofthe valley, and that the stranger's retreat would be there. Nothing of the sort. They were obliged to ascend the south-western spur, and re-descend on that arid plateau terminated by the strangely-wildbasalt cliff. From time to time one of the colonists stooped down andfelt for the wire with his hands; but there was now no doubt that thewire was running directly towards the sea. There, to a certainty, in thedepths of those rocks, was the dwelling so long sought for in vain. The sky was literally on fire. Flash succeeded flash. Several struck thesummit of the volcano in the midst of the thick smoke. It appeared thereas if the mountain was vomiting flame. At a few minutes to eleven thecolonists arrived on the high cliff overlooking the ocean to the west. The wind had risen. The surf roared 500 feet below. Harding calculated that they had gone a mile and a half from the corral. At this point the wire entered among the rocks, following the steep sideof a narrow ravine. The settlers followed it at the risk of occasioninga fall of the slightly-balanced rocks, and being dashed into the sea. The descent was extremely perilous, but they did not think of thedanger; they were no longer masters of themselves, and an irresistibleattraction drew them towards this mysterious place as the magnet drawsiron. Thus they almost unconsciously descended this ravine, which even inbroad daylight would have been considered impracticable. The stones rolled and sparkled like fiery balls when they crossedthrough the gleams of light. Harding was first--Ayrton last. On theywent, step by step. Now they slid over the slippery rock; then theystruggled to their feet and scrambled on. At last the wire touched the rocks on the beach. The colonists hadreached the bottom of the basalt cliff. There appeared a narrow ridge, running horizontally and parallel withthe sea. The settlers followed the wire along it. They had not gone ahundred paces when the ridge by a moderate incline sloped down to thelevel of the sea. The engineer seized the wire and found that it disappeared beneath thewaves. His companions were stupefied. A cry of disappointment, almost a cry of despair, escaped them! Mustthey then plunge beneath the water and seek there for some submarinecavern? In their excited state they would not have hesitated to do it. The engineer stopped them. He led his companions to a hollow in the rocks, and there-- "We must wait, " said he. "The tide is high. At low water the way will beopen. " "But what can make you think-" asked Pencroft. "He would not have called us if the means had been wanting to enable usto reach him!" Cyrus Harding spoke in a tone of such thorough conviction that noobjection was raised. His remark, besides, was logical. It was quitepossible that an opening, practicable at low water, though hidden now bythe high tide, opened at the foot of the cliff. There was some time to wait. The colonists remained silently crouchingin a deep hollow. Rain now began to fall in torrents. The thunder wasre-echoed among the rocks with a grand sonorousness. The colonists' emotion was great. A thousand strange and extraordinaryideas crossed their brains, and they expected some grand and superhumanapparition, which alone could come up to the notion they had formed ofthe mysterious genius of the island. At midnight, Harding carrying the lantern, descended to the beach toreconnoiter. The engineer was not mistaken. The beginning of an immense excavationcould be seen under the water. There the wire, bending at a right angle, entered the yawning gulf. Cyrus Harding returned to his companions, and said simply, -- "In an hour the opening will be practicable. " "It is there, then?" said Pencroft. "Did you doubt it?" returned Harding. "But this cavern must be filled with water to a certain height, "observed Herbert. "Either the cavern will be completely dry, " replied Harding, "and inthat case we can traverse it on foot, or it will not be dry, and somemeans of transport will be put at our disposal. " An hour passed. All climbed down through the rain to the level of thesea. There was now eight feet of the opening above the water. It waslike the arch of a bridge, under which rushed the foaming water. Leaning forward, the engineer saw a black object floating on thewater. He drew it towards him. It was a boat, moored to some interiorprojection of the cave. This boat was iron-plated. Two oars lay at thebottom. "Jump in!" said Harding. In a moment the settlers were in the boat. Neb and Ayrton took theoars, Pencroft the rudder. Cyrus Harding in the bows, with the lantern, lighted the way. The elliptical roof, under which the boat at first passed, suddenlyrose; but the darkness was too deep, and the light of the lantern tooslight, for either the extent, length, height, or depth of the cave tobe ascertained. Solemn silence reigned in this basaltic cavern. Not asound could penetrate into it, even the thunder peals could not pierceits thick sides. Such immense caves exist in various parts of the world, natural cryptsdating from the geological epoch of the globe. Some are filled by thesea; others contain entire lakes in their sides. Such is Fingal's Cave, in the island of Staffa, one of the Hebrides; such are the caves ofMorgat, in the bay of Douarnenez, in Brittany, the caves of Bonifacio, in Corsica, those of Lyse-Fjord, in Norway; such are the immense Mammothcaverns in Kentucky, 500 feet in height, and more than twenty miles inlength! In many parts of the globe, nature has excavated these caverns, and preserved them for the admiration of man. Did the cavern which the settlers were now exploring extend to thecenter of the island? For a quarter of an hour the boat had beenadvancing, making detours, indicated to Pencroft by the engineer inshort sentences, when all at once, -- "More to the right!" he commanded. The boat, altering its course, came up alongside the right wall. Theengineer wished to see if the wire still ran along the side. The wire was there fastened to the rock. "Forward!" said Harding. And the two oars, plunging into the dark waters, urged the boat onwards. On they went for another quarter of an hour, and a distance ofhalf-a-mile must have been cleared from the mouth of the cave, whenHarding's voice was again heard. "Stop!" said he. The boat stopped, and the colonists perceived a bright lightilluminating the vast cavern, so deeply excavated in the bowels of theisland, of which nothing had ever led them to suspect the existence. At a height of a hundred feet rose the vaulted roof, supported on basaltshafts. Irregular arches, strange moldings, appeared on the columnserected by nature in thousands from the first epochs of the formation ofthe globe. The basalt pillars, fitted one into the other, measuredfrom forty to fifty feet in height, and the water, calm in spite of thetumult outside, washed their base. The brilliant focus of light, pointedout by the engineer, touched every point of rocks, and flooded the wallswith light. By reflection the water reproduced the brilliant sparkles, so that theboat appeared to be floating between two glittering zones. They couldnot be mistaken in the nature of the irradiation thrown from the glowingnucleus, whose clear rays were shattered by all the angles, all theprojections of the cavern. This light proceeded from an electric source, and its white color betrayed its origin. It was the sun of this cave, and it filled it entirely. At a sign from Cyrus Harding the oars again plunged into the water, causing a regular shower of gems, and the boat was urged forward towardsthe light, which was now not more than half a cable's length distant. At this place the breadth of the sheet of water measured nearly 350feet, and beyond the dazzling center could be seen an enormous basalticwall, blocking up any issue on that side. The cavern widened hereconsiderably, the sea forming a little lake. But the roof, the sidewalls, the end cliff, all the prisms, all the peaks, were flooded withthe electric fluid, so that the brilliancy belonged to them, and as ifthe light issued from them. In the center of the lake a long cigar-shaped object floated on thesurface of the water, silent, motionless. The brilliancy which issuedfrom it escaped from its sides as from two kilns heated to a white heat. This apparatus, similar in shape to an enormous whale, was about 250feet long, and rose about ten or twelve above the water. The boat slowly approached it, Cyrus Harding stood up in the bows. Hegazed, a prey to violent excitement. Then, all at once, seizing thereporter's arm, -- "It is he! It can only be he!" he cried, "he!--" Then, falling back on the seat, he murmured a name which Gideon Spilettalone could hear. The reporter evidently knew this name, for it had a wonderful effectupon him, and he answered in a hoarse voice, -- "He! an outlawed man!" "He!" said Harding. At the engineer's command the boat approached this singular floatingapparatus. The boat touched the left side, from which escaped a ray oflight through a thick glass. Harding and his companions mounted on the platform. An open hatchway wasthere. All darted down the opening. At the bottom of the ladder was a deck, lighted by electricity. At theend of this deck was a door, which Harding opened. A richly-ornamented room, quickly traversed by the colonists, was joinedto a library, over which a luminous ceiling shed a flood of light. At the end of the library a large door, also shut, was opened by theengineer. An immense saloon--a sort of museum, in which were heaped up, withall the treasures of the mineral world, works of art, marvels ofindustry--appeared before the eyes of the colonists, who almost thoughtthemselves suddenly transported into a land of enchantment. Stretched on a rich sofa they saw a man, who did not appear to noticetheir presence. Then Harding raised his voice, and to the extreme surprise of hiscompanions, he uttered these words, -- "Captain Nemo, you asked for us! We are here. --" Chapter 16 At these words the reclining figure rose, and the electric light fellupon his countenance; a magnificent head, the forehead high, the glancecommanding, beard white, hair abundant and falling over the shoulders. His hand rested upon the cushion of the divan from which he had justrisen. He appeared perfectly calm. It was evident that his strength hadbeen gradually undermined by illness, but his voice seemed yet powerful, as he said in English, and in a tone which evinced extreme surprise, -- "Sir, I have no name. " "Nevertheless, I know you!" replied Cyrus Harding. Captain Nemo fixed his penetrating gaze upon the engineer, as though hewere about to annihilate him. Then, falling back amid the pillows of the divan, -- "After all, what matters now?" he murmured; "I am dying!" Cyrus Harding drew near the captain, and Gideon Spilett took hishand--it was of a feverish heat. Ayrton, Pencroft, Herbert, and Nebstood respectfully apart in an angle of the magnificent saloon, whoseatmosphere was saturated with the electric fluid. Meanwhile Captain Nemo withdrew his hand, and motioned the engineer andthe reporter to be seated. All regarded him with profound emotion. Before them they beheld thatbeing whom they had styled the "genius of the island, " the powerfulprotector whose intervention, in so many circumstances, had been soefficacious, the benefactor to whom they owed such a debt of gratitude!Their eyes beheld a man only, and a man at the point of death, wherePencroft and Neb had expected to find an almost supernatural being! But how happened it that Cyrus Harding had recognized Captain Nemo? whyhad the latter so suddenly risen on hearing this name uttered, a namewhich he had believed known to none?