Plans—A Bridge over the Mercy—Mode adopted for making an Island of Prospect¹ Heights—The Drawbridge—Harvest—The Stream—The Poultry² Yard—A Pigeon-house—The two Onagas—The Cart—Excursion to Port Balloon

The settlers in Lincoln Island had now regained³ their dwelling⁴, without having been obliged to reach it by the old opening, and were therefore spared the trouble of mason's work. It was certainly lucky, that at the moment they were about to set out to do so, the apes had been seized with that terror, no less sudden than inexplicable⁵, which had driven them out of Granite⁶ House. Had the animals discovered that they were about to be attacked from another direction? This was the only explanation of their sudden retreat.

During the day the bodies of the apes were carried into the wood, where they were buried; then the settlers busied themselves in repairing the disorder⁷ caused by the intruders, disorder but not damage, for although they had turned everything in the rooms topsy-turvy, yet they had broken nothing. Neb relighted his stove, and the stores in the larder⁸ furnished a substantial repast, to which all did ample justice.

Jup was not forgotten, and he ate with relish⁹ some stone-pine almonds and rhizome roots, with which he was abundantly supplied. Pencroft had unfastened his arms, but judged it best to have his legs tied until they were more sure of his submission¹⁰.

Then, before retiring to rest, Harding and his companions seated round their table, discussed those plans, the execution of which was most pressing. The most important and most urgent was the establishment of a bridge over the Mercy, so as to form a communication with the southern part of the island and Granite House; then the making of an enclosure[Pg 71] for the musmons or other woolly animals which they wished to capture.

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