Two years already! and for two years the colonists1 had had no communication with their fellow-creatures! They were without news from the civilized2 world, lost on this island, as completely as if they had been on the most minute star of the celestial3 hemisphere!
What was now happening in their country? The picture of their native land was always before their eyes, the land torn by civil war at the time they left it, and which the Southern rebellion was perhaps still staining with blood! It was a great sorrow to them, and they often talked together of these things, without ever doubting however that the cause of the North must triumph, for the honor of the American Confederation.
During these two years not a vessel4 had passed in sight of the island; or, at least, not a sail had been seen. It was evident that Lincoln Island was out of the usual track, and also that it was unknown,--as was besides proved by the maps,--for though there was no port, vessels5 might have visited it for the purpose of renewing their store of water. But the surrounding ocean was deserted6 as far as the eye could reach, and the colonists must rely on themselves for regaining7 their native land.
However, one chance of rescue existed, and this chance was discussed one day on the first week of April, when the colonists were gathered together in the dining-room of Granite8 House.
They had been talking of America, of their native country, which they had so little hope of ever seeing again.
"Decidedly we have only one way, said Spilett, "one single way for leaving Lincoln Island, and that is, to build a vessel large enough to sail several hundred miles. It appears to me, that when one has built a boat it is just as easy to build a ship!"
"And in which we might go to the Pomoutous," added Herbert, "just as easily as we went to Tabor Island."
"I do not say no," replied Pencroft, who had always the casting vote in maritime10 questions; "I do not say no, although it is not exactly the same thing to make a long as a short voyage! If our little craft had been caught in any heavy gale11 of wind during the voyage to Tabor Island, we should have known that land was at no great distance either way; but twelve hundred miles is a pretty long way, and the nearest land is at least that distance!"
"Would you not, in that case, Pencroft, attempt the adventure?" asked the reporter.
"I will attempt anything that is desired, Mr. Spilett," answered the sailor, "and you know well that I am not a man to flinch12!"
"Remember, besides, that we number another sailor amongst us now," remarked Neb.
"Who is that?" asked Pencroft.
"Ayrton."
"If he will consent to come," said Pencroft.
"Nonsense!" returned the reporter; "do you think that if Lord Glenarvan's yacht had appeared at Tabor Island, while he was still living there, Ayrton would have refused to depart?"
"You forget, my friends," then said Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was not in possession of his reason during the last years of his stay there. But that is not the question. The point is to know if we may count among our chances of being rescued, the return of the Scotch13 vessel. Now, Lord Glenarvan promised Ayrton that he would return to take him off from Tabor Island when he considered that his crimes were expiated14, and I believe that he will return."
"Yes," said the reporter, "and I will add that he will return soon, for it is twelve years since Ayrton was abandoned."
"Well!" answered Pencroft, "I agree with you that the nobleman will return, and soon too. But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, and not at Lincoln Island."
"That is the more certain," replied Herbert, "as Lincoln Island is not even marked on the map."
"Therefore, my friends," said the engineer, "we ought to take the necessary precautions for making our presence and that of Ayrton on Lincoln Island known at Tabor Island."
"Certainly," answered the reporter, "and nothing is easier than to place in the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling15, a notice which Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, giving the position of our island."
"It is a pity," remarked the sailor, "that we forgot to take that precaution on our first visit to Tabor Island."
"And why should we have done it?" asked Herbert. "At that time we did not know Ayrton's history; we did not know that any one was likely to come some day to fetch him, and when we did know his history, the season was too advanced to allow us to return then to Tabor Island."
"Yes," replied Harding, "it was too late, and we must put off the voyage until next spring."
"But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that," said Pencroft.
"That is not probable," replied the engineer, "for Lord Glenarvan would not choose the winter season to venture into these seas. Either he has already returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been with us, that is to say, during the last five months and has left again; or he will not come till later, and it will be time enough in the first fine October days to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there."
"We must allow," said Neb, "that it will be very unfortunate if the 'Duncan' has returned to these parts only a few months ago!"
"I hope that it is not so," replied Cyrus Harding, "and that Heaven has not deprived us of the best chance which remains16 to us."