-- The captain had resumed his position on the divan, and leaning on hisarm, he regarded the engineer, seated near him. "You know the name I formerly bore, sir?" he asked. "I do, " answered Cyrus Harding, "and also that of this wonderfulsubmarine vessel--" "The 'Nautilus'?" said the captain, with a faint smile. "The 'Nautilus. '" "But do you--do you know who I am?" "I do. " "It is nevertheless many years since I have held any communication withthe inhabited world; three long years have I passed in the depth ofthe sea, the only place where I have found liberty! Who then can havebetrayed my secret?" "A man who was bound to you by no tie, Captain Nemo, and who, consequently, cannot be accused of treachery. " "The Frenchman who was cast on board my vessel by chance sixteen yearssince?" "The same. " "He and his two companions did not then perish in the maelstrom, in themidst of which the 'Nautilus' was struggling?" "They escaped, and a book has appeared under the title of 'TwentyThousand Leagues Under the Sea, ' which contains your history. " "The history of a few months only of my life!" interrupted the captainimpetuously. "It is true, " answered Cyrus Harding, "but a few months of that strangelife have sufficed to make you known. " "As a great criminal, doubtless!" said Captain Nemo, a haughty smilecurling his lips. "Yes, a rebel, perhaps an outlaw against humanity!" The engineer was silent. "Well, sir?" "It is not for me to judge you, Captain Nemo, " answered Cyrus Harding, "at any rate as regards your past life. I am, with the rest of theworld, ignorant of the motives which induced you to adopt this strangemode of existence, and I cannot judge of effects without knowing theircauses; but what I do know is, that a beneficent hand has constantlyprotected us since our arrival on Lincoln Island, that we all owe ourlives to a good, generous, and powerful being, and that this being sopowerful, good and generous, Captain Nemo, is yourself!" "It is I, " answered the captain simply. The engineer and the reporter rose. Their companions had drawn near, andthe gratitude with which their hearts were charged was about to expressitself in their gestures and words. Captain Nemo stopped them by a sign, and in a voice which betrayed moreemotion than he doubtless intended to show. "Wait till you have heard all, " he said. And the captain, in a few concise sentences, ran over the events of hislife. His narrative was short, yet he was obliged to summon up his wholeremaining energy to arrive at the end. He was evidently contendingagainst extreme weakness. Several times Cyrus Harding entreated him torepose for a while, but he shook his head as a man to whom the morrowmay never come, and when the reporter offered his assistance, -- "It is useless, " he said; "my hours are numbered. " Captain Nemo was an Indian, the Prince Dakkar, son of a rajah of thethen independent territory of Bundelkund. His father sent him, when tenyears of age, to Europe, in order that he might receive an educationin all respects complete, and in the hopes that by his talents andknowledge he might one day take a leading part in raising his longdegraded and heathen country to a level with the nations of Europe. From the age of ten years to that of thirty Prince Dakkar, endowed byNature with her richest gifts of intellect, accumulated knowledge ofevery kind, and in science, literature, and art his researches wereextensive and profound. He traveled over the whole of Europe. His rank and fortune caused him tobe everywhere sought after; but the pleasures of the world had for himno attractions. Though young and possessed of every personal advantage, he was ever grave--somber even--devoured by an unquenchable thirst forknowledge, and cherishing in the recesses of his heart the hope thathe might become a great and powerful ruler of a free and enlightenedpeople. Still, for long the love of science triumphed over all other feelings. He became an artist deeply impressed by the marvels of art, aphilosopher to whom no one of the higher sciences was unknown, astatesman versed in the policy of European courts. To the eyes of thosewho observed him superficially he might have passed for one of thosecosmopolitans, curious of knowledge, but disdaining action; one of thoseopulent travelers, haughty and cynical, who move incessantly from placeto place, and are of no country. The history of Captain Nemo has, in fact, been published under the titleof "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. " Here, therefore, will applythe observation already made as to the adventures of Ayrton with regardto the discrepancy of dates. Readers should therefore refer to the notealready published on this point. This artist, this philosopher, this man was, however, still cherishingthe hope instilled into him from his earliest days. Prince Dakkar returned to Bundelkund in the year 1849. He married anoble Indian lady, who was imbued with an ambition not less ardent thanthat by which he was inspired. Two children were born to them, whom theytenderly loved. But domestic happiness did not prevent him from seekingto carry out the object at which he aimed. He waited an opportunity. Atlength, as he vainly fancied, it presented itself. Instigated by princes equally ambitious and less sagacious and moreunscrupulous than he was, the people of India were persuaded that theymight successfully rise against their English rulers, who had broughtthem out of a state of anarchy and constant warfare and misery, and hadestablished peace and prosperity in their country. Their ignorance andgross superstition made them the facile tools of their designing chiefs. In 1857 the great sepoy revolt broke out. Prince Dakkar, under thebelief that he should thereby have the opportunity of attaining theobject of his long-cherished ambition, was easily drawn into it. Heforthwith devoted his talents and wealth to the service of this cause. He aided it in person; he fought in the front ranks; he risked his lifeequally with the humblest of the wretched and misguided fanatics; he wasten times wounded in twenty engagements, seeking death but finding itnot, but at length the sanguinary rebels were utterly defeated, and theatrocious mutiny was brought to an end. Never before had the British power in India been exposed to such danger, and if, as they had hoped, the sepoys had received assistance fromwithout, the influence and supremacy in Asia of the United Kingdom wouldhave been a thing of the past. The name of Prince Dakkar was at that time well known. He had foughtopenly and without concealment. A price was set upon his head, but hemanaged to escape from his pursuers. Civilization never recedes; the law of necessity ever forces it onwards. The sepoys were vanquished, and the land of the rajahs of old fell againunder the rule of England. Prince Dakkar, unable to find that death he courted, returned to themountain fastnesses of Bundelkund. There, alone in the world, overcomeby disappointment at the destruction of all his vain hopes, a preyto profound disgust for all human beings, filled with hatred of thecivilized world, he realized the wreck of his fortune, assembled somescore of his most faithful companions, and one day disappeared, leavingno trace behind. Where, then, did he seek that liberty denied him upon the inhabitedearth? Under the waves, in the depths of the ocean, where none couldfollow. The warrior became the man of science. Upon a deserted island of thePacific he established his dockyard, and there a submarine vessel wasconstructed from his designs. By methods which will at some futureday be revealed he had rendered subservient the illimitable forces ofelectricity, which, extracted from inexhaustible sources, was employedfor all the requirements of his floating equipage, as a moving, lighting, and heating agent. The sea, with its countless treasures, itsmyriads of fish, its numberless wrecks, its enormous mammalia, and notonly all that nature supplied, but also all that man had lost in itsdepths, sufficed for every want of the prince and his crew--and thus washis most ardent desire accomplished, never again to hold communicationwith the earth. He named his submarine vessel the "Nautilus, " calledhimself simply Captain Nemo, and disappeared beneath the seas. During many years this strange being visited every ocean, from pole topole. Outcast of the inhabited earth in these unknown worlds he gatheredincalculable treasures. The millions lost in the Bay of Vigo, in 1702, by the galleons of Spain, furnished him with a mine of inexhaustibleriches which he devoted always, anonymously, in favor of those nationswho fought for the independence of their country. (This refers to the resurrection of the Candiotes, who were, in fact, largely assisted by Captain Nemo. ) For long, however, he had held no communication with hisfellow-creatures, when, during the night of the 6th of November, 1866, three men were cast on board his vessel. They were a French professor, his servant, and a Canadian fisherman. These three men had been hurledoverboard by a collision which had taken place between the "Nautilus"and the United States frigate "Abraham Lincoln, " which had chased her. Captain Nemo learned from this professor that the "Nautilus, " taken nowfor a gigantic mammal of the whale species, now for a submarine vesselcarrying a crew of pirates, was sought for in every sea. He might have returned these three men to the ocean, from whence chancehad brought them in contact with his mysterious existence. Instead ofdoing this he kept them prisoners, and during seven months they wereenabled to behold all the wonders of a voyage of twenty thousand leaguesunder the sea. One day, the 22nd of June, 1867, these three men, who knew nothing ofthe past history of Captain Nemo, succeeded in escaping in one of the"Nautilus's" boats. But as at this time the "Nautilus" was drawn intothe vortex of the maelstrom, off the coast of Norway, the captainnaturally believed that the fugitives, engulfed in that frightfulwhirlpool, found their death at the bottom of the abyss. He was unawarethat the Frenchman and his two companions had been miraculously caston shore, that the fishermen of the Lofoten Islands had renderedthem assistance, and that the professor, on his return to France, hadpublished that work in which seven months of the strange and eventfulnavigation of the "Nautilus" were narrated and exposed to the curiosityof the public. For a long time alter this, Captain Nemo continued to live thus, traversing every sea. But one by one his companions died, and foundtheir last resting-place in their cemetery of coral, in the bed of thePacific. At last Captain Nemo remained the solitary survivor of allthose who had taken refuge with him in the depths of the ocean. He was now sixty years of age. Although alone, he succeeded innavigating the "Nautilus" towards one of those submarine caverns whichhad sometimes served him as a harbor. One of these ports was hollowed beneath Lincoln Island, and at thismoment furnished an asylum to the "Nautilus. " The captain had now remained there six years, navigating the ocean nolonger, but awaiting death, and that moment when he should rejoin hisformer companions, when by chance he observed the descent of the balloonwhich carried the prisoners of the Confederates. Clad in his divingdress he was walking beneath the water at a few cables' length from theshore of the island, when the engineer had been thrown into the sea. Moved by a feeling of compassion the captain saved Cyrus Harding. His first impulse was to fly from the vicinity of the five castaways;but his harbor refuge was closed, for in consequence of an elevation ofthe basalt, produced by the influence of volcanic action, he couldno longer pass through the entrance of the vault. Though there wassufficient depth of water to allow a light craft to pass the bar, there was not enough for the "Nautilus, " whose draught of water wasconsiderable. Captain Nemo was compelled, therefore, to remain. He observed these menthrown without resources upon a desert island, but had no wish to behimself discovered by them. By degrees he became interested in theirefforts when he saw them honest, energetic, and bound to each other bythe ties of friendship. As if despite his wishes, he penetrated all thesecrets of their existence. By means of the diving dress he could easilyreach the well in the interior of Granite House, and climbing by theprojections of rock to its upper orifice he heard the colonists as theyrecounted the past, and studied the present and future. He learned fromthem the tremendous conflict of America with America itself, for theabolition of slavery. Yes, these men were worthy to reconcile CaptainNemo with that humanity which they represented so nobly in the island. Captain Nemo had saved Cyrus Harding. It was he also who had broughtback the dog to the Chimneys, who rescued Top from the waters of thelake, who caused to fall at Flotsam Point the case containing so manythings useful to the colonists, who conveyed the canoe back into thestream of the Mercy, who cast the cord from the top of Granite House atthe time of the attack by the baboons, who made known the presenceof Ayrton upon Tabor Island, by means of the document enclosed in thebottle, who caused the explosion of the brig by the shock of a torpedoplaced at the bottom of the canal, who saved Herbert from certain deathby bringing the sulphate of quinine; and finally, it was he who hadkilled the convicts with the electric balls, of which he possessed thesecret, and which he employed in the chase of submarine creatures. Thuswere explained so many apparently supernatural occurrences, and whichall proved the generosity and power of the captain. Nevertheless, this noble misanthrope longed to benefit his protegesstill further. There yet remained much useful advice to give them, and, his heart being softened by the approach of