Жюль Верн
Таинственный остров / The Mysterious Island. Уровень 2

© Матвеев С. А., адаптация текста, комментарии и словарь

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2023

Jules Verne
The Mysterious Island

Chapter I

– Are we going up again?

– Not at all; we are going down!

– Mr. Smith[1], we are falling!

– Throw over all the ballast!

– The last sack is empty!

– Does the balloon rise again?

– No!

– I hear the waves, the sea is under us!

– Five hundred feet!

These words rang through the air above the Pacific[2], at 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the 23d of March, 1865.

The hurricane lasted from the 18th to the 26th of March. It covered a space of 1,800 miles, it destroyed cities in America and Europe and Asia. Hundreds of shipwrecks, thousands of people in the sea!

But something was in the sky. A balloon rushed through space with a velocity of ninety miles an hour[3]. Below the balloon, there was a basket with five men.

The storm was terrible. The passengers were unable to determine the course. They did not know where they were. They did not see anything. The thick fog was under the balloon. Around them everything was obscure. The clouds were very dense. No light, no sound.

The balloon rose to a height of 4,500 feet. The passengers discovered that the sea was beneath them. The dangers above were less formidable than below.

The night passed. At dawn, the clouds rose high into the heavens. In a few hours[4], the whirlwind disappeared. The balloon was again sinking slowly.

There was no land, not even an island, beneath them. It was a terrible situation. These men were unfortunate. The gas continued to escape. They fell fast. At 1 o’clock they were 600 feet above the sea. The gas poured out. Soon the voyagers, balloon, and basket will disappear beneath the waves.

These men were strong. They were silent. They were ready to struggle. It was 2 o’clock, and the balloon was only 400 feet above the waves. Then they heard a voice:

– Is everything thrown out?[5]

– No, we have 10,000 francs in gold.

A heavy bag fell into the sea.

– Does the balloon rise?

– A little, but it will soon fall again.

– Now the basket!

The basket fell into the sea. They wanted to lighten the apparatus. The five passengers clambered into the net around the hoop. The balloon went up. But soon it began to descend.

At 4 o’clock, their dog began to bark.

– Top[6] saw something! Land! Land!

They saw a land. But it was very far. Was it an island or a continent? Where were they? How to reach that land? At 4 o’clock the balloon grazed the surface of the sea.

Then the balloon jumped into the air. It rose 1,500 feet, and soon, however, it fell upon the sand. The passengers hastened to the ground. The basket contained five passengers and a dog. Four men were upon the shore. The fifth one was in the water. His friends cried:

– Perhaps he will swim here. Save him! Let us save him!

Chapter II

Who were those men? They were prisoners, and they succeeded to escape. Their voyage lasted five days. How did it start?

In February, 1865, the enemies, the Southerners[7], captured many officers. One of the most famous of them was Cyrus Smith[8], an engineer, and a scientist. He was thin, bony, and lean. He was about forty-five years old, with moustache. His muscles were very firm. He was educated, and practical, his temperament was superb. Cyrus Smith was also very brave.

The Southerners caught another man – Gideon Spilett[9], a well-known reporter. He was energetic, prompt, full of ideas. He was a soldier and an artist. Gideon Spilett was tall. He was forty years old or more. His eyes were clear and lively.

Cyrus Smith had a black servant. Smith freed his slaves, but this servant did not want to leave his master. He was a man of thirty years, vigorous, agile, adroit, intelligent, quick and honest. His name was Neb.

All these people were in Richmond[10], and it was very difficult to escape. The Southerners wanted to pass over the lines of the besiegers in a balloon. So the balloon was ready. The departure of the balloon was on the 18th of March. On the morning of the 18th, there was a great storm. The weather was terrible.

Cyrus Smith met a man whom he did not know. It was Pencroff[11], a sailor. He was about thirty-five years old. He was strong. Pencroff came to Richmond on business. He had with him Herbert Brown[12], a boy. This boy was fifteen years old, he was the son of Pencroff’s captain, and an orphan. Pencroff loved the boy.

So, Pencroff wanted to get out. He addressed Mr. Smith:

– Mr. Smith?

The engineer looked at the man.

– Mr. Smith, do you want to escape?

– How? – answered the engineer, quickly. – Who are you?

Pencroff told him about himself.

– Well, – replied Smith. – And how will you escape?

– By this balloon!

The sailor explained his project, which was very simple. The storm was terrible, it is true; but a skillful engineer, Smith, knew how to manage a balloon. He saw many storms in his life.

