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

Chapter 149 The Mysterious Island (34)
Jardine Splane and Harbert, and Pencroft and Neb, and Top and Jupp were in the campaign.Only Cyrus Harding, who said he had some work to do, stayed at Granite House.

Everyone went to the swamp from "Balloon Harbor", and agreed to come back before dark.When the engineer saw them cross the Bridge of the Thanksgiving River, he immediately hoisted it up, and returned to Granite Palace to begin a project which he wished to pursue alone.

In fact, the plan was to take a closer look at the inner well.The well itself communicated with the sea, for it had formerly been used as a channel for the lake, and its mouth was level with the passage of the Granite House.

Cyrus Harding had a train of doubts in his mind.Why does Top always circle the mouth of the well?Why is it restless and making strange noises when facing this well?Why was Jupp, like Top, terrified at the mouth of the well?Does the well lead to anything other than vertically to the sea? . . . Cyrus Harding wanted to know this very much, and he wanted to know it himself first.So he decided to try to survey the well while his companions were out.Now this opportunity has come.

It is easy to get down to the bottom of the well with a rope ladder, and it is of sufficient length.It has been lying idle since the lift was fitted.The engineer found the rope ladder and dragged it to the mouth of the well.The wellhead is approximately six feet in diameter.After the upper end of the rope ladder is fastened firmly, it is launched downwards.Then he lit a lamp, strapped a knife to his belt, took a pistol, and descended the first few steps of the rope ladder.

Although the well wall is flat, some rocks protrude at regular intervals.A dexterous animal can use these protrusions to climb to the mouth of the well.

Engineers noticed this.So he carefully shone the lights back and forth on these protrusions, but found no sign of climbing.

Cyrus Harding went on probing down, lighting every point of the side of the well with his lamps.

He saw nothing suspicious.

When the engineer got down to the last few levels, he was able to touch the water.The water is very calm.Whether it is the water surface in the well or other parts of the well, no other passages leading to the interior of the highland have been found.

Cyrus Harding tapped the side of the well with the hilt of his knife, and from the sound it was ascertained that the side was solid.It is difficult for any animal to carve a way out of this hard granite.If you can reach the bottom of the well, and then rise to the mouth of the well, you can only pass through this waterway that always communicates with the sea.Presumably only marine animals can do that.Where can this waterway lead?Where on the coast can it be reached?How deep is it under the waves?There is simply no way of knowing this question.

Cyrus Harding finished his survey, and rose again to the surface.He took the ladder away, covered the well, and returned to the hall of Granite House.While thinking, he said to himself: "I didn't find anything, but I'm sure there must be something!"

a drift bottle
The hunters all came back that night, and they harvested a lot of game. In the words of the language, they "returned with a full load".It looks like the four did their best to bring back as much loot as they could.Jup had rings of sand pheasants around his waist, and Top had a string of pintails around his neck.

Neb cried out with satisfaction: "Hey, my master, now we have something to do! Meat sauce, canned meat, we'll stock up a lot of delicious food! But someone will help me, Pencroft." Only you can help me."

The sailor replied, "No, Neb. I have to do the rigging. The ship needs it. You will let me do it."

"And you, Mr. Harbert?"

The boy answered, "Neb, I'm going to the corral tomorrow."

"Mr. Splane, then it will be you who will help me?"

The reporter replied: "Nab, let me help you. But I have to tell you that if you let me know your food preparation method, I will not keep it secret."

Neb replied, "Mr. Splane, whatever you like!"

Jardine Splane thus became Nab's assistant, temporarily working in the culinary laboratory.Prior to this, the engineer had told him the results of his exploration the day before.In this the reporter agreed with Cyrus Harding: though he saw nothing, there must be a secret!

Another week of cold and no one left Granite House except to tend to the poultry farm.The residence was full of fragrance all day long, and everyone was attracted by the pleasant smell, which was emitted when Neb and the reporter were making food supplies.As game can be kept very well in mid-winter, not all the game caught on the moor is canned, but some wild ducks and other waterfowl are eaten fresh, and they are said to be better than the world. All other aquatic animals should taste delicious.

During the week Pencroft worked without rest, with the help of Harbert, who was good at needlework, and soon the sails of the boat were finished.As the sail rigging was also found along with the balloon bladder, hemp rope was also sufficient.The cables of the balloon-net were of good quality hemp, which the sailors also used this time.Strong brim ropes were added to the sails, and the remaining hawsers were never used up for making shrouds, halyards, and sheet rigging.At Pencroft's suggestion, Cyrus Harding fashioned the ship's tackle on a lathe which he had previously installed.In this way, the sails and rigging are fully equipped before the ship is finished.Pencroft even erected a red, blue and white national flag made of dye plants grown on the island.Generally, the flag of American ships has 37 stars representing the 37 states of the United States, but the national flag of sailors has 38 stars.He said that the No.30 eight stars represent "Lincoln State".Because, in his heart, "Lincoln Island" has long been a part of the great republic.

"It's not in fact, but it is in our hearts," he said.

This flag was temporarily erected on the central window of Granite Palace, and everyone respectfully shouted "Hurrah" three times at it.

