The Mysterious Island. B2 / Таинственный остров

The words of the sailor were true. The castaways were upon an island not more than two miles long. It was necessary to wait until the next day to search for the engineer.

Then they searched for wood or dry branches. Sand and stones were all they found. One can understand the grief of Neb and his companions, who loved their brave comrade. The engineer escaped. Did he die? The hours were long and dreadful, the cold was intense. But the castaways did not sleep. They moved back and forth upon that arid island. They listened, they shouted, they tried to find their friend.

Once they heard an echo; and Herbert said:

– There is land to the west.

The sailor nodded. The land must be there!

The night passed. At 5 o’clock in the morning the heavens began to brighten, though the horizon remained obscure. The fog soon rose. At half past 6, the sky was clear. Then the sea appeared. Yes, the land was there! The island and the main land were separated by a channel half a mile wide. Into this current Neb jumped.

Pencroff called to him. The reporter prepared to follow, but the sailor ran to him, and exclaimed:

– Do you want to cross this channel?

– Yes, I do, – replied Spilett.

– Well, listen to me. Neb can rescue his master without us. But if we throw ourselves into the channel, this strong current will carry us away. Wait, just wait a little.

Meantime, Neb was swimming against the current. Finally, he crossed the half mile which separated the isle from the mainland.

Neb landed at the base of a high rocky wall, and clambered its side, and then disappeared behind a rock. Neb’s companions ate shellfish, which they found upon the sands. It was a poor meal, but they didn’t have anything else.

The opposite coast formed an immense bay. Towards the north, the bay widened, with a shore more rounded. It was extending from the southwest to the northeast, and ended in a narrow cape. Between these two points, the distance was about eight miles. Half a mile from the shore the island lay upon the sea.

Its width was about a quarter of a mile. Before the Island, the shore began with a beach with black rocks. Beyond this rose a perpendicular granite wall, at least 300 feet high and terminated by a ragged edge. This extended for about three miles.

Upon the upper level of the coast nothing was visible. Finally, distant towards the northwest about seven miles, shone a white summit. It was the snowy cap of a mountain.