Таємничий острів

           Onewouldreallysay,thatthewesternpartofLincolnIsland,sorichandsofertile,iswashedbythewarmwatersoftheGulfofMexico,andthatitsshorestothenorthandthesoutheastextendoverasortofArcticsea."

           "Youareright,mydearSpilett,"repliedCyrusHarding,"Ihavealsoobservedthis.Ithinktheformandalsothenatureofthisislandstrange.Itisasummaryofalltheaspectswhichacontinentpresents,andIshouldnotbesurprisedifitwasacontinentformerly."

           "What!acontinentinthemiddleofthePacific?"criedPencroft.

           "Whynot?"repliedCyrusHarding."WhyshouldnotAustralia,NewIreland,Australasia,unitedtothearchipelagoesofthePacific,haveonceformedasixthpartoftheworld,asimportantasEuropeorAsia,asAfricaorthetwoAmericas?Tomymind,itisquitepossiblethatalltheseislands,emergingfromthisvastocean,arebutthesummitsofacontinent,nowsubmerged,butwhichwasabovethewatersataprehistoricperiod."

           "AstheAtlantiswasformerly,"repliedHerbert.

           "Yes,myboy...if,however,itexisted."

           "AndwouldLincolnIslandhavebeenapartofthatcontinent?"askedPencroft.

           "Itisprobable,"repliedCyrusHarding,"andthatwouldsufficiently,explainthevarietyofproductionswhichareseenonitssurface."

           "Andthegreatnumberofanimalswhichstillinhabitit,"addedHerbert.

           "Yes,myboy,"repliedtheengineer,"andyoufurnishmewithanargumenttosupportmytheory.