L'île mystérieuse. English

  Chapter 16

  It was the 6th of May, a day which corresponds to the 6th of November inthe countries of the Northern Hemisphere. The sky had been obscured forsome days, and it was of importance to make preparations for the winter.However, the temperature was not as yet much lower, and a centigradethermometer, transported to Lincoln Island, would still have marked anaverage of ten to twelve degrees above zero. This was not surprising,since Lincoln Island, probably situated between the thirty-fifth andfortieth parallel, would be subject, in the Southern Hemisphere, tothe same climate as Sicily or Greece in the Northern Hemisphere. But asGreece and Sicily have severe cold, producing snow and ice, so doubtlesswould Lincoln Island in the severest part of the winter and it wasadvisable to provide against it.

  In any case if cold did not yet threaten them, the rainy season wouldbegin, and on this lonely island, exposed to all the fury of theelements, in mid-ocean, bad weather would be frequent, and probablyterrible. The question of a more comfortable dwelling than the Chimneysmust therefore be seriously considered and promptly resolved on.

  Pencroft, naturally, had some predilection for the retreat which hehad discovered, but he well understood that another must be found. TheChimneys had been already visited by the sea, under circumstanceswhich are known, and it would not do to be exposed again to a similaraccident.

  "Besides," added Cyrus Harding, who this day was talking of these thingswith his companions, "we have some precautions to take."

  "Why? The island is not inhabited," said the reporter.

  "That is probable," replied the engineer, "although we have not yetexplored the interior; but if no human beings are found, I fear thatdangerous animals may abound. It is necessary to guard against apossible attack, so that we shall not be obliged to watch every night,or to keep up a fire. And then, my friends, we must foresee everything.We are here in a part of the Pacific often frequented by Malaypirates--"

  "What!" said Herbert, "at such a distance from land?"

  "Yes, my boy," replied the engineer. "These pirates are bold sailors aswell as formidable enemies, and we must take measures accordingly."

  "Well," replied Pencroft, "we will fortify ourselves against savageswith two legs as well as against savages with four. But, captain, willit not be best to explore every part of the island before undertakinganything else?"

  "That would be best," added Gideon Spilett.

  "Who knows if we might not find on the opposite side one of the cavernswhich we have searched for in vain here?"

  "That is true," replied the engineer, "but you forget, my friends, thatit will be necessary to establish ourselves in the neighborhood of awatercourse, and that, from the summit of Mount Franklin, we could notsee towards the west, either stream or river. Here, on the contrary, weare placed between the Mercy and Lake Grant, an advantage which must notbe neglected. And, besides, this side, looking towards the east, is notexposed as the other is to the trade-winds, which in this hemisphereblow from the northwest."

  "Then, captain," replied the sailor, "let us build a house on the edgeof the lake. Neither bricks nor tools are wanting now. After having beenbrickmakers, potters, smelters, and smiths, we shall surely know how tobe masons!"

  "Yes, my friend; but before coming to any decision we must considerthe matter thoroughly. A natural dwelling would spare us much work,and would be a surer retreat, for it would be as well defended againstenemies from the interior as those from outside."

  "That is true, Cyrus," replied the reporter, "but we have alreadyexamined all that mass of granite, and there is not a hole, not acranny!"

  "No, not one!" added Pencroft. "Ah, if we were able to dig out adwelling in that cliff, at a good height, so as to be out of the reachof harm, that would be capital! I can see that on the front which looksseaward, five or six rooms--"

  "With windows to light them!" said Herbert, laughing.

  "And a staircase to climb up to them!" added Neb.

  "You are laughing," cried the sailor, "and why? What is there impossiblein what I propose? Haven't we got pickaxes and spades? Won't CaptainHarding be able to make powder to blow up the mine? Isn't it true,captain, that you will make powder the very day we want it?"

  Cyrus Harding listened to the enthusiastic Pencroft developing hisfanciful projects. To attack this mass of granite, even by a mine, wasHerculean work, and it was really vexing that nature could not help themat their need. But the engineer did not reply to the sailor except byproposing to examine the cliff more attentively, from the mouth of theriver to the angle which terminated it on the north.

  They went out, therefore, and the exploration was made with extremecare, over an extent of nearly two miles. But in no place in the bare,straight cliff, could any cavity be found. The nests of the rock pigeonswhich fluttered at its summit were only, in reality, holes bored at thevery top, and on the irregular edge of the granite.

  It was a provoking circumstance, and as to attacking this cliff, eitherwith pickaxe or with powder, so as to effect a sufficient excavation, itwas not to be thought of. It so happened that, on all this part of theshore, Pencroft had discovered the only habitable shelter, that is tosay, the Chimneys, which now had to be abandoned.

