Коралловый остров

Chapter 17

           Atlastshewentgentlybehindtheyoungbirdandpusheditalittletowardsthewater,butwithgreattenderness,asmuchastosay,"Don’tbeafraid,darling;Iwon’thurtyou,mypet!"Butnosoonerdidshegetittotheedgeoftherock,whereitstoodlookingpensivelydownatthesea,thanshegaveitasuddenandviolentpush,sendingitheadlongdowntheslopeintothewater,whereitsmotherleftittoscrambleashoreasitbestcould.Weobservedmanyofthememployedindoingthis,andwecametotheconclusionthatthisisthewayinwhicholdpenguinsteachtheirchildrentoswim.

           Scarcelyhadwefinishedmakingourremarksonthis,whenwewerestartledbyaboutadozenoftheoldbirdshoppinginthemostclumsyandludicrousmannertowardsthesea.Thebeachherewasaslopingrock,andwhentheycametoitsomeofthemsucceededinhoppingdowninsafety,butotherslosttheirbalanceandrolledandscrambleddowntheslopeinthemosthelplessmanner.Theinstanttheyreachedthewater,however,theyseemedtobeintheirproperelement.Theydived,andboundedoutofitandintoitagainwiththeutmostagility;andso,divingandboundingandsputteringfortheycouldnotflytheywentrapidlyouttosea.

           Onseeingthis,Peterkinturnedwithagravefacetousandsaid,"It’smyopinionthatthesebirdsareallstark,staringmad,andthatthisisanenchantedisland.Ithereforeproposethatweshouldeitherputaboutshipandflyinterrorfromthespot,orlandvalorouslyontheislandandsellourlivesasdearlyaswecan."

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