"I think," observed the reporter, "that at any rate we shall know what we have to depend on when we have been to Tabor Island, for if the yacht has returned there, they will necessarily have left some traces of their visit."
"That is evident," answered the engineer. "So then, my friends, since we have this chance of returning to our country, we must wait patiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see what will be best to do."
"At any rate," remarked Pencroft, "it is well understood that if we do leave Lincoln Island, it will not be because we were uncomfortable there!"
"No, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "it will be because we are far from all that a man holds dearest in the world, his family, his friends, his native land!"
Matters being thus decided9, the building of a vessel large enough to sail either to the Archipelagoes in the north, or to New Zealand in the west, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in their accustomed occupations, with a view to wintering a third time in Granite House.
However, it was agreed that before the stormy weather came on, their little vessel should be employed in making a voyage round the island. A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and the colonists had but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west and north, from the mouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes19, as well as of the narrow bay between them, which opened like a shark's jaws20.
The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Harding fully21 acquiesced22 in it, for he himself wished to see this part of his domain23.
The weather was variable, but the barometer24 did not fluctuate by sudden movements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather. However, during the first week of April, after a sudden barometrical25 fall, a renewed rise was marked by a heavy gale of wind, lasting26 five or six days; then the needle of the instrument remained stationary27 at a height of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weather appeared propitious28 for an excursion.
The departure was fixed29 for the 16th of April, and the "Bonadventure," anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage which might be of some duration.
Cyrus Harding informed Ayrton of the projected expedition, and proposed that he should take part in it, but Ayrton preferring to remain on shore, it was decided that he should come to Granite House during the absence of his companions. Master Jup was ordered to keep him company, and made no remonstrance30.
On the morning of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top, embarked31. A fine breeze blew from the south-west, and the "Bonadventure" tacked32 on leaving Port Balloon so as to reach Reptile34 End. Of the ninety miles which the perimeter35 of the island measured, twenty included the south coast between the port and the promontory36. The wind being right ahead it was necessary to hug the shore.
It took the whole day to reach the promontory, for the vessel on leaving port had only two hours of ebb37 tide and had therefore to make way for six hours against the flood. It was nightfall before the promontory was doubled.
The sailor then proposed to the engineer that they should continue sailing slowly with two reefs in the sail. But Harding preferred to anchor a few cable-lengths from the shore, so as to survey that part of the coast during the day. It was agreed also that as they were anxious for a minute exploration of the coast they should not sail during the night, but would always, when the weather permitted it, be at anchor near the shore.
The night was passed under the promontory, and the wind having fallen, nothing disturbed the silence. The passengers, with the exception of the sailor, scarcely slept as well on board the "Bonadventure" as they would have done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleep however. Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on the larboard tack33 they could keep close to the shore.
The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had already explored it on foot, and yet it again excited their admiration38. They coasted along as close in as possible, so as to notice everything, avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there. Several times also they anchored, and Gideon Spilett took photographs of the superb scenery.
About noon the "Bonadventure" arrived at the mouth of Falls River. Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered39 trees appeared, and three miles further even these dwindled40 into solitary41 groups among the western spurs of the mountain, whose arid42 ridge43 sloped down to the shore.
What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast! In proportion as one was woody and fertile so was the other rugged44 and barren! It might have been designated as one of those iron coasts, as they are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared to indicate that a sudden crystallization had been produced in the yet liquid basalt of some distant geological sea. These stupendous masses would have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first on this part of the island! They had not been able to perceive the sinister45 aspect of this shore from the summit of Mount Franklin, for they overlooked it from too great a height, but viewed from the sea it presented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equaled in any corner of the globe.
The "Bonadventure" sailed along this coast for the distance of half a mile. It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes, from twenty to three hundred feet in height, and of all shapes, round like towers, prismatic like steeples, pyramidal like obelisks46, conical like factory chimneys. An iceberg47 of the Polar seas could not have been more capricious in its terrible sublimity48! Here, bridges were thrown from one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave, into the depths of which the eye could not penetrate49; in one place, large vaulted50 excavations51 presented a monumental aspect; in another, a crowd of columns, spires52, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral ever possessed53. Every caprice of nature, still more varied54 than those of the imagination, appeared on this grand coast, which extended over a length of eight or nine miles.
