finding any trace of Captain Grant; but on the other side, to his
great surprise, and by the will of Heaven, he found the -Duncan,-
under command of the mate, who had been waiting for him for five
weeks!
"This was on the 3rd of March 1855. Lord Glenarvan was now on board
the -Duncan-, but Ayrton was there also. He appeared before the
nobleman, who wished to extract from him all that the villain knew
about Captain Grant. Ayrton refused to speak. Lord Glenarvan then told
him, that at the first port they put into, he would be delivered up to
the English authorities. Ayrton remained mute.
"The -Duncan- continued her voyage along the thirty-seventh parallel.
In the meanwhile, Lady Glenarvan undertook to vanquish the resistance
of the ruffian.
"At last, her influence prevailed, and Ayrton, in exchange for what he
could tell, proposed that Lord Glenarvan should leave him on some
island in the Pacific, instead of giving him up to the English
authorities. Lord Glenarvan, resolving to do anything to obtain
information about Captain Grant, consented.
"Ayrton then related all his life, and it was certain that he knew
nothing from the day on which Captain Grant had landed him on the
Australian coast.
"Nevertheless, Lord Glenarvan kept the promise which he had given. The
-Duncan- continued her voyage and arrived at Tabor Island. It was
there that Ayrton was to be landed, and it was there also that, by a
veritable miracle, they found Captain Grant and two men, exactly on
the thirty-seventh parallel.
"The convict, then, went to take their place on this desert islet, and
at the moment he left the yacht these words were pronounced by Lord
Glenarvan:--
"'Here, Ayrton, you will be far from any land, and without any
possible communication with your fellow-creatures. You cannot escape
from this islet on which the -Duncan- leaves you. You will be alone,
under the eye of a God who reads the depths of the heart; but you will
be neither lost nor forgotten, as was Captain Grant. Unworthy as you
are to be remembered by men, men will remember you. I know where you
are, Ayrton, and I know where to find you. I will never forget it!'
"And the -Duncan-, making sail, soon disappeared. This was on the 18th
of March 1855.[2]
[2] The events which have just been briefly related are taken
from a work which some of our readers have no doubt read, and
which is entitled -Captain Grant's Children-. They will
remark on this occasion, as well as later, some discrepancy
in the dates: but later again, they will understand why the
real dates were not at first given.
"Ayrton was alone, but he had no want of either ammunition, weapons,
tools, or seeds.
"At his, the convict's disposal, was the house built by honest Captain
Grant. He had only to live and expiate in solitude the crimes which he
had committed.
"Gentlemen, he repented, he was ashamed of his crimes and was very
miserable! He said to himself, that if men came some day to take him
from that islet, he must be worthy to return amongst them! How he
suffered, that wretched man! How he laboured to recover himself by
work! How he prayed to be reformed by prayer! For two years, three
years, this went on; but Ayrton, humbled by solitude, always looking
for some ship to appear on the horizon, asking himself if the time of
expiation would soon be complete, suffered as none other ever
suffered! Oh! how dreadful was this solitude, to a heart tormented by
remorse!
"But doubtless Heaven had not sufficiently punished this unhappy man,
for he felt that he was gradually becoming a savage! He felt that
brutishness was gradually gaining on him!
"He could not say if it was after two or three years of solitude; but
at last he became the miserable creature you found!
"I have no need to tell you, gentlemen, that Ayrton, Ben Joyce, and I,
are the same."
Cyrus Harding and his companions rose at the end of this account. It
is impossible to say how much they were moved! What misery, grief, and
despair lay revealed before them!
[Illustration: 'HERE IS MY HAND' SAID THE ENGINEER]
"Ayrton," said Harding, rising, "you have been a great criminal, but
Heaven must certainly think that you have expiated your crimes! That
has been proved by your having been brought again among your
fellow-creatures. Ayrton, you are forgiven! And now you will be our
companion?"
Ayrton drew back.
"Here is my hand!" said the engineer.
Ayrton grasped the hand which Harding extended to him, and great tears
fell from his eyes.
"Will you live with us?" asked Cyrus Harding.
"Captain Harding, leave me some time longer," replied Ayrton, "leave
me alone in the hut in the corral!"
"As you like, Ayrton," answered Cyrus Harding. Ayrton was going to
withdraw, when the engineer addressed one more question to him:--
"One word more, my friend. Since it was your intention to live alone,
why did you throw into the sea the document which put us on your
track?"
"A document?" repeated Ayrton, who did not appear to know what he
meant.
"Yes, the document which we found enclosed in a bottle, giving us the
exact position of Tabor Island!"
Ayrton passed his hand over his brow, then after having thought, "I
never threw any document into the sea!" he answered.
