Таємничий острів

           Itthenbecamenecessarytoleavethesmokingmasstocool,andduringthistimeNebandPencroft,guidedbyCyrusHarding,brought,onahurdlemadeofinterlacedbranches,loadsofcarbonateoflimeandcommonstones,whichwereveryabundant,tothenorthofthelake.Thesestones,whendecomposedbyheat,madeaverystrongquicklime,greatlyincreasedbyslacking,atleastaspureasifithadbeenproducedbythecalcinationofchalkormarble.Mixedwithsandthelimemadeexcellentmortar.

           Theresultofthesedifferentworkswas,that,onthe9thofApril,theengineerhadathisdisposalaquantityofpreparedlimeandsomethousandsofbricks.

           Withoutlosinganinstant,therefore,theybegantheconstructionofakilntobakethepottery,whichwasindispensablefortheirdomesticuse.Theysucceededwithoutmuchdifficulty.Fivedaysafter,thekilnwassuppliedwithcoal,whichtheengineerhaddiscoveredlyingopentotheskytowardsthemouthoftheRedCreek,andthefirstsmokeescapedfromachimneytwentyfeethigh.Thegladewastransformedintoamanufactory,andPencroftwasnotfarwronginbelievingthatfromthiskilnwouldissuealltheproductsofmodernindustry.

           Inthemeantimewhatthesettlersfirstmanufacturedwasacommonpotteryinwhichtocooktheirfood.Thechiefmaterialwasclay,towhichHardingaddedalittlelimeandquartz.Thispastemaderegular"pipe-clay,"withwhichtheymanufacturedbowls,cupsmoldedonstonesofapropersize,greatjarsandpotstoholdwater,etc.