Таємничий острів

           Theonlytoolsthesettlerstookwerethetwowoodmen’saxes,whichtheycouldusetocutapaththroughthethickforests,asalsotheinstruments,thetelescopeandpocket-compass.

           Forweaponstheyselectedthetwoflint-lockguns,whichwerelikelytobemoreusefultothemthanthepercussionfowling-pieces,thefirstonlyrequiringflintswhichcouldbeeasilyreplaced,andthelatterneedingfulminatingcaps,afrequentuseofwhichwouldsoonexhausttheirlimitedstock.However,theytookalsooneofthecarbinesandsomecartridges.Astothepowder,ofwhichtherewasaboutfiftypoundsinthebarrel,asmallsupplyofithadtobetaken,buttheengineerhopedtomanufactureanexplosivesubstancewhichwouldallowthemtohusbandit.Tothefirearmswereaddedthefivecutlasseswellsheathedinleather,and,thussupplied,thesettlerscouldventureintothevastforestwithsomechanceofsuccess.

           ItisuselesstoaddthatPencroft,Herbert,andNeb,thusarmed,wereatthesummitoftheirhappiness,althoughCyrusHardingmadethempromisenottofireashotunlessitwasnecessary.

           Atsixinthemorningthecanoeputofffromtheshore;allhadembarked,includingTop,andtheyproceededtothemouthoftheMercy.

           Thetidehadbeguntocomeuphalfanhourbefore.Forseveralhours,therefore,therewouldbeacurrent,whichitwaswelltoprofitby,forlatertheebbwouldmakeitdifficulttoascendtheriver.