Cyrus Harding and his companions gazed, with a feeling of surprise bordering on stupefaction. But, although they remained silent, Top, not being troubled with feelings of this sort, uttered barks which were repeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff. The engineer even observed that these barks had something strange in them, like those which the dog had uttered at the mouth of the well in Granite House.
"Let us go close in," said he.
And the "Bonadventure" sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore. Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existed there? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern55, not a cleft56 which could serve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliff was washed by the surf. Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vessel continued her course at a few cables-length from the coast.
In the northwest part of the island the shore became again flat and sandy. A few trees here and there rose above a low, marshy57 ground, which the colonists had already surveyed, and in violent contrast to the other desert shore, life was again manifested by the presence of myriads58 of water-fowl. That evening the "Bonadventure" anchored in a small bay to the north of the island, near the land, such was the depth of water there. The night passed quietly, for the breeze died away with the last light of day, and only rose again with the first streaks59 of dawn.
As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is to say, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ramble60 of two hours or so, and returned with several strings61 of wild duck and snipe. Top had done wonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal17 and cleverness.
At eight o'clock in the morning the "Bonadventure" set sail, and ran rapidly towards North Mandible Cape18, for the wind was right astern and freshening rapidly.
"However," observed Pencroft, "I should not be surprised if a gale came up from the west. Yesterday the sun set in a very red-looking horizon, and now, this morning, those mares-tails don't forbode anything good."
These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, their height from the sea being less than five thousand feet. They look like light pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces some sudden change in the weather.
"Well," said Harding, "let us carry as much sail as possible, and run for shelter into Shark Gulf62. I think that the 'Bonadventure' will be safe there."
"Perfectly," replied Pencroft, "and besides, the north coast is merely sand, very uninteresting to look at."
"I shall not be sorry," resumed the engineer, "to pass not only to-night but to-morrow in that bay, which is worth being carefully explored."
"I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it or not," answered Pencroft, "for the sky looks very threatening towards the west. Dirty weather is coming on!"
"At any rate we have a favorable wind for reaching Cape Mandible," observed the reporter.
"A very fine wind," replied the sailor; "but we must tack to enter the gulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknown quarters."
"Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks," added Herbert, "if we judge by what we saw on the south coast of Shark Gulf."
"Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, "do as you think best, we will leave it to you."
"Don't make your mind uneasy, captain," replied the sailor, "I shall not expose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into my ribs63 than a sharp rock into those of my 'Bonadventure!'"
That which Pencroft called ribs was the pan of his vessel under water, and he valued it more than his own skin.
"What o'clock is it?" asked Pencroft.
"Ten o'clock," replied Gideon Spilett.
"And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?"
"About fifteen miles," replied the engineer.
"That's a matter of two hours and a half," said the sailor, "and we shall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock. Unluckily, the tide will be turning at that moment, and will be ebbing64 out of the gulf. I am afraid that it will be very difficult to get in, having both wind and tide against us."
"And the more so that it is a full moon to-day," remarked Herbert, "and these April tides are very strong."
"Well, Pencroft," asked Harding, "can you not anchor off the Cape?"
"Anchor near land, with bad weather coming on!" exclaimed the sailor. "What are you thinking of, captain? We should run aground, of a certainty!"
"What will you do then?"
"I shall try to keep in the offing until the flood, that is to say, till about seven in the evening, and if there is still light enough I will try to enter the gulf; if not, we must stand off and on during the night, and we will enter to-morrow at sunrise."
"As I told you, Pencroft, we will leave it to you," answered Harding.
"Ah!" said Pencroft, "if there was only a lighthouse on the coast, it would be much more convenient for sailors."
"Yes," replied Herbert, "and this time we shall have no obliging engineer to light a fire to guide us into port!"
"Why, indeed, my dear Cyrus," said Spilett, "we have never thanked you; but frankly65, without that fire we should never have been able--"
"A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words.
