Таємничий острів

           Onthecontrary,allthepartoftheshorebetweenFallsRiverandReptileEndwasamassofwood,magnificenttrees,somestraight,othersbent,sothatthelongsea-swellbathedtheirroots.Now,itwasthiscoast,thatis,alltheSerpentinePeninsula,thatwastobeexplored,forthispartoftheshoreofferedarefugetocastaways,whichtheotherwildandbarrensidemusthaverefused.

           Theweatherwasfineandclear,andfromaheightofahillockonwhichNebandPencrofthadarrangedbreakfast,awideviewwasobtained.Therewas,however,notasailinsight;nothingcouldbeseenalongtheshoreasfarastheeyecouldreach.ButtheengineerwouldtakenothingforgranteduntilhehadexploredthecoasttotheveryextremityoftheSerpentinePeninsula.

           Breakfastwassoondespatched,andathalf-pasteleventhecaptaingavethesignalfordeparture.Insteadofproceedingoverthesummitofaclifforalongasandybeach,thesettlerswereobligedtoremainundercoverofthetreessothattheymightcontinueontheshore.

           ThedistancewhichseparatedFallsRiverfromReptileEndwasabouttwelvemiles.Itwouldhavetakenthesettlersfourhourstodothis,onacleargroundandwithouthurryingthemselves;butasitwastheyneededdoublethetime,forwhatwithtreestogoround,bushestocutdown,andcreeperstochopaway,theywereimpededateverystep,theseobstaclesgreatlylengtheningtheirjourney.

           Therewas,however,nothingtoshowthatashipwreckhadtakenplacerecently.