At this time, the cold season is about to pass.From the current point of view, this second winter seems to have passed safely, but suddenly on the night of August 8, "Prospect Heights" was almost completely destroyed.

Everyone fell asleep after a busy day.Suddenly, around four o'clock in the morning, Top's cry woke everyone up.

But this time Top did not yell around the mouth of the well, but yelled at the door, as if to rush out.

Jupp was also screaming piercingly over there.

Neb was the first to be awakened, and shouted, "Shut up, Top!"

But Top yelled still, and yelled more furiously.

Cyrus Harding: "What's the matter?"

So, everyone hurriedly dressed and rushed to open the windows to look out.

And because it was very dark that night, the first thing everyone saw was a layer of white snow, and nothing else was seen, but they clearly heard messy and strange calls from the night.Apparently, a large number of animals have invaded the beach.But covered by the thick night, they couldn't tell what kind of animals they belonged to?
"What animal?" cried Pencroft.

Neb replied, "Wolf, jaguar, or monkey!"

The reporter said: "What's going on? How did they come to the high ground?"

"And what about our vegetable gardens and poultry-yards?" cried Harbert anxiously.

"How did they get here?" asked Pencroft.

The engineer replied: "Maybe they came from the suspension bridge on the beach. Did some of us forget to close the suspension bridge?"

Sprain suddenly realized: "Yes, I remembered, I forgot."

The sailor shouted: "Mr. Spline, how can you do this!"

Cyrus Harding replied: "The matter is as it is, the most important thing is to find a way to solve it."

Such were the conversations of Cyrus Harding's companions in crisis.Needless to say, the animals had crossed the drawbridge and invaded the sand.No matter what animals, as long as they cross the suspension bridge, they may go up the left bank of the "Grateful River" to "Looking Heights". Even if they fight with them, they must go ahead of them.

There was another cry of animals, and someone asked again, "What kind of animals are these?"

Hubbert shuddered at the cry, which he had heard when he first explored the source of the Red River.He told his companions that it was the cry of a fox.

Sailor shouted: "Go!"

Armed with carbines, pistols, and axes, they rushed into the lift and down to the sand.Foxes are dangerous when they are hungry and in large numbers.But everyone ignored these, rushed into the foxes without hesitation, and shot with pistols first. The first batch of attackers were scared away by the sound of gunshots and the lightning-like brightness of the bullets.

Because once they invade, poultry farms and vegetable gardens will suffer, and will cause huge and irreparable losses, especially precious wheat fields. Therefore, the most critical thing at present is to prevent these invaders from climbing "Prospect Heights".This required a barrier to keep the foxes out on the narrow steep bank between the river and the granite cliffs.Because of the invasion of "Looking Heights", the only way is to cross the left bank of the "Grateful River".

This was well known to all, and, under Cyrus Harding's command, they arrived at the appointed place at once, when the foxes came hopping in the shadows.

Cyrus Harding, Jardin Splane, Harbert, Pencroft, and Neb, together formed a solid line of defence.Standing in front of them was Top with his fierce mouth open.Jupp, brandishing a short, knotted stick like a mace, followed close behind it.

It was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and I couldn't see my fingers.Only when shooting can one see these foreign attackers through the dim light of the dots. It seems that there are at least a hundred of them, and their eyes are shining like phosphorescent fire.

cried Pencroft: "Not one will be spared!"

The engineer replied: "They can't get through!"

However, although they couldn't get through, they still swarmed and kept moving forward.Therefore, the battle cannot be interrupted.Everyone shot with guns and hacked with axes, the ground was already full of fox corpses, but the foxes seemed to be constantly getting reinforcements through the suspension bridge, and there was no tendency to shrink at all.

Faced with so many foxes, everyone was soon forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat.They were all injured to varying degrees, fortunately only minor injuries.When a fox came kittening on Neb's back, Harbert killed it with a single shot.Top, too, was fighting fiercely.When it sees a fox, it pounces on it, grabs its throat with its claws, and bites them to death.

Jupp rushed forward, never to be left behind, and he whipped violently with his club as a weapon.Probably its eyes can penetrate the darkness, and it is always in the front of the fiercest battle, and screams of extreme excitement from time to time.There was a moment when it rushed far ahead, and through the flash of gunshots, it saw five or six big foxes surrounding and attacking it, but it fought back bravely and calmly, showing a rare composure and calmness.

After two hours, the battle finally ended with everyone's victory!It is also possible that the first light of dawn frightened off the attack of the invaders.The foxes retreated, fleeing north across the drawbridge.Afterwards, Neb hurried over to pull up the suspension bridge.

When the sun rose and it was bright, everyone counted more than 50 corpses scattered on the beach.

Pencroft exclaimed suddenly: "Where is Jupu? Where is Jupu?"

Jupu is gone!
His friend Neb also called to him, but Jup did not answer, for the first time that Jup did not answer the shouts of all.

So they split up to look for Jup, lest they find him among the dead.Everyone cleaned up the fox's corpse, and the blood of the corpse stained the snow-covered ground red.

