Таинственный остров

           Andforaconsiderabletimethesettlersremainedsilent,givenuptoallthethoughts,andtheemotions,allthefears,allthehopes,whichwerearousedbythisincident—themostimportantwhichhadoccurredsincetheirarrivalinLincolnIsland.Certainly,thecolonistswerenotinthesituationofcastawaysabandonedonasterileislet,constantlycontendingagainstacruelnaturefortheirmiserableexistence,andincessantlytormentedbythelongingtoreturntoinhabitedcountries.PencroftandNeb,especially,whofeltthemselvesatoncesohappyandsorich,wouldnothavelefttheirislandwithoutregret.Theywereaccustomed,besides,tothisnewlifeinthemidstofthedomainwhichtheirintelligencehadasitwerecivilized.Butatanyratethisshipbroughtnewsfromtheworld,perhapsevenfromtheirnativeland.Itwasbringingfellow-creaturestothem,anditmaybeconceivedhowdeeplytheirheartsweremovedatthesight!

           FromtimetotimePencrofttooktheglassandrestedhimselfatthewindow.Fromthenceheveryattentivelyexaminedthevessel,whichwasatadistanceoftwentymilestotheeast.Thecolonistshadasyet,therefore,nomeansofsignalizingtheirpresence.Aflagwouldnothavebeenperceived;agunwouldnothavebeenheard;afirewouldnothavebeenvisible.However,itwascertainthattheisland,overtoppedbyMountFranklin,couldnotescapethenoticeofthevessel’slookout.