Таємничий острів

           Happily,theyfoundthere,neitheraformidablewildbeastnoradangerousnative,butmerelyhalfadozenmockingandsingingbirds,knownasmountainpheasants.Afewskillfulblowsfromasticksoonputanendtotheirconcert,andprocuredexcellentfoodfortheevening’sdinner.

           Herbertalsodiscoveredsomemagnificentpigeonswithbronzedwings,somesuperblycrested,othersdrapedingreen,liketheircongenersatPort-Macquarie;butitwasimpossibletoreachthem,orthecrowsandmagpieswhichflewawayinflocks.

           Achargeofsmallshotwouldhavemadegreatslaughteramongthesebirds,butthehunterswerestilllimitedtosticksandstones,andtheseprimitiveweaponsprovedveryinsufficient.

           Theirinsufficiencywasstillmoreclearlyshownwhenatroopofquadrupeds,jumping,bounding,makingleapsofthirtyfeet,regularflyingmammiferae,fledoverthethickets,soquicklyandatsuchaheight,thatonewouldhavethoughtthattheypassedfromonetreetoanotherlikesquirrels.

           "Kangaroos!"criedHerbert.

           "Aretheygoodtoeat?"askedPencroft.

           "Stewed,"repliedthereporter,"theirfleshisequaltothebestvenison!—"

           GideonSpiletthadnotfinishedthisexcitingsentencewhenthesailor,followedbyNebandHerbert,dartedonthekangaroostracks.CyrusHardingcalledthembackinvain.Butitwasinvaintooforthehunterstopursuesuchagilegame,whichwentboundingawaylikeballs.Afterachaseoffiveminutes,theylosttheirbreath,andatthesametimeallsightofthecreatures,whichdisappearedinthewood.