  The exploration ended, the colonists found themselves at the north angleof the cliff, where it terminated in long slopes which died away on theshore. From this place, to its extreme limit in the west, it only formeda sort of declivity, a thick mass of stones, earth, and sand, boundtogether by plants, bushes, and grass inclined at an angle of onlyforty-five degrees. Clumps of trees grew on these slopes, which werealso carpeted with thick grass. But the vegetation did not extendfar, and a long, sandy plain, which began at the foot of these slopes,reached to the beach.

  Cyrus Harding thought, not without reason, that the overplus of the lakemust overflow on this side. The excess of water furnished by the RedCreek must also escape by some channel or other. Now the engineer hadnot yet found this channel on any part of the shore already explored,that is to say, from the mouth of the stream on the west of ProspectHeights.

  The engineer now proposed to his companions to climb the slope, and toreturn to the Chimneys by the heights, while exploring the northernand eastern shores of the lake. The proposal was accepted, and in a fewminutes Herbert and Neb were on the upper plateau. Cyrus Harding, GideonSpilett, and Pencroft followed with more sedate steps.

  The beautiful sheet of water glittered through the trees under the raysof the sun. In this direction the country was charming. The eye feastedon the groups of trees. Some old trunks, bent with age, showed blackagainst the verdant grass which covered the ground. Crowds of brilliantcockatoos screamed among the branches, moving prisms, hopping from onebough to another.

  The settlers instead of going directly to the north bank of the lake,made a circuit round the edge of the plateau, so as to join the mouthof the creek on its left bank. It was a detour of more than a mile and ahalf. Walking was easy, for the trees widely spread, left a considerablespace between them. The fertile zone evidently stopped at this point,and vegetation would be less vigorous in the part between the course ofthe Creek and the Mercy.

  Cyrus Harding and his companions walked over this new ground with greatcare. Bows, arrows, and sticks with sharp iron points were their onlyweapons. However, no wild beast showed itself, and it was probable thatthese animals frequented rather the thick forests in the south; but thesettlers had the disagreeable surprise of seeing Top stop before a snakeof great size, measuring from fourteen to fifteen feet in length. Nebkilled it by a blow from his stick. Cyrus Harding examined the reptile,and declared it not venomous, for it belonged to that species of diamondserpents which the natives of New South Wales rear. But it was possiblethat others existed whose bite was mortal such as the deaf vipers withforked tails, which rise up under the feet, or those winged snakes,furnished with two ears, which enable them to proceed with greatrapidity. Top, the first moment of surprise over, began a reptile chasewith such eagerness, that they feared for his safety. His
master calledhim back directly.

  The mouth of the Red Creek, at the place where it entered into the lake,was soon reached. The explorers recognized on the opposite shore thepoint which they had visited on their descent from Mount Franklin. CyrusHarding ascertained that the flow of water into it from the creek wasconsiderable. Nature must therefore have provided some place for theescape of the overplus. This doubtless formed a fall, which, if it couldbe discovered, would be of great use.

  The colonists, walking apart, but not straying far from each other,began to skirt the edge of the lake, which was very steep. The waterappeared to be full of fish, and Pencroft resolved to make somefishing-rods, so as to try and catch some.

  The northeast point was first to be doubled. It might have been supposedthat the discharge of water was at this place, for the extremity of thelake was almost on a level with the edge of the plateau. But no signs ofthis were discovered, and the colonists continued to explore the bank,which, after a slight bend, descended parallel to the shore.

  On this side the banks were less woody, but clumps of trees, here andthere, added to the picturesqueness of the country. Lake Grant wasviewed from thence in all its extent, and no breath disturbed thesurface of its waters. Top, in beating the bushes, put up flocks ofbirds of different kinds, which Gideon Spilett and Herbert saluted witharrows. One was hit by the lad, and fell into some marshy grass. Toprushed forward, and brought a beautiful swimming bird, of a slate color,short beak, very developed frontal plate, and wings edged with white. Itwas a "coot," the size of a large partridge, belonging to the group ofmacrodactyls which form the transition between the order of wading birdsand that of palmipeds. Sorry game, in truth, and its flavor is far frompleasant. But Top was not so particular in these things as his masters,and it was agreed that the coot should be for his supper.

  The settlers were now following the eastern bank of the lake, and theywould not be long in reaching the part which they already knew.The engineer was much surprised at not seeing any indication of thedischarge of water. The reporter and the sailor talked with him, and hecould not conceal his astonishment.

