Таємничий острів

           Theirgeometricalplanrepresentedthetypographicalsign"&,"whichsignifies"etcetera"abridged,butbyisolatingtheuppermouthofthesign,throughwhichthesouthandwestwindsblewsostrongly,theycouldsucceedinmakingthelowerpartofuse.

           "Here’sourwork,"saidPencroft,"andifweeverseeCaptainHardingagain,hewillknowhowtomakesomethingofthislabyrinth."

           "Weshallseehimagain,Pencroft,"criedHerbert,"andwhenbereturnshemustfindatolerabledwellinghere.Itwillbeso,ifwecanmakeafireplaceintheleftpassageandkeepanopeningforthesmoke."

           "Sowecan,myboy,"repliedthesailor,"andtheseChimneyswillserveourturn.Letussettowork,butfirstcomeandgetastoreoffuel.Ithinksomebrancheswillbeveryusefulinstoppinguptheseopenings,throughwhichthewindshriekslikesomanyfiends."

           HerbertandPencroftlefttheChimneys,and,turningtheangle,theybegantoclimbtheleftbankoftheriver.Thecurrentherewasquiterapid,anddrifteddownsomedeadwood.Therisingtide—anditcouldalreadybeperceived—mustdriveitbackwithforcetoaconsiderabledistance.Thesailorthenthoughtthattheycouldutilizethisebbandflowforthetransportofheavyobjects.

           Afterhavingwalkedforaquarterofanhour,thesailorandtheboyarrivedattheanglewhichtherivermadeinturningtowardstheleft.Fromthispointitscoursewaspursuedthroughaforestofmagnificenttrees.Thesetreesstillretainedtheirverdure,notwithstandingtheadvancedseason,fortheybelongedtothefamilyof"coniferae,"whichisspreadoveralltheregionsoftheglobe,fromnorthernclimatestothetropics.