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The Secret of the Island

Jules Verne

It serves as a sequel to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and follows a group of British adventurers who find themselves stranded on an island in the Pacific after a ballooning expedition goes awry.

"The Secret of the Island" by Jules Verne, translated by W.H.G. Kingston, is a novel. It serves as a sequel to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and follows a group of British adventurers who find themselves stranded on an island in the Pacific after a ballooning expedition goes awry.

This edition's title page does not name its translator.

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It was now two years and a half since the castaways from the balloon had been thrown on Lincoln Island, and during that period there had been no communication between them and their fellow-creatures. Once the reporter had attempted to communicate with the inhabited world by confiding to a bird a letter which contained the secret of their situation, but that was a chance on which it was impossible to reckon seriously. Ayrton, alone, under the circumstances which have been related, had come to join the little colony. Now, suddenly, on this day, the 17th of October, other men had unexpectedly appeared in sight of the island, on that deserted sea!

There could be no doubt about it! A vessel was there! But would she pass on, or would she put into port? In a few hours the colonists would definitely know what to expect.

Cyrus Harding and Herbert having immediately called Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Neb into the dining-room of Granite House, told them what had happened. Pencroft, seizing the telescope, rapidly swept the horizon, and stopping on the indicated point, that is to say, on that which had made the almost imperceptible spot on the photographic negative—

“I’m blessed but it is really a vessel!” he exclaimed, in a voice which did not express any great amount of satisfaction.

“Is she coming here?” asked Gideon Spilett.

“Impossible to say anything yet,” answered Pencroft, “for her rigging alone is above the horizon, and not a bit of her hull can be seen.”

Contents

  1. 01Introduction.
  2. 02Chapter One.
  3. 03Lost 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
  4. 04Chapter Two.
  5. 05Discussions—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.
  6. 06Chapter Three.
  7. 07The 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—
  8. 08Chapter Four.
  9. 09The 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
  10. 10Chapter Five.
  11. 11The 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.
  12. 12Chapter Six.
  13. 13Expeditions 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
  14. 14Chapter Seven.
  15. 15The 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
  16. 16Chapter Eight.
  17. 17The 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 Reserv
  18. 18Chapter Nine.
  19. 19No 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.
  20. 20Chapter Ten.
  21. 21Herbert 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 a
  22. 22Chapter Eleven.
  23. 23Inexplicable 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—Arriv
  24. 24Chapter Twelve.
  25. 25Exploration 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
  26. 26Chapter Thirteen.
  27. 27Ayrton’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 subterranea
  28. 28Chapter Fourteen.
  29. 29Three 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.
  30. 30Chapter Fifteen.
  31. 31The 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
  32. 32Chapter Sixteen.
  33. 33Captain 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 I
  34. 34Chapter Seventeen.
  35. 35Last 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.
  36. 36Chapter Eighteen.
  37. 37Reflections 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
  38. 38Chapter Nineteen.
  39. 39Cyrus 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
  40. 40Chapter Twenty.
  41. 41An 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
  42. 42Finis.

About this edition

Author
Jules Verne
Era
Modern (c. 1800–1945)
Reading level
Intermediate: some philosophy helps
Formats
EPUB, PDF
Length
299 pages
This edition
Modern Philosophers