Kitabı oku: «Таинственный остров / The Mysterious Island. Уровень 3», sayfa 12
– Look, my friends, upon this little corner of the earth. Here, perhaps, we may long dwell.
– Mr. Smith, – said the sailor, – we will make a little America here. We will build cities, lay railroads, establish telegraphs. We will be not castaways, but colonists. Well, let’s start!
– One minute, my friends, – said the engineer; – let’s name the island, the capes, promontories, and water-courses.
– Yes, – said Smith, – for instance, let us call the great bay to the eastUnion Bay33, the southern indentation Washington Bay34, the mountain on which we are standing Mount Franklin35, the lake beneath our feet Lake Grant36. These names will recall our country and its great citizens. What will you say, my friends?
The engineer’s proposal was unanimously applauded. Spilett put down the names over the proper places, and the geographical nomenclature of the island was complete.
– Now, – said the reporter, – to that peninsula projecting from the southwest I propose to give the name ofSerpentine Peninsula37, and to call the twisted curve at the termination of it Reptile End 38. It is just like a snake’s tail.
– And the other extremity of the island, – said Herbert, – the gulf is like a pair of jaws, let us call itShark Gulf39.
– Good enough, – said Pencroff, – and we may call the two capesNorth Mandible40and South Mandible41. Now we must name the southwestern extremity of the island.
–Claw Cape42, – suggested Neb.
The river with fresh water they called theMercy43. The islet on which they first arrived, was Safety Island44; the plateau at the top of the high granite wall above the Chimneys, from which the whole sweep of the bay was visible, Prospect Plateau 45. And, finally, that mass of impenetrable woods which covered Serpentine Peninsula, the Forests of the Far West46.
The colonists were going to descend the mountain, when Pencroff cried:
– Why, what idiots we are!
– Why so? – said Spilett, who had closed his note-book.
– We have forgotten to name our island!
Cyrus Smith said quietly:
– Let us give it the name of a great citizen, my friends, of the defender of American unity! Let us call itLincoln Island47!
Chapter XII
The colonists of Lincoln Island walked around the verge of the crater. Half an hour afterwards they were again upon the lower plateau. Pencroff thought it was breakfast time.
As they were leaving the plateau, Smith proposed to his companions to take a new road back to the Chimneys. He wished to explore Lake Grant. The colonists used only the names which they invented, and found that they could express themselves much more easily. Herbert and Pencroff were delighted, and the sailor said as they walked along:
– Well, Herbert, this is jolly! We can’t lose ourselves now, my boy, since, whether we follow Lake Grant or get to the Mercy through the woods of the Far West, we must come to Prospect Plateau, and so to Union Bay.
Pencroff, Herbert, and Neb walked in front, preceded by Top, who poked his nose into every corner. The reporter and engineer walked together. The reporter was ready to note down every incident, the engineer seldom spoke, and was picking up sometimes one thing, sometimes another, vegetable or mineral, which he put in his pocket.
About 10 o’clock the little company descended the last declivities of Mount Franklin. A few bushes and trees were scattered over the ground. They were walking on a yellowish soil, which extended to the border of the wood. Suddenly they saw Herbert, he was running back.
– What’s the matter, my boy? – said Spilett.
– Smoke, – answered Herbert. – We saw smoke, it was ascending from among the rocks, a hundred steps in front.
– Men in this region! – cried the reporter.
– We must not show ourselves till we know with whom we have to deal, – answered Smith. Where is Top?
– Top is on ahead.
– And did it bark?
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