death, he invited, as we areaware, the colonists of Granite House to visit the "Nautilus, " by meansof a wire which connected it with the corral. Possibly he would nothave done this had he been aware that Cyrus Harding was sufficientlyacquainted with his history to address him by the name of Nemo. The captain concluded the narrative of his life. Cyrus Harding thenspoke; he recalled all the incidents which had exercised so beneficentan influence upon the colony, and in the names of his companions andhimself thanked the generous being to whom they owed so much. But Captain Nemo paid little attention; his mind appeared to be absorbedby one idea, and without taking the proffered hand of the engineer, -- "Now, sir, " said he, "now that you know my history, your judgment!" In saying this, the captain evidently alluded to an important incidentwitnessed by the three strangers thrown on board his vessel, and whichthe French professor had related in his work, causing a profound andterrible sensation. Some days previous to the flight of the professorand his two companions, the "Nautilus, " being chased by a frigate in thenorth of the Atlantic had hurled herself as a ram upon this frigate, andsunk her without mercy. Cyrus Harding understood the captain's allusion, and was silent. "It was an enemy's frigate, " exclaimed Captain Nemo, transformed foran instant into the Prince Dakkar, "an enemy's frigate! It was she whoattacked me--I was in a narrow and shallow bay--the frigate barred myway--and I sank her!" A few moments of silence ensued; then the captain demanded, -- "What think you of my life, gentlemen?" Cyrus Harding extended his hand to the ci-devant prince and repliedgravely, "Sir, your error was in supposing that the past can beresuscitated, and in contending against inevitable progress. It is oneof those errors which some admire, others blame; which God alone canjudge. He who is mistaken in an action which he sincerely believes to beright may be an enemy, but retains our esteem. Your error is one thatwe may admire, and your name has nothing to fear from the judgment ofhistory, which does not condemn heroic folly, but its results. " The old man's breast swelled with emotion, and raising his hand toheaven, -- "Was I wrong, or in the right?" he murmured. Cyrus Harding replied, "All great actions return to God, from whom theyare derived. Captain Nemo, we, whom you have succored, shall ever mournyour loss. " Herbert, who had drawn near the captain, fell on his knees and kissedhis hand. A tear glistened in the eyes of the dying man. "My child, " he said, "mayGod bless you!" Chapter 17 Day had returned. No ray of light penetrated into the profundity of thecavern. It being high-water, the entrance was closed by the sea. But theartificial light, which escaped in long streams from the skylights ofthe "Nautilus" was as vivid as before, and the sheet of water shonearound the floating vessel. An extreme exhaustion now overcame Captain Nemo, who had fallen backupon the divan. It was useless to contemplate removing him to GraniteHouse, for he had expressed his wish to remain in the midst of thosemarvels of the "Nautilus" which millions could not have purchased, andto wait there for that death which was swiftly approaching. During a long interval of prostration, which rendered him almostunconscious, Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett attentively observedthe condition of the dying man. It was apparent that his strength wasgradually diminishing. That frame, once so robust, was now but thefragile tenement of a departing soul. All of life was concentrated inthe heart and head. The engineer and reporter consulted in whispers. Was it possible torender any aid to the dying man? Might his life, if not saved, beprolonged for some days? He himself had said that no remedy couldavail, and he awaited with tranquillity that death which had for him noterrors. "We can do nothing, " said Gideon Spilett. "But of what is he dying?" asked Pencroft. "Life is simply fading out, " replied the reporter. "Nevertheless, " said the sailor, "if we move him into the open air, andthe light of the sun, he might perhaps recover. " "No, Pencroft, " answered the engineer, "it is useless to attempt it. Besides, Captain Nemo would never consent to leave his vessel. Hehas lived for a dozen years on board the 'Nautilus, ' and on board the'Nautilus' he desires to die. " Without doubt Captain Nemo heard Cyrus Harding's reply, for he raisedhimself slightly, and in a voice more feeble, but always intelligible, -- "You are right, sir, " he said. "I shall die here--it is my wish; andtherefore I have a request to make of you. " Cyrus Harding and his companions had drawn near the divan, and nowarranged the cushions in such a manner as to better support the dyingman. They saw his eyes wander over all the marvels of this saloon, lightedby the electric rays which fell from the arabesques of the luminousceiling. He surveyed, one after the other, the pictures hanging fromthe splendid tapestries of the partitions, the chef-d'oeuvres of theItalian, Flemish, French, and Spanish masters; the statues of marble andbronze on their pedestals; the magnificent organ, leaning against theafter-partition; the aquarium, in which bloomed the most wonderfulproductions of the sea--marine plants, zoophytes, chaplets of pearlsof inestimable value; and, finally, his eyes rested on this device, inscribed over the pediment of the museum--the motto of the "Nautilus"-- "Mobilis in mobile. " His glance seemed to rest fondly for the last time on these masterpiecesof art and of nature, to which he had limited his horizon during asojourn of so many years in the abysses of the seas. Cyrus Harding respected the captain's silence, and waited till he shouldspeak. After some minutes, during which, doubtless, he passed in review hiswhole life, Captain Nemo turned to the colonists and said, "You consider yourselves, gentlemen, under some obligations to me?" "Captain, believe us that we would give our lives to prolong yours. " "Promise, then, " continued Captain Nemo, "to carry out my last wishes, and I shall be repaid for all I have done for you. " "We promise, " said Cyrus Harding. And by this promise he bound both himself and his companions. "Gentlemen, " resumed the captain, "to-morrow I shall be dead. " Herbert was about to utter an exclamation, but a sign from the captainarrested him. "To-morrow I shall die, and I desire no other tomb than the 'Nautilus. 'It is my grave! All my friends repose in the depths of the ocean; theirresting-place shall be mine. " These words were received with profound silence. "Pay attention to my wishes, " he continued. "The 'Nautilus' isimprisoned in this grotto, the entrance of which is blocked up; but, although egress is impossible, the vessel may at least sink in theabyss, and there bury my remains. " The colonists listened reverently to the words of the dying man. "To-morrow, after my death, Mr. Harding, " continued the captain, "yourself and companions will leave the 'Nautilus, ' for all thetreasures it contains must perish with me. One token alone will remainwith you of Prince Dakkar, with whose history you are now acquainted. That coffer yonder contains diamonds of the value of many millions, most of them mementoes of the time when, husband and father, I thoughthappiness possible for me, and a collection of pearls gathered by myfriends and myself in the depths of the ocean. Of this treasure at afuture day, you may make good use. In the hands of such men as yourselfand your comrades, Captain Harding, money will never be a source ofdanger. From on high I shall still participate in your enterprises, andI fear not but that they will prosper. " After a few moments' repose, necessitated by his extreme weakness, Captain Nemo continued, -- "To-morrow you will take the coffer, you will leave the saloon, of whichyou will close the door; then you will ascend on to the deck of the'Nautilus, ' and you will lower the mainhatch so as entirely to close thevessel. " "It shall be done, captain, " answered Cyrus Harding. "Good. You will then embark in the canoe which brought you hither; but, before leaving the 'Nautilus, ' go to the stern and there open two largestop-cocks which you will find upon the water-line. The water willpenetrate into the reservoirs, and the 'Nautilus' will gradually sinkbeneath the water to repose at the bottom of the abyss. " And comprehending a gesture of Cyrus Harding, the captain added, -- "Fear nothing! You will but bury a corpse!" Neither Cyrus Harding nor his companions ventured to offer anyobservation to Captain Nemo. He had expressed his last wishes, and theyhad nothing to do but to conform to them. "I have your promise, gentlemen?" added Captain Nemo. "You have, captain, " replied the engineer. The captain thanked the colonists by a sign, and requested them to leavehim for some hours. Gideon Spilett wished to remain near him, in theevent of a crisis coming on, but the dying man refused, saying, "I shalllive until to-morrow, sir. " All left the saloon, passed through the library and the dining-room, andarrived forward, in the machine-room where the electrical apparatus wasestablished, which supplied not only heat and light, but the mechanicalpower of the "Nautilus. " The "Nautilus" was a masterpiece containing masterpieces with itself, and the engineer was struck with astonishment. The colonists mounted the platform, which rose seven or eight feet abovethe water. There they beheld a thick glass lenticular covering, whichprotected a kind of large eye, from which flashed forth light. Behindthis eye was apparently a cabin containing the wheels of the rudder, andin which was stationed the helmsman, when he navigated the "Nautilus"over the bed of the ocean, which the electric rays would evidently lightup to a considerable distance. Cyrus Harding and his companions remained for a time silent, for theywere vividly impressed by what they had just seen and heard, and theirhearts were deeply touched by the thought that he whose arm had so oftenaided them, the protector whom they had known but a few hours, was atthe point of death. Whatever might be the judgment pronounced by posterity upon the eventsof this, so to speak, extra-human existence, the character of PrinceDakkar would ever remain as one of those whose memory time can neverefface. "What a man!" said Pencroft. "Is it possible that he can have lived atthe bottom of the sea? And it seems to me that perhaps he has not foundpeace there any more than elsewhere!" "The 'Nautilus, '" observed Ayrton, "might have enabled us to leaveLincoln Island and reach some inhabited country. " "Good Heavens!" exclaimed Pencroft, "I for one would never risk myselfin such a craft. To sail on the seas, good, but under the seas, never!" "I believe, Pencroft, " answered the reporter, "that the navigation of asubmarine vessel such as the 'Nautilus' ought to be very easy, and thatwe should soon become accustomed to it. There would be no storms, nolee-shore to fear. At some feet beneath the surface the waters of theocean are as calm as those of a lake. " "That may be, " replied the sailor, "but I prefer a gale of wind onboard a well-found craft. A vessel is built to sail on the sea, and notbeneath it. " "My friends, " said the engineer, "it is useless, at any rate as regardsthe 'Nautilus, ' to discuss the question of submarine vessels. The'Nautilus' is not ours, and we have not the right to dispose of it. Moreover, we could in no case avail ourselves of it. Independently ofthe fact that it would be impossible to get it out of this cavern, whoseentrance is now closed by the uprising of the basaltic rocks, CaptainNemo's wish is that it shall be buried with him. His wish is our law, and we will fulfil it. " After a somewhat prolonged conversation, Cyrus Harding and hiscompanions again descended to the interior of the "Nautilus. " There theytook some refreshment and returned to the saloon. Captain Nemo had somewhat rallied from the prostration which hadovercome him, and his eyes shone with their wonted fire. A faint smileeven curled his lips. The colonists drew around him. "Gentlemen, " said the captain, "you are brave and honest men. Youhave devoted yourselves to the common weal. Often have I observedyour conduct. I have esteemed you--I esteem you still! Your hand, Mr. Harding. " Cyrus Harding gave his hand to the captain, who clasped itaffectionately. "It is well!" he murmured. He resumed, -- "But enough of myself. I have to speak concerning yourselves, and thisLincoln Island, upon which you have taken refuge. You now desire toleave it?" "To return, captain!" answered Pencroft quickly. "To return, Pencroft?" said the captain, with a smile. "I know, it istrue, your love for this island. You have helped to make it what it nowis, and it seems to you a paradise!" "Our project, captain, " interposed Cyrus Harding, "is to annex it to theUnited States, and to establish for our shipping a port so fortunatelysituated in this part of the Pacific. " "Your thoughts are with your country, gentlemen, " continued the captain;"your toils are for her prosperity and glory. You are right. One'snative land!