Таємничий острів

           "Andwhatisthat?"

           "Torenderthecountrieswhichtheyinhabithealthy.DoyouknowwhattheyarecalledinAustraliaandNewZealand?"

           "No,captain."

           "Theyarecalled‘fevertrees.’"

           "Becausetheygivefevers?"

           "No,becausetheypreventthem!"

           "Good.Imustnotethat,"saidthereporter.

           "Noteitthen,mydearSpilett;foritappearsprovedthatthepresenceoftheeucalyptusisenoughtoneutralizemiasmas.ThisnaturalantidotehasbeentriedincertaincountriesinthemiddleofEuropeandthenorthofAfricawherethesoilwasabsolutelyunhealthy,andthesanitaryconditionoftheinhabitantshasbeengraduallyameliorated.Nomoreintermittentfeversprevailintheregionsnowcoveredwithforestsofthemyrtaceae.Thisfactisnowbeyonddoubt,anditisahappycircumstanceforussettlersinLincolnIsland."

           "Ah!whatanisland!Whatablessedisland!"criedPencroft."Itellyou,itwantsnothing—unlessitis—"

           "Thatwillcome,Pencroft,thatwillbefound,"repliedtheengineer;"butnowwemustcontinueourvoyageandpushonasfarastheriverwillcarryourboat!"

           Theexplorationwasthereforecontinuedforanothertwomilesinthemidstofcountrycoveredwitheucalypti,whichpredominatedinthewoodsofthisportionoftheisland.ThespacewhichtheyoccupiedextendedasfarastheeyecouldreachoneachsideoftheMercy,whichwoundalongbetweenhighgreenbanks.Thebedwasoftenobstructedbylongweeds,andevenbypointedrocks,whichrenderedthenavigationverydifficult.