Таємничий острів

           Anhouraftertheirdeparturetheyarrivedonthesouthernpointoftheislet,terminatedbyasharpcape,andproceededtowardsthenorthalongthewesterncoast,equallyformedbysandandrocks,thebackgroundborderedwiththickwoods.

           Therewasnotatraceofahabitationinanypart,nottheprintofahumanfootontheshoreoftheisland,whichafterfourhours’walkinghadbeengonecompletelyround.

           Itwastosaytheleastveryextraordinary,andtheywerecompelledtobelievethatTaborIslandwasnotorwasnolongerinhabited.Perhaps,afterallthedocumentwasalreadyseveralmonthsorseveralyearsold,anditwaspossibleinthiscase,eitherthatthecastawayhadbeenenabledtoreturntohiscountry,orthathehaddiedofmisery.

           Pencroft,Spilett,andHerbert,formingmoreorlessprobableconjectures,dinedrapidlyonboardthe"Bonadventure"soastobeabletocontinuetheirexcursionuntilnightfall.Thiswasdoneatfiveo’clockintheevening,atwhichhourtheyenteredthewood.

           Numerousanimalsfledattheirapproach,beingprincipally,onemightsay,onlygoatsandpigs,whichwereobviouslyEuropeanspecies.

           Doubtlesssomewhalerhadlandedthemontheisland,wheretheyhadrapidlyincreased.Herbertresolvedtocatchoneortwoliving,andtakethembacktoLincolnIsland.