登陆注册
15324700000050

第50章

All at once the tall figure of the sailor appeared.Pencroft shouted.The engineer and his two companions threw themselves between the sea and the seals.Two of the animals soon lay dead on the sand, but the rest regained the sea in safety.

"Here are the seals required, captain!" said the sailor, advancing towards the engineer.

"Capital," replied Harding."We will make bellows of them!""Bellows!" cried Pencroft."Well! these are lucky seals!"It was, in fact, a blowing-machine, necessary for the treatment of the ore that the engineer wished to manufacture with the skins of the amphibious creatures.They were of a medium size, for their length did not exceed six feet.They resembled a dog about the head.

As it was useless to burden themselves with the weight of both the animals, Neb and Pencroft resolved to skin them on the spot, while Cyrus Harding and the reporter continued to explore the islet.

The sailor and the Negro cleverly performed the operation, and three hours afterwards Cyrus Harding had at his disposal two seals' skins, which he intended to use in this state, without subjecting them to any tanning process.

The settlers waited till the tide was again low, and crossing the channel they entered the Chimneys.

The skins had then to be stretched on a frame of wood and sewn by means of fibers so as to preserve the air without allowing too much to escape.

Cyrus Harding had nothing but the two steel blades from Top's collar, and yet he was so clever, and his companions aided him with so much intelligence, that three days afterwards the little colony's stock of tools was augmented by a blowing-machine, destined to inject the air into the midst of the ore when it should be subjected to heat--an indispensable condition to the success of the operation.

On the morning of the 20th of April began the "metallic period," as the reporter called it in his notes.The engineer had decided, as has been said, to operate near the veins both of coal and ore.Now, according to his observations, these veins were situated at the foot of the northeast spurs of Mount Franklin, that is to say, a distance of six miles from their home.

It was impossible, therefore, to return every day to the Chimneys, and it was agreed that the little colony should camp under a hut of branches, so that the important operation could be followed night and day.

This settled, they set out in the morning.Neb and Pencroft dragged the bellows on a hurdle; also a quantity of vegetables and animals, which they besides could renew on the way.

The road led through Jacamar Wood, which they traversed obliquely from southeast to northwest, and in the thickest part.It was necessary to beat a path, which would in the future form the most direct road to Prospect Heights and Mount Franklin.The trees, belonging to the species already discovered, were magnificent.Herbert found some new ones, among others some which Pencroft called "sham leeks"; for, in spite of their size, they were of the same liliaceous family as the onion, chive, shallot, or asparagus.These trees produce ligneous roots which, when cooked, are excellent; from them, by fermentation, a very agreeable liquor is made.

They therefore made a good store of the roots.

The journey through the wood was long; it lasted the whole day, and so allowed plenty of time for examining the flora and fauna.Top, who took special charge of the fauna, ran through the grass and brushwood, putting up all sorts of game.Herbert and Gideon Spilett killed two kangaroos with bows and arrows, and also an animal which strongly resembled both a hedgehog and an ant-eater.It was like the first because it rolled itself into a ball, and bristled with spines, and the second because it had sharp claws, a long slender snout which terminated in a bird's beak, and an extendible tongue, covered with little thorns which served to hold the insects.

"And when it is in the pot," asked Pencroft naturally, "what will it be like?""An excellent piece of beef," replied Herbert.

"We will not ask more from it," replied the sailor,During this excursion they saw several wild boars, which however, did not offer to attack the little band, and it appeared as if they would not meet with any dangerous beasts; when, in a thick part of the wood, the reporter thought he saw, some paces from him, among the lower branches of a tree, an animal which he took for a bear, and which he very tranquilly began to draw.Happily for Gideon Spilett, the animal in question did not belong to the redoubtable family of the plantigrades.It was only a koala, better known under the name of the sloth, being about the size of a large dog, and having stiff hair of a dirty color, the paws armed with strong claws, which enabled it to climb trees and feed on the leaves.Having identified the animal, which they did not disturb, Gideon Spilett erased "bear" from the title of his sketch, putting koala in its place, and the journey was resumed.

At five o'clock in the evening, Cyrus Harding gave the signal to halt.

同类推荐
  • 无尽意菩萨经

    无尽意菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 温热论

    温热论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 贯休应梦罗汉画歌

    贯休应梦罗汉画歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 竹谱详录

    竹谱详录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 挥麈录

    挥麈录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 十四万年

    十四万年

    空间的维度,时间的广度,灵魂的深度,世界的尽头,预见未来!十四万年(又名《逆熵决》)
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 箭道锋芒

    箭道锋芒

    苍茫荒原,疾风劲草,响箭破空,越道无痕,长锋过处,星芒无两。
  • 他们的火树银花

    他们的火树银花

    我觉得这是都市类网文的一股清流不意淫不妄想有着蛋蛋的忧愁和哀伤
  • 吾名莫漓

    吾名莫漓

    吾名莫漓,吾已归来。四大神兽很厉害?不好意思,都是吾的契约兽。修炼很困难?不好意思,吾三岁之后修为就蹭蹭蹭的往上爬。属性很难得?不好意思,吾生来就是全属性,五行元素、风雷元素、鬼怨仙魔气任你挑,只有你没有的,没有吾没有的。……
  • 了蓝有微光

    了蓝有微光

    当我们在时间的流光里前行,遇见形形色色的人,也许陌生,也许熟悉,也许亲昵,也许生疏,种种的关系代名词都只是提醒我们,我们一直活在人群里,不是孤独一人,哪怕你的身边全部都是陌生人,你也不是孤独的。真的孤独是全世界无论你怎样的声嘶呐喊,回应你的却只是空无一人的寂静。但是不管你是如何的个体,怎样的存在,你也许自己都没有发现,在有些不经意的时候,有些光芒会悄然而至,降临彼岸那个小小的孤独的你。要知道,了蓝也会有微光。
  • 我的傻丫头

    我的傻丫头

    好多爱悄悄的在一起长大的“兄妹”有着不一样的感情
  • 你是我的温柔禁区

    你是我的温柔禁区

    “大叔,你不可以跟别的女人那个!”八岁时她破坏了他的成人礼。“大叔,我也要变成美人鱼。”九岁时她跳下泳池差点淹死。“大叔,我要打断那个跟我抢校草的小贱人的腿!”她十岁时他被校领导叫去拎人,颜面无光。“大叔,你踢我满屁股血,你太残忍了!”他看完后,立刻红了耳根,小丫头十二岁,初潮。十八岁,她说:“大叔,我长大了。我也要像你当年那样过成人礼!”终于,他疯了!四年后——再见面,却是一个小小的娃儿举枪指着他:“不许动!竟敢跟我抢女人!”
  • 熟悉又陌生的春秋战国

    熟悉又陌生的春秋战国

    历史可以很枯燥,但也可以很有趣,取决于我们怎么看,历史怎么讲。用一些熟悉的故事,串联一段段陌生的历史,再用口语话的语言讲述给大家听,这样的历史才容易看懂,容易理解。
  • 白色眷恋

    白色眷恋

    因为不满皇马6比2的比分,中国青年律师沈星怒砸啤酒瓶,结果电光火石间,他穿越成了佛罗伦蒂诺的儿子,且看来自09年的小伙子如何玩转03年的欧洲足坛