"We mean, captain," answered Pencroft, "that on board the 'Bonadventure' we were very anxious during the few hours before our return, and we should have passed to windward of the island, if it had not been for the precaution you took of lighting66 a fire the night of the 19th of October, on Prospect67 Heights."
"Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer.
"And this time," continued the sailor. "unless the idea occurs to Ayrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!"
"No! No one!" answered Cyrus Harding.
A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vessel, with the reporter, the engineer bent68 down and whispered,--
"If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that I never lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October, neither on Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!"
两年了！移民们两年来没有和他们的同胞发生过任何联系！他们没有得到过文明世界的消息，他们流落在这荒岛上，就好象是在宇宙里最小的行星上似的！
现在他们的祖国发生了什么事？故乡的情景常常呈现在他们的眼前，当他们离开家乡的时候，国土正由于内战而变得四分五裂，也许，现在南方叛徒还在流着血呢！对居民们说来，这是最痛心的事情，他们常常谈论这些，然而他们一点也不怀疑，北军为美利坚合众国的荣誉而斗争的事业最后一定取得胜利。
两年来，没有一只船曾经开到海岛的视线范围里来过，至少他们从来没有看见过一叶孤帆。显然，林肯岛不在通常的航线以内，而且也没有人知道有这样一个岛——这一点，已经从地图上得到证明了——要不然，虽然这里没有港口，船只也可能来补充谈水。现在一眼望去，周围的海上什么也没有，移民们只好依靠自己，想法子返回故乡。
然而，还有一个得救的机会，在四月的第一周内，移民们有一天在“花岗石宫”的餐厅里讨论起这个机会来了。
他们最初谈到美国，谈到故乡；要想再看到故乡，希望实在是太小了。
“肯定地说，我们只有一个办法，”史佩莱说，“只有这个办法可以离开林肯岛，那就是造一只能够航行几百海里的大船。我觉得既然小船造得成，大船也不会困难的！”
“有了大船，”赫伯特补充道，“我们就可以象到达抱岛去一样，毫不困难地到帕摩图群岛去了。”
“我不反对，”潘克洛夫说，他在航海的问题上总是投赞成的票，“我虽然不反对，可是近处航海和远航却不同！到达抱岛去的时候，不管我们的小船遇到多么大的狂风，我们也都知道，海岛就在附近，可是一千二百海里却是一段相当长的路程，而离我们最近的陆地至少就有这么远！”
“在这种情况下，你不打算冒险吗，潘克洛夫？”通讯记者问道。
“只要你们愿意，我什么风险都敢尝试，史佩莱先生，”水手答道，“你们知道，我是天不怕地不怕的！”
