Chapter XVI

On the next day, May 22, the colonists proceeded to take possession of their new abode. Still they did not intend altogether to abandon the Chimneys, but to make a workshop of it.

The engineer intended to divide the right portion of the cavern into several chambers opening upon an entrance-corridor, and lighted by five windows and a door cut in the face of the rock.

“I want to block up the passage at its mouth,” said Smith, “to seal it hermetically, and even, if necessary, to conceal the entrance.”

“And how will we get in?” said the sailor.

“By a rope ladder from the outside,” answered Smith, “which we can pull up after us.”

“But why take so many precautions?” said Pencroff. “The animals we have found here have not been formidable; and there are certainly no natives.”

“Are you so sure, Pencroff?” said the engineer, looking steadily at the sailor. “We know as yet only a small portion. But even if there are no enemies upon the island, they may come from the outside, for this part of the Pacific is a dangerous region. We must take every precaution.

The ladder was eighty feet high, and consisted of 100 rungs. The colonists rapidly accustomed themselves to the use of this ladder. The sailor, who was used to shrouds and ratlines, was their teacher. The great trouble was with Top, whose four feet were not intended for ladders. But Pencroff was persevering, and Top at last learned to run up and down as nimbly as his brothers of the circus. Sometimes the sailor carried Top up on his back, and Top made no complaints.

All this time, the question of provisions was not neglected. Every day Herbert and the reporter spent some hours in the chase. Kangaroos and boars were plenty there, and the iron-tipped spears, the bows and arrows of the hunters did wonders. One day Herbert gathered a quantity of plants possessing different medicinal properties, pectoral, astringent, febrifuge, anti-rheumatic. When Pencroff asked of what good were all this collection of herbs:

“To cure us when we are sick,” answered the boy.

“Why should we be sick, since there are no doctors on the island?” said Pencroff, quite seriously.

When the domestic arrangements had been made, the engineer proceeded to block up the mouth, so as to prevent any approach from that quarter. Great square blocks were rolled to the opening, and strongly cemented together.

At last, all was finished, just in time for the tempestuous season.

Chapter XVII

The winter season began with the month of June, which corresponded with December in our northern hemisphere. Showers and storms succeeded each other without an intermission. All this month of June was occupied with various labors. The question of clothes now came up for serious discussion. The colonists had no other garments than those which they wore when the balloon cast them on shore. These, fortunately, were warm and substantial; but everything would soon wear out, and moreover, during a vigorous winter, they would suffer severely from cold.

“Well, we must sit before the fire!” said Pencroff. “There’s plenty of fire wood.”

“Besides,” added Spilett, “Lincoln Island is not in very high latitude, and the winters are probably mild. Did you not say, Cyrus, that the thirty-fifth parallel corresponded with that of Spain in the other hemisphere?”

“Yes,” said the engineer, “but the winter in Spain is sometimes very cold, with snow and ice. Still we are on an island, and have a good chance for more moderate weather.

“We will see,” said Pencroff. “I am not going to bother myself about the weather. One thing is certain, the days are getting short already and the evenings long. Suppose we talk a little about candles.

“Nothing is easier,” said Smith.

In twenty-four hours the candles were made. Wicks were made from vegetable fibre. They were real stearine candles, made by hand, white and smooth.

Lincoln Island, though the colonists had explored but a small portion of it, already supplied nearly all their wants.

One rainy day the colonists were together in the large hall of Granite House, when Herbert suddenly cried,

“See, Mr. Smith, a grain of corn!”

And he showed his companions a single grain which had got into the lining of his waistcoat through a hole in his pocket.

“A grain of corn?” said the engineer, quickly.

“Yes, sir, but only one.”

“That’s a wonderful help,” said Pencroff, laughing.

Cyrus Smith took it, examined it, found that it was in good condition, and said quietly to the sailor:

“Pencroff, do you know how many ears of corn will spring from one grain?”

“One, I suppose,” said the sailor, surprised at the question.

“Ten, Pencroff. And how many grains are there?”

“I don’t know.”

“Eighty on an average,” said Smith. “So then, if we plant this grain, we will get from it a harvest of 800 grains; from them in the second year 640,000; in the third, 512,000,000; in the fourth, more than 400,000,000,000. That is the proportion.”

His companions listened in silence. The figures stupefied them.

“Yes, my friend,” resumed the engineer. “Such is the increase of Nature. So, Herbert, your discovery is of immense importance. Remember, my friends, that everything may be of use to us in our present situation.”

“Indeed, Mr. Smith, I will remember it,” said Pencroff. “And now what must we do?”

“We must plant this grain,” said Herbert.

“Yes,” added Spilett, “and with the greatest care, for upon it depend our future harvests!”

“Provided that it grows,” said the sailor.

“It will grow,” answered Smith.

It was now the 20th of June, a good time for planting the precious grain. The colonists walked up to the plateau above Granite House, and chose there the spot.

Chapter XVIII

The cold continued until the middle of September. Almost every day the colonists took a run out-doors, but they always soon returned. They were constantly at work over their household duties, and talked while they worked. Smith instructed his companions in everything, and especially explained to them the practical applications of science.

The colonists had no library at their disposal, but the engineer was a book, always ready, always open at the necessary page. A book which answered their every question, and one which they often read. Thus the time passed, and these brave man had no fear for the future.

The most impatient of the colonists, after Pencroff, was Top. The poor dog ran from room to room. Smith often noticed that whenever he approached the dark well communicating with the sea, which had its opening in the rear of the storehouse, Top whined in a most curious manner, and ran around and around the opening. That opening was covered over with planks of wood. Sometimes Top even tried to slip his paws under the planks, as if trying to raise them up.

The engineer several times noticed this strange behavior, and wondered what there could be in the abyss.

This well, of course, communicated with the sea. Was it in communication with other caves? Did any sea-monsters come into it from time to time from the bottom of these pits? The engineer did not know what to think, and strange thoughts passed through his mind. How to explain why Top, the most sensible of dogs, who never lost his time in barking at the moon, was trying to explore this abyss with nose and ear?

At last the cold was over. They had rain, snow-squalls, hail-storms, and gales of wind, but none of these lasted long. The ice thawed and the snow melted; the beach, plateau, banks of the Mercy, and the forest were again accessible. The colonists soon passed all their time in the open air, only returning to eat and sleep.

The question of clothes occupied Smith’s mind. It was important to undertake an expedition into the unexplored part of Lincoln Island. It was now the 24th of October. On this day Pencroff went to look after his traps. In one of them, he found three animals. It was a female peccary with two little ones. Pencroff returned to Granite House, delighted with his prize, and, as usual, made a great talk about it.

“Now, we’ll have a good meal, Mr Smith,” cried he. “Let us see; these little peccaries are only three months old. Come, Neb, I will superintend the cooking of them myself.”

The sailor, followed by Neb, hastened to the kitchen, and was soon absorbed over the oven. The two prepared a magnificent repast; the two little peccaries, kangaroo soup, smoked ham, pistachio nuts, dragon-tree wine, tea; in a word, everything of the best. But the favorite dish of all was the peccaries made into a stew. At 5 o’clock, dinner was served in the dining-room of Granite House. The kangaroo soup smoked upon the table.

After the soup came the peccaries. These pigs were indeed delicious, and Pencroff was very glad, when suddenly a cry and an oath escaped him.

“What’s the matter?” said Smith.

“The matter is that I have just lost a tooth!” replied the sailor.

“Are there pebbles in your peccaries, then?” said Spilett.

“It seems so,” said the sailor, taking out of his mouth the object which had cost him a grinder.

It was not a pebble, it was a leaden pellet.