Таємничий острів

           WasCyrusstillalive?Ifhewasalive,wherewashe?Ifhehadsurvivedfromhisfall,howwasitthathehadnotfoundsomemeansofmakingknownhisexistence?AstoNeb,hewasroamingabouttheshore.Hewaslikeabodywithoutasoul.

           Pencroftknewfiftywaysofcookingeggs,butthistimehehadnochoice,andwasobligedtocontenthimselfwithroastingthemunderthehotcinders.Inafewminutesthecookingwasdone,andtheseamaninvitedthereportertotakehisshareofthesupper.Suchwasthefirstrepastofthecastawaysonthisunknowncoast.Thehardeggswereexcellent,andaseggscontaineverythingindispensabletoman’snourishment,thesepoorpeoplethoughtthemselveswelloff,andweremuchstrengthenedbythem.Oh!ifonlyoneofthemhadnotbeenmissingatthismeal!IfthefiveprisonerswhoescapedfromRichmondhadbeenallthere,underthepiled-uprocks,beforethisclear,cracklingfireonthedrysand,whatthanksgivingmusttheyhaverenderedtoHeaven!Butthemostingenious,themostlearned,hewhowastheirunquestionedchief,CyrusHarding,was,alas!missing,andhisbodyhadnotevenobtainedaburial-place.

           Thuspassedthe25thofMarch.Nighthadcomeon.Outsidecouldbeheardthehowlingofthewindandthemonotonoussoundofthesurfbreakingontheshore.Thewavesrolledtheshinglebackwardsandforwardswithadeafeningnoise.

           Thereporterretiredintoadarkcornerafterhavingshortlynoteddowntheoccurrencesoftheday;thefirstappearanceofthisnewland,thelossoftheirleader,theexplorationofthecoast,theincidentofthematches,etc.;andthenovercomebyfatigue,hemanagedtoforgethissorrowsinsleep.