"Never," exclaimed Pencroft.
"Never!"
And Ayrton, bowing, reached the door and departed.
CHAPTER XVIII
Conversation -- Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett -- An Idea
of the Engineer's -- The Electric Telegraph -- The Wires --
The Battery -- The Alphabet -- Fine Season -- Prosperity of
the Colony -- Photography -- An Appearance of Snow -- Two
Years in Lincoln Island.
"Poor man!" said Herbert, who had rushed to the door, but returned,
having seen Ayrton slide down the rope of the lift and disappear in
the darkness.
"He will come back," said Cyrus Harding.
"Come now, captain," exclaimed Pencroft, "what does that mean? What!
wasn't it Ayrton who threw that bottle into the sea? Who was it then?"
Certainly, if ever a question was necessary to be made, it was that
one!
"It was he," answered Neb, "only the unhappy man was half mad."
"Yes!" said Herbert, "and he was no longer conscious of what he was
doing."
"It can only be explained in that way, my friends," replied Harding
quickly, "and I understand now how Ayrton was able to point out
exactly the situation of Tabor Island, since the events which had
preceded his being left on the Island had made it known to him."
"However," observed Pencroft, "if he was not yet a brute when he wrote
that document, and if he threw it into the sea seven or eight years
ago, how is it that the paper has not been injured by damp?"
"That proves," answered Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was deprived of
intelligence at a more recent time than he thinks."
"Of course it must be so," replied Pencroft, "without that the fact
would be unaccountable."
"Unaccountable indeed," answered the engineer, who did not appear
desirous to prolong the conversation.
"But has Ayrton told the truth?" asked the sailor.
"Yes," replied the reporter. "The story which he has told is true in
every point. I remember quite well the account in the newspapers of
the yacht expedition undertaken by Lord Glenarvan, and its result."
"Ayrton has told the truth," added Harding. "Do not doubt it,
Pencroft, for it was painful to him. People tell the truth when they
accuse themselves like that!"
The next day--the 21st of December--the colonists descended to the
beach, and having climbed the plateau they found nothing of Ayrton. He
had reached his house in the corral during the night, and the settlers
judged it best not to agitate him by their presence. Time would
doubtless perform what sympathy had been unable to accomplish.
Herbert, Pencroft, and Neb resumed their ordinary occupations. On this
day the same work brought Harding and the reporter to the workshop at
the Chimneys.
"Do you know, my dear Cyrus," said Gideon Spilett, "that the
explanation you gave yesterday on the subject of the bottle has not
satisfied me at all! How can it be supposed that the unfortunate man
was able to write that document and throw the bottle into the sea
without having the slightest recollection of it?"
"Nor was it he who threw it in, my dear Spilett."
"You think then...."
"I think nothing, I know nothing!" interrupted Cyrus Harding. "I am
content to rank this incident among those which I have not been able
to explain to this day!"
"Indeed, Cyrus," said Spilett, "these things are incredible! Your
rescue, the case stranded on the sand, Top's adventure, and lastly
this bottle.... Shall we never have the answer to these enigmas?"
"Yes!" replied the engineer quickly, "yes, even if I have to penetrate
into the bowels of this island!"
"Chance will perhaps give us the key to this mystery!"
"Chance! Spilett! I do not believe in chance, any more than I believe
in mysteries in this world. There is a reason for everything
unaccountable which has happened here, and that reason I shall
discover. But in the meantime we must work and observe."
The month of January arrived. The year 1867 commenced. The summer
occupations were assiduously continued. During the days which
followed, Herbert and Spilett having gone in the direction of the
corral, ascertained that Ayrton had taken possession of the habitation
which had been prepared for him. He busied himself with the numerous
flock confided to his care, and spared his companions the trouble of
coming every two or three days to visit the corral. Nevertheless, in
order not to leave Ayrton in solitude for too long a time, the
settlers often paid him a visit.
It was not unimportant either, in consequence of some suspicions
entertained by the engineer and Gideon Spilett, that this part of the
island should be subject to a surveillance of some sort, and that
Ayrton, if any incident occurred unexpectedly, should not neglect to
inform the inhabitants of Granite House of it.
Nevertheless it might happen that something would occur which it would
be necessary to bring rapidly to the engineer's knowledge.
Independently of facts bearing on the mystery of Lincoln Island, many
others might happen, which would call for the prompt interference of
the colonists,--such as the sighting of a vessel, a wreck on the
western coast, the possible arrival of pirates, etc.
Therefore Cyrus Harding resolved to put the corral in instantaneous
communication with Granite House.
It was on the 10th of January that he made known his project to his
companions.