Cyrus Smith listened to the sailor and stayed silent. This was the opportunity! The project was very dangerous, but it was real. During the night, they will reach the balloon, and creep into the basket!

– I am not alone, – said Smith.

– How many people more? – demanded the sailor.

– Two; my friend Spilett, and my man Neb.

– Three, – replied Pencroff; – and, with Herbert and myself, five. Can the balloon carry us?

– Yes. We will go! – said the engineer.

– Tonight, at ten o’clock, – replied Smith.

Evening arrived. Fog passed over the earth. The weather was cold. The streets of the city were empty. No one cared to guard the balloon in a weather like this.

At half past 9, Cyrus Smith and his companions came together at the basket. Four of them took their places in the basket, while Pencroff unfastened the bundles of ballast. Then the sailor joined his companions. At that moment, a dog leaped into the basket. It was Top, the dog of the engineer.

Then the storm burst upon them. It was not until five days later that they saw the sea below them.

So of these five men, four found themselves[13], four days later, on a desert coast. And their leader, Cyrus Smith, disappeared.

Chapter III

The engineer’s dog disappeared, too. The faithful animal tried to rescue its master.

It was nearly 6 o’clock. The night was very dark. The men went northward along the shore. Where are they? They walked upon a sandy soil. They were searching all the corners.

After a walk of twenty minutes, the four men were suddenly stopped by a precipice. They saw a sharp point upon which the sea broke.

– We must turn back, – said the sailor.

They cried, but without response. They waited, and tried once more. And again there was no answer. Then they turned back. However, Pencroff observed that the shore was bold there, and the birds were less numerous on this shore. They were walking towards the south. Soon they were on the shore again.

– We are on an island, – exclaimed Pencroff.

The words of the sailor were true. The castaways were upon an island not more than two miles long. It was necessary to wait until the next day to search for the engineer.

Then they searched for wood or dry branches. Sand and stones were all they found. One can understand the grief of Neb and his companions, who loved their brave comrade. The engineer escaped. Did he die? The hours were long and dreadful, the cold was intense. But the castaways did not sleep. They moved back and forth upon that arid island. They listened, they shouted, they tried to find their friend.

Once they heard an echo; and Herbert said:

– There is land to the west.

The sailor nodded. The land must be there!

The night passed. At 5 o’clock in the morning the heavens began to brighten, though the horizon remained obscure. The fog soon rose. At half past 6, the sky was clear. Then the sea appeared. Yes, the land was there! The island and the main land were separated by a channel half a mile wide. Into this current Neb jumped. Pencroff called to him. The reporter prepared to follow, but the sailor ran to him, and exclaimed:

– Do you want to cross this channel?

– Yes, I do, – replied Spilett.

– Well, listen to me. Neb can rescue his master without us. But if we throw ourselves into the channel, this strong current will carry us away. Wait, just wait a little.

Meantime, Neb was swimming against the current. Finally, he crossed the half mile which separated the isle from the mainland.

Neb landed at the base of a high rocky wall, and clambered its side, and then disappeared behind a rock. Neb’s companions ate shellfish, which they found upon the sands. It was a poor meal, but they didn’t have anything else.

The opposite coast formed an immense bay. Towards the north, the bay widened, with a shore more rounded. It was extending from the southwest to the northeast, and ended in a narrow cape. Between these two points, the distance was about eight miles. Half a mile from the shore the island lay upon the sea. Its width was about a quarter of a mile. Before the Island, the shore began with a beach with black rocks. Beyond this rose a perpendicular granite wall, at least 300 feet high and terminated by a ragged edge. This extended for about three miles.

Upon the upper level of the coast nothing was visible. Finally, distant towards the northwest about seven miles, shone a white summit. It was the snowy cap of a mountain.

Was this land an island or a part of a continent? Gideon Spilett, Pencroff, and Herbert looked upon the land.

– Well, – demanded Herbert, – what do you think of it, Pencroff?

– We will soon see, – replied the sailor, – In three hours we can reach that shore, and we will see what we can do to find Mr. Smith.

Pencroff was right. Three hours later, at low tide, Spilett and his two companions waded through the water. Herbert swam like a fish; and all arrived without difficulty at the other shore.

Chapter IV

The reporter walked further along the coast. Herbert wanted to go with him.

– Stay, my boy, – said the sailor. – We must pitch our camp for the night, and try to find something to eat. Our friends will need food when they come back. We are tired, cold, and hungry. We need shelter, fire, and food. We will find wood in the forest, and we can get eggs from the nests. And we must find a house.

