Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 6.djvu/291

 now, even after all the industrious colonists had manufactured, these treasures would find their use.

There was no want of space in the store-rooms of Granite House, but time would not allow them to stow away the whole. Moreover, it would not do to forget that the six survivors of the Speedy's crew had landed on the island. They were in all probability scoundrels of the deepest dye, and the colonists must be on their guard. Although the bridges over the Mercy were raised, the convicts would not be stopped by a river, and, rendered desperate, these wretches would be capable of anything.

They would see later what plan would be best to follow; but in the meantime it was necessary to mount guard over the spoils heaped up near the Chimneys. This the settlers did in turn during the night.

The morning came, however, without the convicts having attempted any attack. Master Jup and Top, on guard at the foot of Granite House, would have quickly given the alarm. The three following days—the 19th, 20th, and 21st of October—were employed in saving everything of any use whatever, either from the cargo or rigging of the brig. At low tide they overhauled the hold—at high tide they stowed away the rescued articles. A great part of the copper sheathing had been torn from the hull, which every day sank lower. But before the sand had swallowed the heavy things which had fallen through the bottom, Ayrton and Pencroft, diving to the bed of the channel, recovered the chains and anchors of the brig, the iron of her ballast, and even four guns, which floated by means of empty casks, were brought to shore.

It may be seen that the arsenal of the colony had gained by the wreck. Pencroft, always enthusiastic in his projects, already spoke of constructing a battery to command the channel and the mouth of the river. With four guns, he engaged to prevent any fleet, "however powerful it might be," from venturing into the waters of Lincoln Island!

When nothing remained of the brig but a useless hulk, Cyrus Harding had intended to blow her up, so as to collect the remains on the shore, but a strong gale from the northeast forestalled in the use of his powder. The hull entirely broke up, and some of the wreck was cast up on the beach.

As to the papers on board, it is needless to say that al-