--there should one live! there die! And I die far from all Iloved!" "You have some last wish to transmit, " said the engineer with emotion, "some souvenir to send to those friends you have left in the mountainsof India?" "No, Captain Harding; no friends remain to me! I am the last of my race, and to all whom I have known I have long been as are the dead. --Butto return to yourselves. Solitude, isolation, are painful things, andbeyond human endurance. I die of having thought it possible to livealone! You should, therefore, dare all in the attempt to leave LincolnIsland, and see once more the land of your birth. I am aware that thosewretches have destroyed the vessel you have built. " "We propose to construct a vessel, " said Gideon Spilett, "sufficientlylarge to convey us to the nearest land; but if we should succeed, sooneror later we shall return to Lincoln Island. We are attached to it by toomany recollections ever to forget it. " "It is here that we have known Captain Nemo, " said Cyrus Harding. "It is here only that we can make our home!" added Herbert. "And here shall I sleep the sleep of eternity, if--" replied thecaptain. He paused for a moment, and, instead of completing the sentence, saidsimply, -- "Mr. Harding, I wish to speak with you--alone!" The engineer's companions, respecting the wish, retired. Cyrus Harding remained but a few minutes alone with Captain Nemo, andsoon recalled his companions; but he said nothing to them of the privatematters which the dying man had confided to him. Gideon Spilett now watched the captain with extreme care. It was evidentthat he was no longer sustained by his moral energy, which had lost thepower of reaction against his physical weakness. The day closed without change. The colonists did not quit the "Nautilus"for a moment. Night arrived, although it was impossible to distinguishit from day in the cavern. Captain Nemo suffered no pain, but he was visibly sinking. His noblefeatures, paled by the approach of death, were perfectly calm. Inaudiblewords escaped at intervals from his lips, bearing upon various incidentsof his checkered career. Life was evidently ebbing slowly and hisextremities were already cold. Once or twice more he spoke to the colonists who stood around him, andsmiled on them with that last smile which continues after death. At length, shortly after midnight, Captain Nemo by a supreme effortsucceeded in folding his arms across his breast, as if wishing in thatattitude to compose himself for death. By one o'clock his glance alone showed signs of life. A dying lightgleamed in those eyes once so brilliant. Then, murmuring the words, "Godand my country!" he quietly expired. Cyrus Harding, bending low closed the eyes of him who had once been thePrince Dakkar, and was now not even Captain Nemo. Herbert and Pencroft sobbed aloud. Tears fell from Ayrton's eyes. Nebwas on his knees by the reporter's side, motionless as a statue. Then Cyrus Harding, extending his hand over the forehead of the dead, said solemnly, "May his soul be with God!" Turning to his friends, headded, "Let us pray for him whom we have lost!" Some hours later the colonists fulfilled the promise made to the captainby carrying out his dying wishes. Cyrus Harding and his companions quitted the "Nautilus, " taking withthem the only memento left them by their benefactor, the coffer whichcontained wealth amounting to millions. The marvelous saloon, still flooded with light, had been carefullyclosed. The iron door leading on deck was then securely fastened insuch a manner as to prevent even a drop of water from penetrating to theinterior of the "Nautilus. " The colonists then descended into the canoe, which was moored to theside of the submarine vessel. The canoe was now brought around to the stern. There, at the water-line, were two large stop-cocks communicating with the reservoirs employed inthe submersion of the vessel. The stop-cocks were opened, the reservoirs filled, and the "Nautilus, "slowly sinking, disappeared beneath the surface of the lake. But the colonists were yet able to follow its descent through the waves. The powerful light it gave forth lighted up the translucent water, whilethe cavern became gradually obscure. At length this vast effusion ofelectric light faded away, and soon after the "Nautilus, " now the tombof Captain Nemo, reposed in its ocean bed. Chapter 18 At break of day the colonists regained in silence the entrance of thecavern, to which they gave the name of "Dakkar Grotto, " in memory ofCaptain Nemo. It was now low-water, and they passed without difficultyunder the arcade, washed on the right by the sea. The canoe was left here, carefully protected from the waves. Asadditional precaution, Pencroft, Neb, and Ayrton drew it up on a littlebeach which bordered one of the sides of the grotto, in a spot where itcould run no risk of harm. The storm had ceased during the night. The last low mutterings of thethunder died away in the west. Rain fell no longer, but the sky was yetobscured by clouds. On the whole, this month of October, the first ofthe southern spring, was not ushered in by satisfactory tokens, and thewind had a tendency to shift from one point of the compass to another, which rendered it impossible to count upon settled weather. Cyrus Harding and his companions, on leaving Dakkar Grotto, had takenthe road to the corral. On their way Neb and Herbert were careful topreserve the wire which had been laid down by the captain between thecorral and the grotto, and which might at a future time be of service. The colonists spoke but little on the road. The various incidents of thenight of October 15th had left a profound impression on their minds. Theunknown being whose influence had so effectually protected them, theman whom their imagination had endowed with supernatural powers, CaptainNemo, was no more. His "Nautilus" and he were buried in the depths ofthe abyss. To each one of them their existence seemed even more isolatedthan before. They had been accustomed to count upon the intervention ofthat power which existed no longer, and Gideon Spilett, and even CyrusHarding, could not escape this impression. Thus they maintained aprofound silence during their journey to the corral. Towards nine in the morning the colonists arrived at Granite House. It had been agreed that the construction of the vessel should beactively pushed forward, and Cyrus Harding more than ever devoted histime and labor to this object. It was impossible to divine what futurelay before them. Evidently the advantage to the colonists would be greatof having at their disposal a substantial vessel, capable of keeping thesea even in heavy weather, and large enough to attempt, in case ofneed, a voyage of some duration. Even if, when their vessel should becompleted, the colonists should not resolve to leave Lincoln Island asyet, in order to gain either one of the Polynesian Archipelagoes of thePacific or the shores of New Zealand, they might at least, sooner orlater, proceed to Tabor Island, to leave there the notice relating toAyrton. This was a precaution rendered indispensable by the possibilityof the Scotch yacht reappearing in those seas, and it was of the highestimportance that nothing should be neglected on this point. The works were then resumed. Cyrus Harding, Pencroft, and Ayrton, assisted by Neb, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert, except when unavoidablycalled off by other necessary occupations, worked without cessation. Itwas important that the new vessel should be ready in five months--thatis to say, by the beginning of March--if they wished to visit TaborIsland before the equinoctial gales rendered the voyage impracticable. Therefore the carpenters lost not a moment. Moreover, it was unnecessaryto manufacture rigging, that of the "Speedy" having been saved entire, so that the hull only of the vessel needed to be constructed. The end of the year 1868 found them occupied by these important labors, to the exclusion of almost all others. At the expiration of two monthsand a half the ribs had been set up and the first planks adjusted. Itwas already evident that the plans made by Cyrus Harding were admirable, and that the vessel would behave well at sea. Pencroft brought to the task a devouring energy, and would even grumblewhen one or the other abandoned the carpenter's axe for the gun of thehunter. It was nevertheless necessary to keep up the stores of GraniteHouse, in view of the approaching winter. But this did not satisfyPencroft. The brave, honest sailor was not content when the workmen werenot at the dockyard. When this happened he grumbled vigorously, and, byway of venting his feelings, did the work of six men. The weather was very unfavorable during the whole of the summer season. For some days the heat was overpowering, and the atmosphere, saturatedwith electricity, was only cleared by violent storms. It was rarely thatthe distant growling of the thunder could not be heard, like a low butincessant murmur, such as is produced in the equatorial regions of theglobe. The 1st of January, 1869, was signalized by a storm of extreme violence, and the thunder burst several times over the island. Large trees werestruck by the electric fluid and shattered, and among others one ofthose gigantic nettle-trees which had shaded the poultry-yard at thesouthern extremity of the lake. Had this meteor any relation to thephenomena going on in the bowels of the earth? Was there any connectionbetween the commotion of the atmosphere and that of the interior of theearth? Cyrus Harding was inclined to think that such was the case, forthe development of these storms was attended by the renewal of volcanicsymptoms. It was on the 3rd of January that Herbert, having ascended at daybreakto the plateau of Prospect Heights to harness one of the onagers, perceived an enormous hat-shaped cloud rolling from the summit of thevolcano. Herbert immediately apprised the colonists, who at once joined him inwatching the summit of Mount Franklin. "Ah!" exclaimed Pencroft, "those are not vapors this time! It seems tome that the giant is not content with breathing; he must smoke!" This figure of speech employed by the sailor exactly expressed thechanges going on at the mouth of the volcano. Already for three monthshad the crater emitted vapors more or less dense, but which were as yetproduced only by an internal ebullition of mineral substances. Butnow the vapors were replaced by a thick smoke, rising in the form of agrayish column, more than three hundred feet in width at its base, andwhich spread like an immense mushroom to a height of from seven to eighthundred feet above the summit of the mountain. "The fire is in the chimney, " observed Gideon Spilett. "And we can't put it out!" replied Herbert. "The volcano ought to be swept, " observed Neb, who spoke as if perfectlyserious. "Well said, Neb!" cried Pencroft, with a shout of laughter; "and you'llundertake the job, no doubt?" Cyrus Harding attentively observed the dense smoke emitted by MountFranklin, and even listened, as if expecting to hear some distantmuttering. Then, turning towards his companions, from whom he had gonesomewhat apart, he said, -- "The truth is, my friends, we must not conceal from ourselves that animportant change is going forward. The volcanic substances are no longerin a state of ebullition, they have caught fire, and we are undoubtedlymenaced by an approaching eruption. " "Well, captain, " said Pencroft, "we shall witness the eruption; and ifit is a good one, we'll applaud it. I don't see that we need concernourselves further about the matter. " "It may be so, " replied Cyrus Harding, "for the ancient track ofthe lava is still open; and thanks to this, the crater has hithertooverflowed towards the north. And yet--" "And yet, as we can derive no advantage from an eruption, it might bebetter it should not take place, " said the reporter. "Who knows?" answered the sailor. "Perhaps there may be some valuablesubstance in this volcano, which it will spout forth, and which we mayturn to good account!" Cyrus Harding shook his head with the air of a man who augured no goodfrom the phenomenon whose development had been so sudden. He did notregard so lightly as Pencroft the results of an eruption. If the lava, in consequence of the position of the crater, did not directly menacethe wooded and cultivated parts of the island, other complications mightpresent themselves. In fact, eruptions are not unfrequently accompaniedby earthquakes; and an island of the nature of Lincoln Island, formed ofsubstances so varied, basalt on one side, granite on the other, lava onthe north, rich soil on the south, substances which consequently couldnot be firmly attached to each other, would be exposed to the riskof disintegration. Although, therefore, the spreading of the volcanicmatter might not constitute a serious danger, any movement of theterrestrial structure which should shake the island might entail thegravest consequences. "It seems to me, " said Ayrton, who had reclined so as to place his earto the ground, "it seems to me that I can hear a dull, rumbling sound, like that of a wagon loaded with bars of iron. " The colonists listened with the greatest attention, and were convincedthat Ayrton was not mistaken. The rumbling was mingled with asubterranean roar, which formed a sort of rinforzando, and died slowlyaway, as if some violent storm had passed through the profundities ofthe globe. But no explosion properly so termed, could be heard. It mighttherefore be concluded that the vapors and smoke found a free passagethrough the central shaft; and that the safety-valve being sufficientlylarge, no convulsion would be produced, no explosion was to beapprehended. "Well, then!" said Pencroft, "are we not going back to work? Let MountFranklin smoke, groan, bellow, or spout forth fire and flame as much asit pleases, that is no reason why we should be idle! Come, Ayrton, Neb, Herbert, Captain Harding, Mr. Spilett, every one of us must turn to atour work to-day! We are going to place the keelson, and a dozen pairof hands would not be too many. Before two months I want our new'Bonadventure'--for we shall keep the old name, shall we not?