Таємничий острів

           Itwasnolongerdoubtfulthatmenatsomeperiodorotherhadvisitedthisislet,andthisbecamestillmoreevidentwhenpathsappearedtroddenthroughtheforest,felledtrees,andeverywheretracesofthehandofman;butthetreeswerebecomingrotten,andhadbeenfelledmanyyearsago;themarksoftheaxewerevelvetedwithmoss,andthegrassgrewlongandthickonthepaths,sothatitwasdifficulttofindthem.

           "But,"observedGideonSpilett,"thisnotonlyprovesthatmenhavelandedontheisland,butalsothattheylivedonitforsometime.Now,whowerethesemen?Howmanyofthemremain?"

           "Thedocument,"saidHerbert,"onlyspokeofonecastaway."

           "Well,ifheisstillontheisland,"repliedPencroft,"itisimpossiblebutthatweshallfindhim."

           Theexplorationwascontinued.Thesailorandhiscompanionsnaturallyfollowedtheroutewhichcutdiagonallyacrosstheisland,andtheywerethusobligedtofollowthestreamwhichflowedtowardsthesea.

           IftheanimalsofEuropeanorigin,ifworksduetoahumanhand,showedincontestablythatmenhadalreadyvisitedtheisland,severalspecimensofthevegetablekingdomdidnotproveitless.Insomeplaces,inthemidstofclearings,itwasevidentthatthesoilhadbeenplantedwithculinaryplants,atprobablythesamedistantperiod.

           What,then,wasHerbert’sjoy,whenherecognizedpotatoes,chicory,sorrel,carrots,cabbages,andturnips,ofwhichitwassufficienttocollecttheseedtoenrichthesoilofLincolnIsland.

           "Capital,jolly!"exclaimedPencroft