Таинственный остров / The Mysterious Island. Уровень 3

This was the first meal of the castaways upon this unknown coast. The eggs were excellent.

Thus passed the 25th of March. The reporter retired to a dark corner. Herbert fell asleep at once. The sailor passed the night by the fire. Neb wandered upon the sands. He was calling his master.

Chapter VI

The castaways had only the clothes they wore in the balloon. We must add Spilett’s watch and note-book; but there were no firearms and no tools, not even a pocket knife. They threw everything overboard to lighten the balloon.

The castaways relied on their own hands.

It seemed to Pencroff better to wait a few days before an exploration. They must try to find food. It was decided then to wait a few days at the Chimneys, and to prepare for an expedition either along the coast or into the interior of the country.

Neb did not believe that Smith was dead. Upon the morning of the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb started along the coast northward.

For breakfast that morning they had only eggs and lithodomes, with salt.

Herbert found it in the cavities of the rocks. When the meal was over they divided forces. The reporter stayed to keep up the fire, Herbert and Pencroff went into the forest.

– We will hunt, Herbert, – said the sailor. – We will cut our guns in the forest.

At 9 o’clock the breeze blew from the southeast. When Herbert and Pencroff reached the forest, Pencroff broke from the first tree two thick branches. He made them into cudgels. The sailor carefully observed the character of the region.

On this left bank the surface was flat. Sometimes it was moist and swampy. The opposite bank was more undulating. The hill was covered with trees. Along this right bank they could hardly walk, because the descent was steep, and the trees were only sustained by their roots. It is needless to say that both forest and shore looked wild. They saw fresh traces of animals.

They did not speak, their hunting was fruitless. Birds were singing and flying under the trees; but they showed an instinctive fear of the men.

Among fir trees were fluttering birds with small bodies and long, glittering tails.

– These are couroucous[22 - couroucous – куруку (птица из породы ворон)], – said Herbert. – Their meat is delicious. Besides, I think we can easily get at them with our sticks.

They used their sticks like a scythe, and they mowed down whole rows of the couroucous, of whom 105 were killed.