--to floaton the waters of Port Balloon! Therefore there is not an hour to lose!" All the colonists, their services thus requisitioned by Pencroft, descended to the dockyard, and proceeded to place the keelson, a thickmass of wood which forms the lower portion of a ship and unites firmlythe timbers of the hull. It was an arduous undertaking, in which alltook part. They continued their labors during the whole of this day, the 3rd ofJanuary, without thinking further of the volcano, which could not, besides, be seen from the shore of Granite House. But once or twice, large shadows, veiling the sun, which described its diurnal arc throughan extremely clear sky, indicated that a thick cloud of smoke passedbetween its disc and the island. The wind, blowing on the shore, carriedall these vapors to the westward. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilettremarked these somber appearances, and from time to time discussedthe evident progress of the volcanic phenomena, but their work wenton without interruption. It was, besides, of the first importance fromevery point of view, that the vessel should be finished with the leastpossible delay. In presence of the eventualities which might arise, the safety of the colonists would be to a great extent secured by theirship. Who could tell that it might not prove some day their only refuge? In the evening, after supper, Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, and Herbertagain ascended the plateau of Prospect Heights. It was already dark, andthe obscurity would permit them to ascertain if flames or incandescentmatter thrown up by the volcano were mingled with the vapor and smokeaccumulated at the mouth of the crater. "The crater is on fire!" said Herbert, who, more active than hiscompanion, first reached the plateau. Mount Franklin, distant about six miles, now appeared like a gigantictorch, around the summit of which turned fuliginous flames. So muchsmoke, and possibly scoriae and cinders were mingled with them, thattheir light gleamed but faintly amid the gloom of the night. But a kindof lurid brilliancy spread over the island, against which stood outconfusedly the wooded masses of the heights. Immense whirlwinds of vaporobscured the sky, through which glimmered a few stars. "The change is rapid!" said the engineer. "That is not surprising, " answered the reporter. "The reawakening of thevolcano already dates back some time. You may remember, Cyrus, thatthe first vapors appeared about the time we searched the sides of themountain to discover Captain Nemo's retreat. It was, if I mistake not, about the 15th of October. " "Yes, " replied Herbert, "two months and a half ago!" "The subterranean fires have therefore been smoldering for ten weeks, "resumed Gideon Spilett, "and it is not to be wondered at that they nowbreak out with such violence!" "Do not you feel a certain vibration of the soil?" asked Cyrus Harding. "Yes, " replied Gideon Spilett, "but there is a great difference betweenthat and an earthquake. " "I do not affirm that we are menaced with an earthquake, " answered CyrusHarding, "may God preserve us from that! No; these vibrations are due tothe effervescence of the central fire. The crust of the earth issimply the shell of a boiler, and you know that such a shell, under thepressure of steam, vibrates like a sonorous plate. It is this effectwhich is being produced at this moment. " "What magnificent flames!" exclaimed Herbert. At this instant a kind of bouquet of flames shot forth from the crater, the brilliancy of which was visible even through the vapors. Thousandsof luminous sheets and barbed tongues of fire were cast in variousdirections. Some, extending beyond the dome of smoke, dissipatedit, leaving behind an incandescent powder. This was accompaniedby successive explosions, resembling the discharge of a battery ofmachine-guns. Cyrus Harding, the reporter, and Herbert, after spending an hour on theplateau of Prospect Heights, again descended to the beach, and returnedto Granite House. The engineer was thoughtful and preoccupied, so muchso, indeed, that Gideon Spilett inquired if he apprehended any immediatedanger, of which the eruption might directly or indirectly be the cause. "Yes, and no, " answered Cyrus Harding. "Nevertheless, " continued the reporter, "would not the greatestmisfortune which could happen to us be an earthquake which wouldoverturn the island? Now, I do not suppose that this is to be feared, since the vapors and lava have found a free outlet. " "True, " replied Cyrus Harding, "and I do not fear an earthquake in thesense in which the term is commonly applied to convulsions of the soilprovoked by the expansion of subterranean gases. But other causes mayproduce great disasters. " "How so, my dear Cyrus?' "I am not certain. I must consider. I must visit the mountain. In a fewdays I shall learn more on this point. " Gideon Spilett said no more, and soon, in spite of the explosions ofthe volcano, whose intensity increased, and which were repeated by theechoes of the island, the inhabitants of Granite House were sleepingsoundly. Three days passed by--the 4th, 5th, and 6th of January. The constructionof the vessel was diligently continued, and without offering furtherexplanations the engineer pushed forward the work with all his energy. Mount Franklin was now hooded by a somber cloud of sinister aspect, and, amid the flames, vomiting forth incandescent rocks, some of which fellback into the crater itself. This caused Pencroft, who would only lookat the matter in the light of a joke, to exclaim, -- "Ah! the giant is playing at cup and ball; he is a conjurer. " In fact, the substances thrown up fell back again in to the abyss, andit did not seem that the lava, though swollen by the internal pressure, had yet risen to the orifice of the crater. At any rate, the opening onthe northeast, which was partly visible, poured out no torrent upon thenorthern slope of the mountain. Nevertheless, however pressing was the construction of the vessel, otherduties demanded the presence of the colonists on various portions of theisland. Before everything it was necessary to go to the corral, wherethe flocks of musmons and goats were enclosed, and replenish theprovision of forage for those animals. It was accordingly arranged thatAyrton should proceed thither the next day, the 7th of January; and ashe was sufficient for the task, to which he was accustomed, Pencroft andthe rest were somewhat surprised on hearing the engineer say to Ayrton-- "As you are going to-morrow to the corral I will accompany you. " "But, Captain Harding, " exclaimed the sailor, "our working days will notbe many, and if you go also we shall be two pair of hands short!" "We shall return to-morrow, " replied Cyrus Harding, "but it is necessarythat I should go to the corral. I must learn how the eruption isprogressing. " "The eruption! always the eruption!" answered Pencroft, with an air ofdiscontent. "An important thing, truly, this eruption! I trouble myselfvery little about it. " Whatever might be the sailor's opinion, the expedition projected by theengineer was settled for the next day. Herbert wished to accompany CyrusHarding, but he would not vex Pencroft by his absence. The next day, at dawn, Cyrus Harding and Ayrton, mounting the cart drawnby two onagers, took the road to the corral and set off at a round trot. Above the forest were passing large clouds, to which the crater of MountFranklin incessantly added fuliginous matter. These clouds, which rolledheavily in the air, were evidently composed of heterogeneous substances. It was not alone from the volcano that they derived their strangeopacity and weight. Scoriae, in a state of dust, like powderedpumice-stone, and grayish ashes as small as the finest feculae, wereheld in suspension in the midst of their thick folds. These ashes are sofine that they have been observed in the air for whole months. Afterthe eruption of 1783 in Iceland for upwards of a year the atmosphere wasthus charged with volcanic dust through which the rays of the sun wereonly with difficulty discernible. But more often this pulverized matter falls, and this happened on thepresent occasion. Cyrus Harding and Ayrton had scarcely reached thecorral when a sort of black snow like fine gunpowder fell, and instantlychanged the appearance of the soil. Trees, meadows, all disappearedbeneath a covering several inches in depth. But, very fortunately, the wind blew from the northeast, and the greater part of the clouddissolved itself over the sea. "This is very singular, Captain Harding, " said Ayrton. "It is very serious, " replied the engineer. "This powdered pumice-stone, all this mineral dust, proves how grave is the convulsion going forwardin the lower depths of the volcano. " "But can nothing be done?" "Nothing, except to note the progress of the phenomenon. Do you, therefore, Ayrton, occupy yourself with the necessary work at thecorral. In the meantime I will ascend just beyond the source of RedCreek and examine the condition of the mountain upon its northernaspect. Then--" "Well, Captain Harding?" "Then we will pay a visit to Dakkar Grotto. I wish to inspect it. At anyrate I will come back for you in two hours. " Ayrton then proceeded to enter the corral, and, while awaiting theengineer's return, busied himself with the musmons and goats whichseemed to feel a certain uneasiness in presence of these first signs ofan eruption. Meanwhile Cyrus Harding ascended the crest of the eastern spur, passedRed Creek, and arrived at the spot where he and his companions haddiscovered a sulphurous spring at the time of their first exploration. How changed was everything! Instead of a single column of smoke hecounted thirteen, forced through the soil as if violently propelled bysome piston. It was evident that the crust of the earth was subjectedin this part of the globe to a frightful pressure. The atmosphere wassaturated with gases and carbonic acid, mingled with aqueous vapors. Cyrus Harding felt the volcanic tufa with which the plain was strewn, and which was but pulverized cinders hardened into solid blocks by time, tremble beneath him, but he could discover no traces of fresh lava. The engineer became more assured of this when he observed all thenorthern part of Mount Franklin. Pillars of smoke and flame escaped fromthe crater; a hail of scoriae fell on the ground; but no current oflava burst from the mouth of the volcano, which proved that the volcanicmatter had not yet attained the level of the superior orifice of thecentral shaft. "But I would prefer that it were so, " said Cyrus Harding to himself. "Atany rate, I should then know that the lava had followed its accustomedtrack. Who can say that it may not take a new course? But the dangerdoes not consist in that! Captain Nemo foresaw it clearly! No, thedanger does not lie there!" Cyrus Harding advanced towards the enormous causeway whose prolongationenclosed the narrow Shark Gulf. He could now sufficiently examine onthis side the ancient channels of the