Таинственный остров

           Itistruethatthesailorconsideredthemonkeysfromapurelyalimentarypointofview,forthoseanimalswhichareherbivorousmakeveryexcellentgame;butsincetheyhadanabundantsupplyofprovisions,itwasapitytowastetheirammunition.

           Towardsfouro’clock,thenavigationoftheMercybecameexceedinglydifficult,foritscoursewasobstructedbyaquaticplantsandrocks.Thebanksrosehigherandhigher,andalreadytheywereapproachingthespursofMountFranklin.Thesourcecouldnotbefaroff,sinceitwasfedbythewaterfromthesouthernslopesofthemountain.

           "Inaquarterofanhour,"saidthesailor,"weshallbeobligedtostop,captain."

           "Verywell,wewillstop,Pencroft,andwewillmakeourencampmentforthenight."

           "AtwhatdistancearewefromGraniteHouse?"askedHerbert.

           "Aboutsevenmiles,"repliedtheengineer,"takingintocalculation,however,thedetoursoftheriver,whichhascarriedustothenorthwest."

           "Shallwegoon?"askedthereporter.

           "Yes,aslongaswecan,"repliedCyrusHarding."To-morrow,atbreakofday,wewillleavethecanoe,andintwohoursIhopeweshallcrossthedistancewhichseparatesusfromthecoast,andthenweshallhavethewholedayinwhichtoexploretheshore."

           "Goahead!"repliedPencroft.

           Butsoontheboatgratedonthestonybottomoftheriver,whichwasnownotmorethantwentyfeetinbreadth.Thetreesmetlikeaboweroverhead,andcausedahalf-darkness