Таємничий острів

           Thesetwostreams,whichlowerdownbecameriversbytheabsorptionofseveraltributaries,wereformedbyallthespringsofthemountainandthuscausedthefertilityofitssouthernpart.AstotheMercy,itwasmoredirectlyfedfromamplespringsconcealedunderthecoverofJacamarWood,anditwasbyspringsofthisnature,spreadinginathousandstreamlets,thatthesoiloftheSerpentinePeninsulawaswatered.

           Now,ofthesethreewell-wateredvalleys,eithermighthaveservedasaretreattosomesolitarywhowouldhavefoundthereeverythingnecessaryforlife.Butthesettlershadalreadyexploredthem,andinnoparthadtheydiscoveredthepresenceofman.

           Wasittheninthedepthsofthosebarrengorges,inthemidstofthepilesofrock,intheruggednorthernravines,amongthestreamsoflava,thatthisdwellinganditsoccupantwouldbefound?

           ThenorthernpartofMountFranklinwasatitsbasecomposedsolelyoftwovalleys,wide,notverydeep,withoutanyappearanceofvegetation,strewnwithmassesofrock,pavedwithlava,andvariedwithgreatblocksofmineral.Thisregionrequiredalongandcarefulexploration.Itcontainedathousandcavities,comfortlessnodoubt,butperfectlyconcealedanddifficultofaccess.

           Thecolonistsevenvisiteddarktunnels,datingfromthevolcanicperiod,stillblackfromthepassageofthefire,andpenetratedintothedepthsofthemountain.Theytraversedthesesombergalleries,wavinglightedtorches;theyexaminedthesmallestexcavations;theysoundedtheshallowestdepths,butallwasdarkandsilent.