Таємничий острів

           Theyoungnaturalistrecognizedespeciallythe"deedara,"whichareverynumerousintheHimalayanzone,andwhichspreadaroundthemamostagreeableodor.Betweenthesebeautifultreessprangupclustersoffirs,whoseopaqueopenparasolboughsspreadwidearound.Amongthelonggrass,Pencroftfeltthathisfeetwerecrushingdrybrancheswhichcrackledlikefireworks.

           "Well,myboy,"saidhetoHerbert,"ifIdon’tknowthenameofthesetrees,atanyrateIreckonthatwemaycallthem‘burningwood,’andjustnowthat’sthechiefthingwewant."

           "Letusgetasupply,"repliedHerbert,whoimmediatelysettowork.

           Thecollectionwaseasilymade.Itwasnotevennecessarytolopthetrees,forenormousquantitiesofdeadwoodwerelyingattheirfeet;butiffuelwasnotwanting,themeansoftransportingitwasnotyetfound.Thewood,beingverydry,wouldburnrapidly;itwasthereforenecessarytocarrytotheChimneysaconsiderablequantity,andtheloadsoftwomenwouldnotbesufficient.Herbertremarkedthis.

           "Well,myboy,"repliedthesailor,"theremustbesomewayofcarryingthiswood;thereisalwaysawayofdoingeverything.Ifwehadacartoraboat,itwouldbeeasyenough."

           "Butwehavetheriver,"saidHerbert.

           "Right,"repliedPencroft;"theriverwillbetouslikearoadwhichcarriesofitself,andraftshavenotbeeninventedfornothing."