lava. There was no doubt in hismind that the most recent eruption had occurred at a far-distant epoch. He then returned by the same way, listening attentively to thesubterranean mutterings which rolled like long-continued thunder, interrupted by deafening explosions. At nine in the morning he reachedthe corral. Ayrton awaited him. "The animals are cared for, Captain Harding, " said Ayrton. "Good, Ayrton. " "They seem uneasy, Captain Harding. " "Yes, instinct speaks through them, and instinct is never deceived. " "Are you ready?" "Take a lamp, Ayrton, " answered the engineer; "we will start at once. " Ayrton did as desired. The onagers, unharnessed, roamed in the corral. The gate was secured on the outside, and Cyrus Harding, precedingAyrton, took the narrow path which led westward to the shore. The soil they walked upon was choked with the pulverized matter fallenfrom the cloud. No quadruped appeared in the woods. Even the birds hadfled. Sometimes a passing breeze raised the covering of ashes, and thetwo colonists, enveloped in a whirlwind of dust, lost sight of eachother. They were then careful to cover their eyes and mouths withhandkerchiefs, for they ran the risk of being blinded and suffocated. It was impossible for Cyrus Harding and Ayrton, with these impediments, to make rapid progress. Moreover, the atmosphere was close, as if theoxygen had been partly burned up, and had become unfit for respiration. At every hundred paces they were obliged to stop to take breath. It wastherefore past ten o'clock when the engineer and his companion reachedthe crest of the enormous mass of rocks of basalt and porphyry whichcomposed the northwest coast of the island. Ayrton and Cyrus Harding commenced the descent of this abrupt declivity, following almost step for step the difficult path which, during thatstormy night, had led them to Dakkar Grotto. In open day the descent wasless perilous, and, besides, the bed of ashes which covered the polishedsurface of the rock enabled them to make their footing more secure. The ridge at the end of the shore, about forty feet in height, was soonreached. Cyrus Harding recollected that this elevation gradually slopedtowards the level of the sea. Although the tide was at present low, nobeach could be seen, and the waves, thickened by the volcanic dust, beatupon the basaltic rocks. Cyrus Harding and Ayrton found without difficulty the entrance to DakkarGrotto, and paused for a moment at the last rock before it. "The iron boat should be there, " said the engineer. "It is here, Captain Harding, " replied Ayrton, drawing towards him thefragile craft, which was protected by the arch of the vault. "On board, Ayrton!" The two colonists stepped into the boat. A slight undulation of thewaves carried it farther under the low arch of the crypt, and thereAyrton, with the aid of flint and steel, lighted the lamp. He then tookthe oars, and the lamp having been placed in the bow of the boat, sothat its rays fell before them, Cyrus Harding took the helm and steeredthrough the shades of the grotto. The "Nautilus" was there no longer to illuminate the cavern with itselectric light. Possibly it might not yet be extinguished, but no rayescaped from the depths of the abyss in which reposed all that wasmortal of Captain Nemo. The light afforded by the lamp, although feeble, nevertheless enabledthe engineer to advance slowly, following the wall of the cavern. Adeathlike silence reigned under the vaulted roof, or at least in theanterior portion, for soon Cyrus Harding distinctly heard the rumblingwhich proceeded from the bowels of the mountain. "That comes from the volcano, " he said. Besides these sounds, the presence of chemical combinations was soonbetrayed by their powerful odor, and the engineer and his companion werealmost suffocated by sulphurous vapors. "This is what Captain Nemo feared, " murmured Cyrus Harding, changingcountenance. "We must go to the end, notwithstanding. " "Forward!" replied Ayrton, bending to his oars and directing the boattowards the head of the cavern. Twenty-five minutes after entering the mouth of the grotto the boatreached the extreme end. Cyrus Harding then, standing up, cast the light of the lamp upon thewalls of the cavern which separated it from the central shaft of thevolcano. What was the thickness of this wall? It might be ten feet or ahundred feet--it was impossible to say. But the subterranean sounds weretoo perceptible to allow of the supposition that it was of any greatthickness. The engineer, after having explored the wall at a certain heighthorizontally, fastened the lamp to the end of an oar, and again surveyedthe basaltic wall at a greater elevation. There, through scarcely visible clefts and joinings, escaped a pungentvapor, which infected the atmosphere of the cavern. The wall was brokenby large cracks, some of which extended to within two or three feet ofthe water's edge. Cyrus Harding thought for a brief space. Then he said in a low voice, -- "Yes! the captain was right! The danger lies there, and a terribledanger!" Ayrton said not a word, but, upon a sign from Cyrus Harding, resumed theoars, and half an hour later the engineer and he reached the entrance ofDakkar Grotto. Chapter 19 The next day, the 8th day of January, after a day and night passedat the corral, where they left all in order, Cyrus Harding and Ayrtonarrived at Granite House. The engineer immediately called his companions together, and informedthem of the imminent danger which threatened Lincoln Island, and fromwhich no human power could deliver them. "My friends, " he said, and his voice betrayed the depth of his emotion, "our island is not among those which will endure while this earthendures. It is doomed to more or less speedy destruction, the cause ofwhich it bears within itself, and from which nothing can save it. " The colonists looked at each other, then at the engineer. They did notclearly comprehend him. "Explain yourself, Cyrus!" said Gideon Spilett. "I will do so, " replied Cyrus Harding, "or rather I will simplyafford you the explanation which, during our few minutes of privateconversation, was given me by Captain Nemo. " "Captain Nemo!" exclaimed the colonists. "Yes, and it was the last service he desired to render us before hisdeath!" "The last service!" exclaimed Pencroft, "the last service! You will seethat though he is dead he will render us others yet!" "But what did the captain say?" inquired the reporter. "I will tell you, my friends, " said the engineer. "Lincoln Island doesnot resemble the other islands of the Pacific, and a fact of whichCaptain Nemo has made me cognizant must sooner or later bring about thesubversion of its foundation. " "Nonsense! Lincoln Island, it can't be!" cried Pencroft, who, in spiteof the respect he felt for Cyrus Harding, could not prevent a gesture ofincredulity. "Listen, Pencroft, " resumed the engineer, "I will tell you what CaptainNemo communicated to me, and which I myself confirmed yesterday, duringthe exploration of Dakkar Grotto. "This cavern stretches under the island as far as the volcano, and isonly separated from its central shaft by the wall which terminates it. Now, this wall is seamed with fissures and clefts which already allowthe sulphurous gases generated in the interior of the volcano toescape. " "Well?" said Pencroft, his brow suddenly contracting. "Well, then, I saw that these fissures widen under the internal pressurefrom within, that the wall of basalt is gradually giving way and thatafter a longer or shorter period it will afford a passage to the watersof the lake which fill the cavern. " "Good!" replied Pencroft, with an attempt at pleasantry. "The sea willextinguish the volcano, and there will be an end of the matter!" "Not so!" said Cyrus Harding, "should a day arrive when the sea, rushingthrough the wall of the cavern, penetrates by the central shaft into theinterior of the island to the boiling lava, Lincoln Island will that daybe blown into the air--just as would happen to the island of Sicily werethe Mediterranean to precipitate itself into Mount Etna. " The colonists made no answer to these significant words of the engineer. They now understood the danger by which they were menaced. It may be added that Cyrus Harding had in no way exaggerated the dangerto be apprehended. Many persons have formed an idea that it would bepossible to extinguish volcanoes, which are almost always situated onthe shores of a sea or lake, by opening a passage for the admission ofthe water. But they are not aware that this would be to incur the riskof blowing up a portion of the globe, like a boiler whose steam issuddenly expanded by intense heat. The water, rushing into a cavitywhose temperature might be estimated at thousands of degrees, wouldbe converted into steam with a sudden energy which no enclosure couldresist. It was not therefore doubtful that the island, menaced by a frightfuland approaching convulsion, would endure only so long as the wallof Dakkar Grotto itself should endure. It was not even a question ofmonths, nor of weeks, but of days; it might be of hours. The first sentiment which the colonists felt was that of profoundsorrow. They thought not so much of the peril which menaced themselvespersonally, but of the destruction of the island which had shelteredthem, which they had cultivated, which they loved so well, and had hopedto render so flourishing. So much effort ineffectually expended, so muchlabor lost. Pencroft could not prevent a large tear from rolling down his cheek, nordid he attempt to conceal it. Some further conversation now took place. The chances yet in favor ofthe colonists were discussed; but finally it was agreed that there wasnot an hour to be lost, that the building and fitting of the vesselshould be pushed forward with their utmost energy, and that this was thesole chance of safety for the inhabitants of Lincoln Island. All hands, therefore, set to work on the vessel. What could it availto sow, to reap, to hunt, to increase the stores of Granite House?The contents of the storehouse and outbuildings contained more thansufficient to provide the ship for a voyage, however long might be itsduration. But it was imperative that the ship should be ready to receivethem before the inevitable catastrophe should arrive. Their labors were now carried on with feverish ardor. By the 23rd ofJanuary the vessel was half-decked over. Up to this time no change hadtaken place on the summit of the volcano. Vapor and smoke mingled withflames and incandescent stones were thrown up from the crater. Butduring the night of the 23rd, in consequence of the lava attaining thelevel of the first stratum of the volcano, the hat-shaped cone whichformed over the latter disappeared. A frightful sound was heard. Thecolonists at first thought the island was rent asunder, and rushed outof Granite House. This occurred about two o'clock in the morning. The sky appeared on fire. The superior cone, a mass of rock a thousandfeet in height, and weighing thousands of millions of pounds, hadbeen thrown down upon the island, making it tremble to its foundation. Fortunately, this cone inclined to the north, and had fallen upon theplain of sand and tufa stretching between the volcano and the sea. Theaperture of the crater being thus enlarged projected towards the sky aglare so intense that by the simple effect of reflection the atmosphereappeared red-hot. At the same time a torrent of lava, bursting from thenew summit, poured out in long cascades, like water escaping from a vasetoo full, and a thousand tongues of fire crept over the sides of thevolcano. "The corral! the corral!" exclaimed Ayrton. It was, in fact, towards the corral that the lava was rushing as thenew crater faced the east, and consequently the fertile portions of theisland, the springs of Red Creek and Jacamar Wood, were menaced withinstant destruction. At Ayrton's cry the colonists rushed to the onagers' stables. The cartwas at once harnessed. All were possessed by the same thought--to hastento the corral and set at liberty the animals it enclosed. Before three in the morning they arrived at the corral. The cries of theterrified musmons and goats indicated the alarm which possessed them. Already a torrent of burning matter and liquefied minerals fell fromthe side of the mountain upon the meadows as far as the side of thepalisade. The gate was burst open by Ayrton, and the animals, bewilderedwith terror, fled in all directions. An hour afterwards the boiling lava filled the corral, converting intovapor the water of the little rivulet which ran through it, burning upthe house like dry grass, and leaving not even a post of the palisade tomark the spot where the corral once stood. To contend against this disaster would have been folly--nay, madness. Inpresence of Nature's grand