Part 6 (1/2)

Cyrus Harding now i Prospect Heights so as to shelter it from the attacks both of quadrupeds and quadrumana In this way, Granite House, the Chimneys, the poultry-yard, and all the upper part of the plateau which was to be used for cultivation, would be protected against the depredations of ani could be easier than to execute this project, and this is how the engineer intended to set to work

The plateau was already defended on three sides by watercourses, either artificial or natural On the north-west, by the shores of Lake Grant, froe to the breach made in the banks of the lake for the escape of the water

On the north, from this breach to the sea, by the neatercourse which had hollowed out a bed for itself across the plateau and shore, above and below the fall, and it would be enough to dig the bed of this creek a little deeper to make it impracticable for animals, on all the eastern border by the sea itself, from the mouth of the aforesaid creek to the mouth of the Mercy

Lastly on the south, froe was to be established

The western border of the plateau now rele of the lake, a distance of about acould be easier than to dig a broad deep ditch, which could be filled from the lake, and the overflohich would throw itself by a rapid fall into the bed of the Mercy The level of the lake would, no doubt, be soe of its waters, but Cyrus Harding had ascertained that the voluh to allow of the execution of this project

[Illustration: BUILDING THE BRIDGE]

”So then,” added the engineer, ”Prospect Heights will beco surrounded ater on all sides, and only coe which we are about to throw across the Mercy, the two little bridges already established above and below the fall; and, lastly, two other little bridges which must be constructed, one over the canal which I propose to dig, the other across to the left bank of the Mercy Now, if these bridges can be raised at will, Prospect Heights will be guarded froent work Trees were selected, cut down, stripped of their branches, and cut into beae which rested on the right bank of the Mercy was to be firm, but the other end on the left bank was to be ht be raised by ed

This was certainly a considerable work, and though it was skilfully conducted, it took sohty feet wide It was therefore necessary to fix piles in the bed of the river so as to sustain the floor of the bridge and establish a pile-driver to act on the tops of these piles, which would thus fore to support heavy loads

Happily there was no want of tools hich to shape the wood, nor of iron-work to enuity of a e of the work, nor lastly, the zeal of his coreat skill in the use of their tools; and it must be said that not the least skillful was Gideon Spilett, who in dexterity almost equalled the sailor himself ”Who would ever have expected so ht Pencroft

The construction of the Mercy bridge lasted three weeks of regular hard work They even breakfasted on the scene of their labours, and the weather being nificent, they only returned to Granite House to sleep

During this period it rew more accustomed to his new masters, whose movements he alatched with very inquisitive eyes However, as a precautionary measure, Pencroft did not as yet allow hi to wait until the limits of the plateau should be settled by the projected works Top and Jup were good friends and played willingly together, but Jup did everything solee was finished Theeasily, and only a slight effort was needed to raise it; between its hinge and the last cross-bar on which it rested when closed, there existed a space of twenty feet, which was sufficiently wide to prevent any anian to talk of fetching the balloon-case, which they were anxious to place in perfect security; but to bring it, it would be necessary to take a cart to Port Balloon, and consequently, necessary to beat a road through the dense forests of the Far West This would take soone to exas at Port Balloon, and reported that the stock of cloth would suffer no darotto where it was stored, it was decided that the work at Prospect Heights should not be discontinued

”That,” observed Pencroft, ”will enable us to establish our poultry-yard under better conditions, since we need have no fear of visits from foxes nor the attacks of other beasts”

”Then,” added Neb, ”we can clear the plateau, and transplant wild plants to it”

”And prepare our second cornfield!” cried the sailor with a triumphant air

In fact, the first cornfield soith a single grain had prospered admirably, thanks to Pencroft's care It had produced the ten ears foretold by the engineer, and each ear containing eighty grains, the colony found itself in possession of eight hundred grains, in six months, which prorains, except fifty, which were prudently reserved, were to be sown in a new field, but with no less care than was bestowed on the single grain

The field was prepared, then surrounded with a strong palisade, high and pointed, which quadrupeds would have found difficulty in leaping As to birds, soh to frighten theular furroere then left for nature to do the rest

