The object of the expedition, based upon the indications of the document found in the keg that was thrown up on the shore at St. George, was to carry off Thomas Roch ere his engines were completed. The French inventor having been recovered—without forgetting Engineer Simon Hart—he was to be handed over to the care of the Bermudan authorities. That done, there would be nothing to fear from his fulgurator when the island was attacked.
When, however, the Sword had been given up for lost, another expedition of a different kind, was decided3 upon.
The time that had elapsed—nearly eight weeks—from the date of the document found in the keg, had to be taken into consideration. It was thought that during the interval4, Ker Karraje might have gained possession of Roch’s secrets.
An entente5 concluded between the maritime6 powers, resulted in the sending of five warships7 to Bermudan waters. As there was a vast cavern8 inside Back Cup mountain, it was decided to attempt to bring the latter down like the walls of a bastion, by bombarding it with powerful modern artillery9.
The squadron assembled at the entrance to the Chesapeake, in Virginia, and sailed for the archipelago, which was sighted on the evening of November 17.
The next morning the vessel10 selected for the first attack, steamed forward. It was about four and a half miles from the island, when three engines, after passing the vessel, swerved11 round and exploded about sixty yards from her. She sank immediately.
The effect of the explosion, which was superior to any previously12 obtained by new explosives, was instantaneous. Even at the distance they were from the spot where it occurred, the four remaining ships felt the shock severely13.
Two things were to be deduced from this sudden catastrophe14:
1.—The pirate Ker Karraje was in possession of Roch’s fulgurator.
After the disappearance16 of the unfortunate cruiser, the other vessels17 lowered boats to pick up a few survivors18 who were clinging to the floating wreckage19.
Then it was that the signals were exchanged and the warships started towards the island.
The swiftest of them, the Tonnant, a French cruiser, forged ahead while the others forced their draught20 in an effort to catch up with her.
The Tonnant, at the risk of being blown to pieces in turn, penetrated21 the danger zone half a mile, and then ran up her flag while manoeuvring to bring her heavy guns into action.
The occasion was an excellent one for getting a shot at them before the bombardment of their retreat was begun, and fire was opened with the result that the pirates made a rush to get into the cavern.
A few minutes later there was a shock terrific enough to shake the sky down.
Where the mountain had been, naught23 but a heap of smoking, crumbling24 rocks was to be seen. Back Cup had become a group of jagged reefs against which the sea, that had been thrown back like a gigantic tidal wave, was beating and frothing.
What was the cause of the explosion?
Had it been voluntarily caused by the pirates when they realized that escape was impossible?
The Tonnant had not been seriously damaged by the flying rocks. Her boats were lowered and made towards all that was left of Back Cup.
The landing parties explored the ruins, and found a few horribly mangled25 corpses26. Not a vestige27 of the cavern was to be seen.
One body, and one only, was found intact. It was lying on the northeast side of the reefs. In one hand, tightly clasped, was a note-book, the last line of which was incomplete.
A close examination showed that the man was still breathing. He was conveyed on board the Tonnant, where it was learned from the note-book that he was Simon Hart.
For some time his life was despaired of, but he was eventually brought round, and from the answers made to the questions addressed to him the following conclusion was reached:
Moved to his very soul at the sight of the tricolor flag, being at last conscious of the crime of lèse-patrie he was about to commit, Thomas Roch rushed through the passage to the magazine where a considerable quantity of his explosive was stored. Then, before he could be prevented, brought about the terrible explosion which destroyed the island of Back Cup.
And now Ker Karraje and his pirates have disappeared—and with them Thomas Roch and the secret of his invention.
该作者的其它作品
《Around the World In 80 Days八十天环游地球》
《海底两万里 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea》
《神秘岛 The Mysterious Island》
该作者的其它作品
《Around the World In 80 Days八十天环游地球》
《海底两万里 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea》
《神秘岛 The Mysterious Island》
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1 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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2 ascertained | |
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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4 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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5 entente | |
n.协定;有协定关系的各国 | |
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6 maritime | |
adj.海的,海事的,航海的,近海的,沿海的 | |
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7 warships | |
军舰,战舰( warship的名词复数 ); 舰只 | |
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8 cavern | |
n.洞穴,大山洞 | |
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9 artillery | |
n.(军)火炮,大炮;炮兵(部队) | |
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10 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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11 swerved | |
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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13 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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14 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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15 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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16 disappearance | |
n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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17 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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18 survivors | |
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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19 wreckage | |
n.(失事飞机等的)残骸,破坏,毁坏 | |
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20 draught | |
n.拉,牵引,拖;一网(饮,吸,阵);顿服药量,通风;v.起草,设计 | |
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21 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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22 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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23 naught | |
n.无,零 [=nought] | |
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24 crumbling | |
adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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25 mangled | |
vt.乱砍(mangle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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26 corpses | |
n.死尸,尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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27 vestige | |
n.痕迹,遗迹,残余 | |
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