– We can look for a cave in these rocks, – said Herbert.

They walked along the base of the rocky wall. Then they turned to the south. Pencroff noticed a narrow inlet in the coast. Now it was important to pitch the camp near the water.

The rock rose 300 feet, smooth and massive. It was a sturdy wall of the hardest granite. About the summit hovered a host of aquatic birds, with long, narrow, pointed beaks.

Herbert noticed some rocks. On them lay hosts of bivalves.

– They are lithodomes[14], – said Herbert.

– Can we eat them? – said Pencroff.

– Certainly.

Pencroff and Herbert made a good meal of them, they tasted like oysters. Now they must find fresh water. Two hundred feet further on Pencroff and Herbert reached the inlet. A little river was flowing through it.

– Here is water, – said Pencroff, – and there is wood. Herbert, now we need the house.

The river water was clear. Pencroff and Herbert went down into sandy corridors.

– This is what we want, – said Pencroff. – These Chimneys will be our house.

Herbert and Pencroff left the Chimneys, and walked up the left bank of the river. Soon they reached the elbow which the river made to the left. From this point they saw a forest.

– Good, – said the sailor, – these trees will help us to make a fire.

It was easy to gather the firewood: many dry branches lay at their feet. But how can they carry them to the Chimneys?

– We have the river, – suggested Herbert.

– Exactly, said Pencroff. – The river will be our road and our carrier, too.

They looked at the ocean. The sea was a watery desert.

– Something tells me, – said Herbert, – that Mr. Smith is a very energetic man. So he saved himself. Don’t you think so, Pencroff?

The sailor shook his head sadly.

– Yes, – said he, – our engineer saved himself.

Pencroff and Herbert walked towards the west. They looked at the snowcapped mountain, which rose six or seven miles away. They saw a forest. Then from the edge of this forest to the coast stretched a plateau.

Chapter V

Pencroff made the real house from the Chimneys. The Chimneys were divided into three or four chambers. They were dry, and they could stand up in them. The floor was covered with sand.

– Perhaps, – said Herbert, – our companions found a better place than ours.

– It is possible, – answered Pencroff, – but don’t stop. We will have two houses!

– Oh, – said Herbert, – will they find Mr. Smith, and bring him back?

– Yes, – murmured Pencroff. – He was a good man.

– Was! – said Herbert. – Do you think we will not see him again?

– Never! – replied the sailor. – But now our friends may return, and they will find a good shelter.

At 6 o’clock, Neb and Gideon Spilett returned. They came back alone. The sailor was right: they did not find the engineer.

The reporter sat upon a rock. He was tired and very hungry. Neb was weeping, he lost all hope.

The reporter told Pencroff and Herbert about their search. Neb and he followed the coast for more than eight miles. The shore was deserted. Not a trace upon the sand, not a footprint. At that moment Neb raised his head, and exclaimed:

– No, he is not dead! It is impossible!

Herbert ran to him and cried:

– Neb, we will find him! But please eat something.

But Neb refused to eat. He did not want to live.

As to Gideon Spilett, he devoured[15] the mollusks. He was exhausted, but calm. Herbert took his hand.

– Mr. Spilett, – said he, – we discovered a shelter. You will be more comfortable there. So let us rest there. Tomorrow we will see.

The reporter rose, and proceeded towards the Chimneys.

Pencroff took the match and made fire. Was Cyrus still alive? If so, where was he?

In a few minutes the food was ready. The sailor invited the reporter to eat.

Then the reporter retired to a dark corner. Herbert fell asleep at once. The sailor passed the night by the fire. Neb wandered upon the sands. He was calling his master.

Chapter VI

The castaways had only the clothes they wore in the balloon. They did not have any guns, not even a pocket knife. They threw everything overboard to lighten the balloon.

Pencroff wanted to find food. They began to prepare an expedition along the coast. Neb did not believe that Smith was dead. In the morning of the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb started along the coast northward.

For breakfast that morning they had only eggs and lithodomes, with salt. Herbert found it in the cavities of the rocks. Then the reporter stayed to keep up the fire[16], and Herbert and Pencroff went into the forest.

– We will hunt, Herbert, – said the sailor.

At 9 o’clock the breeze blew from the southeast. When Herbert and Pencroff reached the forest, Pencroff broke two thick branches. He made them into cudgels[17]. The sailor observed the region. On the left bank the surface was flat. Sometimes it was moist and swampy. The opposite bank was more undulating. The hill was covered with trees. The descent was very steep. Both forest and shore looked wild. They saw fresh traces of animals.