convulsions man is powerless. It was now daylight--the 24th of January. Cyrus Harding and hiscompanions, before returning to Granite House, desired to ascertain theprobable direction this inundation of lava was about to take. The soilsloped gradually from Mount Franklin to the east coast, and it was to befeared that, in spite of the thick Jacamar Wood, the torrent would reachthe plateau of Prospect Heights. "The lake will cover us, " said Gideon Spilett. "I hope so!" was Cyrus Harding's only reply. The colonists were desirous of reaching the plain upon which thesuperior cone of Mount Franklin had fallen, but the lava arrested theirprogress. It had followed, on one side, the valley of Red Creek, andon the other that of Falls River, evaporating those watercourses in itspassage. There was no possibility of crossing the torrent of lava;on the contrary, the colonists were obliged to retreat before it. Thevolcano, without its crown, was no longer recognizable, terminated as itwas by a sort of flat table which replaced the ancient crater. From twoopenings in its southern and eastern sides an unceasing flow of lavapoured forth, thus forming two distinct streams. Above the new crater acloud of smoke and ashes, mingled with those of the atmosphere, massedover the island. Loud peals of thunder broke, and could scarcely bedistinguished from the rumblings of the mountain, whose mouth vomitedforth ignited rocks, which, hurled to more than a thousand feet, burstin the air like shells. Flashes of lightning rivaled in intensity thevolcano's eruption. Towards seven in the morning the position was no longer tenable by thecolonists, who accordingly took shelter in the borders of Jacamar Wood. Not only did the projectiles begin to rain around them, but the lava, overflowing the bed of Red Creek, threatened to cut off the road to thecorral. The nearest rows of trees caught fire, and their sap, suddenlytransformed into vapor, caused them to explode with loud reports, whileothers, less moist, remained unhurt in the midst of the inundation. The colonists had again taken the road to the corral. They proceeded butslowly, frequently looking back; but, in consequence of the inclinationof the soil, the lava gained rapidly in the east, and as its lower wavesbecame solidified others, at boiling heat, covered them immediately. Meanwhile, the principal stream of Red Creek Valley became more andmore menacing. All this portion of the forest was on fare, and enormouswreaths of smoke rolled over the trees, whore trunks were alreadyconsumed by the lava. The colonists halted near the lake, about half a mile from the mouth ofRed Creek. A question of life or death was now to be decided. Cyrus Harding, accustomed to the consideration of important crises, andaware that he was addressing men capable of hearing the truth, whateverit might be, then said, -- "Either the lake will arrest the progress of the lava, and a part ofthe island will be preserved from utter destruction, or the stream willoverrun the forests of the Far West, and not a tree or plant willremain on the surface of the soil. We shall have no prospect but thatof starvation upon these barren rocks--a death which will probably beanticipated by the explosion of the island. " "In that case, " replied Pencroft, folding his arms and stamping hisfoot, "what's the use of working any longer on the vessel?" "Pencroft, " answered Cyrus Harding, "we must do our duty to the last!" At this instant the river of lava, after having broken a passage throughthe noble trees it devoured in its course, reached the borders of thelake. At this point there was an elevation of the soil which, had itbeen greater, might have sufficed to arrest the torrent. "To work!" cried Cyrus Harding. The engineer's thought was at once understood. It might be possible todam, as it were, the torrent, and thus compel it to pour itself into thelake. The colonists hastened to the dockyard. They returned with shovels, picks, axes, and by means of banking the earth with the aid of fallentrees they succeeded in a few hours in raising an embankment three feethigh and some hundreds of paces in length. It seemed to them, whenthey had finished, as if they had scarcely been working more than a fewminutes. It was not a moment too soon. The liquefied substances soon afterreached the bottom of the barrier. The stream of lava swelled like ariver about to overflow its banks, and threatened to demolish the soleobstacle which could prevent it from overrunning the whole Far West. Butthe dam held firm, and after a moment of terrible suspense the torrentprecipitated itself into Grant Lake from a height of twenty feet. The colonists, without moving or uttering a word, breathlessly regardedthis strife of the two elements. What a spectacle was this conflict between water and fire! What pencould describe the marvelous horror of this scene--what pencil coulddepict it? The water hissed as it evaporated by contact with the boilinglava. The vapor whirled in the air to an immeasurable height, as ifthe valves of an immense boiler had been suddenly opened. But, howeverconsiderable might be the volume of water contained in the lake, it musteventually be absorbed, because it was not replenished, while the streamof lava, fed from an inexhaustible source, rolled on without ceasing newwaves of incandescent matter. The first waves of lava which fell in the lake immediately solidifiedand accumulated so as speedily to emerge from it. Upon their surfacefell other waves, which in their turn became stone, but a stepnearer the center of the lake. In this manner was formed a pier whichthreatened to gradually fill up the lake, which could not overflow, thewater displaced by the lava being evaporated. The hissing of the waterrent the air with a deafening sound, and the vapor, blown by the wind, fell in rain upon the sea. The pier became longer and longer, and theblocks of lava piled themselves one on another. Where formerly stretchedthe calm waters of the lake now appeared an enormous mass of smokingrocks, as if an upheaving of the soil had formed immense shoals. Imaginethe waters of the lake aroused by a hurricane, then suddenly solidifiedby an intense frost, and some conception may be formed of the aspect ofthe lake three hours alter the eruption of this irresistible torrent oflava. This time water would be vanquished by fire. Nevertheless it was a fortunate circumstance for the colonists that theeffusion of lava should have been in the direction of Lake Grant. Theyhad before them some days' respite. The plateau of Prospect Heights, Granite House, and the dockyard were for the moment preserved. And thesefew days it was necessary to employ in planking and carefully calkingthe vessel, and launching her. The colonists would then take refuge onboard the vessel, content to rig her after she should be afloat on thewaters. With the danger of an explosion which threatened to destroy theisland there could be no security on shore. The walls of Granite House, once so sure a retreat, might at any moment fall in upon them. During the six following days, from the 25th to the 30th of January, thecolonists accomplished as much of the construction of their vessel astwenty men could have done. They hardly allowed themselves a moment'srepose, and the glare of the flames which shot from the crater enabledthem to work night and day. The flow of lava continued, but perhapsless abundantly. This was fortunate, for Lake Grant was almost entirelychoked up, and if more lava should accumulate it would inevitably spreadover the plateau of Prospect Heights, and thence upon the beach. But if the island was thus partially protected on this side, it was notso with the western part. In fact, the second stream of lava, which had followed the valley ofFalls River, a valley of great extent, the land on both sides of thecreek being flat, met with no obstacle. The burning liquid had thenspread through the forest of the Far West. At this period of the year, when the trees were dried up by a tropical heat, the forest caught fireinstantaneously, in such a manner that the conflagration extended itselfboth by the trunks of the trees and by their higher branches, whoseinterlacement favored its progress. It even appeared that the currentof flame spread more rapidly among the summits of the trees than thecurrent of lava at their bases. Thus it happened that the wild animals, jaguars, wild boars, capybaras, koalas, and game of every kind, mad with terror, had fled to the banksof the Mercy and to the Tadorn Marsh, beyond the road to Port Balloon. But the colonists were too much occupied with their task to pay anyattention to even the most formidable of these animals. They hadabandoned Granite House, and would not even take shelter at theChimneys, but encamped under a tent, near the mouth of the Mercy. Each day Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett ascended the plateau ofProspect Heights. Sometimes Herbert accompanied them, but neverPencroft, who could not bear to look upon the prospect of the island nowso utterly devastated. It was, in truth, a heart-rending spectacle. All the wooded part of theisland was now completely bare. One single clump of green trees raisedtheir heads at the extremity of Serpentine Peninsula. Here and therewere a few grotesque blackened and branchless stumps. The side of thedevastated forest was even more barren than Tadorn Marsh. The eruptionof lava had been complete. Where formerly sprang up that charmingverdure, the soil was now nothing but a savage mass of volcanic tufa. In the valleys of the Falls and Mercy rivers no drop of water nowflowed towards the sea, and should Lake Grant be entirely dried up, the colonists would have no means of quenching their thirst. But, fortunately the lava had spared the southern corner of the lake, containing all that remained of the drinking water of the island. Towards the northwest stood out the rugged and well-defined outlines ofthe sides of the volcano, like a gigantic claw hovering over the island. What a sad and fearful sight, and how painful to the colonists, who, from a fertile domain covered with forests, irrigated by watercourses, and enriched by the produce of their toils, found themselves, as itwere, transported to a desolate rock, upon which, but for their reservesof provisions, they could not even gather the means of subsistence! "It is enough to break one's heart!" said Gideon Spilett, one day. "Yes, Spilett, " answered the engineer. "May God grant us the time tocomplete this vessel, now our sole refuge!" "Do not you think, Cyrus, that the violence of the eruption has somewhatlessened? The volcano still vomits forth lava, but somewhat lessabundantly, if I mistake not. " "It matters little, " answered Cyrus Harding. "The fire is still burningin the interior of the mountain, and the sea may break in at any moment. We are in the condition of passengers whose ship is devoured by aconflagration which they cannot extinguish, and who know that sooner orlater the flames must reach the powder-magazine. To work, Spilett, towork, and let us not lose an hour!" During eight days more, that is to say until the 7th of February, the lava continued to flow, but the eruption was confined within theprevious limits. Cyrus Harding feared above all lest the liquefiedmatter should overflow the shore, for in that event the dockyard couldnot escape. Moreover, about this time the colonists felt in the frame ofthe island vibrations which alarmed them to the highest degree. It was the 20th of February. Yet another month must elapse before thevessel would be ready for sea. Would the island hold together till then?The intention of Pencroft and Cyrus Harding was to launch the vesselas soon as the hull should be complete. The deck, the upperworks, theinterior woodwork and the rigging might be finished afterwards, but theessential point was that the colonists should have an assured refugeaway from the island. Perhaps it might be even better to conduct thevessel to Port Balloon, that is to say, as far as possible from thecenter of eruption, for at the mouth of the Mercy, between the islet andthe wall of granite, it would run the risk of being crushed in the eventof any convulsion. All the exertions of the voyagers were thereforeconcentrated upon the completion of the hull. Thus the 3rd of March arrived, and they might calculate upon launchingthe vessel in ten days. Hope revived in the hearts of the colonists, who had, in this fourthyear of their sojourn on Lincoln island, suffered so many trials. EvenPencroft lost in some measure the somber taciturnity occasioned bythe devastation and ruin of his domain. His hopes, it is true, wereconcentrated upon his vessel. "We shall finish it, " he said to the engineer, "we shall finish it, captain, and it is time, for the