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Jules Verne. The Secret of the Island
The Secret of the Island
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Lost or saved—Ayrton summoned—Important Discussion—It is not the Duncan—Suspicious Vessel—Precautions to be taken—The Ship approaches—A Cannon-Shot—The Brig anchors in Sight of the Island—Night comes on
Chapter Two
Discussions—Presentiments—Ayrton’s Proposal—It is accepted—Ayrton and Pencroft on Grant Islet—Convicts from Norfolk Island—Ayrton’s heroic Attempt—His Return—Six against Fifty
Chapter Three
The Mist rises—The Engineer’s Preparations—Three Posts—Ayrton and Pencroft—The first Boat—Two other Boats—On the Islet—Six Convicts land—The Brig weighs Anchor—The Speedy’s Guns—A desperate Situation—Unexpected Catastrophe
Chapter Four
The Colonists on the Beach—Ayrton and Pencroft work amid the Wreck—Conversation during Breakfast—Pencroft’s Arguments—Minute Examination of the Brig’s Hull—The Powder-Magazine untouched—New Riches—The Last of the Wreck—A broken Piece of Cylinder
Chapter Five
The Engineer’s Declaration—Pencroft’s grand Hypothesis—An aerial Battery—The four Cannons—The surviving Convicts—Ayrton’s Hesitation—Cyrus Harding’s generous Sentiments—Pencroft’s Regret
Chapter Six
Expeditions planned—Ayrton at the Corral—Visit to Port Balloon—Pencroft’s Observations on Board the Bonadventure—Despatch sent to the Corral—No Reply from Ayrton—Departure the next Day—The Reason why the Wire did not work—A Report
Chapter Seven
The Reporter and Pencroft in the Corral—Herbert’s Wound—The Sailor’s Despair—Consultation between the Reporter and the Engineer—Mode of Treatment—Hope not abandoned—How is Neb to be warned—A sure and faithful Messenger—Neb’s Reply
Chapter Eight
The Convicts in the Neighbourhood of the Corral—Provisional Establishment—Continuation of the Treatment of Herbert—Pencroft’s first Rejoicings—Conversation on past Events—What the Future has in Reserve—Cyrus Harding’s Ideas on this Subject
Chapter Nine
No News of Neb—A Proposal from Pencroft and the Reporter, which is not accepted—Several Sorties by Gideon Spilett—A Rag of Cloth—A Message—Hasty Departure—Arrival on the Plateau of Prospect Heights
Chapter Ten
Herbert carried to Granite House—Neb relates all that has happened—Harding’s Visit to the Plateau—Ruin and Devastation—The Colonists baffled by Herbert’s Illness—Willow Bark—A Deadly Fever—Top barks again!
Chapter Eleven
Inexplicable Mystery—Herbert’s Convalescence—The Parts of the Island to be explored—Preparations for Departure—First Day—Night—Second Day—Kauries—A Couple of Cassowaries—Footprints in the Forest—Arrival at Reptile Point
Chapter Twelve
Exploration of the Serpentine Peninsula—Encampment at the Mouth of Falls River—Gideon Spilett and Pencroft reconnoitre—Their Return—Forward, All!—An open Door—A lighted Window—By the Light of the Moon!
Chapter Thirteen
Ayrton’s Story—Plans of his former Accomplices—Their Installation in the Corral—The avenging Justice of Lincoln Island—The Bonadventure—Researches around Mount Franklin—The Upper Valleys—A subterranean Volcano—Pencroft’s Opinion—At the Bottom of the Crater—Return
Chapter Fourteen
Three Years have passed—The new Vessel—What is agreed on—Prosperity of the Colony—The Dockyard—Cold of the Southern Hemisphere—Washing Linen—Mount Franklin
Chapter Fifteen
The Awakening of the Volcano—The fine Season—Continuation of Work—The Evening of the 15th of October—A Telegram—A Question—An Answer—Departure for the Corral—The Notice—The additional Wire—The Basalt Coast—At High Tide—At Low Tide—The Cavern—A dazzling Light
Chapter Sixteen
Captain Nemo—His first Words—The History of the Recluse—His Adventures—His Sentiments—His Comrades—Submarine Life—Alone—The last Refuge of the Nautilus in Lincoln Island—The Mysterious Genius of the Island
Chapter Seventeen
Last Moments of Captain Nemo—Wishes of the dying Man—A Parting Gift to his Friends of a Day—Captain Nemo’s Coffin—Advice to the Colonists—The supreme Moment—At the Bottom of the Sea
Chapter Eighteen
Reflections of the Colonists—Their Labours of Reconstruction resumed—The 1st of January 1869—A Cloud over the Summit of the Volcano—First Warnings of an Eruption—Ayrton and Cyrus Harding at the Corral—Exploration of the Dakkar Grotto—What Captain Nemo had confided to the Engineer
Chapter Nineteen
Cyrus Harding gives an Account of his Exploration—The Construction of the Ship pushed forward—A Last Visit to the Corral—The Battle between Fire and Water—All that remains of the Island—It is decided to Launch the Vessel—The Night of the 8th of March
Chapter Twenty
An Isolated Rock in the Pacific—The last Refuge of the Colonists of Lincoln Island—Death their only Prospect—Unexpected Succour—Why and how it Arrives—A Last Kindness—An Island on Terra Firma—The Tomb of Captain Prince Dakkar Nemo
Finis
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Jules Verne
Published by Good Press, 2019
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The convicts spoke loudly, they recounted their deeds, drinking deeply at the same time, and this is what Ayrton gathered. The actual crew of the Speedy was composed solely of English prisoners, escaped from Norfolk Island.
Here it may be well to explain what this island was. In 29 degrees 2 minutes south latitude, and 165 degrees 42 minutes east longitude, to the east of Australia, is found a little island, six miles in circumference, overlooked by Mount Pitt, which rises to a height of 1100 feet above the level of the sea. This is Norfolk Island, once the seat of an establishment in which were lodged the most intractable convicts from the English penitentiaries. They numbered 500, under an iron discipline, threatened with terrible punishments, and were guarded by 150 soldiers, and 150 employed under the orders of the governor. It would be difficult to imagine a collection of greater ruffians. Sometimes—although very rarely—notwithstanding the extreme surveillance of which they were the object, many managed to escape, and seizing vessels which they surprised, they infested the Polynesian Archipelagos. (Note. Norfolk Island has long since been abandoned as a penal settlement.)
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