"Jules Verne. Off on a Comet. WORKS" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Oh, I think we must indulge the hope that this catastrophe has not
extended far. We must trust that it has limited its mischief to some small
portion of the Algerian coast, and that our friends are all alive and well.
No doubt the governor general will be anxious to investigate the full
extent of the damage, and will send a vessel from Algiers to explore.
It is not likely that we shall be forgotten. What, then, you have to do,
Ben Zoof, is to keep a sharp lookout, and to be ready, in case a vessel
should appear, to make signals at once."

"But if no vessel should appear!" sighed the orderly.

"Then we must build a boat, and go in search of those who do not come
in search of us."

"Very good. But what sort of a sailor are you?"

"Everyone can be a sailor when he must," said Servadac calmly.

Ben Zoof said no more. For several succeeding days he scanned the horizon
unintermittently with his telescope. His watching was in vain.
No ship appeared upon the desert sea. "By the name of a Kabyle!"
he broke out impatiently, "his Excellency is grossly negligent!"

Although the days and nights had become reduced from twenty-four hours
to twelve, Captain Servadac would not accept the new condition of things,
but resolved to adhere to the computations of the old calendar.
Notwithstanding, therefore, that the sun had risen and set twelve
times since the commencement of the new year, he persisted in calling
the following day the 6th of January. His watch enabled him to keep
an accurate account of the passing hours.

In the course of his life, Ben Zoof had read a few books.
After pondering one day, he said: "It seems to me, captain,
that you have turned into Robinson Crusoe, and that I am your
man Friday. I hope I have not become a negro."

"No," replied the captain. "Your complexion isn't the fairest in the world,
but you are not black yet."

"Well, I had much sooner be a white Friday than a black one,"
rejoined Ben Zoof.

Still no ship appeared; and Captain Servadac, after the example
of all previous Crusoes, began to consider it advisable
to investigate the resources of his domain. The new territory
of which he had become the monarch he named Gourbi Island. It had
a superficial area of about nine hundred square miles.
Bullocks, cows, goats, and sheep existed in considerable numbers;
and as there seemed already to be an abundance of game,