Таємничий острів

           Thislittlewindingwatercourseandtheriveralreadymentionedconstitutedthewater-system,atleastsuchasitwasdisplayedtotheeyesoftheexplorers.However,itwaspossiblethatunderthemassesoftreeswhichcoveredtwo-thirdsoftheisland,forminganimmenseforest,otherriversrantowardsthesea.Itmightevenbeinferredthatsuchwasthecase,sorichdidthisregionappearinthemostmagnificentspecimensofthefloraofthetemperatezones.Therewasnoindicationofrunningwaterinthenorth,thoughperhapstheremightbestagnantwateramongthemarshesinthenortheast;butthatwasall,inadditiontothedowns,sand,andariditywhichcontrastedsostronglywiththeluxuriantvegetationoftherestoftheisland.

           Thevolcanodidnotoccupythecentralpart;itrose,onthecontrary,inthenorthwesternregion,andseemedtomarktheboundaryofthetwozones.Atthesouthwest,atthesouth,andthesoutheast,thefirstpartofthespurswerehiddenundermassesofverdure.Atthenorth,onthecontrary,onecouldfollowtheirramifications,whichdiedawayonthesandyplains.Itwasonthissidethat,atthetimewhenthemountainwasinastateoferuption,thedischargehadwornawayapassage,andalargeheapoflavahadspreadtothenarrowjawwhichformedthenortheasterngulf.

           CyrusHardingandhiscompanionsremainedanhouratthetopofthemountain.Theislandwasdisplayedundertheireyes,likeaplaninreliefwithdifferenttints,greenfortheforests,yellowforthesand,blueforthewater.Theyvieweditinitstout-ensemble,nothingremainedconcealedbutthegroundhiddenbyverdure,thehollowsofthevalleys,andtheinteriorofthevolcanicchasms.

           Oneimportantquestionremainedtobesolved,andtheanswerwouldhaveagreateffectuponthefutureofthecastaways.

           Wastheislandinhabited?