Таинственный остров

           YouseeTophasgotbeforeus!"

           "Verywell,"repliedtheengineer."Butwemustseeourway.Neb,goandcutsomeresinousbranches."

           NebandHerbertrantotheedgeofthelake,shadedwithpinesandothergreentrees,andsoonreturnedwithsomebranches,whichtheymadeintotorches.Thetorcheswerelightedwithflintandsteel,andCyrusHardingleading,thesettlersventuredintothedarkpassage,whichtheoverplusofthelakehadformerlyfilled.

           Contrarytowhatmighthavebeensupposed,thediameterofthepassageincreasedastheexplorersproceeded,sothattheyverysoonwereabletostandupright.Thegranite,wornbythewaterforaninfinitetime,wasveryslippery,andfallsweretobedreaded.Butthesettlerswereallattachedtoeachotherbyacord,asisfrequentlydoneinascendingmountains.Happilysomeprojectionsofthegranite,formingregularsteps,madethedescentlessperilous.Drops,stillhangingfromtherocks,shonehereandthereunderthelightofthetorches,andtheexplorersguessedthatthesideswereclothedwithinnumerablestalactites.Theengineerexaminedthisblackgranite.Therewasnotastratum,notabreakinit.Themasswascompact,andofanextremelyclosegrain.Thepassagedated,then,fromtheveryoriginoftheisland.Itwasnotthewaterwhichlittlebylittlehadhollowedit.PlutoandnotNeptunehadboreditwithhisownhand,andonthewalltracesofaneruptiveworkcouldbedistinguished,whichallthewashingofthewaterhadnotbeenabletotallytoefface.

           Thesettlersdescendedveryslowly.