Таємничий острів

           Itcontinuedthusforalengthofthreemiles,endingsuddenlyontherightwithaprecipicewhichlookedasifcutbythehandofman.Ontheleft,abovethepromontory,thisirregularandjaggedcliffdescendedbyalongslopeofconglomeratedrockstillitmingledwiththegroundofthesouthernpoint.Ontheupperplateauofthecoastnotatreeappeared.ItwasaflattablelandlikethataboveCapeTownattheCapeofGoodHope,butofreducedproportions;atleastsoitappearedseenfromtheislet.However,verdurewasnotwantingtotherightbeyondtheprecipice.Theycouldeasilydistinguishaconfusedmassofgreattrees,whichextendedbeyondthelimitsoftheirview.Thisverdurerelievedtheeye,solongweariedbythecontinuedrangesofgranite.Lastly,beyondandabovetheplateau,inanorthwesterlydirectionandatadistanceofatleastsevenmiles,glitteredawhitesummitwhichreflectedthesun’srays.Itwasthatofaloftymountain,cappedwithsnow.

           Thequestioncouldnotatpresentbedecidedwhetherthislandformedanisland,orwhetheritbelongedtoacontinent.Butonbeholdingtheconvulsedmassesheapedupontheleft,nogeologistwouldhavehesitatedtogivethemavolcanicorigin,fortheywereunquestionablytheworkofsubterraneanconvulsions.

           GideonSpilett,Pencroft,andHerbertattentivelyexaminedthisland,onwhichtheymightperhapshavetolivemanylongyears;onwhichindeedtheymightevendie,shoulditbeoutoftheusualtrackofvessels,aswaslikelytobethecase.

           "Well,"askedHerbert,"whatdoyousay,Pencroft?"

           "Thereissomegoodandsomebad,asineverything,"repliedthesailor."Weshallsee.