"Why! how are you going to manage that, captain?" asked Pencroft. "Do
you by chance happen to think of establishing a telegraph?"
"Exactly so," answered the engineer.
"Electric?" cried Herbert.
"Electric," replied Cyrus Harding. "We have all the necessary
materials for making a battery, and the most difficult thing will be
to stretch the wires, but by means of a draw-plate I think we shall
manage it."
"Well, after that," returned the sailor, "I shall never despair of
seeing ourselves some day rolling along on a railway!"
They then set to work, beginning with the most difficult thing, for,
if they failed in that, it would be useless to manufacture the battery
and other accessories.
The iron of Lincoln Island, as has been said, was of excellent
quality, and consequently very fit for being drawn out. Harding
commenced by manufacturing a draw-plate, that is to say, a plate of
steel, pierced with conical holes of different sizes, which would
successively bring the wire to the wished-for tenacity. This piece of
steel, after having been tempered, was fixed in as firm a way as
possible in a solid framework planted in the ground, only a few feet
from the great fall, the motive power of which the engineer intended
to utilise. In fact, as the fulling-mill was there, although not then
in use, its beam moved with extreme power would serve to stretch out
the wire by rolling it round itself. It was a delicate operation, and
required much care. The iron, prepared previously in long thin rods,
the ends of which were sharpened with the file, having been introduced
into the largest hole of the draw-plate, was drawn out by the beam
which wound it round itself, to a length of twenty-five or thirty
feet, then unrolled, and the same operation was performed successively
through the holes of a less size. Finally, the engineer obtained wires
from forty to fifty feet long, which could be easily fastened together
and stretched over the distance of five miles, which separated the
corral from the bounds of Granite House.
It did not take more than a few days to perform this work, and indeed
as soon as the machine had been commenced, Cyrus Harding left his
companions to follow the trade of wire-drawers, and occupied himself
with manufacturing his battery.
It was necessary to obtain a battery with a constant current. It is
known that the elements of modern batteries are generally composed of
retort coal, zinc, and copper. Copper was absolutely wanting to the
engineer, who, notwithstanding all his researches, had never been able
to find any trace of it in Lincoln Island, and was therefore obliged
to do without it. Retort coal, that is to say, the hard graphyte which
is found in the retorts of gas manufactories, after the coal has been
dehydrogenised, could have been obtained, but it would have been
necessary to establish a special apparatus, involving great labour. As
to zinc, it may be remembered that the case found at Flotsam Point was
lined with this metal, which could not be better utilised than for
this purpose.
Cyrus Harding, after mature consideration, decided to manufacture a
very simple battery, resembling as nearly as possible that invented by
Becquerel in 1820, and in which zinc only is employed. The other
substances, azotic acid and potash, were all at his disposal.
The way in which the battery was composed was as follows, and the
results were to be attained by the reaction of acid and potash on each
other. A number of glass bottles were made and filled with azotic
acid. The engineer corked them by means of a stopper through which
passed a glass tube, bored at its lower extremity, and intended to be
plunged into the acid by means of a clay stopper secured by a rag.
Into this tube, through its upper extremity, he poured a solution of
potash, previously obtained by burning and reducing to ashes various
plants, and in this way the acid and potash could act on each other
through the clay.
Cyrus Harding then took two slips of zinc, one of which was plunged
into azotic acid, the other into a solution of potash. A current was
immediately produced, which was transmitted from the slip of zinc in
the bottle to that in the tube, and the two slips having been
connected by a metallic wire the slip in the tube became the positive
pole, and that in the bottle the negative pole of the apparatus. Each
bottle, therefore, produced as many currents as united would be
sufficient to produce all the phenomena of the electric telegraph.
Such was the ingenious and very simple apparatus constructed by Cyrus
Harding, an apparatus which would allow them to establish a
telegraphic communication between Granite House and the corral.
On the 6th of February was commenced the planting, along the road to
the corral, of posts, furnished with glass insulators, and intended to
support the wire. A few days after, the wire was extended, ready to
produce the electric current at a rate of twenty thousand miles a
second.
Two batteries had been manufactured, one for Granite House, the other
for the corral; for if it was necessary the corral should be able to
communicate with Granite House, it might also be useful that Granite
House should be able to communicate with the corral.
As to the receiver and manipulator, they were very simple. At the two
stations the wire was wound round a magnet, that is to say, round a
piece of soft iron surrounded with a wire. The communication was thus
established between the two poles, the current, starting from the
positive pole, traversed the wire, passed through the magnet which was
temporarily magnetised, and returned through the earth to the negative
pole. If the current was interrupted the magnet immediately became
unmagnetised. It was sufficient to place a plate of soft iron before
the magnet, which, attracted during the passage of the current, would
fall back when the current was interrupted. This movement of the plate
thus obtained, Harding could easily fasten to it a needle arranged on
a dial, bearing the letters of the alphabet, and in this way
communicate from one station to the other.