They did not speak. Birds were singing and flying under the trees; but they were afraid of men. Among fir trees, birds with small bodies and long tails fluttered.

– These are couroucous[18], – said Herbert. – Their meat is delicious. Besides, I think we can easily get at them with our sticks.

When they killed enough birds for dinner, they found a river and followed it downward. At 6 o’clock, Herbert and Pencroff re-entered the Chimneys.

Chapter VII

Gideon Spilett stood motionless upon the shore. He was gazing on the sea. The wind, already strong, was freshening, and the sky had an angry look. Pencroff began to prepare dinner. At 7 o’clock Neb was still absent.

The storm began. Furious wind passed over the coast from the southeast. At 8 o’clock Neb did not return. The birds were all they had for supper. Pencroff and Herbert devoured them. Then each one retired to their corners, and Herbert was soon asleep.

It was about 2 o’clock when Pencroff suddenly woke up. The reporter was shaking him.

– What’s the matter? – Pencroff cried.

– Listen, Pencroff, listen!

– It is the wind, – the sailor said.

– No, – answered Spilett, – listen again! I think I heard…

– What?

– The barking of a dog![19]

– Impossible! – answered the sailor.

– Wait and listen, – said the reporter.

– It is Top! It is Top! – cried Herbert, and they rushed to the entrance of the Chimneys. The darkness was absolute. The sea, the sky, and the earth were black. Then again, in the hush of the storm, they heard the barking of a dog.

It was indeed Top. But he was alone! Neither his master nor Neb accompanied him. The dog came to the Chimneys. Herbert drew the dog towards him.

– Top will guide us to its master! – said Herbert.

The tempest was terrible. It was difficult to follow a straight course. The reporter and the lad walked behind the dog, and the sailor followed after.

Probably, Neb found his master and sent the faithful dog to them. But is the engineer dead?

– Saved! He is saved! Isn’t he, Top? – repeated the boy. And the dog barked.

The wind was dry and cold. They followed Top. At 5 o’clock the sailor and his companions were six miles from the Chimneys. Top ran ahead, returned, and ran again.

Five minutes after the reporter and his companions reached a hollow, before which Top stopped with a loud bark. The men entered the cave. Neb was there, he was kneeling beside a body upon a bed of grass. It was the body of Cyrus Smith.

Chapter VIII

Neb did not move.

– Is he alive? – the sailor cried.

Neb did not answer. Herbert did not move. The reporter knelt down beside the motionless body, and pressed his ear to the chest of the engineer. Gideon Spilett rose up.

– He is alive! – he said.

Pencroff knelt down beside Cyrus Smith; he also detected the heartbeat. Herbert brought water. He found a brook; so the lad soaked his handkerchief in the stream. The drops of fresh water produced an instantaneous effect. A sigh escaped from the breast of Smith.

– We will save him, – said the reporter.

Neb removed the clothing from his master. Neither on his head nor body nor limbs was there a bruise or even a scratch. That was astonishing.

– I thought he was dead, – said Neb. – And I wanted to die near my master.

Then Neb told them everything. Neb followed along the coast to the north, until he reached that part of the beach. There he searched the shore, the rocks, and the sand for any marks. He did not hope to find his master. Then he decided to continue some miles further up the coast.

– I followed the shore two miles further, and yesterday evening, about 5 o’clock, I discovered footprints upon the sand.

– Did they begin at the water? – demanded the reporter.

– No, – answered Neb, – above high-water mark. They went towards the downs. I followed them for a quarter of an hour. Then I heard a dog. It was Top. Top brought me here, to my master.

– So you, Neb, – said the reporter, – did not bring your master to this place?

– No, it was not I, – answered Neb.

It was a real mystery. But they had carry Cyrus Smith to the Chimneys as soon as possible and they had no time to solve the mystery.

Soon the engineer opened his eyes.

– My master! my master! – cried Neb.

The engineer heard him. He recognized Neb and his companions.

– Is it an island or a continent? – he murmured.

– What is the difference? – cried Pencroff, – you are alive! Island or continent? We will see that later.

The engineer closed his eyes. Pencroff and his companions constructed a stretcher[20], which they covered with leaves and grass. It was 10 o’clock when three men returned to Smith and Spilett.

The engineer woke from his sleep. The color came back to his lips. He raised himself slightly.

