Таинственный остров

           "Well,then,theyaresheep!"saidPencroft.

           Theanimals,motionlessamongtheblocksofbasalt,gazedwithanastonishedeye,asiftheysawhumanbipedsforthefirsttime.Thentheirfearssuddenlyaroused,theydisappeared,boundingovertherocks.

           "Good-bye,tillwemeetagain,"criedPencroft,ashewatchedthem,insuchacomicaltonethatCyrusHarding,GideonSpilett,Herbert,andNebcouldnothelplaughing.

           Theascentwascontinued.Hereandthereweretracesoflava.Sulphurspringssometimesstoppedtheirway,andtheyhadtogoroundthem.Insomeplacesthesulphurhadformedcrystalsamongothersubstances,suchaswhitishcindersmadeofaninfinityoflittlefeldsparcrystals.

           Inapproachingthefirstplateauformedbythetruncatingofthelowercone,thedifficultiesoftheascentwereverygreat.Towardsfouro’clocktheextremezoneofthetreeshadbeenpassed.Thereonlyremainedhereandthereafewtwisted,stuntedpines,whichmusthavehadahardlifeinresistingatthisaltitudethehighwindsfromtheopensea.Happilyfortheengineerandhiscompanionstheweatherwasbeautiful,theatmospheretranquil;forahighbreezeatanelevationofthreethousandfeetwouldhavehinderedtheirproceedings.Thepurityoftheskyatthezenithwasfeltthroughthetransparentair.Aperfectcalmreignedaroundthem.Theycouldnotseethesun,thenhidbythevastscreenoftheuppercone,whichmaskedthehalf-horizonofthewest,andwhoseenormousshadowstretchingtotheshoreincreasedastheradiantluminarysankinitsdiurnalcourse.Vapor—mistratherthanclouds—begantoappearintheeast,andassumealltheprismaticcolorsundertheinfluenceofthesolarrays.