  At this moment Top, who had been very quiet till then, gave signs ofagitation. The intelligent animal went backwards and forwards on theshore, stopped suddenly, and looked at the water, one paw raised, as ifhe was pointing at some invisible game; then he barked furiously, andwas suddenly silent.

  Neither Cyrus Harding nor his companions had at first paid any attentionto Top's behavior; but the dog's barking soon became so frequent thatthe engineer noticed it.

  "What is there, Top?" he asked.

  The dog bounded towards his master, seeming to be very uneasy, and thenrushed again towards the bank. Then, all at once, he plunged into thelake.

  "Here, Top!" cried Cyrus Harding, who did not like his dog to ventureinto the treacherous water.

  "What's happening down there?" asked Pencroft, examining the surface ofthe lake.

  "Top smells some amphibious creature," replied Herbert.

  "An alligator, perhaps," said the reporter.

  "I do not think so," replied Harding. "Alligators are only met with inregions less elevated in latitude."

  Meanwhile Top had returned at his master's call, and had regained theshore: but he could not stay quiet; he plunged in among the tall grass,and guided by instinct, he appeared to follow some invisible being whichwas slipping along under the surface of the water. However the waterwas calm; not a ripple disturbed its surface. Several times the settlersstopped on the bank, and observed it attentively. Nothing appeared.There was some mystery there.

  The engineer was puzzled.

  "Let us pursue this exploration to the end," said he.

  Half an hour after they had all arrived at the southeast angle of thelake, on Prospect Heights. At this point the examination of the banks ofthe lake was considered finished, and yet the engineer had not been ableto discover how and where the waters were discharged. "There is no doubtthis overflow exists," he repeated, "and since it is not visible it mustgo through the granite cliff at the west!"

  "But what importance do you attach to knowing that, my dear Cyrus?"asked Gideon Spilett.

  "Considerable importance," replied the engineer; "for if it flowsthrough the cliff there is probably some cavity, which it would be easyto render habitable after turning away the water."

  "But is it not possible, captain, that the water flows away at thebottom of the lake," said Herbert, "and that it reaches the sea by somesubterranean passage?"

  "That might be," replied the engineer, "and should it be so we shall beobliged to build our house ourselves, since nature has not done it forus."

  The colonists were about to begin to traverse the plateau to return tothe Chimneys, when Top gave new signs of agitation. He barked with fury,and before his master could restrain him, he had plunged a second timeinto the lake.

  All ran towards the bank. The dog was already more than twenty feet off,and Cyrus was calling him back, when an enormous head emerged from thewater, which did not appear to be deep in that place.

  Herbert recognized directly the species of amphibian to which thetapering head, with large eyes, and adorned with long silky mustaches,belonged.

  "A lamantin!" he cried.

  It was not a lamantin, but one of that species of the order ofcetaceans, which bear the name of the "dugong," for its nostrils wereopen at the upper part of its snout. The enormous animal rushed on thedog, who tried to escape by returning towards the shore. His mastercould do nothing to save him, and before Gideon Spilett or Herbertthought of bending their bows, Top, seized by the dugong, haddisappeared beneath the water.

  Neb, his iron-tipped spear in his hand, wished to go to Top's help, andattack the dangerous animal in its own element.

  "No, Neb," said the engineer, restraining his courageous servant.

  Meanwhile, a struggle was going on beneath the water, an inexplicablestruggle, for in his situation Top could not possibly resist; andjudging by the bubbling of the surface it must be also a terriblestruggle, and could not but terminate in the death of the dog! Butsuddenly, in the middle of a foaming circle, Top reappeared. Thrown inthe air by some unknown power, he rose ten feet above the surface of thelake, fell again into the midst of the agitated waters, and then soongained the shore, without any severe wounds, miraculously saved.

  Cyrus Harding and his companions could not understand it. What was notless inexplicable was that the struggle still appeared to be going on.Doubtless, the dugong, attacked by some powerful animal, after havingreleased the dog, was fighting on its own account. But it did not lastlong. The water became red with blood, and the body of the dugong,emerging from the sheet of scarlet which spread around, soon stranded ona little beach at the south angle of the lake. The colonists ran towardsit. The dugong was dead. It was an enormous animal, fifteen or sixteenfeet long, and must have weighed from three to four thousand pounds. Atits neck was a wound, which appeared to have been produced by a sharpblade.

  What could the amphibious creature have been, who, by this terribleblow had destroyed the formidable dugong? No one could tell, and muchinterested in this incident, Harding and his companions returned to theChimneys.