– Well, – said the sailor, – Mr. Smith, your stretcher is ready, and we will carry you to our house.

– Thanks, my friend, – replied the engineer. – in an hour or two we will go. Did you find me on the beach?

– No, – replied the reporter.

– And it was not you who brought me to this hollow?

– No.

– How far is this place from the reef?

– Half a mile, – replied Pencroff, – and we are very surprised to find you here. Do you remember what happened after you were washed away?

Cyrus Smith remembered little. The wave swept him from the net of the balloon. Then Top sprang to him. Smith found himself in the midst of the tumultuous sea, more than half a mile from shore. He was swimming; but a strong current seized him. It carried him to the north, and soon he sank into the abyss. From that moment he remembered nothing.

– It’s strange, – said the reporter. – Did anyone rescue you from the waves?

– I don’t know.

The rain stopped. At half past 5 the little party reached the Chimneys.

Chapter IX

The engineer was sleeping. They carried Cyrus Smith into the main corridor and made a couch of seaweeds for him.

The next day, the 28th of March, when the engineer awoke, about 8 o’clock, he saw his companions beside him. His first words were,

– Island or continent?

– Mr. Smith, – answered Pencroff, – we don’t know. But we will, when you guide us in this country.

– I think that I am able to do that now, – answered the engineer. – When you were carrying me here yesterday, did not I see a mountain in the west?

– Yes, – said Spilett, – a high mountain.

– All right, – exclaimed the engineer. – Tomorrow we will climb to its summit and determine whether this is an island or a continent.

– But, – asked Spilett, – where are we, Cyrus?

– I cannot say, – replied the engineer, – we are somewhere in the Pacific. We will know how to act when we ascend the mountain.

– But will you be able, Mr. Smith, to make the climb tomorrow? – asked Herbert.

– I hope so, – answered the engineer.

Chapter X

Soon Smith recovered his strength. They had a pleasant supper. The engineer said little; he was planning for the next day. After supper, the party lay down to sleep. In the morning they were fresh and eager for the expedition.

Everything was ready. At half past 7 they left the Chimneys, each had a stout cudgel. Pencroff recommended to take the route of the previous day, which was the shortest way to the mountain. They turned the southern angle, and followed the left bank of the river. They took the path under the evergreens, and soon reached the northern border of the forest. The soil was flat and swampy, then dry and sandy. Among the trees appeared a few animals. The engineer was going to the top of the mountain.

The mountain was composed of two cones. The first was truncated about 2,500 feet up, and supported by fantastic spurs. Between these spurs were narrow valleys.

On the first cone lay the second one. It was slightly rounded towards the summit. The goal of the expedition was to reach the top of this cone.

– We are in a volcanic country, – said Cyrus Smith, as they began to climb.

They were gradually going up. At noon, the little company stopped to dine. They were still half way from the first plateau. They could hardly reach it before nightfall. From this point the sea was beneath their feet. On the left they saw directly north for several miles; but they could not see far to the northwest.

At 1 o’clock, the ascent[21] began again. The easiest route slanted upwards towards the southwest, through the thick copse. The climbers reached a terrace, its soil was volcanic. From hence, their course was a zigzag towards the east. Neb and Herbert led the way.

They saw large animals, with thick horns and woolly fleece. As the ascension continued, the traces of lava were more frequent. As they neared the first plateau, the ascent became very difficult. By 4 o’clock they passed the last belt of trees. It was a pleasant, mild day. The sky was bright and clear.

There were only 500 feet between the explorers and the plateau where they wanted to encamp for the night. It was almost night when the party arrived at the top of the first cone.

Now they must pitch their camp, and think of supper and sleep. The sailor built up a fireplace with huge stones. Neb and Herbert brought a load of thistles. The night was beautiful and not very dark. Cyrus decided to go further and Herbert accompanied him. Sometimes the plateau was wide and easy, sometimes very encumbered with rubbish. There were yet 1,000 feet to climb.

It was nearly 8 o’clock when they reached the summit of the cone. They hardly saw around them. Was the land an island or a continent? At one point of the horizon suddenly appeared a vague light. The line of the horizon was now cloudless, and as the moon touched it. The engineer seized the boy’s hand.

– An island! – said he.

Chapter XI

Then they walked back to the camp. The country is an island, and tomorrow they will consider what to do.

The next day, March 30, after breakfast, they started out for the summit of the volcano. All desired to see the isle. It was about 7 o’clock in the morning when they left the camp.