On the 21st of Novean to plan the canal which was to close the plateau on the west, frole of the Mercy There was there two or three feet of vegetable earth, and below that granite It was therefore necessary to lycerine did its accustoht a ditch twelve feet wide and six deep, was dug out in the hard ground of the plateau A new trench wasa save the name of Creek Glycerine, and which was thus an affluent of the Mercy As the engineer had predicted, the level of the lake was lowered, though very slightly To complete the enclosure the bed of the streaed, and the sand supported by ht of Decehts--that is to say, a sort of irregular pentagon having a perimeter of nearly four miles, surrounded by a liquid belt--was completely protected fro the reat In spite of it however, the settlers continued their work, and as they were anxious to possess a poultry-yard they forthwith com of the plateau had been completed, Master Jup had been set at liberty He did not leave his entle anih very powerful and wonderfully active He was already taught toaway the stones which were extracted from the bed of Creek Glycerine

The poultry yard occupied an area of two hundred square yards on the south eastern bank of the lake It was surrounded by a palisade, and in it were constructed various shelters for the birds which were to populate it These were simply built of branches and divided into couests

[Illustration: PENCROFT'S SCARECROWS]

The first were the two tina ones; they had for companions half a dozen ducks, accustoed to the Chinese species, of which the wings open like a fan, and which by the brilliancy of their pluolden pheasants A few days afterwards, Herbert snared a couple of gallinaceae, with spreading tails conificent alectors, which soon becafishers, water-hens, they came of themselves to the shores of the poultry-yard, and this little co, ended by settling down peacefully, and increased in encouraging proportion for the future use of the colony

Cyrus Harding, wishi+ng to coeon-house in a corner of the poultry-yard There he lodged a dozen of those pigeons which frequented the rocks of the plateau These birds soon beca, and showed eners, the wood-pigeons

Lastly, the ti it up toit in its present foras, above a sea of the liht of

It was necessary to bring the case to Granite House, and the colonists ehter andpoas yet to be found

But did there not exist in the island soht supply the place of the horse, ass, or ox? That was the question

”Certainly,” said Pencroft, ”a beast of burden would be very useful to us until the captain has ine, for some day we shall have a railroad from Granite House to Port Balloon, with a branch line to Mount Franklin!”

One day, the 23rd of Dece, each apparently trying who could make the most noise The settlers, ere busy at the Chi some vexatious incident

What did they see? Two fine anie size, who had ies were open One would have said they were horses, or at least donkeys, s and tail white, striped with black on the head and neck They advanced quietly without showing any uneasiness, and gazed at the nise their future as!” cried Herbert, ”ania!”

”Why not donkeys?” asked Neb

”Because they have not long ears, and their shape is raceful!”

”Donkeys or horses,” interrupted Pencroft, ”they are ' powers,' as the captain would say, and as suchthe anie over Creek Glycerine, lowered it, and the onagas were prisoners

Now, should they seize them with violence and master them by force? No It was decided that for a few days they should be allowed to roarass, and the engineer ian to prepare a stable near the poultry-yard, in which the onagasthe night

This done, the nificent creatures were left entirely free, and the settlers avoided even approaching theas appeared to wish to leave the plateau, too confined for animals accusto the water-barrier which everywhere presented itself before therass, and beco at the woods, from which they were cut off for ever!

In the etable fibre had been as, not only the cart was ready, but a straight road, or rather a cutting, had been le of the Mercy to Port Balloon The cart ht then be driven there, and towards the end of Deceas for the first time

Pencroft had already coaxed the animals to come and eat out of his hand, and they allowed hi any difficulty, but once harnessed they reared and could with difficulty be held in However it was not long before they sub less refractory than the zebra, is frequently put in harness in the ions of Southern Africa, and it has even been acclimatised in Europe, under zones of a relative coolness

On this day all the colony, except Pencroft alked at the animals' heads, mounted the cart, and set out on the road to Port Balloon

Of course they were jolted over the soh road, but the vehicle arrived without any accident, and was soon loaded with the case and rigging of the balloon

At eight o'clock that evening the cart, after passing over the Mercy bridge, descended the left bank of the river, and stopped on the beach The onagas being unharnessed, were thence led to their stable, and Pencroft before going to sleep gave vent to his feelings in a deep sigh of satisfaction that awoke all the echoes of Granite House

CHAPTER VIII