Part 4 (1/2)
At one o'clock the colonists arrived at the other side of Washi+ngton Bay, they having now gone a distance of twenty an the irregular coast, covered with lines of rocks and sandbanks The long sea-swell could be seen breaking over the rocks in the bay, fore From this point to Claw Cape the beach was very narroeen the edge of the forest and the reefs
Walking was now more difficult, on account of the nuranite cliff also gradually increased in height, and only the green tops of the trees which crowned it could be seen
After half an hour's rest, the settlers resu the rocks was left unexamined Pencroft and Neb even rushed into the surf whenever any object attracted their attention But they found nothing, so deceived them They ascertained, however, that eatable shell-fish abounded there, but these could not be of any great advantage to them until some easy means of communication had been established between the two banks of the Mercy, and until thetherefore which threw any light on the supposed wreck could be found on this shore, yet an object of any importance, such as the hull of a shi+p, would have been seen directly, or any of her masts and spars would have been washed on shore, just as the chest had been, which was found twenty
Towards three o'clock Harding and his co little creek It formed quite a natural harbour, invisible from the sea, and was entered by a narrow channel At the back of this creek some violent convulsion had torn up the rocky border, and a cutting, by a gentle slope, gave access to an upper plateau, which ht be situated at least ten ht line frohts Gideon Spilett proposed to his coreed readily, for their walk had sharpened their appetites; and although it was not their usual dinner-hour, no one refused to strengthen himself with a piece of venison This luncheon would sustain them till their supper, which they intended to take at Granite House In a few minutes the settlers, seated under a clu the provisions which Neb produced fro
This spot was raised from fifty to sixty feet above the level of the sea The vieas very extensive, but beyond the cape it ended in Union Bay Neither the islet nor Prospect Heights were visible, and could not be froround and the curtain of trees closed the northern horizon
It is useless to add that notwithstanding the wide extent of sea which the explorers could survey, and though the engineer swept the horizon with his glass, no vessel could be found
The shore was of course exae of the water to the cliff, and nothing could be discovered even with the aid of the instrument
”Well,” said Gideon Spilett, ”it seems wethat no one will come to dispute with us the possession of Lincoln Island!”
”But the bullet,” cried Herbert ”That was not i it, no!” exclai of his absent tooth
”Then what conclusion may be drawn?” asked the reporter
”This,” replied the engineer, ”that three o, a vessel, either voluntarily or not, came here”
”What! then you ad any trace?” cried the reporter
”No, my dear Spilett, but you see that if it is certain that a hu set foot on the island, it appears no less certain that he has now left it”
”Then, if I understand you right, captain,” said Herbert, ”the vessel has left again?”
”Evidently”
”And we have lost an opportunity to get back to our country?” said Neb
”I fear so”
”Very well, since the opportunity is lost, let us go on, it can't be helped,” said Pencroft, who felt home sickness for Granite House
But just as they were rising, Top was heard loudly barking; and the dog issued fro soiled withcloth!
Top still barked, and by his going and co, seemed to invite his master to follow hi to explain the bullet!” exclaimed Pencroft
”A castaway!” replied Herbert
”Wounded, perhaps!” said Neb
”Or dead!” added the reporter
All ran after the dog, a and his coency
They advanced soreat disappoint passed that way Shrubs and creepers were uninjured, and they had even to cut them aith the axe, as they had done in the deepest recesses of the forest It was difficult to fancy that any human creature had ever passed there, but yet Top went backwards and forwards, not like a dog who searches at rando up an idea
In about seven or eight lade surrounded with tall trees The settlers gazed around the the trees
”What is the
Top barked louder, bounding about at the foot of a gigantic pine All at once Pencroft shouted,-- [Illustration: ”NOW THERE'S SOMETHING TO EXPLAIN THE BULLET!” EXCLAIMED PENCROFT]
”Ho, splendid! capital!”
”What is it?” asked Spilett ”We have been looking for a wreck at sea or on land!”
”Well?”
”Well, and here we've found one in the air!”
And the sailor pointed to a great white rag, caught in the top of a pine, a fallen scrap of which the dog had brought to them
”But that is not a wreck!” cried Gideon Spilett
”I beg your pardon!” returned Pencroft
”Why? is it--?”
”It is all that reht up aloft there, at the top of that tree!”
Pencroft was not s in a treood cloth! There is ill furnish us with linen for years There is ill make us handkerchiefs and shi+rts! Ha, ha, Mr Spilett, what do you say to an island where shi+rts grow on the trees?”
It was certainly a lucky circumstance for the settlers in Lincoln Island that the balloon, after having made its last bound into the air, had fallen on the island and thus given theain, whether they kept the case under its present form, or whether they wished to attempt another escape by it, or whether they usefully employed the several hundred yards of cotton, which was of fine quality Pencroft's joy was therefore shared by all
But it was necessary to bring down the remains of the balloon froht task Neb, Herbert, and the sailor, cli to the sue the now reduced balloon