It was a superb day, and the southern side of the mountain was sunny. The crater was a huge shaft gradually opening to a height of 1,000 feet above the plateau. They saw on the way traces of ancient lava. At 8 o’clock, they were standing at the summit of the crater.

– The sea! the sea everywhere! – was their exclamation.

Yes, water around them on every side. Around the island stretched an ocean. They were silent and motionless. Spilett asked:

– How large is this island?

– Small enough in the midst of the infinite ocean.

– My friends, – said Smith, – I think, the coast of the island is more than 100 miles around.

If Smith was right, the island was about the size of Malta[22]. The eastern coast was a curve, it was embracing a large bay. On the northeast, two other capes shut in the bay. Between them lay a narrow gulf. From northeast to northwest the coast was round and flat. Then came a hump, whose centre was occupied by the volcanic mountain. From this point the coast ran directly north and south. For two-thirds[23] of its length it was bordered by a narrow creek; then it finished in a long cue. The narrowest part of the island, between the Chimneys and the creek, on the west, was ten miles wide.

The southern part, from the shore to the mountain, was covered with woods. The northern part was arid and sandy. Between the volcano and the eastern coast there was a lake.

– So, it is a fresh water lake? – asked Pencroff.

– Yes, of course, – said the engineer.

– I see a little river there, – said Herbert. He pointed to a narrow brook.

The volcano did not occupy the centre of the island. It rose in the northwest.

They remained at the summit of the mountain for an hour. It was the island, but was the island inhabited? They did not perceive the handiwork of man; no settlement on the beach, no fisherman’s hut. No smoke.

The exploration of the island was finished. They drew a map of it, and calculated its size. They wanted now to examine the animal, vegetable, and mineral resources of the country. But before the departure, Cyrus Smith addressed his companions.

– Look, my friends, upon this little corner of the earth. Here, perhaps, we may long dwell.

– Mr. Smith, – said the sailor, – we will make a little America here. We will build cities, railroads, telegraphs. We will be not castaways, but colonists!

– One minute, my friends, – said the engineer; – let’s name the island, the capes, promontories, and water-courses.

– Yes, – said Smith, – for instance, let us call the great bay to the east Union Bay[24], the southern indentation Washington Bay[25], the mountain on which we are standing Mount Franklin[26], the lake beneath our feet Lake Grant[27].

Spilett put down the names over the proper places, and the geographical nomenclature of the island was complete.

– Now, – said the reporter, – I propose to give the name of Serpentine Peninsula[28], and to call the twisted curve at the termination of it Reptile End[29]. It is just like a snake’s tail.

– And the other extremity of the island, – said Herbert, – the gulf is like a pair of jaws, let us call it Shark Gulf[30].

– Good, – said Pencroff, – and we may

call the two capes North Mandible[31] and South Mandible[32]. Now we must name the southwestern extremity of the island.

– Claw Cape[33], – suggested Neb.

The river with fresh water they called the Mercy[34]. The islet on which they first arrived, was Safety Island[35]; the plateau at the top of the high granite wall above the Chimneys, Prospect Plateau[36]. And, finally, the woods which covered Serpentine Peninsula, the Forests of the Far West[37].

The colonists were going to descend the mountain, when Pencroff cried:

– We forgot to name our island!

Cyrus Smith said quietly:

– Let us call it Lincoln Island[38]!

Chapter XII

The colonists of Lincoln Island walked around the verge of the crater. Half an hour afterwards they were again upon the lower plateau. Pencroff thought it was breakfast time.

As they were leaving the plateau, Smith wished to explore Lake Grant. About 10 o’clock the little company descended the last declivities of Mount Franklin. A few bushes and trees were scattered over the ground. They were walking on a yellowish soil. Suddenly they saw Herbert, he was running back.

– What’s the matter, my boy? – said Spilett.

– Smoke, – answered Herbert. – We saw smoke, a hundred steps in front.

– Men in this region! – cried the reporter.

– Where is Top? – answered Smith.

– Top is on ahead.

– And did it bark?

– No.

– That is strange.

They saw, indeed, some smoke.

– You see, – said Smith, – It is nothing but a sulphur spring[39], it is good for our sore throats.

The colonists walked towards the smoke. They beheld a spring of sulphate of soda, which flowed among the rocks. Smith dipped his hand into the spring and found it oily.

The colonists walked towards the thick border of the forest. There they saw a brook with bright waters between high, reddish banks. Its color showed the presence of oxide of iron. They named the water course Red Creek[40]. It was a large mountain brook, deep and clear. Its water was fresh.

