roarings of rather a suspicious nature had been heard during the evening, a good fire was made up for the night, so as to protect the sleepers with its crackling flames. Neb and Pencroft also watched by turns, and did not spare fuel. They thought they saw the dark forms of some wild animals prowling round the camp among the bushes, but the night passed without incident, and the next day, the 31st of October, at five o'clock in the morning, all were on foot, ready for a start.
CHAPTER IV
THE SAVAGE WEST
It was six o'clock in the morning when the settlers, after a hasty breakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way the western coast. How long would it take to do this? Cyrus Harding had said two hours, but of course that depended on the nature of the obstacles they might meet with. As it was probable that they would have to cut a path through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, they marched ax in hand, and with guns also ready, wisely taking warning from the cries of the wild beasts heard in the night.
The exact position of the encampment could be determined by the bearing of Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distance of less than three miles, they had only to go straight towards the southwest to reach the western coast. They set out, having first carefully secured the canoe. Pencroft and Neb carried sufficient provisions for the little band for at least two days. It would not thus be necessary to hunt. The engineer advised his companions to refrain from firing, that their presence might not be betrayed to anyone near the shore. The first hatchet blows were given among the brushwood; and, his compass in his hand, Cyrus Harding led the way.
The settlers descended the slopes which constituted the mountain system of the island, on a dry soil, the luxuriant vegetation of which indicated it to be watered either by some subterranean marsh or by some stream. However, Harding did not remember to have seen from the summit of the crater, any other watercourses but Red Creek and the Mercy.
