Таємничий острів

           ButthecorralwouldbeingreatdangershouldanewcrateropeninthesouthernsideofMountFranklin.

           Fromthatdaythesmokeneverdisappearedfromthetopofthemountain,anditcouldevenbeperceivedthatitincreasedinheightandthickness,withoutanyflameminglinginitsheavyvolumes.Thephenomenonwasstillconcentratedinthelowerpartofthecentralcrater.

           However,withthefinedaysworkhadbeencontinued.Thebuildingofthevesselwashastenedasmuchaspossible,and,bymeansofthewaterfallontheshore,CyrusHardingmanagedtoestablishanhydraulicsawmill,whichrapidlycutupthetrunksoftreesintoplanksandjoists.ThemechanismofthisapparatuswasassimpleasthoseusedintherusticsawmillsofNorway.Afirsthorizontalmovementtomovethepieceofwood,asecondverticalmovementtomovethesaw—thiswasallthatwaswanted;andtheengineersucceededbymeansofawheel,twocylinders,andpulleysproperlyarranged.TowardstheendofthemonthofSeptembertheskeletonofthevessel,whichwastoberiggedasaschooner,layinthedockyard.Theribswerealmostentirelycompleted,and,allthetimbershavingbeensustainedbyaprovisionalband,theshapeofthevesselcouldalreadybeseen.Theschooner,sharpinthebows,veryslenderintheafter-part,wouldevidentlybesuitableforalongvoyage,ifwanted;butlayingtheplankingwouldstilltakeaconsiderabletime.Veryfortunately,theironworkofthepiratebrighadbeensavedaftertheexplosion.