season is advancing and the equinoxwill soon be here. Well, if necessary, we must put in to Tabor islandto spend the winter. But think of Tabor island after Lincoln Island. Ah, how unfortunate! Who could have believed it possible?" "Let us get on, " was the engineer's invariable reply. And they worked away without losing a moment. "Master, " asked Neb, a few days later, "do you think all this could havehappened if Captain Nemo had been still alive?" "Certainly, Neb, " answered Cyrus Harding. "I, for one, don't believe it!" whispered Pencroft to Neb. "Nor I!" answered Neb seriously. During the first week of March appearances again became menacing. Thousands of threads like glass, formed of fluid lava, fell like rainupon the island. The crater was again boiling with lava which overflowedthe back of the volcano. The torrent flowed along the surface of thehardened tufa, and destroyed the few meager skeletons of trees which hadwithstood the first eruption. The stream, flowing this time towards thesouthwest shore of Lake Grant, stretched beyond Creek Glycerine, andinvaded the plateau of Prospect Heights. This last blow to the work ofthe colonists was terrible. The mill, the buildings of the inner court, the stables, were all destroyed. The affrighted poultry fled in alldirections. Top and Jup showed signs of the greatest alarm, as if theirinstinct warned them of an impending catastrophe. A large number of theanimals of the island had perished in the first eruption. Those whichsurvived found no refuge but Tadorn Marsh, save a few to which theplateau of Prospect Heights afforded asylum. But even this last retreatwas now closed to them, and the lava-torrent, flowing over the edge ofthe granite wall, began to pour down upon the beach its cataracts offire. The sublime horror of this spectacle passed all description. During the night it could only be compared to a Niagara of molten fluid, with its incandescent vapors above and its boiling masses below. The colonists were driven to their last entrenchment, and although theupper seams of the vessel were not yet calked, they decided to launchher at once. Pencroft and Ayrton therefore set about the necessary preparations forthe launching, which was to take place the morning of the next day, the9th of March. But during the night of the 8th an enormous column of vapor escapingfrom the crater rose with frightful explosions to a height of more thanthree thousand feet. The wall of Dakkar Grotto had evidently given wayunder the pressure of gases, and the sea, rushing through the centralshalt into the igneous gulf, was at once converted into vapor. Butthe crater could not afford a sufficient outlet for this vapor. Anexplosion, which might have been heard at a distance of a hundred miles, shook the air. Fragments of mountains fell into the Pacific, and, in afew minutes, the ocean rolled over the spot where Lincoln island oncestood. Chapter 20 An isolated rock, thirty feet in length, twenty in breadth, scarcely tenfrom the water's edge, such was the only solid point which the waves ofthe Pacific had not engulfed. It was all that remained of the structure of Granite House! The wall hadfallen headlong and been then shattered to fragments, and a few of therocks of the large room were piled one above another to form this point. All around had disappeared in the abyss; the inferior cone of MountFranklin, rent asunder by the explosion; the lava jaws of Shark Gulf, the plateau of Prospect Heights, Safety Islet, the granite rocks of PortBalloon, the basalts of Dakkar Grotto, the long Serpentine Peninsula, sodistant nevertheless from the center of the eruption. All that couldnow be seen of Lincoln Island was the narrow rock which now served as arefuge to the six colonists and their dog Top. The animals had also perished in the catastrophe; the birds, as wellas those representing the fauna of the island--all either crushed ordrowned, and the unfortunate Jup himself had, alas! found his death insome crevice of the soil. If Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft, Neb, and Ayrtonhad survived, it was because, assembled under their tent, they had beenhurled into the sea at the instant when the fragments of the islandrained down on every side. When they reached the surface they could only perceive, at half acable's length, this mass of rocks, towards which they swam and on whichthey found footing. On this barren rock they had now existed for nine days. A few provisionstaken from the magazine of Granite House before the catastrophe, alittle fresh water from the rain which had fallen in a hollow of therock, was all that the unfortunate colonists possessed. Their last hope, the vessel, had been shattered to pieces. They had no means of quittingthe reef; no fire, nor any means of obtaining it. It seemed that theymust inevitably perish. This day, the 18th of March, there remained only provisions for twodays, although they limited their consumption to the bare necessariesof life. All their science and intelligence could avail them nothing intheir present position. They were in the hand of God. Cyrus Harding was calm, Gideon Spilett more nervous, and Pencroft, aprey to sullen anger, walked to and fro on the rock. Herbert did notfor a moment quit the engineer's side, as if demanding from him thatassistance he had no power to give. Neb and Ayrton were resigned totheir fate. "Ah, what a misfortune! what a misfortune!" often repeated Pencroft. "If we had but a walnut-shell to take us to Tabor Island! But we havenothing, nothing!" "Captain Nemo did right to die, " said Neb. During the five ensuing days Cyrus Harding and his unfortunatecompanions husbanded their provisions with the most extreme care, eatingonly what would prevent them from dying of starvation. Their weaknesswas extreme. Herbert and Neb began to show symptoms of delirium. Under these circumstances was it possible for them to retain even theshadow of a hope? No! What was their sole remaining chance? That avessel should appear in sight of the rock? But they knew only too wellfrom experience that no ships ever visited this part of the Pacific. Could they calculate that, by a truly providential coincidence, theScotch yacht would arrive precisely at this time in search of Ayrtonat Tabor Island? It was scarcely probable; and, besides, supposingshe should come there, as the colonists had not been able to deposita notice pointing out Ayrton's change of abode, the commander of theyacht, after having explored Tabor Island without results, would againset sail and return to lower latitudes. No! no hope of being saved could be retained, and a horrible death, death from hunger and thirst, awaited them upon this rock. Already they were stretched on the rock, inanimate, and no longerconscious of what passed around them. Ayrton alone, by a supreme effort, from time to time raised his head, and cast a despairing glance over thedesert ocean. But on the morning of the 24th of March Ayrton's arms were extendedtoward a point in the horizon; he raised himself, at first on his knees, then upright, and his hand seemed to make a signal. A sail was in sight off the rock. She was evidently not without anobject. The reef was the mark for which she was making in a direct line, under all steam, and the unfortunate colonists might have made her outsome hours before if they had had the strength to watch the horizon. "The 'Duncan'!" murmured Ayrton--and fell back without sign of life. When Cyrus Harding and his companions recovered consciousness, thanks tothe attention lavished upon them, they found themselves in the cabin ofa steamer, without being able to comprehend how they had escaped death. A word from Ayrton explained everything. "The 'Duncan'!" he murmured. "The 'Duncan'!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding. And raising his hand to Heaven, he said, "Oh! Almighty God! mercifully hast Thou preserved us!" It was, in fact, the "Duncan, " Lord Glenarvan's yacht, now commanded byRobert, son of Captain Grant, who had been despatched to Tabor Island tofind Ayrton, and bring him back to his native land alter twelve years ofexpiation. The colonists were not only saved, but already on the way to theirnative country. "Captain Grant, " asked Cyrus Harding, "who can have suggested to you theidea, after having left Tabor Island, where you did not find Ayrton, ofcoming a hundred miles farther northeast?" "Captain Harding, " replied Robert Grant, "it was in order to find, notonly Ayrton, but yourself and your companions. " "My companions and myself?" "Doubtless, at Lincoln Island. " "At Lincoln Island!" exclaimed in a breath Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, in the highest degree astonished. "How could you be aware of the existence of Lincoln Island?" inquiredCyrus Harding, "it is not even named in the charts. " "I knew of it from a document left by you on Tabor Island, " answeredRobert Grant. "A document!" cried Gideon Spilett. "Without doubt, and here it is, " answered Robert Grant, producing apaper which indicated the longitude and latitude of Lincoln Island, "thepresent residence of Ayrton and five American colonists. " "It is Captain Nemo!" cried Cyrus Harding, after having read the notice, and recognized that the handwriting was similar to that of the paperfound at the corral. "Ah!" said Pencroft, "it was then he who took our 'Bonadventure' andhazarded himself alone to go to Tabor Island!" "In order to leave this notice, " added Herbert. "I was then right in saying, " exclaimed the sailor, "that even after hisdeath the captain would render us a last service. " "My friends, " said Cyrus Harding, in a voice of the profoundest emotion, "may the God of mercy have had pity on the soul of Captain Nemo, ourbenefactor. " The colonists uncovered themselves at these last words of Cyrus Harding, and murmured the name of Captain Nemo. Then Ayrton, approaching the engineer, said simply, "Where should thiscoffer be deposited?" It was the coffer which Ayrton had saved at the risk of his life, atthe very instant that the island had been engulfed, and which he nowfaithfully handed to the engineer. "Ayrton! Ayrton!" said Cyrus Harding, deeply touched. Then, addressingRobert Grant, "Sir, " he added, "you left behind you a criminal; you findin his place a man who has become honest by penitence, and whose hand Iam proud to clasp in mine. " Robert Grant was now made acquainted with the strange history of CaptainNemo and the colonists of Lincoln Island. Then, observation being takenof what remained of this shoal, which must henceforward figure on thecharts of the Pacific, the order was given to make all sail. A few weeks afterwards the colonists landed in America, and found theircountry once more at peace alter the terrible conflict in which rightand justice had triumphed. Of the treasures contained in the coffer left by Captain Nemo to thecolonists of Lincoln Island, the larger portion was employed in thepurchase of a vast territory in the State of Iowa. One pearl alone, thefinest, was reserved from the treasure and sent to Lady Glenarvan in thename of the castaways restored to their country by the "Duncan. " There, upon this domain, the colonists invited to labor, that is to say, to wealth and happiness, all those to whom they had hoped to offer thehospitality of Lincoln Island. There was founded a vast colony towhich they gave the name of that island sunk beneath the waters of thePacific. A river there was called the Mercy, a mountain took the nameof Mount Franklin, a small lake was named Lake Grant, and the forestsbecame the forests of the Far West. It might have been an island onterra firma. There, under the intelligent hands of the engineer and his companions, everything prospered. Not one of the former colonists of Lincoln Islandwas absent, for they had sworn to live always together. Neb was with hismaster; Ayrton was there ready to sacrifice himself for all; Pencroftwas more a farmer than he had ever been a sailor; Herbert, who completedhis studies under the superintendence of Cyrus Harding, and GideonSpilett, who founded the New Lincoln Herald, the best-informed journalin the world. There Cyrus Harding and his companions received at intervals visits fromLord and Lady Glenarvan, Captain John Mangles and his wife, the sisterof Robert Grant, Robert Grant himself, Major McNab, and all those whohad taken part in the history both of Captain Grant and Captain Nemo. There, to conclude, all were happy, united in the present as they hadbeen in the past; but never could they forget that island upon whichthey had arrived poor and friendless, that island which, during fouryears had supplied all their wants, and of which there remained but afragment of granite washed by the waves of the Pacific, the tomb of himwho had borne the name of Captain Nemo.