Part 2 (2/2)
”No, captain”
”They are called 'fever trees'”
”Because they give fevers?”
”No, because they prevent them!”
”Good I must note that,” said the reporter
”Note it then, my dear Spilett; for it appears proved that the presence of the eucalyptus is enough to neutralise miasmas This natural antidote has been tried in certain countries in the middle of Europe and the north of Africa, where the soil was absolutely unhealthy, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants has been gradually aions now covered with forests of the myrtaceae This fact is now beyond doubt, and it is a happy circumstance for us settlers in Lincoln Island”
”Ah! what an island! What a blessed island!” cried Pencroft ”I tell you, it wants nothing--unless it is--”
”That will coineer; ”but noe e and push on as far as the river will carry our boat!”
The exploration was therefore continued for another two miles in the midst of country covered with eucalypti, which predominated in the woods of this portion of the island The space which they occupied extended as far as the eye could reach on each side of the Mercy, which wound along between high green banks The bed was often obstructed by long weeds, and even by pointed rocks, which rendered the navigation very difficult The action of the oars was prevented, and Pencroft was obliged to push with a pole They found also that the water was beco shallower and shallower, and that the canoetowards the horizon, and the trees threw long shadows on the ground Cyrus Harding, seeing that he could not hope to reach the western coast of the island in one journey, resolved to caation was prevented by want of water He calculated that they were still five or six reat for theht in the h the forest, which gradually becaain, and appeared also to have more inhabitants; for if the eyes of the sailor did not deceive hi the trees Sometimes even two or three of these aniazed at the settlers withoutmen for the first time, they had not yet learned to fear the down one of these quadrureatly te opposed so useless a massacre This was prudent, for theto be very powerful and extreression, and the creatures norant of the power of the explorer's firearms, have attacked them It is true that the sailor considered the monkeys from a purely alimentary point of view, for those aniame; but since they had an abundant supply of provisions, it was a pity to waste their aation of the Mercy becaly difficult, for its course was obstructed by aquatic plants and rocks The banks rose higher and higher, and already they were approaching the spurs of Mount Franklin The source could not be far off, since it was fed by the water from the southern slopes of the mountain
”In a quarter of an hour,” said the sailor, ”we shall be obliged to stop, captain”
”Very well, ill stop, Pencroft, and ill ht”
”At what distance are we from Granite House?” asked Herbert
”About seveninto calculation, however, the detours of the river, which has carried us to the north-west”
”Shall, we go on?” asked the reporter
”Yes, as long as we can,” replied Cyrus Harding ”To-morrow, at break of day, ill leave the canoe, and in two hours I hope we shall cross the distance which separates us from the coast, and then we shall have the whole day in which to explore the shore”
”Go-ahead!” replied Pencroft
But soon the boat grated on the stony bottom of the river, which was now not more than twenty feet in breadth The trees met like a bower overhead, and caused a half-darkness They also heard the noise of a waterfall, which showed that a few hundred feet up the river there was a natural barrier
Presently, after a sudden turn of the river, a cascade appeared through the trees The canoe again touched the bottoht bank
It was nearly five o'clock The last rays of the sun glealanced on the little waterfall,the spray sparkle with all the colours of the rainbow Beyond that, the Mercy was lost in the brushwood, where it was fed from some hidden source The different streaular river further down, but here it was sireed to ca The colonists disehted under a clu and his coht
Supper was quickly devoured, for they were very hungry, and then there was only sleeping to think of But, as roarings of rather a suspicious nature had been heard during the evening, a good fire was ht, so as to protect the sleepers with its crackling flames Neb and Pencroft also watched by turns, and did not spare fuel They thought they saw the dark for the bushes, but the night passed without incident, and the next day, the 31st of October, at five o'clock in the , all were on foot, ready for a start
CHAPTER IV
Journey to the Coast -- Troops of Monkeys -- A new River -- The Reason the Tide was not felt -- A woody Shore -- Reptile Promontory -- Herbert envies Gideon Spilett -- Explosion of Ba when the settlers, after a hasty breakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way the western coast of the island And how long would it take to do this? Cyrus Harding had said two hours, but of course that depended on the nature of the obstacles they ht meet with As it was probable that they would have to cut a path through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, theywarning froht
The exact position of the enca of Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distance of less than three ht towards the south-west to reach the western coast They set out, having first carefully secured the canoe Pencroft and Neb carried sufficient provisions for the little band for at least two days It would not thus be necessary to hunt The engineer advised his coht not be betrayed to any one near the shore The first hatchet bloere given a the brushwood in the midst of some mastick-trees, a little above the cascade; and his co led the way
The forest here was composed for the most part of trees which had already been hts There were deodars, Douglas firs, casuarinas, guenerally of a rowth
Since their departure, the settlers had descended the slopes which constituted the mountain systeetation of which indicated it to be watered either by some subterraneandid not remember to have seen, at the time of his excursion to the crater, any other watercourses but the Red Creek and the Mercy
During the first part of their excursion, they saw nureat astonishht of men, whose appearance was so new to thely asked whether these active and merry quadrupeds did not consider hienerate brothers
And certainly, pedestrians, hindered at each step by bushes, caught by creepers, barred by trunks of trees, did not shi+ne beside those supple ani fro on their course The monkeys were numerous, but happily they did not outis, kangaroos, and other rodents were seen, also two or three kaolas, at which Pencroft longed to have a shot
”But,” said he, ”you may jump and play just noe shall have one or tords to say to you on our way back!”
At half-past nine the as suddenly found to be barred by an unknown stream, from thirty to forty feet broad, whose rapid current dashed foa over the numerous rocks which interrupted its course This creek was deep and clear, but it was absolutely unnavigable
”We are cut off!” cried Neb
”No,” replied Herbert, ”it is only a stream, and we can easily swim over”
”What would be the use of that?” returned Harding ”This creek evidently runs to the sea Let us remain on this side and follow the bank, and I shall be much astonished if it does not lead us very quickly to the coast Forward!”
”One minute,” said the reporter ”The naraphy incoht!” said Pencroft
”Na the lad
”Will it not be better to wait until we have explored it to its mouth?” answered Herbert
”Very well,” replied Cyrus Harding ”Let us follow it as fast as we can without stopping”
”Still another minute!” said Pencroft
”What's theis forbidden, fishi+ng is allowed, I suppose,” said the sailor
”We have no tiineer
”Oh! five minutes!” replied Pencroft, ”I only ask for five minutes to use in the interest of our breakfast!”