Таємничий острів

           Besides,Herbertdiscoveredtowardsthesouthwestpointofthelagoonanaturalwarren,aslightlydampmeadow,coveredwithwillowsandaromaticherbswhichscentedtheair,suchasthyme,basil,savory,allthesweet-scentedspeciesofthelabiatedplants,whichtherabbitsappearedtobeparticularlyfondof.

           Onthereporterobservingthatsincethetablewasspreadfortherabbits,itwasstrangethattherabbitsthemselvesshouldbewanting,thetwosportsmencarefullyexploredthewarren.Atanyrate,itproducedanabundanceofusefulplants,andanaturalistwouldhavehadagoodopportunityofstudyingmanyspecimensofthevegetablekingdom.Herbertgatheredseveralshootsofthebasil,rosemary,balm,betony,etc.,whichpossessdifferentmedicinalproperties,somepectoral,astringent,febrifuge,othersanti-spasmodic,oranti-rheumatic.When,afterwards,Pencroftaskedtheuseofthiscollectionofherbs,—

           "Formedicine,"repliedthelad,"totreatuswhenweareill."

           "Whyshouldwebeill,sincetherearenodoctorsintheisland?"askedPencroftquiteseriously.

           Therewasnoreplytobemadetothat,buttheladwentonwithhiscollectionallthesame,anditwaswellreceivedatGraniteHouse.Besidesthesemedicinalherbs,headdedaplantknowninNorthAmericaas"Oswegotea,"whichmadeanexcellentbeverage.

           Atlast,bysearchingthoroughly,thehuntersarrivedattherealsiteofthewarren.Therethegroundwasperforatedlikeasieve.

           "Herearetheburrows!"criedHerbert.

           "Yes,"repliedthereporter,"soIsee."