Abandoned Read Online
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I | |
| Conversation on the Subject of the Bullet—Construction of a Canoe—Hunting—At the Top of a Kauri—Nothing to attest the Presence of Man—Neb and Herbert's Prize—Turning a Turtle—The Turtle disappears—Cyrus Harding's Explanation | 1 |
| CHAPTER II | |
| First Trial of the Canoe—A Wreck on the Coast—Towing—Flotsam Point—Inventory of the Case: Tools, Weapons, Instruments, Clothes, Books, Utensils—What Pencroft misses—The Gospel—A Verse from the Sacred Book | 11 |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The Start—The rising Tide—Elms and different Plants—The Jacamar—Aspect of the Forest—Gigantic Eucalypti—The Reason they are called "Fever Trees"—Troops of Monkeys—A Waterfall—The Night Encampment | 23 |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Journey to the Coast—Troops of Monkeys—A new River—The Reason the Tide was not felt—A woody Shore—ReptilePromontory—Herbert envies Gideon Spilett—Explosion of Bamboos | 34 |
| CHAPTER V | |
| Proposal to return by the Southern Shore—Configuration of the Coast—Searching for the supposed Wreck—A Wreck in the Air—Discovery of a small Natural Port—At Midnight on the Banks of the Mercy—The Canoe Adrift | 45 |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| Pencroft's Halloos—A Night in the Chimneys—Herbert's Arrows—The Captain's Project—An unexpected Explanation—What has happened in Granite House—How a new Servant enters the Service of the Colonists | 58 |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| Plans—A Bridge over the Mercy—Mode adopted for making an Island of Prospect Heights—The Drawbridge—Harvest—The Stream—The Poultry-yard—A Pigeon-house—The two Onagas—The Cart—Excursion to Port Balloon | 70 |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| Linen—Shoes of Seal-leather—Manufacture of Pyroxyle—Gardening —Fishing—Turtle-eggs—Improvement of Master Jup—The Corral—Musmon Hunt—New Animal and Vegetable Possessions—Recollections of their Native Land | 81 |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| Bad Weather—The Hydraulic Lift—Manufacture of Glass-ware—The Bread-tree—Frequent Visits to the Corral—Increase of the Flock—The Reporter's Question—Exact Position of Lincoln Island—Pencroft's Proposal | 92 |
| CHAPTER X | |
| Boat-building—Second Crop of Corn—Hunting Koalas—A new Plant, more Pleasant than Useful—Whale in Sight—A Harpoon from the Vineyard—Cutting up the Whale—Use for the Bones—End of the Month of May—Pencroft has nothing left to wish for | 103 |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| Winter—Felling Wood—The Mill—Pencroft's fixed Idea—The Bones—To what Use an Albatross may be put—Fuel for the Future—Top and Jup—Storms—Damage to the Poultry-yard—Excursion to the Marsh—Cyrus Harding alone—Exploring the Well | 114 |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| The Rigging of the Vessel—An Attack from Foxes—Jup wounded—Jup cured—Completion of the Boat—Pencroft's Triumph—The Bonadventure's trial Trip to the South of the Island—An unexpected Document | 127 |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| Departure decided upon—Conjectures—Preparations—The three Passengers—First Night—Second Night—Tabor Island—Searching the Shore—Searching the Wood—No one—Animals—Plants—A Dwelling—Deserted | 142 |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| The Inventory—Night—A few Letters—Continuation of the Search—Plants and Animals—Herbert in great Danger—On Board—The Departure—Bad Weather—A Gleam of Reason—Lost on the Sea—A timely Light | 154 |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| The Return—Discussion—Cyrus Harding and the Stranger—Port Balloon—The Engineer's Devotion—A touching Incident—Tears flow | 166 |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| A Mystery to be cleared up—The Stranger's first Words—Twelve Years on the Islet—Avowal which escapes him—The Disappearance—Cyrus Harding's Confidence—Construction of a Mill—The first Bread—An Act of Devotion—Honest Hands | 176 |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| Still alone—The Stranger's Request—The Farm established at the Corral—Twelve Years ago—The Boatswain's Mate of the Britannia—Left on Tabor Island—Cyrus Harding's Hand—The mysterious Document | 191 |
| CHAPTER XVIII | |
| Conversation—Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett—An Idea of the Engineer's—The Electric Telegraph—The Wires—The Battery—The Alphabet—Fine Season—Prosperity of the Colony—Photography—An Appearance of Snow—Two Years on Lincoln Island | 203 |
| CHAPTER XIX | |
| Recollections of their Native Land—Probable Future—Project for surveying the Coasts of the Island—Departure on the 16th of April—Sea-view of Reptile End—The basaltic Rocks of the Western Coast—Bad Weather—Night comes on—New Incident | 216 |
| CHAPTER XX | |
| A Night at Sea—Shark Gulf—Confidences—Preparations for Winter—Forwardness of the Bad Season—Severe Cold—Work in the Interior—In Six Months—A Photographic Negative—Unexpected Incident | 226 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE ABANDONED
CHAPTER I
Conversation on the Subject of the Bullet—Construction of a Canoe—Hunting—At the Top of a Kauri—Nothing to attest the Presence of Man—Neb and Herbert's Prize—Turning a Turtle—The Turtle disappears—Cyrus Harding's Explanation.
It was now exactly seven months since the balloon voyagers had been thrown on Lincoln Island. During that time, notwithstanding the researches they had made, no human being had been discovered. No smoke even had betrayed the presence of man on the surface of the island. No vestiges of his handiwork showed that either at an early or at a late period had man lived there. Not only did it now appear to be uninhabited by any but themselves, but the colonists were compelled to believe that it never had been inhabited. And now, all this scaffolding of reasonings fell before a simple ball of metal, found in the body of an inoffensive rodent! In fact, this bullet must have issued from a firearm, and who but a human being could have used such a weapon?
When Pencroft had placed the bullet on the table, his companions looked at it with intense astonishment. All the consequences likely to result from this incident, notwithstanding its apparent insignificance, immediately took possession of their minds. The sudden apparition of a supernatural being could not have startled them more completely.
Cyrus Harding did not hesitate to give utterance to the suggestions which this fact, at once surprising and unexpected, could not fail to raise in his mind. He took the bullet, turned it over and over, rolled it between his finger and thumb; then, turning to Pencroft, he asked,—
"Are you sure that the peccary wounded by this bullet was not more than three months old?"
"Not more, captain," replied Pencroft. "It was still sucking its mother when I found it in the trap."
"Well," said the engineer, "that proves that within three months a gun-shot was fired in Lincoln Island."
"And that a bullet," added Gideon Spilett, "wounded, though not mortally, this little animal."
"That is unquestionable," said Cyrus Harding, "and these are the deductions which must be drawn from this incident: that the island was inhabited before our arrival, or that men have landed here within three months.
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