Таємничий острів

           Theyperceivedbythetranquillityofthesea,inwhichnoshallowstroubledthewaters,byitsuniformcolor,whichwasstainedbynoyellowshades,bytheabsenceofevenareef,thatthecoastwassteepandthattheoceantherecoveredadeepabyss.Behindinthewest,butatadistanceoffourmiles,rosethefirsttreesoftheforestsoftheFarWest.TheymighthavebelievedthemselvestobeonthedesolatecoastofsomeislandintheAntarcticregionswhichtheicehadinvaded.Thecolonistshaltedatthisplaceforbreakfast.Afireofbrushwoodanddriedseaweedwaslighted,andNebpreparedthebreakfastofcoldmeat,towhichheaddedsomecupsofOswegotea.

           Whileeatingtheylookedaroundthem.ThispartofLincolnIslandwasverysterile,andcontrastedwithallthewesternpart.Thereporterwasthusledtoobservethatifchancehadthrownthematfirstontheshore,theywouldhavehadbutadeplorableideaoftheirfuturedomain.

           "Ibelievethatweshouldnothavebeenabletoreachit,"repliedtheengineer,"fortheseaisdeep,andthereisnotarockonwhichwecouldhavetakenrefuge.BeforeGraniteHouse,atleast,thereweresandbanks,anislet,whichmultipliedourchancesofsafety.Here,nothingbutthedepths!"

           "Itissingularenough,"remarkedSpilett,"thatthiscomparativelysmallislandshouldpresentsuchvariedground.Thisdiversityofaspect,logicallyonlybelongstocontinentsofacertainextent.