Таинственный остров

           AstotheChimneys,itmusthavebeenabsolutelyuninhabitable,forthesea,passingovertheislet,wouldbeatfuriouslyagainstit.Buthere,inGraniteHouse,inthemiddleofasolidmass,overwhichneithertheseanorairhadanyinfluence,therewasnothingtofear.

           Duringthesedaysofseclusionthesettlersdidnotremaininactive.

           Therewasnowantofwood,cutupintoplanks,inthestoreroom,andlittlebylittletheycompletedtheirfurnishing;constructingthemostsolidoftablesandchairs,formaterialwasnotspared.NebandPencroftwereveryproudofthisratherheavyfurniture,whichtheywouldnothavechangedonanyaccount.

           Thenthecarpentersbecamebasket-makers,andtheydidnotsucceedbadlyinthisnewmanufacture.Atthepointofthelakewhichprojectedtothenorth,theyhaddiscoveredanosier-bedinwhichgrewalargenumberofpurpleosiers.Beforetherainyseason,PencroftandHerberthadcutdowntheseusefulshrubs,andtheirbranches,wellprepared,couldnowbeeffectivelyemployed.Thefirstattemptsweresomewhatcrude,butinconsequenceoftheclevernessandintelligenceoftheworkmen,byconsulting,andrecallingthemodelswhichtheyhadseen,andbyemulatingeachother,thepossessionsofthecolonyweresoonincreasedbyseveralbasketsofdifferentsizes.Thestoreroomwasprovidedwiththem,andinspecialbasketsNebplacedhiscollectionofrhizomes,stone-pinealmonds,etc.

           DuringthelastweekofthemonthofAugusttheweathermoderatedagain.Thetemperaturefellalittle,andthetempestabated.