Таємничий острів

           PencroftstayedthelastinGraniteHouseinordertofinishthiswork,andhethenloweredhimselfdownbymeansofadoubleropeheldbelow,andwhich,whenoncehauleddown,leftnocommunicationbetweentheupperlandingandthebeach.

           Theweatherwasmagnificent.

           "Weshallhaveawarmdayofit,"saidthereporter,laughing.

           "Pooh!Dr.Spilett,"answeredPencroft,"weshallwalkundertheshadeofthetreesandshan’tevenseethesun!"

           "Forward!"saidtheengineer.

           ThecartwaswaitingonthebeachbeforetheChimneys.ThereportermadeHerberttakehisplaceinitduringthefirsthoursatleastofthejourney,andtheladwasobligedtosubmittohisdoctor’sorders.

           Nebplacedhimselfattheonagers’heads.CyrusHarding,thereporter,andthesailor,walkedinfront.Topboundedjoyfullyalong.HerbertofferedaseatinhisvehicletoJup,whoaccepteditwithoutceremony.Themomentfordeparturehadarrived,andthelittlebandsetout.

           ThecartfirstturnedtheangleofthemouthoftheMercy,then,havingascendedtheleftbankforamile,crossedthebridge,attheothersideofwhichcommencedtheroadtoPortBalloon,andtheretheexplorers,leavingthisroadontheirleft,enteredthecoveroftheimmensewoodswhichformedtheregionoftheFarWest.

           Forthefirsttwomilesthewidelyscatteredtreesallowedthecarttopasswithease;fromtimetotimeitbecamenecessarytocutawayafewcreepersandbushes,butnoseriousobstacleimpededtheprogressofthecolonists.