Таинственный остров / Mysterious Island

The southern part, from the shore to the mountain, was covered with woods; the northern part was arid and sandy. Between the volcano and the eastern coast there was a lake, surrounded by evergreens.

“So, then, it is a fresh water lake?” asked Pencroff.

“Yes, of course,” said the engineer.

“I can see a little river flowing into it,” said Herbert, pointing to a narrow brook.

The volcano did not occupy the centre of the island. It rose in the northwest, and seemed to indicate the dividing line of the two zones. On the southwest, south, and southeast, the beginnings of the spurs were lost in masses of verdure.

They remained for an hour at the summit of the mountain. The island lay stretched before them like a plan in relief[49], with its different tints, green for the forests, yellow for the sands, blue for the water. They understood the configuration of the entire island, but there remained a great question: was the island inhabited? It was the reporter who put this question. Nowhere could they perceive the handiwork of man; no late settlement on the beach, not even a lonely cabin or a fisherman’s hut. No smoke rising on the air.

The exploration of the island was finished, its configuration determined, a map of it drawn, its size calculated. They had only now to descend the declivities of the mountain, and to examine into the animal, vegetable, and mineral resources of the land. But before giving the signal of departure, Cyrus Smith, in a calm, grave voice, addressed his companions.

“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 should not consider ourselves any longer as castaways, but as colonists. Well, let’s start for the Chimneys!”

“One minute, my friends,” said the engineer; “let’s name the island, as well as the capes, promontories, and water-courses, which we see before us.”

“Yes,” said Smith, “for instance, let us call the great bay to the east Union Bay[50], the southern indentation Washington Bay[51], the mountain on which we are standing Mount Franklin[52], the lake beneath our feet Lake Grant[53]. These names will recall our country and the great citizens who have honored it. 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 of Serpentine Peninsula[54], and to call the twisted curve at the termination of it Reptile End[55], for it is just like a snake’s tail.”

“And the other extremity of the island,” said Herbert, “the gulf so like an open pair of jaws, let us call it Shark Gulf[56].”

“Good enough,” said Pencroff, “and we may complete the figure by calling the two capes North Mandible[57] and South Mandible[58]. Now we must name the southwestern extremity of the island.

“Claw Cape[59],” suggested Neb.

The river with fresh water they called the Mercy[60]. The islet on which they first set foot, was Safety Island[61]; 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[62]; and, finally, that mass of impenetrable woods which covered Serpentine Peninsula, the Forests of the Far West[63].

All was settled, and the colonists were about 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 it Lincoln Island[64]!”

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, which lay surrounded so beautifully with trees. The colonists employed in conversation only the proper names which they had just devised, and found that they could express themselves much more easily. Herbert and Pencroff, one of whom was young and the other something of a child, 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.”

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Примечания

1

Mr. Smith – мистер Смит

2

the Pacific – Тихий океан

3

tell the day from the night – отличить день от ночи

4

the whirlwind had spent its force – ураган стих

5

catch hold of the net – цепляйтесь за сетку

6

Top – Топ (кличка собаки)

7

amateurs in aerial navigation – любители воздушных путешествий

8

Cyrus Smith – Сайрес Смит

9

Massachusetts – Массачусетс

10

heavy moustache – густые усы

11

the Southerners – южане

12

Gideon Spilett – Гидеон Спилет

13

New York Herald – «Нью-Йорк Геральд» (название газеты)

14

by reputation – понаслышке

15

Nebuchadnezzar – Навуходоносор

16

Richmond – Ричмонд

17

army of Grant – армия Гранта

18

Jonathan Forster – Джонатан Форстер

19

Pencroff – Пенкроф

20

Herbert Brown – Герберт Браун

21

New Jersey – Нью-Джерси

22

have you had enough of – вам не надоел

23

made himself known – рассказал о себе

24

lithodomes – литодомы

25

shell-fish – ракушки

26

Heaven forbid! – Боже упаси!

27

clearly defined – отчётливо обрисована

28

to and fro – взад-вперёд

29

couroucous – куруку (птица из породы ворон)

30

barked his answer – лаял в ответ

31

they were determined – они твёрдо решили

32

the day began to break – забрезжил рассвет

33

to hurry them on – поторопиться

34

among the downs – между дюнами

35

turned pale – побледнели

36

in his turn – в свою очередь

37

what the devil do we care – какая нам, к чёрту, разница

38

North and South Carolina – Северная и Южная Каролина

39

Georgia – Джорджия

40

Gulf of Mexico – Мексиканский залив

41

Micronesian Archipelago – архипелаг Микронезии

42

burning-glass – увеличительное стекло

43

had made good use of their day – провели день с пользой

44

Moufflon – муфлон

45

little sulphur springs – сольфаторы (небольшие вулканы)

46

went after the combustibles – отправились за дровами

47

set foot on the summit – вышли на вершину

48

Malta – Мальта

49

a plan in relief – рельефная карта

50

Union Bay – бухта Соединения

51

Washington Bay – бухта Вашингтона

52

Mount Franklin – гора Франклина

53

Lake Grant – озеро Гранта

54

Serpentine Peninsula – полуостров Извилистый

55

Reptile End – Змеиный мыс

56

Shark Gulf – залив Акулы

57

North Mandible – Северная Челюсть

58

South Mandible – Южная Челюсть

59

Claw Cape – мыс Коготь

60

the Mercy – река Благодарения

61

Safety Island – остров Спасения

62

Prospect Plateau – плато Кругозора

63

Forests of the Far West – леса Дальнего Запада

64

Lincoln Island – остров Линкольна