The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 119 The Mysterious Island (4)
Hubbert took a few steps to the left and found seaweed growing on some of the rocks.Taking a closer look, there are more than these on the rocks. Among the smooth seaweed, there are many shellfish. This is delicious and nutritious food. It is the best energy for these hungry victims. supplied.Hubbert hastened to call Pencroft over, because in a few hours, when the tide rose, all these things would be submerged below the surface of the sea, and there would be no food left in the mouth.

"Ah! wonderful, here are the mussels!" said Pencroft, seeing them; "and here they are, and these will replace the eggs."

"Not mussels, these are razor clams," said Hubbert, who was squatting down to observe the molluscs in the crevices of the rock. "Yes, these are razor clams!"

"Are they edible?" asked the sailor.

"Yes!" replied Hubbert.

"Okay, let's eat the razor clams!"

The sailor trusted Harbert's judgment, for he was an expert in the matter.Hubbert was interested, even obsessed, with biology, thanks, of course, to his father, who sent him to Boston to study with the best professors in the field.Of course, Hubbert was an extremely bright student, and the professors liked him very much.Hubbert's judgment was not wrong, and in the future, his knowledge of biology and his instinctive judgment of things in this area will come in handy more than once.

Let's talk about these razor clams.They are shellfish with oval bodies and rounded ends of their shells, which adhere to rocks in clusters.Another notable feature of this mollusk is its ability to punch holes in extremely hard rocks.Their shape and characteristics are very different from ordinary mussels.

Both the sailor and Herbert had a good meal, and they both ate the clams like oysters.Although there is no pepper or salt, in fact, no condiments of any kind, the razor clam itself has a special spicy taste, so it tastes very good.Finally, the hunger gradually went away from the two of them, but the thirst increased.Especially after eating the spicy razor clams, I became even more thirsty.The first priority now is to find fresh drinking water.However, the terrain here is changeable, and it doesn't seem like there is a lack of fresh water.Pencroft and Herbert, having first gathered a great quantity of clams, filled their pockets to the brim, and then descended below the plateau, in search of fresh water.

The two of them walked no more than two or three hundred steps, and they came to the river mouth they had discovered before.The sailor judged that there must be a small river near here, and the water of the river was flowing continuously.At the bottom of the cliff, there is a small bay sunken in, forming a sharp angle at the bottom of the bay.The current here is perhaps a hundred feet wide, with steep banks of no more than twenty feet on either side.The stream seemed to be stuck between two cliffs.However, these two high cliffs obviously dropped in height at the upper reaches of the river mouth, and then, the water flow suddenly turned and disappeared under the undergrowth half a mile away.

"Look, there's water here! There's still wood over there!" shouted the sailor. "That's all, there's only room left!"

This small river, the water is clear.The sailor observed it and found that when the sea tide ebbs, the rising waves will not reach here, so the water here is fresh water.With the drinking water problem solved, Hubbert set out to find a place to live, hoping to find a cave among the rocky cliffs.However, no matter how hard he looked, the cliffs everywhere were so smooth and straight that he couldn't find a place to live.However, they found that at the mouth of the river, where the rising sea hit, the rocks had collapsed, not forming a cave, but forming a huge pile of rocks.This is common on granite cliffs, known as chimneys.

Pencroft and Herbert walked among these rocks, through which the sun shone through their fissures.Many of these rocks maintain their current state simply by virtue of their balance.In addition to the sunlight, cold wind blows in from the crevices of the rocks, which can be regarded as a real draft, and you can feel the biting cold all at once.However, after the sailors surveyed, they still thought that if some gaps could be blocked with sand and stone, the "chimney" could still be used for their habitation.The shape of this "chimney" is similar to the "&" shape. The upper part of the shape is a ring, and the south wind and west wind will come in from it, and the lower part can be used.

"If we ever see Mr. Smith again, he will surely make use of this rock-pile in his ability! Now we must see it," said Pencroft.

"I'm sure we'll see him!" Hubbert said in a high voice. "He'll feel good about it when he comes back and see this place, at least he can settle down. If we build a stove in the passage on the left and leave a smoke outlet beside it, here It’s a nice place to stay.”

"That's all right, boy, let's get to work! But first, we'll get some wood for fuel, and wood will do the trick if we want to fill up these gaps," said Pencroft.

The sailors' present temporary accommodation was called "The Chimney" and they left the "Chimney" now, passed a corner, and walked up the creek from the left.There are several dead tree trunks washed away in the river, which shows that the current is very fast.It also shows that the tide has risen at this time.Sailors have an idea and can use the water flow when the tide rises and falls to transport heavy objects.

After walking for about ten minutes, a corner suddenly appeared in front of the sailor and Hubbert, which was formed by the water flowing to the left.By this corner the river passes through a forest where the trees grow splendidly.Although the growing season of the trees is coming to an end, these coniferous trees are still green.This kind of tree can be seen all over the world, no matter the climate is cold in the north or hot in the tropics, it is suitable for their growth.Hubbert, our young biologist, has recognized the species of 'deodha', a tree that grows mainly in the Himalayas and that they have a characteristic smell that is very sweet.Among these beautiful trees, there are still pine trees, and there is a crackling sound under the sailor's feet, which is the sound of him breaking dead branches, like a firecracker.