All was completely arranged by the 12th of February. On this day,
Harding, having sent the current through the wire, asked if all was
going on well at the corral, and received in a few moments a
satisfactory reply from Ayrton. Pencroft was wild with joy, and every
morning and evening he sent a telegram to the corral, which always
received an answer.
This mode of communication presented two very real advantages;
firstly, because it enabled them to ascertain that Ayrton was at the
corral, and secondly, that he was thus not left completely isolated.
Besides, Cyrus Harding never allowed a week to pass without going to
see him, and Ayrton came from time to time to Granite House, where he
always found a cordial welcome.
The fine season passed away in the midst of the usual work. The
resources of the colony, particularly in vegetables and corn,
increased from day to day; and the plants brought from Tabor Island
had succeeded perfectly.
[Illustration: THE ENGINEER AT WORK]
The plateau of Prospect Heights presented an encouraging aspect. The
fourth harvest had been admirable, and it may be supposed that no one
thought of counting whether the four hundred thousand millions of
grains duly appeared in the crop. However, Pencroft had thought of
doing so, but Cyrus Harding having told him that even if he managed to
count three hundred grains a minute, or nine thousand an hour, it
would take him nearly five thousand five hundred years to finish his
task, the honest sailor considered it best to give up the idea.
The weather was splendid, the temperature very warm in the day time;
but in the evening the sea-breezes tempered the heat of the atmosphere
and procured cool nights for the inhabitants of Granite House. There
were, however, a few storms, which, although they were not of long
duration, swept over Lincoln Island with extraordinary fury. The
lightning blazed and the thunder continued to roll for some hours.
At this period the little colony was extremely prosperous.
The tenants of the poultry-yard swarmed, and they lived on the
surplus, but it became necessary to reduce the population to a more
moderate number. The pigs had already produced young, and it may be
understood that their care for those animals absorbed a great part of
Neb and Pencroft's time. The onagas, who had two pretty colts, were
most often mounted by Gideon Spilett and Herbert, who had become an
excellent rider under the reporter's instruction, and they also
harnessed them to the cart either for carrying wood and coal to
Granite House, or different mineral productions required by the
engineer.
Several expeditions were made about this time into the depths of the
Far West Forests. The explorers could venture there without having
anything to fear from the heat, for the sun's rays scarcely penetrated
through the thick foliage spreading above their heads. They thus
visited all the left bank of the Mercy, along which ran the road from
the corral to the mouth of Falls River.
But in these excursions the settlers took care to be well armed, for
they frequently met with savage wild boars, with which they often had
a tussle. They also, during this season, made fierce war against the
jaguars. Gideon Spilett had vowed a special hatred against them, and
his pupil Herbert seconded him well. Armed as they were, they no
longer feared to meet one of those beasts. Herbert's courage was
superb, and the reporter's -sang froid- astonishing. Already twenty
magnificent skins ornamented the dining-room of Granite House, and if
this continued, the jaguar race would soon be extinct in the island,
the object aimed at by the hunters.
The engineer sometimes took part in the expeditions made to the
unknown parts of the island, which he surveyed with great attention.
It was for other traces than those of animals that he searched the
thickest of the vast forest, but nothing suspicious ever appeared.
Neither Top nor Jup, who accompanied him, ever betrayed by their
behaviour that there was anything strange there, and yet more than
once again the dog barked at the mouth of the well, which the engineer
had before explored without result.
At this time Gideon Spilett, aided by Herbert, took several views of
the most picturesque parts of the island, by means of the photographic
apparatus found in the cases, and of which they had not as yet made
any use.
This apparatus, provided with a powerful object-glass, was very
complete. Substances necessary for the photographic reproduction,
collodion for preparing the glass plate, nitrate of silver to render
it sensitive, hyposulphate of soda to fix the prints obtained,
chloride of ammonium in which to soak the paper destined to give the
positive proof, acetate of soda and chloride of gold in which to
immerse the paper, nothing was wanting. Even the papers were there,
all prepared, and before laying in the printing-frame upon the
negatives, it was sufficient to soak them for a few minutes in the
solution of nitrate of silver.
The reporter and his assistant became in a short time very skilful
operators, and they obtained fine views of the country, such as the
island, taken from Prospect Heights with Mount Franklin in the
distance, the mouth of the Mercy, so picturesquely framed in high
rocks, the glade and the corral, with the spurs of the mountain in the
background, the curious development of Claw Cape, Flotsam Point, etc.
