Таємничий острів

           Butthecolonistsweretoomuchoccupiedwiththeirtasktopayanyattentiontoeventhemostformidableoftheseanimals.TheyhadabandonedGraniteHouse,andwouldnoteventakeshelterattheChimneys,butencampedunderatent,nearthemouthoftheMercy.

           EachdayCyrusHardingandGideonSpilettascendedtheplateauofProspectHeights.SometimesHerbertaccompaniedthem,butneverPencroft,whocouldnotbeartolookupontheprospectoftheislandnowsoutterlydevastated.

           Itwas,intruth,aheart-rendingspectacle.Allthewoodedpartoftheislandwasnowcompletelybare.OnesingleclumpofgreentreesraisedtheirheadsattheextremityofSerpentinePeninsula.Hereandtherewereafewgrotesqueblackenedandbranchlessstumps.ThesideofthedevastatedforestwasevenmorebarrenthanTadornMarsh.Theeruptionoflavahadbeencomplete.Whereformerlysprangupthatcharmingverdure,thesoilwasnownothingbutasavagemassofvolcanictufa.InthevalleysoftheFallsandMercyriversnodropofwaternowflowedtowardsthesea,andshouldLakeGrantbeentirelydriedup,thecolonistswouldhavenomeansofquenchingtheirthirst.But,fortunatelythelavahadsparedthesoutherncornerofthelake,containingallthatremainedofthedrinkingwateroftheisland.Towardsthenorthweststoodouttheruggedandwell-definedoutlinesofthesidesofthevolcano,likeagiganticclawhoveringovertheisland.

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