Таємничий острів

           Anhourafterwardstheboilinglavafilledthecorral,convertingintovaporthewaterofthelittlerivuletwhichranthroughit,burningupthehouselikedrygrass,andleavingnotevenapostofthepalisadetomarkthespotwherethecorraloncestood.

           Tocontendagainstthisdisasterwouldhavebeenfolly—nay,madness.InpresenceofNature’sgrandconvulsionsmanispowerless.

           Itwasnowdaylight—the24thofJanuary.CyrusHardingandhiscompanions,beforereturningtoGraniteHouse,desiredtoascertaintheprobabledirectionthisinundationoflavawasabouttotake.ThesoilslopedgraduallyfromMountFranklintotheeastcoast,anditwastobefearedthat,inspiteofthethickJacamarWood,thetorrentwouldreachtheplateauofProspectHeights.

           "Thelakewillcoverus,"saidGideonSpilett.

           "Ihopeso!"wasCyrusHarding’sonlyreply.

           ThecolonistsweredesirousofreachingtheplainuponwhichthesuperiorconeofMountFranklinhadfallen,butthelavaarrestedtheirprogress.Ithadfollowed,ononeside,thevalleyofRedCreek,andontheotherthatofFallsRiver,evaporatingthosewatercoursesinitspassage.Therewasnopossibilityofcrossingthetorrentoflava;onthecontrary,thecolonistswereobligedtoretreatbeforeit.Thevolcano,withoutitscrown,wasnolongerrecognizable,terminatedasitwasbyasortofflattablewhichreplacedtheancientcrater.Fromtwoopeningsinitssouthernandeasternsidesanunceasingflowoflavapouredforth,thusformingtwodistinctstreams.