“No, captain.”

“They are called ‘fever trees.’”

“Because they give fevers?”

“No, because they prevent them!”

“Good.  I must note that,” said the reporter.

“Note it then, my dear Spilett; for it appears proved that the presence of the eucalyptus is enough to neutralize miasmas.  This natural antidote has been tried in certain countries in the middle of Europe and the north of Africa where the soil was absolutely unhealthy, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants has been gradually ameliorated.  No more intermittent fevers prevail in the regions now covered with forests of the myrtaceae.  This fact is now beyond doubt, and it is a happy circumstance for us settlers in Lincoln Island.”

“Ah! what an island!  What a blessed island!” cried Pencroft.  “I tell you, it wants nothing—­unless it is—­”

“That will come, Pencroft, that will be found,” replied the engineer; “but now we must continue our voyage and push on as far as the river will carry our boat!”

The exploration was therefore continued for another two miles in the midst of country covered with eucalypti, which predominated in the woods of this portion of the island.  The space which they occupied extended as far as the eye could reach on each side of the Mercy, which wound along between high green banks.  The bed was often obstructed by long weeds, and even by pointed rocks, which rendered the navigation very difficult.  The action of the oars was prevented, and Pencroft was obliged to push with a pole.  They found also that the water was becoming shallower and shallower, and that the canoe must soon stop.  The sun was already sinking towards the horizon, and the trees threw long shadows on the ground.  Cyrus Harding, seeing that he could not hope to reach the western coast of the island in one journey, resolved to camp at the place where any further navigation was prevented by want of water.  He calculated that they were still five or six miles from the coast, and this distance was too great for them to attempt during the night in the midst of unknown woods.

The boat was pushed on through the forest, which gradually became thicker again, and appeared also to have more inhabitants; for if the eyes of the sailor did not deceive him, he thought he saw bands of monkeys springing among the trees.  Sometimes even two or three of these animals stopped at a little distance from the canoe and gazed at the settlers without manifesting any terror, as if, seeing men for the first time, they had not yet learned to fear them.  It would have been easy to bring down one of these quadramani with a gunshot, and Pencroft was greatly tempted to fire, but Harding opposed so useless a massacre.  This was prudent, for the monkeys, or apes rather, appearing to be very powerful and extremely active, it was useless to provoke an unnecessary aggression, and the creatures might, ignorant of the power of the explorers’ firearms, have attacked them.  It is true that the sailor considered the monkeys from a purely alimentary point of view, for those animals which are herbivorous make very excellent game; but since they had an abundant supply of provisions, it was a pity to waste their ammunition.