"Well, boy," said the sailor to Harbert, "I don't know what trees these are, but I know they're good fuel! They're just in time for us just now!"

"Then let's collect these fuels quickly!" Hubbert said as he started to work.

This job is not difficult to do, and they don't even need to cut down trees. There are enough dead branches everywhere for them to use.However, a new problem arises, how can these fuels be transported to the "chimney"?These twigs are so dry that they are bound to burn and require a large stockpile to be available for their use.But two people cannot transport so many branches quickly.Hubbert poses the question.

"Don't worry, boy!" said the sailor to him. "We need some good means of transportation. Even if it is a great difficulty, it will be solved if we do it right. It would be great if we had a car or a boat."

"There's only the river in front of us!" said Harbert.

"Exactly!" reminded Pencroft, "the river is a road for us. Was the raft invented for nothing?"

"However, the sea has risen, and now the direction of the current is exactly the opposite of the direction we want to go!" Hubbert said.

"The problem will be solved when the water goes down," said the sailor. "We just prepare the raft now, and the current will help us carry the fuel back."

The sailor made his way towards the corner where the forest meets the river, and Harbert followed him.The two men each carried some logs, and they made a raft out of these relatively thick logs and wooden strips tied together with dry rattan.The weight of this raft is equivalent to twenty people.On the steep river bank, there are a lot of dead branches in the grass. Maybe this grass has not been set foot by humans.After about an hour, all the work was completed, and the raft was parked on the bank of the river, waiting for the tide to set off.However, this wait will take at least a few hours.Therefore, the sailor and Hubbert decided to go to the high ground, hoping to observe the surrounding area from a high place.

About 200 meters from the corner of the river, we came to a collapsed rocky cliff, which formed a gentle slope at the edge of the forest, which was almost a natural staircase.Hubbert and the sailor climbed up, and soon their strong legs carried them to the summit, which is the corner where the river exits.

They stood on a high place, looking at the sea, which was the place they had just crossed, and the conditions at that time were difficult and terrible.At this time, their moods were very disturbed, and their eyes were fixed on the north side of the coast, which was the place where Cyrus Harding disappeared.They searched with their eyes, hoping to find the remains of the balloon, since it was possible that Mr. Smith had held on to it.However, nothing was seen!The sea looked like nothing but a desolate water.Even on the coast, there was no one there, neither the reporter nor Neb.Maybe the location of the two of them cannot be found.

"Mr. Cyrus is a stout and courageous man," cried Harbert, "and he cannot easily allow himself to be drowned. I think he may be somewhere on the beach. What do you say, Pencroft?" ?”

"Yes, it is quite possible!" replied the sailor to Hubbert.In fact, he had lost all hope of the engineer's survival, but he was still willing to let Harbert maintain this hope. Although he shook his head, he continued: "Our engineer is not an ordinary person. He has the ability to make himself Get out of danger, if it were someone else, I'm afraid he would have died long ago."

The sailor stared at the coast intently, with a sandy beach in front of him and a row of rocks in the distance.These reefs are out of the sea, and the waves keep beating against them, staying there like some strange land and sea amphibians, and blocking the beach.Further outside is the vast sea surface. At this time, the sun is shining, and the sea surface is sparkling.Looking south, a sharp headland slowly melts into the horizon. I don't know if it extends down to a continent, or the land may extend to the southwest or southeast.If this judgment is correct, then this coast is a long and narrow peninsula.Looking north, the outline of the coast is longer and more rounded.The beach there is lower and flatter, with no cliffs and cliffs, and a large sandbar after low tide.

Then the sailor and Hubbert turned to look west again.The first thing that caught their attention was a mountain, the top of which was obviously covered with snow. Its location was about six or seven nautical miles away.The mountain stretches down and gradually forms a slope. About two nautical miles away from the coast, there is a large forest. The green is very prominent, and the trees are some evergreen trees.From the edge of the woods to the coast, there is a plateau.This highland has a wide terrain, and there are many trees growing there, making it look green.Look to the left, through the woods, the river flickers in between, and a branch appears in the meander of the small river, maybe its source can be found in the middle of the branch.A small river flows between the granite walls, where the sailors placed their rafts.The cliffs on both sides of the river have different shapes. The left side is smooth and steep, while the right side gradually lowers. The rock piles gradually become rocks, and the rocks gradually become pebbles. the end.

"Is this an island?" murmured the sailor.

"Even if it is, its area is large enough." Hubbert said.

"No matter how big it is, it's just an island," replied the sailor.

Whether this is an island or a continent, such an important question, is still unanswered.However, whether it is an island or a land, it seems that the soil here is still very fertile, and the scenery looks good.

"How lucky we are!" said the sailor, "thank God we are alive!"

"Thank you so much!" Our little biologist was even more grateful to the Creator.

This area, they have observed for a long time, and fate has brought them here.But this kind of observation is just a simple understanding. As for what to do in the future, I am afraid there will be many difficulties.