They saw some mountain pheasants. Some crows and magpies flew about. The colonists had nothing but stones and sticks. Suddenly some kangaroos leaped away through the underbrush.

– Can you eat them? – said Pencroff.

– They make a delicious stew, – said the reporter.

The sailor with Neb and Herbert rushed after the kangaroos. Soon they came back.

– You see, Mr. Smith, – said Pencroff, – we need guns. Will it be possible to make them?

– Perhaps, – replied the engineer; – but first we will make bows and arrows.

Top rushed hither and thither. About 3 o’clock Top disappeared into the bushes, from which came grunts and growls. Neb rushed in. Top was greedily devouring an animal. It was an agouti[41], an American hare with long ears.

– Hurrah! – cried Pencroff, – the roast is here; now we can go back to the house.

The lake appeared before them. They were now on its left bank, and a picturesque region opened to their view. The smooth sheet of water, about seven miles in circumference and 250 acres in extent. It lay among the trees. To the north the curve of the lake was concave. The waters of the lake were fresh and limpid, somewhat dark, and were evidently full of fish.

– How beautiful this lake is! – said Spilett. – We can live on its banks.

– We will live there! – answered Smith.

The colonists went down. After a two miles’ walk they came upon the thick turf of the plateau, and saw before them the infinite ocean. It was now half past 4. The party reached the Chimneys by the left bank of the Mercy. Then the fire was lighted, and Neb and Pencroff broiled the agouti. Smith drew from his pocket some minerals, and said quietly,

– My friends, this is iron ore, this a pyrite, this is clay, this is limestone, this is charcoal.

Chapter XIII

First, it was necessary to make an oven.

– Why oven? – asked Pencroff.

– To make the pottery, – replied Smith.

– And how will we make an oven?

– With bricks.

– And how will we make the bricks?

– With the clay.

– I need a knife! – cried the sailor, – I can make a bow and arrows.

– A knife. Something that will cut, – said the engineer. – Come here, Top, – he called.

The dog bounded to his master, and Smith took off its collar. He broke it into halves, and said:

– Here are two knives, Pencroff.

Top’s collar was made from steel. They will sharpen it!

The engineer decided to return to the western bank of the lake, where he saw the clay. They crossed Prospect Plateau, and after a walk, they arrived at a glade. On the way, Herbert discovered a tree from which the South American Indians make bows. The ground was composed of that clay which is used for bricks and tiles. The labor was not difficult. It was only necessary to clean the clay of sand, mould the bricks, and then bake them before a wood fire.

During the two days they hunted in the neighborhood, very successfully. Pencroff had dozens of arrows with very sharp points. Top brought a porcupine, it had perfect quills[42]. The men fastened those quills to the ends of the arrows. Soon they got enough food.

By the 9th of April the engineer had about enough bricks. They, therefore, began at once the construction of an oven. Five days later, the oven was supplied with coal. The colonists moulded pots and mugs, plates and jars, tubs and vessels. Their form was rude and defective, but they finally had real kitchen utensils.

The work lasted until the 15th of April. The colonists became potters. This evening the colonists were seating in the central chamber. Neb prepared some agouti soup. Before going to sleep, the party went to the beach. It was 8 o’clock, and the night was magnificent. The moon was shining above the constellations. For some moments the engineer gazed at it attentively. Then he said:

– Tomorrow will be one of the four days in the year when the mean and real time are the same. Tomorrow the sun will pass the meridian. If, therefore, the weather is clear, I think I will be able to tell the longitude of the island.

The next day the engineer began his astronomical observation. He chose a smooth dry place upon the sand. Smith knelt down upon the sand and began to mark the decrease in the length of the shadow. His companions watched the operation with interest.

The shadow diminished little by little. When it began to lengthen Smith exclaimed:

– We are at least 1,200 miles from Tahiti[43] and from the Low Archipelago, fully 1,800 miles from New Zealand[44], and more than 4,500 miles from the coast of America.

But Cyrus Smith did not remember any island in the Pacific which occupied the position of Lincoln Island.

Chapter XIV

One day the engineer proposed to explore the eastern and western shores of the lake. The landscape was charming. Smith and his companions moved over this unexplored neighborhood. Bows and arrows and sticks were their sole weapons.

They soon reached the mouth of Red Creek. On this side the bank, clumps of trees, here and there, made a picturesque landscape. The whole extent of the lake was visible. The colonists were following the southern bank of the lake, when Top suddenly stopped. It raised one foot, and looked into the water. Then it barked furiously.

