Part 17 (1/2)
”Well!” answered Pencroft, ”I agree with you that the nobleman will return, and soon too But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, and not at Lincoln Island”
”That is the more certain,” replied Herbert, ”as Lincoln Island is not even marked on the ineer, ”we ought to take the necessary precautions forour presence, and that of Ayrton on Lincoln Island known at Tabor Island”
”Certainly,” answered the reporter, ”and nothing is easier than to place in the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling, a notice which Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, giving the position of our island”
”It is a pity,” reot to take that precaution on our first visit to Tabor Island”
”And why should we have done it?” asked Herbert
”At that time we did not know Ayrton's history; we did not know that any one was likely to come some day to fetch him; and e did know his history, the season was too advanced to allow us to return then to Tabor Island”
”Yes,” replied Harding, ”it was too late, and we ”
”But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that,” said Pencroft
”That is not probable,” replied the engineer, ”for Lord Glenarvan would not choose the winter season to venture into these seas Either he has already returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been with us, that is to say, during the last five ain; or he will not coh in the first fine October days to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there”
”We must allow,” said Neb, ”that it will be very unfortunate if the Duncan has returned to these parts only a few o!”
”I hope that it is not so,” replied Cyrus Harding, ”and that Heaven has not deprived us of the best chance which remains to us”
”I think,” observed the reporter, ”that at any rate we shall knoe have to depend on e have been to Tabor Island, for if the yacht has returned there, they will necessarily have left some traces of their visit”
”That is evident,” answered the engineer ”So then,to our country, we must wait patiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see ill be best to do”
”At any rate,” remarked Pencroft, ”it is well understood that if we do leave Lincoln Island in some way or another, it will not be because ere uncoineer, ”it will be because we are far from all that a man holds dearest in this world, his fa thus decided, the building of a vessel large enough to sail either to the Archipelagos in the north, or to New Zealand in the west, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in their accusto a third tireed that before the stormy weather ca a voyage round the island A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and the colonists had but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west and north, from the mouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes, as well as of the narrow bay between them, which opened like a shark's jaws
The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Harding fully acquiesced in it, for he himself wished to see this part of his domain
The weather was variable, but the barometer did not fluctuate by sudden movements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather However, during the first week of April, after a sudden baroale of wind, lasting five or six days; then the needle of the instruht of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weather appeared propitious for an excursion
The departure was fixed for the 16th of April, and the Bonadventure, anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage whichinformed Ayrton of the projected expedition, and proposed that he should take part in it; but Ayrton preferring to remain on shore, it was decided that he should co the absence of his companions Master Jup was ordered to keep hi of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top, embarked A fine breeze blew fro Port Balloon so as to reach Reptile End Of the ninety miles which the perimeter of the island measured, twenty included the south coast between the port and the pro the shore
It took the whole day to reach the pro port had only two hours of the ebb tide, and had therefore to htfall before the proineer that they should continue sailing sloith two reefs in the sail But Harding preferred to anchor a few cable-lengths fro the day It was agreed also that as they were anxious for athe night, but would always, when the weather perht was passed under the pro disturbed the silence The passengers, with the exception of the sailor, scarcely slept as well on board the Bonadventure as they would have done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleep however Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on the larboard tack they could keep close to the shore
The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had already explored it on foot, and yet it again excited their ad as close in as possible, so as to notice everything, avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there Several tiraphs of the superb scenery
About noon the Bonadventure arrived at the mouth of Falls River Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered trees appeared, and threethe western spurs of the e sloped down to the shore
What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast! In proportion as one oody and fertile so was the other rugged and barren! It nated as one of those iron coasts, as they are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared to indicate that a sudden crystallisation had been produced in the yet liquid basalt of soical sea These stupendous masses would have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first on this part of the island! They had not been able to perceive the sinister aspect of this shore from the sureat a height, but viewed from the sea it presented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equalled in any corner of the globe
The Bonadventure sailed along this coast for the distance of half a mile It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes, froht, and of all shapes, round like towers, prismatic like steeples, pyra of the Polar seas could not have been es were thrown from one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave, into the depths of which the eye could not penetrate; in one place, large vaulted excavations presented a monumental aspect; in another, a crowd of columns, spires, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral ever possessed Every caprice of nature, still rand coast, which extended over a length of eight or nine azed, with a feeling of surprise bordering on stupefaction But, although they res of this sort, uttered barks which were repeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff The engineer even observed that these barks had so had uttered at the o close in,” said he
And the Bonadventure sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existed there? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern, not a cleft which could serve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliff ashed by the surf Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vessel continued her course at a few cable-lengths from the coast
In the north-west part of the island the shore becaain flat and sandy A few trees here and there rose above a low, round, which the colonists had already surveyed; and in violent contrast to the other desert shore, life was again manifested by the presence ofthe Bonadventure anchored in a small bay to the north of the island, near the land, such was the depth of water there The night passed quietly, for the breeze died aith the last light of day, and only rose again with the first streaks of dawn
As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is to say, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ras of wild duck and snipe Top had done wonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal and cleverness
At eight o'clock in thethe Bonadventure set sail, and ran rapidly towards North Mandible Cape, for the as right astern and freshening rapidly
”However,” observed Pencroft, ”I should not be surprised if a gale came up fro horizon, and now, this ood”
These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, their height fro less than five thousand feet They look like light pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces so, ”let us carry as much sail as possible, and run for shelter into Shark Gulf I think that the Bonadventure will be safe there”
”Perfectly,” replied Pencroft, ”and besides, the north coast isto look at”
”I shall not be sorry,” resuht but to- carefully explored”
”I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it or not,” answered Pencroft, ”for the sky looks very threatening towards the west Dirty weather is co on!”
”At any rate we have a favourable wind for reaching Cape Mandible,” observed the reporter
”A very fine wind,” replied the sailor; ”but we ulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknown quarters”
”Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks,” added Herbert, ”if we judge byon the south coast of Shark Gulf”
”Pencroft,” said Cyrus Harding, ”do as you think best, ill leave it to you”
”Don't make your mind uneasy, captain,” replied the sailor, ”I shall not expose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into my ribs than a sharp rock into those of my Bonadventure!”
That which Pencroft called ribs was the part of his vessel under water, and he valued it more than his own skin
”What o'clock is it?” asked Pencroft
”Ten o'clock,” replied Gideon Spilett
”And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?”
”About fifteen ineer
”That's a matter of two hours and a half,” said the sailor, ”and we shall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock Unluckily, the tide will be turning at that ulf I a both wind and tide against us”