Таинственный остров

           Onthemorningofthe20thofAprilbeganthe"metallicperiod,"asthereportercalleditinhisnotes.Theengineerhaddecided,ashasbeensaid,tooperateneartheveinsbothofcoalandore.Now,accordingtohisobservations,theseveinsweresituatedatthefootofthenortheastspursofMountFranklin,thatistosay,adistanceofsixmilesfromtheirhome.Itwasimpossible,therefore,toreturneverydaytotheChimneys,anditwasagreedthatthelittlecolonyshouldcampunderahutofbranches,sothattheimportantoperationcouldbefollowednightandday.

           Thissettled,theysetoutinthemorning.NebandPencroftdraggedthebellowsonahurdle;alsoaquantityofvegetablesandanimals,whichtheybesidescouldrenewontheway.

           TheroadledthroughJacamarWood,whichtheytraversedobliquelyfromsoutheasttonorthwest,andinthethickestpart.Itwasnecessarytobeatapath,whichwouldinthefutureformthemostdirectroadtoProspectHeightsandMountFranklin.Thetrees,belongingtothespeciesalreadydiscovered,weremagnificent.Herbertfoundsomenewones,amongotherssomewhichPencroftcalled"shamleeks";for,inspiteoftheirsize,theywereofthesameliliaceousfamilyastheonion,chive,shallot,orasparagus.Thesetreesproduceligneousrootswhich,whencooked,areexcellent;fromthem,byfermentation,averyagreeableliquorismade.Theythereforemadeagoodstoreoftheroots.

           Thejourneythroughthewoodwaslong;itlastedthewholeday,andsoallowedplentyoftimeforexaminingthefloraandfauna.