Таинственный остров

           "Myboy,"repliedthesailor,bendingoverthetrapanddrawingoutoneoftheserepresentativesofthefamilyofsusbythelittleappendagewhichserveditasatail."Letmebelievethatthesearepigs."

           "Why?"

           "Becausethatpleasesme!"

           "Areyouveryfondofpigthen,Pencroft?"

           "Iamveryfondofpig,"repliedthesailor,"particularlyofitsfeet,andifithadeightinsteadoffour,Ishouldlikeittwiceasmuch!"

           Astotheanimalsinquestion,theywerepeccariesbelongingtooneofthefourspecieswhichareincludedinthefamily,andtheywerealsoofthespeciesofTajacu,recognizablebytheirdeepcolorandtheabsenceofthoselongteethwithwhichthemouthsoftheircongenersarearmed.Thesepeccariesgenerallyliveinherds,anditwasprobablethattheyaboundedinthewoodypartsoftheisland.

           Atanyrate,theywereeatablefromheadtofoot,andPencroftdidnotaskmorefromthem.

           Towardsthe15thofAugust,thestateoftheatmospherewassuddenlymoderatedbythewindshiftingtothenorthwest.Thetemperaturerosesomedegrees,andtheaccumulatedvaporintheairwasnotlonginresolvingintosnow.Alltheislandwascoveredwithasheetofwhite,andshoweditselftoitsinhabitantsunderanewaspect.Thesnowfellabundantlyforseveraldays,anditsoonreachedathicknessoftwofeet.

           Thewindalsoblewwithgreatviolence,andattheheightofGraniteHousetheseacouldbeheardthunderingagainstthereefs.