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

The count expressed his approval of the lieutenant's caution,
and thereupon all sail was shortened so as to keep the _Dobryna_
from making any considerable progress all through the hours of night.
Few as those hours were, they seemed to those on board as if their
end would never come. Fearful lest the faint glimmer should at
any moment cease to be visible, Hector Servadac did not quit
his post upon the deck; but the light continued unchanged.
It shone with about the same degree of luster as a star of the
second magnitude, and from the fact of its remaining stationary,
Procope became more and more convinced that it was on land and did
not belong to a passing vessel.

At sunrise every telescope was pointed with keenest interest
towards the center of attraction. The light, of course, had ceased
to be visible, but in the direction where it had been seen,
and at a distance of about ten miles, there was the distinct
outline of a solitary island of very small extent; rather, as the
count observed, it had the appearance of being the projecting summit
of a mountain all but submerged. Whatever it was, it was agreed
that its true character must be ascertained, not only to gratify
their own curiosity, but for the benefit of all future navigators.
The schooner accordingly was steered directly towards it,
and in less than an hour had cast anchor within a few cables'
lengths of the shore.

The little island proved to be nothing more than an arid
rock rising abruptly about forty feet above the water.
It had no outlying reefs, a circumstance that seemed to suggest
the probability that in the recent convulsion it had sunk gradually,
until it had reached its present position of equilibrium.

Without removing his eye from his telescope, Servadac exclaimed:
"There is a habitation on the place; I can see an erection of some
kind quite distinctly. Who can tell whether we shall not come across
a human being?"

Lieutenant Procope looked doubtful. The island had all the appearance
of being deserted, nor did a cannon-shot fired from the schooner have
the effect of bringing any resident to the shore. Nevertheless, it was
undeniable that there was a stone building situated on the top of the rock,
and that this building had much the character of an Arabian mosque.

The boat was lowered and manned by the four sailors;
Servadac, Timascheff and Procope were quickly rowed ashore,
and lost no time in commencing their ascent of the steep acclivity.
Upon reaching the summit, they found their progress arrested
by a kind of wall, or rampart of singular construction,
its materials consisting mainly of vases, fragments of columns,
carved bas-reliefs, statues, and portions of broken stelae, all piled
promiscuously together without any pretense to artistic arrangement.