“并且，你们不要忘了，现在我们之中又多了一个水手呢。”纳布说。
“谁？”潘克洛夫问道。
“艾尔通。”
“不错。”赫伯特说。
“那要看他肯不肯和我们一起走了，”潘克洛夫说。
“废话！”通讯记者说，“如果他还住在达抱岛，格里那凡爵士的游船到那里去的时候，你想艾尔通会不肯走吗？”
“你们忘记了，朋友们，”这时候赛勒斯.史密斯说，“艾尔通住在那个岛上的时候，最近几年来是没有理智的，可是问题不在那儿。问题在于我们能不能指望苏格兰游船回来，把我们救走。格里那凡爵士曾经答应过艾尔通，等到他认为艾尔通赎清罪恶的时候，他就来接他离开达抱岛，我相信格里那凡爵士会来的。”
“对，”通讯记者说，“我还要补充一句，他很快就会来的，因为艾尔通被放在荒岛上已经十二年了！”
“好吧！”潘克洛夫说，“爵士会回来，而且很快就要来，这我都同意。可是他的船停在哪儿呢？停在达抱岛，而不是林肯岛。”
“这更可以肯定了，”赫伯特说，“地图上根本就没有林肯岛。”
“因此，朋友们，”工程师说，“我们必须在达抱岛上做一些准备，使人们知道艾尔通和我们在林肯岛上。”
“当然，”通讯记者说，“这件事再容易也没有了，只要在格兰特船长和艾尔通住过的那所房子里留一张通知，上面写明林肯岛的位置，格里那凡爵士和他的水手一定会看见的。”
“真可惜，”水手说，“我们第一次到达抱岛去的时候，竟没有想到这样做。”
“当时我们怎会这样做呢？”赫伯特问道。“那时候我们又不知道艾尔通的历史；根本不知道有一天会有人来接他，可惜的是现在真的知道了他的历史，天气却已经太冷，不能到达抱岛去了。”
“是的，”史密斯说，“现在太迟了，我们只好等到明年春天再去。”
“万一苏格兰游船在开春以前来了呢？”潘克洛夫说。“那个可能不大，”工程师答道，“因为格里那凡爵士不会选择冬天到这一带来航海的。不是他已经到达抱岛去过——也就是说，在艾尔通和我们在一起的五个月中去过——现在又离开了那里，就是他还没有来过，要再过一个时期才会来，这样，等到十月天气好转的时候，我们到达抱岛去，留一张通知在那里，还是来得及的。”
“假如邓肯号恰好在几个月以前刚到这儿来过，”纳布说，“那就太可惜了！”
“但愿实不是那样，”赛勒斯.史密斯说，“但愿上天不剥夺我们仅仅剩下的这机会。”
“我想，”通讯记者说，“不管怎么样，等我们再到达抱岛去一次，就可以知道有指望没指望了，如果游船已经来过，他们一定会留下一些痕迹的。”
“那是肯定的，”工程师说。“因此，朋友们，既然我们还有一个回国的机会，我们就应该耐心等待，如果这个机会已经错过了，我们也应该等等看，研究怎么做最合适。”
“不管怎么样，”潘克洛夫说，“不管用什么办法，如果我们真的离开了林肯岛，那决不是因为我们嫌在这里不舒服，这一点大家都很清楚！”
“不错，潘克洛夫，”工程师说，“而是因为我们不愿远离世界上最亲切的东西：家庭、朋友和故乡！”
商量好以后，他们就不再谈造大船往北到太平洋群岛，或是往西到新西兰去的打算了。大家都忙着做日常的工作，准备在“花岗石官”里度过第三个冬天。
同时大家也一致同意，要在暴风雨来到以前，利用小船作一次环岛的航海。到目前为止，移民们还没有考察过全部沿海地带，他们对于西岸和北岸——从瀑布河口到颚骨角，以及颚骨角之间象张开的鲨鱼嘴似的狭长海湾——的情况，还仅仅是一知半解。
航海的计划是潘克洛夫提出来的，赛勒斯.史密斯完全同意，因为他自己也想看看他的这部分领地。
天气变化不定，可是气压计变动得并不剧烈，因此他们估计天气还不会太坏，然而，在四月份的第一个星期里，气压突然一度降低，等到重新上升的时候，又一连刮了五六天大风；然后指针才保持在二十九又十分之九英寸的高度上，看起来对航海是有利的。
他们决定4月14日动身，乘风破浪号停在气球港，装足了粮食，准备作一次时间相当长的航行。
