Таємничий острів

           ThiswoodyisletdidnotofferthevariedaspectsofLincolnIsland,aridandwildinonepart,butfertileandrichintheother.Onthecontrarythiswasauniformmassofverdure,outofwhichrosetwoorthreehillsofnogreatheight.Obliquelytotheovaloftheislandranastreamthroughawidemeadowfallingintotheseaonthewestbyanarrowmouth.

           "Thedomainislimited,"saidHerbert.

           "Yes,"rejoinedPencroft:"Itwouldhavebeentoosmallforus."

           "Andmoreover,"saidthereporter,"itappearstobeuninhabited."

           "Indeed,"answeredHerbert,"nothingherebetraysthepresenceofman."

           "Letusgodown,"saidPencroft,"andsearch."

           Thesailorandhistwocompanionsreturnedtotheshore,totheplacewheretheyhadleftthe"Bonadventure."

           Theyhaddecidedtomakethetouroftheislandonfoot,beforeexploringtheinterior;sothatnotaspotshouldescapetheirinvestigations.Thebeachwaseasytofollow,andonlyinsomeplaceswastheirwaybarredbylargerocks,which,however,theyeasilypassedround.Theexplorersproceededtowardsthesouth,disturbingnumerousflocksofsea-birdsandherdsofseals,whichthrewthemselvesintotheseaassoonastheysawthestrangersatadistance.

           "Thosebeastsyonder,"observedthereporter,"donotseemenforthefirsttime.Theyfearthem,thereforetheymustknowthem."