Таинственный остров

           Assoonasthesailorandhiscompanionslefttheprecipice,thewindstruckthemagainwithrenewedfury.Thoughbentunderthegaletheywalkedveryquickly,followingTop,whodidnothesitateastowhatdirectiontotake.

           Theyascendedtowardsthenorth,havingontheirleftaninterminableextentofbillows,whichbrokewithadeafeningnoise,andontheirrightadarkcountry,theaspectofwhichitwasimpossibletoguess.Buttheyfeltthatitwascomparativelyflat,forthewindpassedcompletelyoverthem,withoutbeingdrivenbackasitwaswhenitcameincontactwiththecliff.

           Atfouro’clockinthemorning,theyreckonedthattheyhadclearedaboutfivemiles.Thecloudswereslightlyraised,andthewind,thoughlessdamp,wasverysharpandcold.Insufficientlyprotectedbytheirclothing,Pencroft,HerbertandSpilettsufferedcruelly,butnotacomplaintescapedtheirlips.TheyweredeterminedtofollowTop,wherevertheintelligentanimalwishedtoleadthem.

           Towardsfiveo’clockdaybegantobreak.Atthezenith,wherethefogwaslessthick,grayshadesborderedtheclouds;underanopaquebelt,aluminouslineclearlytracedthehorizon.Thecrestsofthebillowsweretippedwithawildlight,andthefoamregaineditswhiteness.Atthesametimeontheleftthehillypartsofthecoastcouldbeseen,thoughveryindistinctly.

           Atsixo’clockdayhadbroken.Thecloudsrapidlylifted.TheseamanandhiscompanionswerethenaboutsixmilesfromtheChimneys.Theywerefollowingaveryflatshoreboundedbyareefofrocks,whoseheadsscarcelyemergedfromthesea,fortheywereindeepwater.Ontheleft,thecountryappearedtobeonevastextentofsandydowns,bristlingwiththistles.Therewasnocliff,andtheshoreofferednoresistancetotheoceanbutachainofirregularhillocks.