Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1876-09-20
Our Storp GtIItr.
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THE
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND.
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by JULES VERNE.
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foosrISuKD FHou LAST wHEK
CHAPTER XXI.
BY JULES VERNE.

E Scrcral Degrees Jciow Zcro- Erplora
toa Of the S,eamp Region to tn
i Southeast THE Tteic ofthe Scd-4
= Co"rcrsotioa Coneeyntng>the Futu
, 9he Pacfc Oceon-7 The Taccssan
Tabor IF he L,/asorto- What ,eil
"e'o''o ~ mis- Glo6e-z zMe CHase-
The S@anp ofhe Taolo,-ns.
From this moment Pencroff did not
let day pass without visiting what
he called with perfect gravity, his "corr
field. y And alas, for any insects that
yentured there, no mercy would be
shown them. Near the end of the
month of June, after the intcrminable
rams, the weather became decidedly
cold, and on the 29th, Fahrenheit
thermometer would certainly have stood
at only 200 above zero.
| The next day, the 30th of June, the
day which corresponds to the 3lst of
December in the Northern Hemisphere
was a Friday. Neb said the year ended
on an unlueky day, but PcncroT an
swered that consequently the new wear
began on a lucky one, which was more
important. At all events, it began
with very cold snap. lee accumuiat-
ed at the month Of the Mercy, and the
whole surface of the lake was soon
frozen over
Fresh firewood had continually to be
procured. Pencroff had not waited for
~ - = - s--.-sa-. ,- .,.,.,..
loads of wood to their destinationn" in"rHT3bs Ms
current was a tiroloss motor, and CON
yeysd the floating wood until the lee froze
around it, TO the fuel, which the for
est SO plentiful furnished, were added
several carloads of coal, which they
found at the foot Of the spurs Of Mount
Franklin The powerful heat from the
coal was thoroughly appreciated in a
tcn,pcraturo which ON the 4th July fell
to eight degrees above zero. A second
chimney had been set up in the dining
room, where they all worked together.
During this cold spell Cyrus Smith
could no bet thankful enough that he
had conducted to Granite House small
stream Of water from Lake Grant. .-
Taken below the frozen surface, then
conducted through old weir, it arrived
unfrozen at the interior reservoir which
had been dug at the angle Of the store
house, and which, when too full empti
ed itself into the sea. About this time
the weather being very dry, the colo
nists, dressing as warmly as possible,
determined to devote day to the ex-
! ploration of that part of the island stu
ated to the southeast, between the Mercy
' -. Cane. 1t was large swampy
district and migh, a.. o.ooJ b,,,,;,,,.
as aquatic birds must abouIa 49,
They would have eight or nine miles :.
60 and as fur to. return, consequently
the whole day must be given up. As
it concerned the exploration of an un-
known portion Of the island, every one
had to take part
Therefore, on the 9TH of July. at o
o'clock in the morning, before the sun
had fairly risen, the whole party, armed
with spears, snares. bows and arrows,
and furnished with enough provisions
for the day started from Granite House,
proceeded by Top, who gambolled be-
fore them They took the shortest
route, which was to cross the Mercy o.
the blocks of ice which then obstruct-
ed it.
but as the reported very truly
observed this cannot supply the place
of real bridge.
So the construction of real bridge
was set down as work for the future Thi,
was the first time that the colonists
had set foot on the right bank of til,
Mercy and had plunged into the forest O
large and magnificent frs, then cover
with snow But they had not gone hal
mile when the barking of Top fright
ened from a dense thicket where the,
had taken up their abode. a whole fami
ly of quadrupedS.
"Why they look like foxes" sale
i; Herbert, when he saw them scamper
ing quickly away.
And they were foxes of enormou,
size. They made a sort Of bark whcl
seemed to astonish. Top, for he stopped
in his chase and gave these swift ami
mails timo to escape The dog had q
| right to be surprised, for be knew moth
ing of natural history but by this
barking, the greyish-red color Of their
hair, and their black tails, which ended
in white tuft, these foxes had betray-
ed their origin. So IIerbet gave them
without hesitation their true name Of
culpeux These culpeux are often met
with in Cali, in the Saint Malo group,
and in all those parts of America lying
between the 3OtA and 10th parallels