Sure enough, however, Jupu was found among a pile of fox carcasses.Everyone found that its waist was broken and its jaw was broken.It appeared that it had been severely beaten with dreadful short sticks by those hideous animals, and several deep scars had been scratched on its chest.Maybe it was outnumbered after losing its arms.Poor Jupp still holds the stump stick in his hand now.

"It's alive!" cried Neb, stooping over it.

"The sailor replied: "We must save it, we must take good care of it, and treat it as one of us!" "

Jupp seemed to understand, and leaned his head on Pencroft's shoulder as if in gratitude.The sailor himself was wounded, but his wounds, and those of his companions, were light and insignificant.Thanks to the firearms in their hands, they can keep a certain distance from the invaders.Only Jupp was the most seriously injured.

Neb and Pencroft lifted Jupp gently into the elevator.A small, inaudible moan of pain came out of its mouth.Then slowly ascended to "Granite House", lest the rapidity increase Jupu's pain.They put Jupuan on a rug they brought from the bed, and cleaned his wound very carefully.Vital organs did not seem to be injured, but the loss of blood caused the body to be weak and the body temperature was quite high.

"Treat him like a human being," said Neb. After dressing the wound, he was helped to lie down, and he was given a strict diet.I made it a few cups of herbal tea with the herbs collected before and let it drink it.

At first, Jupp slept restlessly.Gradually, its breathing became even.They created the most peaceful resting environment for it.For fear of disturbing it, Top tipped over to see his friend, and seemed to be very pleased with how well he was being looked after.

Top licked Jupp's hand, which was hanging over the bed, as if sorry for Jupp's injury.

That morning the fox carcasses were disposed of, and transported to the Far West Forest, where they were buried deep.

The fox's aggression almost caused irreparable and heavy losses.This is a profound lesson for everyone.From then on, before going to bed every night, a person will be sent to check the suspension of all bridges to ensure that such tragedies will not happen again in the future.

During this period, everyone was really worried about Jupu for a few days, but Jupu fought tenaciously against the pain and finally won.Its fever gradually subsided.Jardine Splane, who knew a little about medicine, quickly concluded that Jupp was out of danger.

On August 8, Jupp started eating.Neb made some delicious little desserts specially for him, and the patient ate them with gusto.At last it was discovered that Jupp's little defect was a bit of a glutton, a defect which Neb never intended to correct.

Sometimes Jardine Splane would scold him for being like this, spoiling it.He'd say, "What's the matter? Poor Jup has no pleasure in anything but eating. I'd be glad to be able to thank him for his services in this way!"

After ten days of bed rest, Master Zhu Pu went to the ground.Its wounds are scarred.Soon, its original flexibility and strength were restored.Like all recovering patients, he looked very hungry.The reporter did not control this, and let him eat as he wanted.Because he believes that rational humans often overeat, while orangutans have the instinct to eat in moderation.Neb was very happy to see his apprentice regain his appetite.

He said to Jupu: "My Jupu, eat, eat all of this! You have shed so much blood for us, and I will help you restore it!"

Jupp finally made a full recovery. On August 8, Neb called his companions in surprise.

"Mr. Cyrus, Mr. Jardine, Mr. Harbert, Mr. Pencroft, come! Come!" said Neb, who was in Jupp's room.

All the people assembled in the hall stood up when they heard Neb's cry.

The reporter asked: "What's the matter?"
Neb replied, "Look!" and laughed aloud.

what did they seeMaestro Jupp was smoking with serious ease, and squatting on the threshold, like a Turk!
cried Pencroft: "My pipe! It is my pipe! Ah! My brave Jupp, smoke it, my friend, smoke it! I will give it to you as a present!"

And Jupp is still puffing intently, and seems to be getting the most out of it here.

Cyrus Harding was not surprised to see Jupu, and he gave several examples of domesticated monkeys smoking cigarettes.To those monkeys, smoking was commonplace.

Since then, Master Jupp has had his own pipe, a sailor's pipe.In Master Jupp's room, the pipe hung there next to the spare tobacco.Jupp deftly stuffed his own pipe, lit it with a charcoal, and then seemed to be the happiest animal.The loyal sailor and the noble Jupu were already inseparable, and they were inseparable.Common hobbies can keep them closer.

Pencroft sometimes said to Neb: "Would you be surprised if one day it spoke to us?"

Neb answered, "Absolutely not. I wonder if it can't talk. Anyway, it's almost talking!"

The sailor added: "I still feel very happy, and I think one day it will say to me: 'Pencroft, let's change our pipes!'"

Neb replied: "Yes, but unfortunately, it is born dumb!"

The winter is completely over in September, and everyone continues to continue various projects with enthusiasm.

Shipbuilding is progressing rapidly.The shell plating was fully fitted and lined with ribs to connect the various parts of the hull.The ribs are all steam-softened and they are true to all sizes.

Because of the abundance of wood, and in order to ensure the absolute safety and durability of the ship, Pencroft suggested to the engineer to use double-layer sealed guards inside the hull.

Cyrus Harding, who could not foresee the future, agreed with the sailors, and made the ship as strong as he could.

(End of this chapter)