Таємничий острів

           Onewouldhavesaidtheywerehorses,oratleastdonkeys,maleandfemale,ofafineshape,dove-colored,thelegsandtailwhite,stripedwithblackontheheadandneck.Theyadvancedquietlywithoutshowinganyuneasiness,andgazedatthemen,inwhomtheycouldnotasyetrecognizetheirfuturemasters.

           "Theseareonagers!"criedHerbert,"animalssomethingbetweenthezebraandthequagga!"

           "Whynotdonkeys?"askedNeb.

           "Becausetheyhavenotlongears,andtheirshapeismoregraceful!"

           "Donkeysorhorses,"interruptedPencroft,"theyare‘movingpowers,’asthecaptainwouldsay,andassuchmustbecaptured!"

           Thesailor,withoutfrighteningtheanimals,creptthroughthegrasstothebridgeoverCreekGlycerine,loweredit,andtheonagerswereprisoners.

           Now,shouldtheyseizethemwithviolenceandmasterthembyforce?No.Itwasdecidedthatforafewdaystheyshouldbeallowedtoroamfreelyabouttheplateau,wheretherewasanabundanceofgrass,andtheengineerimmediatelybegantoprepareastablenearthepoultry-yard,inwhichtheonagersmightfindfood,withagoodlitter,andshelterduringthenight.

           Thisdone,themovementsofthetwomagnificentcreatureswereleftentirelyfree,andthesettlersavoidedevenapproachingthemsoastoterrifythem.Severaltimes,however,theonagersappearedtowishtoleavetheplateau,tooconfinedforanimalsaccustomedtotheplainsandforests.