Таємничий острів

           Thenight,however,wasbutoffewhours.Thedarknesswasduerathertothethicknessofthefoliagethantothedisappearanceofthesun.Thesilencewasscarcelydisturbedbythehowlingofjaguarsandthechatteringofthemonkeys,thelatterappearingtoparticularlyirritateMasterJup.Thenightpassedwithoutincident,andonthenextday,the15thofFebruary,thejourneythroughtheforest,tediousratherthandifficult,wascontinued.Thisdaytheycouldnotaccomplishmorethansixmiles,foreverymomenttheywereobligedtocutaroadwiththeirhatchets.

           Liketruesettlers,thecolonistssparedthelargestandmostbeautifultrees,whichwouldbesideshavecostimmenselabortofell,andthesmallonesonlyweresacrificed,buttheresultwasthattheroadtookaverywindingdirection,andlengtheneditselfbynumerousdetours.

           DuringthedayHerbertdiscoveredseveralnewspecimensnotbeforemetwithintheisland,suchasthetree-fern,withitsleavesspreadoutlikethewatersofafountain,locust-trees,onthelongpodsofwhichtheonagersbrowsedgreedily,andwhichsuppliedasweetpulpofexcellentflavor.There,too,thecolonistsagainfoundgroupsofmagnificentkauries,theircylindricaltrunks,crowdedwithaconeofverdure,risingtoaheightoftwohundredfeet.Thesewerethetree-kingsofNewZealand,ascelebratedasthecedarsofLebanon.

           Astothefauna,therewasnoadditiontothosespeciesalreadyknowntothehunters.