Таинственный остров

           "Allthatiswellandgood,"thensaidPencroft,whohadlistenedwithallhismight,"butwillyoutellme,captain,ifLincolnIslandhasbeenmadebyyourinsects?"

           "No,"repliedHarding;"itisofapurelyvolcanicorigin."

           "Thenitwilldisappearsomeday?"

           "Thatisprobable.

           "Ihopewewon’tbeherethen."

           "No,don’tbeuneasy,Pencroft;weshallnotbeherethen,aswehavenowishtodiehere,andhopetogetawaysometime."

           "Inthemeantime,"repliedGideonSpilett,"letusestablishourselveshereasifforever.Thereisnouseindoingthingsbyhalves."

           Thisendedtheconversation.Breakfastwasfinished,theexplorationwascontinued,andthesettlersarrivedattheborderofthemarshyregion.Itwasamarshofwhichtheextent,totheroundedcoastwhichterminatedtheislandatthesoutheast,wasabouttwentysquaremiles.Thesoilwasformedofclayeyflint-earth,mingledwithvegetablematter,suchastheremainsofrushes,reeds,grass,etc.Hereandtherebedsofgrass,thickasacarpet,coveredit.Inmanyplacesicypoolssparkledinthesun.Neitherrainnoranyriver,increasedbyasuddenswelling,couldsupplytheseponds.Theythereforenaturallyconcludedthatthemarshwasfedbytheinfiltrationsofthesoilanditwasreallyso.Itwasalsotobefearedthatduringtheheatmiasmaswouldarise,whichmightproducefevers.

           Abovetheaquaticplants,onthesurfaceofthestagnantwater,flutterednumbersofbirds