赛勒斯.史密斯把航海计划告诉了艾尔通，建议他也参加。可是艾尔通愿意留在岛上，于是大家决定，在伙伴们航海期间，艾尔通暂时住到“花岗石宫”里来。杰普奉命留下来陪他，它并没有提出抗议。
4月16日清晨，全体移民——包括托普——都上船了。一阵微风从西南方吹来，乘风破浪号斜兜着风，离开气对港，向爬虫角驶去。岛的周围共长九十英里，从气球港到爬虫角之间的南岸长二十英里。由于刮的是迎头风，因此必须靠近海岸航行。
他们整整花了一天的工夫，才来到爬虫角，因为离开气球港以后，只有两个钟头是退潮，其余六个钟头他们一直和涨潮斗争，逆流航行。绕过海角的时候，天已经黑了。
潘克洛夫向工程师提议，收缩两帆，继续慢慢地前进。可是史密斯主张在离岸几锚链的地方抛锚，以便明天白天视察这部分海岸。同时，大家都希望仔细探索海岸，因此他们一致同意夜间停航，如果天气好的话，尽量保持在靠岸的地方抛锚。
他们就在海角下边过了一夜，风已经停了，周围万籁俱寂。除了水手以外，乘风破浪号上的旅客们几乎都没有象在“花岗石宫”的房间里那样睡得安稳，可是他们毕竟还是睡了。第二天4月17日，天一亮，潘克洛夫就扬起了帆，只要保持着左舷的航向，他们就可以沿着西岸前进。
这一带美丽的森林海岸，移民们是熟悉的，他们曾经徒步到这里来探索过；然而这次它还是引起了他们的赞赏。他们尽量靠岸前进，以便把一切都看清楚，海面上到处漂浮着树干，他们一直在东躲西让。航行中也曾停泊过几次，让吉丁.史佩莱在风景最好的地方拍照。
大约中午的时候，乘风破浪号来到了瀑布河口。在对面的左岸，可以看到一片稀稀落落的树木，三英里以外，连这些树木也比较少了，在西边的山岩间，只有一簇一簇生长的树木，荒芜的山脊倾斜下来，直到海滨一带、
海滨的南部和北部差别多么大啊！相形之下，一边是树木茂盛，土地肥沃，一边是地势崎岖，荒凉贫瘠！人们不妨象某些国家那样，把后面这部分海岸叫做铁滩，它的外表荒芜杂乱，看起来好象是远古时代地质海里涌出来的玄武岩浆突然结晶而成的。如果居民们当初降落在这部分荒岛上，这些大石头一定会使他们大吃一惊！他们在富兰克林山山顶上眺望的时候，因为立足点太高，没有看见这峻峭的海岸；现在从海上可以看得很清楚，它的样子非常冷落，也许世界上再也找不到这样冷落的地方了。
乘风破浪号沿岸航行了半英里。可以看得出来，这部分海滨尽是大小不同的岩石，高度从二十英尺到三百英尺不等，各种样子都有，圆的象塔楼，棱柱形的象教堂的尖顶，角锥形的象方塔，圆锥形的象工厂的烟囱。连北冰洋上的冰山也不会比它们更奇形怪状！有的地方，岩石之间似乎搭着桥梁，有的地方，一连串的拱门就好象波浪似的一眼看不到头；有的地方，巨大的洞窟显得非常雄伟，有的地方是一排排的石柱、尖塔和拱门，可以压倒任何一座“哥特式”的教堂。人们所不能想象的自然界的天工，在这片绵延八九英里的壮丽海滨上，都应有尽有了。
赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴们呆呆地看着，惊奇得几乎出了神。他们一句话也没有说，可是托普却没有这种心情，它叫了几声，从玄武岩的峭壁间传来了无数的回音。工程师发现托普叫得有些奇怪，就和它在“花岗石宫”的井口所发出的叫声一样。
“我们向岸边靠近一些吧。”他说。
于是乘风破浪号尽量贴着乱石的海岸前进。也许这里有什么值得探索的洞窟吧？可是史密斯什么也没有看见，这里没有一个洞窟，没有一个缝隙可以供任何一样东西藏身，峭壁的底部经常受着波涛的冲刷。托普不久就停止不叫了，于是他们与海滨保持着几锚链的距离，继续前进。
荒岛的西北部，海岸又变得平坦多沙了。沼泽洼地上，到处生长着树木，移民们也曾经到这里来勘察过，这一带和刚才看到的荒凉海岸完全不同，由于有许多水禽而显得很有生气。当天晚上，乘风破浪号靠近陆地，在荒岛北部的一个小海湾里停了下来，这是附近海水最深的地方。这一夜过得非常平静，随着夕阳西下，海面上变得风平浪静，直致第二天破晓的时候，才重新刮起微风。