Nor did the photographers forget to take the portraits of all the
inhabitants of the island, leaving out no one.
"It multiplies us," said Pencroft.
And the sailor was enchanted to see his own countenance, faithfully
reproduced, ornamenting the walls of Granite House, and he stopped as
willingly before this exhibition as he would have done before the
richest shop-windows in Broadway.
But it must be acknowledged that the most successful portrait was
incontestably that of Master Jup. Master Jup had sat with a gravity
not to be described, and his portrait was lifelike!
"He looks as if he was just going to grin!" exclaimed Pencroft.
And if Master Jup had not been satisfied, he would have been very
difficult to please, but he was quite contented, and contemplated his
own countenance with a sentimental air which expressed some small
amount of conceit.
The summer heat ended with the month of March. The weather was
sometimes rainy, but still warm. The month of March, which corresponds
to the September of northern latitudes, was not so fine as might have
been hoped. Perhaps it announced an early and rigorous winter.
It might have been supposed one morning--the 21st--that the first snow
had already made its appearance. In fact Herbert, looking early from
one of the windows of Granite House, exclaimed,--
"Hallo! the islet is covered with snow!"
"Snow at this time?" answered the reporter, joining the boy.
Their companions were soon beside them, but could only ascertain one
thing, that not only the islet, but all the beach below Granite House,
was covered with one uniform sheet of white.
"It must be snow!" said Pencroft.
"Or rather it's very like it!" replied Neb.
"But the thermometer marks fifty-eight degrees!" observed Gideon
Spilett.
Cyrus Harding gazed at the sheet of white without saying anything, for
he really did not know how to explain this phenomenon, at this time of
year and in such a temperature.
"By Jove!" exclaimed Pencroft, "all our plants will be frozen!"
And the sailor was about to descend, when he was preceded by the
nimble Jup, who slid down to the sand.
[Illustration: JUP SITTING FOR HIS PORTRAIT]
But the orang had not touched the ground, when the snowy sheet arose
and dispersed in the air in such innumerable flakes that the light of
the sun was obscured for some minutes.
"Birds!" cried Herbert.
They were indeed swarms of sea-birds, with dazzling white plumage.
They had perched by thousands on the islet and on the shore, and they
disappeared in the distance, leaving the colonists amazed as if they
had been present at some transformation scene, in which summer
succeeded winter at the touch of a fairy's wand. Unfortunately the
change had been so sudden that neither the reporter nor the lad had
been able to bring down one of these birds, of which they could not
recognise the species.
A few days after came the 26th of March, the day on which, two years
before, the castaways from the air had been thrown upon Lincoln
Island.
[Illustration: THE SNOWY SHEET AROSE AND DISPERSED IN THE AIR]
CHAPTER XIX
Recollections of their Native Land -- Probable Future --
Project for surveying the Coasts of the Island -- Departure
on the 16th of April -- Sea-view of Reptile End -- The
basaltic Rocks of the Western Coast -- Bad Weather -- Night
comes on -- New Incident.
Two years already! and for two years the colonists had had no
communication with their fellow-creatures! They were without news from
the civilised world, lost on this island, as completely as if they had
been on the most minute star of the celestial hemisphere!
What was now happening in their country? The picture of their native
land was always before their eyes, the land torn by civil war at the
time they left it, and which the Southern rebellion was perhaps still
staining with blood! It was a great sorrow to them, and they often
talked together of these things, without ever doubting however that
the cause of the North must triumph, for the honour of the American
Confederation.
During these two years not a vessel had passed in sight of the island;
or, at least, not a sail had been seen. It was evident that Lincoln
Island was out of the usual track, and also that it was unknown,--as
was besides proved by the maps,--for though there was no port, vessels
might have visited it for the purpose of renewing their store of
water. But the surrounding ocean was deserted as far as the eye could
reach, and the colonists must rely on themselves for regaining their
native land.
However, one chance of rescue existed, and this chance was discussed
one day in the first week of April, when the colonists were gathered
together in the dining-room of Granite House.
They had been talking of America, of their native country, which they
had so little hope of ever seeing again.
"Decidedly we have only one way," said Spilett, "one single way for
leaving Lincoln Island, and that is, to build a vessel large enough to
sail several hundred miles. It appears to me, that when one has built
a boat it is just as easy to build a ship!"
"And in which we might go to the Pomatous," added Herbert, "just as
easily as we went to Tabor Island."
"I do not say no," replied Pencroft, who had always the casting vote
in maritime questions; "I do not say no, although it is not exactly
the same thing to make a long as a short voyage! If our little craft
had been caught in any heavy gale of wind during the voyage to Tabor
Island, we should have known that land was at no great distance either
way; but twelve hundred miles is a pretty long way, and the nearest
land is at least that distance!"
