Таємничий острів

           Thesailorhavingstrungthecouroucouslikelarksonflexibletwigs,theythencontinuedtheirexploration.Thestreamheremadeabendtowardsthesouth,butthisdetourwasprobablynotprolongedfortherivermusthaveitssourceinthemountain,andbesuppliedbythemeltingofthesnowwhichcoveredthesidesofthecentralcone.

           Theparticularobjectoftheirexpeditionwas,ashasbeensaid,toprocurethegreatestpossiblequantityofgamefortheinhabitantsoftheChimneys.Itmustbeacknowledgedthatasyetthisobjecthadnotbeenattained.Sothesailoractivelypursuedhisresearches,thoughheexclaimed,whensomeanimalwhichhehadnoteventimetorecognizefledintothelonggrass,"IfonlywehadhadthedogTop!"ButTophaddisappearedatthesametimeashismaster,andhadprobablyperishedwithhim.

           Towardsthreeo’clocknewflocksofbirdswereseenthroughcertaintrees,atwhosearomaticberriestheywerepecking,thoseofthejuniper-treeamongothers.Suddenlyaloudtrumpetcallresoundedthroughtheforest.ThisstrangeandsonorouscrywasproducedbyagamebirdcalledgrouseintheUnitedStates.Theysoonsawseveralcouples,whoseplumagewasrichchestnut-brownmottledwithdarkbrown,andtailofthesamecolor.Herbertrecognizedthemalesbythetwowing-likeappendagesraisedontheneck.Pencroftdeterminedtogetholdofatleastoneofthesegallinaceae,whichwereaslargeasafowl,andwhosefleshisbetterthanthatofapullet.Butitwasdifficult,fortheywouldnotallowthemselvestobeapproached.Afterseveralfruitlessattempts,whichresultedinnothingbutscaringthegrouse,thesailorsaidtothelad,—

           "Decidedly,sincewecan’tkillthemonthewing,wemusttrytotakethemwithaline."

           "Likeafish?"criedHerbert,muchsurprisedattheproposal.