At first neither Smith nor his companions paid any attention to the dog’s actions. But Top’s barking became incessant.

– What is it, Top? – asked the engineer.

The dog bounded towards his master and rushed back to the bank. Then, suddenly, it threw himself into the lake.

– Come back, Top! – cried the engineer.

– What’s going on under there? – asked the sailor. He was examining the surface of the lake.

– Top smelt some animal, – answered Herbert.

– It must be an alligator, – said the reporter.

– I don’t think so, – answered Smith. – Alligators do not live in this latitude.

Smith called the dog again. Suddenly an enormous head emerged from the water.

Herbert recognized it, the comical face, with huge eyes and long silky moustaches. It was a dugong[45]. The huge monster caught the dog. The dog disappeared under the water.

A struggle was going on under the water, and what a struggle! That struggle was becoming more terrible with each moment. The poor dog will die! But suddenly, through the midst of a circle of foam, Top appeared. Some unknown force shot the dog upward, ten feet in the air. Then Top fell again into the tumultuous waters, from which it escaped to the shore. The dog was miraculously saved.

Cyrus Smith and his companions were amazed. But the struggle under water continued. Some more formidable animal attacked the dugong. This did not last long. The water grew red with blood. The body of the dugong floated on at the southern angle of the lake.

The colonists ran to the animal. It was dead. Its body was enormous, between 15 and 16 feet long and weighed between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds. On its neck, yawned a wound, some sharp instrument made it. What killed the dugong? Nobody knew the answer.

Chapter XV

Cyrus Smith stood upon the border of the lake, thinking about the incident. He wanted to solve the mystery of that combat.

– Well, Cyrus, – said the reporter, – The wound on this beast is strange enough, and I can’t understand how Top was thrown out of the water. There was a strong arm, and that same arm killed the dugong.

– It’s very strange, indeed, – answered the engineer. – There is something here which I cannot understand. And we can’t explain how I myself was saved. Therefore, I am sure there is a mystery which we will discover some day.

Neb and Pencroff were extracting the fat from the dugong and preserving the flesh for food. Now the colonists have a lot of food!

The next day, near the lake they saw a passage. The opening was twenty feet wide, but only two feet high.

– What are we waiting for, Mr. Smith? – cried the sailor. He wanted to begin the exploration.

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Примечания

1

Mr. Smith – мистер Смит

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2

the Pacific – Тихий океан

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3

ninety miles an hour – 90 миль в час

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4

in a few hours – через несколько часов

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5

Is everything thrown out? – Всё ли выброшено?

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6

Top – Топ ( кличкасобаки )

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7

the Southerners – южане

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8

Cyrus Smith – Сайрес Смит

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9

Gideon Spilett – Гидеон Спилет

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10

Richmond – Ричмонд

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11

Pencroff – Пенкроф

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12

Herbert Brown – Герберт Браун

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13

found themselves – оказались

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14

lithodomes – литодомы

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15

devour – жадно есть

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16

keep up the fire – поддерживать огонь

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17

cudgel – дубина

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18

couroucous – куруку ( птицаизпородыворон )

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19

The barking of a dog! – Лай собаки!

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20

stretcher – носилки

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21

ascent – подъем

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22

Malta – Мальта

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23

two-thirds – две трети

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24

Union Bay – бухта Соединения

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25

Washington Bay – бухта Вашингтона

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26

Mount Franklin – гора Франклина

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27

Lake Grant – озеро Гранта

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28

Serpentine Peninsula – полуостров Извилистый

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29

Reptile End – Змеиный мыс

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30

Shark Gulf – залив Акулы

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31

North Mandible – Северная Челюсть

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32

South Mandible – Южная Челюсть

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33

Claw Cape – мыс Коготь

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34

the Mercy – река Благодарения

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35

Safety Island – остров Спасения

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36

Prospect Plateau – плато Кругозора

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37

Forests of the Far West – леса Дальнего Запада

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38

Lincoln Island – остров Линкольна

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39

sulphur spring – сернистый источник

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40

Red Creek – Красный ручей

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41

agouti – агути ( млекопитающие отряда грызунов, обитающие преимущественно в тропических лесах и саваннах )

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42

quill – зд. иголка дикобраза

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43

Tahiti – Таити

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44

New Zealand – Новая Зеландия

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45

dugong – дюгонь ( род водных травоядных млекопитающих отряда сирен )

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