"Would you not, in that case, Pencroft, attempt the adventure?" asked
the reporter.
"I will attempt anything that is desired, Mr. Spilett," answered the
sailor, "and you know well that I am not a man to flinch!"
"Remember, besides, that we number another sailor amongst us now,"
remarked Neb.
"Who is that?" asked Pencroft.
"Ayrton."
"That is true," replied Herbert.
"If he will consent to come," said Pencroft.
"Nonsense!" returned the reporter; "do you think that if Lord
Glenarvan's yacht had appeared at Tabor Island, whilst he was still
living there, Ayrton would have refused to depart?"
"You forget, my friends," then said Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was
not in possession of his reason during the last years of his stay
there. But that is not the question. The point is to know if we may
count among our chances of being rescued, the return of the Scotch
vessel. Now, Lord Glenarvan promised Ayrton that he would return to
take him off Tabor Island when he considered that his crimes were
expiated, and I believe that he will return."
"Yes," said the reporter, "and I will add that he will return soon,
for it is twelve years since Ayrton was abandoned!"
"Well!" answered Pencroft, "I agree with you that the nobleman will
return, and soon too. But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, and
not at Lincoln Island."
"That is the more certain," replied Herbert, "as Lincoln Island is not
even marked on the map."
"Therefore, my friends," said the engineer, "we ought to take the
necessary precautions for making our presence, and that of Ayrton on
Lincoln Island known at Tabor Island."
"Certainly," answered the reporter, "and nothing is easier than to
place in the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling, a
notice which Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, giving
the position of our island."
"It is a pity," remarked the sailor, "that we forgot to take that
precaution on our first visit to Tabor Island."
"And why should we have done it?" asked Herbert.
"At that time we did not know Ayrton's history; we did not know that
any one was likely to come some day to fetch him; and when we did know
his history, the season was too advanced to allow us to return then to
Tabor Island."
"Yes," replied Harding, "it was too late, and we must put off the
voyage until next spring."
"But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that," said Pencroft.
"That is not probable," replied the engineer, "for Lord Glenarvan
would not choose the winter season to venture into these seas. Either
he has already returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been with
us, that is to say, during the last five months and has left again; or
he will not come till later, and it will be time enough in the first
fine October days to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there."
"We must allow," said Neb, "that it will be very unfortunate if the
-Duncan- has returned to these parts only a few months ago!"
"I hope that it is not so," replied Cyrus Harding, "and that Heaven
has not deprived us of the best chance which remains to us."
"I think," observed the reporter, "that at any rate we shall know what
we have to depend on when we have been to Tabor Island, for if the
yacht has returned there, they will necessarily have left some traces
of their visit."
"That is evident," answered the engineer. "So then, my friends, since
we have this chance of returning to our country, we must wait
patiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see what will be best
to do."
"At any rate," remarked Pencroft, "it is well understood that if we do
leave Lincoln Island in some way or another, it will not be because we
were uncomfortable there!"
"No, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "it will be because we are far
from all that a man holds dearest in this world, his family, his
friends, his native land!"
Matters being thus decided, the building of a vessel large enough to
sail either to the Archipelagos in the north, or to New Zealand in the
west, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in their
accustomed occupations, with a view to wintering a third time in
Granite House.
However, it was agreed that before the stormy weather came on, their
little vessel should be employed in making a voyage round the island.
A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and the
colonists had but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west and
north, from the mouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes, as well as
of the narrow bay between them, which opened like a shark's jaws.
The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Harding
fully acquiesced in it, for he himself wished to see this part of his
domain.
The weather was variable, but the barometer did not fluctuate by
sudden movements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather.
However, during the first week of April, after a sudden barometrical
fall, a renewed rise was marked by a heavy gale of wind, lasting five
or six days; then the needle of the instrument remained stationary at
a height of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weather
appeared propitious for an excursion.
The departure was fixed for the 16th of April, and the -Bonadventure-,
anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage which might be
of some duration.
Cyrus Harding informed Ayrton of the projected expedition, and
proposed that he should take part in it; but Ayrton preferring to
remain on shore, it was decided that he should come to Granite House
during the absence of his companions. Master Jup was ordered to keep
him company, and made no remonstrance.
On the morning of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top,
embarked. A fine breeze blew from the south-west, and the
-Bonadventure- tacked on leaving Port Balloon so as to reach Reptile
End. Of the ninety miles which the perimeter of the island measured,
twenty included the south coast between the port and the promontory.
The wind being right ahead, it was necessary to hug the shore.
