Таинственный остров

           "Welldone!"criedPencroft;"bringthecaptain’slitter."

           Thelitterwasbrought;thetransversebrancheshadbeencoveredwithleavesandlonggrass.Hardingwaslaidonit,andPencroft,havingtakenhisplaceatoneendandNebattheother,theystartedtowardsthecoast.Therewasadistanceofeightmilestobeaccomplished;but,astheycouldnotgofast,anditwouldperhapsbenecessarytostopfrequently,theyreckonedthatitwouldtakeatleastsixhourstoreachtheChimneys.Thewindwasstillstrong,butfortunatelyitdidnotrain.Althoughlyingdown,theengineer,leaningonhiselbow,observedthecoast,particularlyinland.Hedidnotspeak,buthegazed;and,nodoubt,theappearanceofthecountry,withitsinequalitiesofground,itsforests,itsvariousproductions,wereimpressedonhismind.However,aftertravelingfortwohours,fatigueovercamehim,andheslept.

           Athalf-pastfivethelittlebandarrivedattheprecipice,andashorttimeafterattheChimneys.

           Theystopped,andthelitterwasplacedonthesand;CyrusHardingwassleepingprofoundly,anddidnotawake.

           Pencroft,tohisextremesurprise,foundthattheterriblestormhadquitealteredtheaspectoftheplace.Importantchangeshadoccurred;greatblocksofstonelayonthebeach,whichwasalsocoveredwithathickcarpetofsea-weed,algae,andwrack.Evidentlythesea,passingovertheislet,hadbeencarriedrightuptothefootoftheenormouscurtainofgranite.Thesoilinfrontofthecavehadbeentornawaybytheviolenceofthewaves.AhorridpresentimentflashedacrossPencroft’smind.Herushedintothepassage,butreturnedalmostimmediately,andstoodmotionless,staringathiscompanions....