Таємничий острів

           FollowingtheplanproposedbyCyrusHarding,thespacewastobedividedintofivecompartmentslookingoutonthesea;totheright,anentrywithadoor,whichwouldmeettheladder;thenakitchen,thirtyfeetlong;adining-room,measuringfortyfeet;asleeping-room,ofequalsize;andlastly,a"Visitor’sroom,"petitionedforbyPencroft,andwhichwasnexttothegreathall.Theserooms,orratherthissuiteofrooms,wouldnotoccupyallthedepthofthecave.Therewouldbealsoacorridorandastorehouse,inwhichtheirtools,provisions,andstoreswouldbekept.Alltheproductionsoftheisland,thefloraaswellasthefauna,weretobethereinthebestpossiblestateofpreservation,andcompletelyshelteredfromthedamp.Therewasnowantofspace,sothateachobjectcouldbemethodicallyarranged.Besides,thecolonistshadstillattheirdisposalthelittlegrottoabovethegreatcavern,whichwaslikethegarretofthenewdwelling.

           Thisplansettled,ithadonlytobeputintoexecution.Theminersbecamebrickmakersagain,thenthebrickswerebroughttothefootofGraniteHouse.Tillthen,Hardingandhiscompanionshadonlyenteredthecavernbythelongpassage.ThismodeofcommunicationobligedthemfirsttoclimbProspectHeights,makingadetourbytheriver’sbank,andthentodescendtwohundredfeetthroughthepassage,havingtoclimbasfarwhentheywishedtoreturntotheplateau.Thiswasagreatlossoftime,andwasalsoveryfatiguing.