It took the whole day to reach the promontory, for the vessel on
leaving port had only two hours of the ebb tide, and had therefore to
make way for six hours against the flood. It was nightfall before the
promontory was doubled.
The sailor then proposed to the engineer that they should continue
sailing slowly with two reefs in the sail. But Harding preferred to
anchor a few cable-lengths from the shore, so as to survey that part
of the coast during the day. It was agreed also that as they were
anxious for a minute exploration of the coast they should not sail
during the night, but would always, when the weather permitted it, be
at anchor near the shore.
The night was passed under the promontory, and the wind having fallen,
nothing disturbed the silence. The passengers, with the exception of
the sailor, scarcely slept as well on board the -Bonadventure- as they
would have done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleep
however. Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on the
larboard tack they could keep close to the shore.
The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had already
explored it on foot, and yet it again excited their admiration. They
coasted along as close in as possible, so as to notice everything,
avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there.
Several times also they anchored, and Gideon Spilett took photographs
of the superb scenery.
About noon the -Bonadventure- arrived at the mouth of Falls River.
Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered trees appeared, and three
miles further even these dwindled into solitary groups among the
western spurs of the mountain, whose arid ridge sloped down to the
shore.
What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast!
In proportion as one was woody and fertile so was the other rugged and
barren! It might have been designated as one of those iron coasts, as
they are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared to
indicate that a sudden crystallisation had been produced in the yet
liquid basalt of some distant geological sea. These stupendous masses
would have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first on
this part of the island! They had not been able to perceive the
sinister aspect of this shore from the summit of Mount Franklin, for
they overlooked it from too great a height, but viewed from the sea it
presented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equalled in any
corner of the globe.
The -Bonadventure- sailed along this coast for the distance of half a
mile. It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes,
from twenty to three hundred feet in height, and of all shapes, round
like towers, prismatic like steeples, pyramidal like obelisks, conical
like factory chimneys. An iceberg of the Polar seas could not have
been more capricious in its terrible sublimity! Here, bridges were
thrown from one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave,
into the depths of which the eye could not penetrate; in one place,
large vaulted excavations presented a monumental aspect; in another, a
crowd of columns, spires, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral ever
possessed. Every caprice of nature, still more varied than those of
the imagination, appeared on this grand coast, which extended over a
length of eight or nine miles.
Cyrus Harding and his companions gazed, with a feeling of surprise
bordering on stupefaction. But, although they remained silent, Top,
not being troubled with feelings of this sort, uttered barks which
were repeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff. The
engineer even observed that these barks had something strange in them,
like those which the dog had uttered at the mouth of the well in
Granite House.
"Let us go close in," said he.
And the -Bonadventure- sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore.
Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existed
there? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern, not a cleft which could
serve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliff
was washed by the surf. Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vessel
continued her course at a few cable-lengths from the coast.
In the north-west part of the island the shore became again flat and
sandy. A few trees here and there rose above a low, marshy ground,
which the colonists had already surveyed; and in violent contrast to
the other desert shore, life was again manifested by the presence of
myriads of water-fowl. That evening the -Bonadventure- anchored in a
small bay to the north of the island, near the land, such was the
depth of water there. The night passed quietly, for the breeze died
away with the last light of day, and only rose again with the first
streaks of dawn.
As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is to
say, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ramble of two hours or so,
and returned with several strings of wild duck and snipe. Top had done
wonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal and
cleverness.
At eight o'clock in the morning the -Bonadventure- set sail, and ran
rapidly towards North Mandible Cape, for the wind was right astern and
freshening rapidly.
"However," observed Pencroft, "I should not be surprised if a gale
came up from the west. Yesterday the sun set in a very red-looking
horizon, and now, this morning, those mares-tails don't forebode
anything good."
These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, their
height from the sea being less than five thousand feet. They look like
light pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces some
sudden change in the weather.
"Well," said Harding, "let us carry as much sail as possible, and run
for shelter into Shark Gulf. I think that the -Bonadventure- will be
safe there."
"Perfectly," replied Pencroft, "and besides, the north coast is merely
sand, very uninteresting to look at."
"I shall not be sorry," resumed the engineer, "to pass not only
to-night but to-morrow in that bay, which is worth being carefully
explored."
"I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it or
not," answered Pencroft, "for the sky looks very threatening towards
the west. Dirty weather is coming on!"
"At any rate we have a favourable wind for reaching Cape Mandible,"
observed the reporter.
"A very fine wind," replied the sailor; "but we must tack to enter the
gulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknown
quarters."
"Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks," added Herbert, "if we
judge by what we saw on the south coast of Shark Gulf."
"Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, "do as you think best, we will leave
it to you."