由于上岸方便，小队的打猎老手——赫伯特和吉丁.史佩莱——就去游逛了两个来钟头，他们带回了好几串野鸭和鹬，托普显示了非常的才能，多亏它热心机灵，打下来的鸟一只也没有遗失。
早上八点钟，乘风破浪号扬起了帆，由于正赶上顺风。而且风势很快就加大起来，它飞快地向北颚角驶去了。
“恐怕要刮猛烈的西风了。”潘克洛夫说。“昨天太阳落山的时候，西边一片通红，今天早上又出现了马尾云，恐怕不是好兆头。”
马尾云是卷云的一种，它们散布在头顶离海面不到五千英尺的高空。看起来好象一片片轻巧的粗棉花，这种云经常预告人们天气要发生突变。
“那么，”史密斯说，“我们把帆尽量都张起来，赶快到鲨鱼湾去躲避吧。我想那里是可以保护乘风破浪号的安全的。”
“完全正确，”潘克洛夫说，“并且北边的海滨，尽是沙子，看起来实在没有意思。”
“就算在鲨鱼湾耽搁今天一晚和明天一整天倒也不要紧，”工程师接着说，“那里是值得仔细搜查一下的。”
“恐怕不是愿意不愿意的问题，而是非那样不可了，”潘克洛夫说，“西边的天色很不好，天气马上就要变了！”
“不管怎么样，他们到颚骨角去，总算是一路顺风。”通讯记者说。
“风倒是好风，”水手说，“但是我们一定要逆风行船才能进港，但愿我能够顺利地通过这一带生疏的海面。”
“根据我们在鲨鱼湾南岸的情况来看，”赫伯特补充道，“这部分海面好象尽是礁石。”
“潘克洛夫，”赛勒斯.史密斯说，“你认为应该怎么办就怎么办吧，我们听你的了。”
“不要担心，史密斯先生，”水手说，“我不会没有办法的！我宁可让刀子刺进我的肋骨，也决不让礁石撞坏乘风破浪号的肋骨！”
潘克洛夫所说的肋骨，就是指船在水里的部分，他把它看得比自己的骨肉还要紧。
“几点钟了？”潘克洛夫问道。
“十点钟。”吉丁.史佩莱回答说。
“离颚骨角还有多远，史密斯先生？”
“大概还有十五英里。”工程师答道。
“那就是说，还要两个半钟头，”水手说，“十二点多钟，我们就可以到达颚骨角的海面上了。倒楣的是，那时候正赶上退潮，海水要往海湾的外面流。再加上有风浪，恐怕很难进去。”
“特别今天又是满月，”赫伯特说，“四月里的潮势是很大的。”
“那么，潘克洛夫，”赛勒斯.史密斯问道，“你不能在颚骨角附近什么地方抛锚吗？”
“快要变天的时候，在靠近陆地的地方抛锚！”水手叫道。“你在想些什么呀，史密斯先生？那非搁浅不可！”
“那么你打算怎么办呢？”
“我要想法子停留在海面上，等候涨潮，也就是说，直到傍晚大约七点钟的时候；如果光线还够亮的话，我就争取进港，要不然，我们就只好整夜在海面上，一会儿靠岸，一会儿离岸，等明天早上太阳出来的时候再进去。”
“我已经说过了，潘克洛夫，你爱怎么办就怎么办。”史密斯说。
“唉！”潘克洛夫说，“如果海滨有一个灯塔，水手们就会感到方便得多了。”
“是的，”赫伯特说，“这一次好心的工程师不能点火引我们入港了！”
“真的，亲爱的赛勒斯，”史佩莱说，“我们一直还没有向你道谢呢，老实说，那次要不是那个火，我们绝不能回到……”
“火？”史密斯听了通讯记者的话以后，非常惊奇地问道。
“我们指的是，史密斯先生，”潘克洛夫回答说，“在乘风破浪号回到岛上来以前的几个钟头内，我们非常着急，要不是10月19日那天夜里，你在眺望岗上点起一堆火来，我们就要开到林肯岛的上风头去了。”
“是啊，是啊，亏得我想出这个好主意！”工程师说。
“这一回，”水手接着说，“除非艾尔通想到这一点，要不然就没有人为我们效劳了！”
“不，不会有人了！”赛勒斯.史密斯说。
几分钟以后，工程师看看只剩通讯记者和自己在船头，就弯下腰来，低低地对他说：
“我敢肯定，史佩莱，10月19日那天夜里，我绝对没有在眺望岗或是荒岛的其他地方点过火！”
