Таємничий острів

           Therewasnowantofmeat,norofvegetableproducts;thoseligneousrootswhichtheyhadfound,whensubjectedtofermentation,gavethemanaciddrink,whichwaspreferabletocoldwater;theyalsomadesugar,withoutcanesorbeet-roots,bycollectingtheliquorwhichdistilsfromthe"acersaceharinum,"asonofmaple-tree,whichflourishesinallthetemperatezones,andofwhichtheislandpossessedagreatnumber;theymadeaveryagreeableteabyemployingtheherbsbroughtfromthewarren;lastly,theyhadanabundanceofsalt,theonlymineralwhichisusedinfood...butbreadwaswanting.

           Perhapsintimethesettlerscouldreplacethiswantbysomeequivalent,itwaspossiblethattheymightfindthesagoorthebreadfruittreeamongtheforestsofthesouth,buttheyhadnotasyetmetwiththeseprecioustrees.However,Providencecamedirectlytotheiraid,inaninfinitesimalproportionitistrue,butCyrusHarding,withallhisintelligence,allhisingenuity,wouldneverhavebeenabletoproducethatwhich,bythegreatestchance,Herbertonedayfoundintheliningofhiswaistcoat,whichhewasoccupiedinsettingtorights.

           Onthisday,asitwasrainingintorrents,thesettlerswereassembledinthegreathallinGraniteHouse,whentheladcriedoutallatonce,—

           "Lookhere,captain—Agrainofcorn!"

           Andheshowedhiscompanionsagrain—asinglegrain—whichfromaholeinhispockethadgotintotheliningofhiswaistcoat.