It was time to go back, and the two of them returned along the southern ridge, which was composed of irregular and strangely shaped rocks, which was just right for birds to roost.Sure enough, there were probably hundreds of birds in the cave. Hubbert jumped onto the rock, and a flock of birds was frightened and scattered.

"It's not a gull, and it's not a falcon," he cried.

"It looks like a pigeon, what kind of bird is it?"

"They are indeed pigeons. Look at the black stripes on their wings, the white feathers on their tails, and the blue-gray feathers on their bodies. These should be wild pigeons or pigeons." Hubbert said, "The meat of pigeons is very delicious. Yes, I think pigeon eggs will be delicious too. As long as they give us some leftovers in the nest!"

"Shall we let them hatch again? Unless they hatch directly into omelets!" said Pencroft, sounding excited.

"What do you fry your eggs with? Your hat?" asked Hubbert.

"Well, I can't make omelettes. We'll have to boil them. Let's get to work, my boy, and leave the hardest ones to me!" answered Pencroft.

The two of them searched carefully, and they found something in the crevice of the rock.After picking up a lot of pigeon eggs, they packed them, and it was almost time, so they continued to walk downstream.

By the time they returned to their original place, it was already one o'clock in the afternoon.The water flows in the opposite direction, and taking advantage of this low tide, the raft can be brought to the mouth of the river.Pencroft could not let the raft float uncontrollably in the water, nor did he wish to go up and steer it.So he wove a rope several feet long out of dry rattan and used it as a cable.He tied the rope behind the raft and held the other end with his hand so that he could steer the raft.Hubbert pushed the raft with a long wooden pole, and in this way the raft floated in the direction they intended in the current.

All went well, and they managed to get the fuel to the mouth of the river.There was no need to worry about the raft running aground along the steep river bank. It only took about an hour for them to reach their destination, which was only a few steps away from the "chimney".

first fire
After the fuel is unloaded, the sailors will block the air vents in the "chimney" so that people can live in it.Sailors mixed sand, stones, twigs, and wet earth and blocked the opening of the gallery through which the "chimney" entered the southerly wind.The aisle on the side was also trimmed, which can be used for ventilation and smoke exhaust.In this way, this "chimney" was divided into several rooms. The environment here was dark, and it was only a shelter, but even the beast would not be satisfied with such a dwelling.But after all, the inside is dry, people can stand up, at least they can move upright in the main room, and the ground is covered with a layer of fine sand.In short, this environment is much better than before.As for the future, they will make arrangements again.

Hubbert and the sailor chatted as they worked.

"Perhaps our companions have found a better place to live," said Hubbert.

"It's possible. But it's not certain! It's like adding an extra string to a bow, it's better than nothing," replied the sailor.

"Hope they'll find Mr. Smith and bring him back," added Hubbert.

"Yes! Mr. Smith is a real man!" Pencroft's voice trailed off.

"You mean? Are you desperate, you think we'll never see him again?"

"How I wish to see him again, God bless!" said the sailor.

Soon they were done, and the place was cleaned, to the sailor's satisfaction.

"Our friends will now come back and find a decent dwelling, crude but satisfactory," said Pencroft.

The next step is to set up a stove, and then cook and eat.It is not difficult to build a stove, you can put it at the end of the first aisle, there are many flat and wide stones, and there are vents here, the smoke will not take the heat away, so that the inside can remain comfortable temperature.The spare fuel was stored in another room, while the sailors placed their fuel, that is, the sticks and blocks, on the prepared hearth.

At this moment, Hubbert suddenly asked, "Do you have any matches?"

"Of course I do! We'd be in trouble if there were no matches, and luckily I have them here," replied Pencroft.

"We can also make a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together like savages!" said Hubbert.

"Oh, you can try, but it'll just break your arm and won't do anything."

"But, on such an island, isn't that a simple and practical solution?"

"Yes, but the wildlings may have a special method, or a special kind of wood. I've tried that more than once, and haven't succeeded once so far. So, I must say, I'd rather use matches Ah, where are my matches?" Pencroft searched in the pocket of his coat. It was a matchbox that he never left with him. Usually he never left his cigarette.But he didn't have it in his jacket pocket, so he then searched through his trouser pockets. Unexpectedly, even to his own surprise, the matchbox that he was sure he had with him was gone.

"Maybe the matchbox fell out of me, and I didn't notice it. I was so stupid that I lost it. It's more than stupid!" He looked at Harbert and said, "Harbert, there is nothing on you." Something, like a scythe or anything that makes fire?"

"I have not, Pencroft!"

The sailor went outside, and Hubbert followed him.They went looking for the matchbox, but there was no matchbox on the sand, in the rock pile, or on the steep river bank.It was a copper box, so it should be easy to find, but the two of them searched carefully for a long time, but they didn't find anything.

"You didn't throw this matchbox over the basket, did you?" Hubbert asked the sailor.

"Certainly not, I paid extra attention at the time. However, with the violent shaking we had at the time, it was likely that it was thrown away. After all, the matchbox is small and it is not easy to find. That's how my pipe disappeared. This damn box, what on earth Where did you go?"

"When the tide ebbs for a while, let's go to the place where we went ashore to look for it," Hubbert said.

(End of this chapter)