"Don't make your mind uneasy, captain," replied the sailor, "I shall
not expose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into my
ribs than a sharp rock into those of my -Bonadventure-!"
That which Pencroft called ribs was the part of his vessel under
water, and he valued it more than his own skin.
"What o'clock is it?" asked Pencroft.
"Ten o'clock," replied Gideon Spilett.
"And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?"
"About fifteen miles," replied the engineer.
"That's a matter of two hours and a half," said the sailor, "and we
shall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock. Unluckily, the
tide will be turning at that moment, and will be ebbing out of the
gulf. I am afraid that it will be very difficult to get in, having
both wind and tide against us."
"And the more so that it is a full moon to-day," remarked Herbert,
"and these April tides are very strong."
"Well, Pencroft," asked Cyrus Harding, "can you not anchor off the
Cape?"
"Anchor near land, with bad weather coming on!" exclaimed the sailor.
"What are you thinking of, captain? We should run aground to a
certainty!"
"What will you do then?"
"I shall try to keep in the offing until the flood, that is to say,
till about seven in the evening, and if there is still light enough I
will try to enter the gulf; if not, we must stand off and on during
the night, and we will enter to-morrow at sunrise."
"As I told you, Pencroft, we will leave it to you," answered Harding.
"Ah!" said Pencroft, "if there was only a light-house on the coast, it
would be much more convenient for sailors."
"Yes," replied Herbert, "and this time we shall have no obliging
engineer to light a fire to guide us into port!"
"Why, indeed, my dear Cyrus," said Spilett, "we have never thanked you
for it, but frankly, without that fire we should never have been able
to reach--"
"A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words.
"We mean, captain," answered Pencroft, "that on board the
-Bonadventure- we were very anxious during the few hours before our
return, and we should have passed to windward of the island, if it had
not been for the precaution you took of lighting a fire in the night
of the 19th of October, on Prospect Heights."
"Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer.
"And this time," continued the sailor, "unless the idea occurs to
Ayrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!"
"No! no one!" answered Cyrus Harding.
A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vessel
with the reporter, the engineer bent down and whispered,--
"If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that I
never lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October,
neither on Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!"
[Illustration: ANOTHER MYSTERY]
CHAPTER XX
A Night at Sea -- Shark Gulf -- Confidences -- Preparations
for Winter -- Forwardness of the bad Season -- Severe Cold --
Work in the Interior -- In six Months -- A photographic
Negative -- Unexpected Incident.
Things happened as Pencroft had predicted, he being seldom mistaken in
his prognostications. The wind rose, and from a fresh breeze it soon
increased to a regular gale; that is to say, it acquired a speed of
from forty to forty-five miles an hour, before which a ship in the
open sea would have run under close-reefed topsails. Now, as it was
nearly six o'clock when the -Bonadventure- reached the gulf, and as at
that moment the tide turned, it was impossible to enter. They were
therefore compelled to stand off, for even if he had wished to do so,
Pencroft could not have gained the mouth of the Mercy. Hoisting the
jib to the mainmast by way of a storm-sail, he hove to, putting the
head of the vessel towards the land.
Fortunately, although the wind was strong, the sea, being sheltered by
the land, did not run very high. They had then little to fear from the
waves, which always endanger small craft. The -Bonadventure- would
doubtlessly not have capsized, for she was well ballasted; but
enormous masses of water falling on the deck, might injure her, if her
timbers could not sustain them. Pencroft, as a good sailor, was
prepared for anything. Certainly, he had great confidence in his
vessel, but nevertheless he awaited the return of day with some
anxiety.
During the night, Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett had no opportunity
for talking together, and yet the words pronounced in the reporter's
ear by the engineer were well worth being discussed, together with the
mysterious influence which appeared to reign over Lincoln Island.
Gideon Spilett did not cease from pondering over this new and
inexplicable incident,--the appearance of a fire on the coast of the
island. The fire had actually been seen! His companions, Herbert and
Pencroft, had seen it with him! The fire had served to signalise the
position of the island during that dark night, and they had not
doubted that it was lighted by the engineer's hand; and here was Cyrus
Harding expressly declaring that he had never done anything of the
sort! Spilett resolved to recur to this incident as soon as the
-Bonadventure- returned, and to urge Cyrus Harding to acquaint their
companions with these strange facts. Perhaps it would be decided to
make in common a complete investigation of every part of Lincoln
Island.
However that might be, on this evening no fire was lighted on these
yet unknown shores, which formed the entrance to the gulf, and the
little vessel stood off during the night.
When the first streaks of dawn appeared in the western horizon, the
wind, which had slightly fallen, shifted two points, and enabled
Pencroft to enter the narrow gulf with greater ease. Towards seven
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000