Ностромо
Chapter 1
TheeyeofGodHimself—theyaddwithgrimprofanity—couldnotfindoutwhatworkaman’shandisdoinginthere;andyouwouldbefreetocallthedeviltoyouraidwithimpunityifevenhismalicewerenotdefeatedbysuchablinddarkness.
Theshoresonthegulfaresteep-toallround;threeuninhabitedisletsbaskinginthesunshinejustoutsidethecloudveil,andoppositetheentrancetotheharbourofSulaco,bearthenameof“TheIsabels.”
ThereistheGreatIsabel;theLittleIsabel,whichisround;andHermosa,whichisthesmallest.
Thatlastisnomorethanafoothigh,andaboutsevenpacesacross,amereflattopofagreyrockwhichsmokeslikeahotcinderafterashower,andwherenomanwouldcaretoventureanakedsolebeforesunset.OntheLittleIsabelanoldraggedpalm,withathickbulgingtrunkroughwithspines,averywitchamongstpalmtrees,rustlesadismalbunchofdeadleavesabovethecoarsesand.TheGreatIsabelhasaspringoffreshwaterissuingfromtheovergrownsideofaravine.Resemblinganemeraldgreenwedgeoflandamilelong,andlaidflatuponthesea,itbearstwoforesttreesstandingclosetogether,withawidespreadofshadeatthefootoftheirsmoothtrunks.Aravineextendingthewholelengthoftheislandisfullofbushes;andpresentingadeeptangledcleftonthehighsidespreadsitselfoutontheotherintoashallowdepressionabuttingonasmallstripofsandyshore
