Until a more complete exploration, it might be admitted that the island was uninhabited.  But was it frequented, at least occasionally, by the natives of neighboring islands?  It was difficult to reply to this question.  No land appeared within a radius of fifty miles.  But fifty miles could be easily crossed, either by Malay proas or by the large Polynesian canoes.  Everything depended on the position of the island, of its isolation in the Pacific, or of its proximity to archipelagoes.  Would Cyrus Harding be able to find out their latitude and longitude without instruments?  It would be difficult.  Since he was in doubt, it was best to take precautions against a possible descent of neighboring natives.

The exploration of the island was finished, its shape determined, its features made out, its extent calculated, the water and mountain systems ascertained.  The disposition of the forests and plains had been marked in a general way on the reporter’s plan.  They had now only to descend the mountain slopes again, and explore the soil, in the triple point of view, of its mineral, vegetable, and animal resources.

But before giving his companions the signal for departure, Cyrus Harding said to them in a calm, grave voice,—­

Here, my friends, is the small corner of land upon which the hand of the Almighty has thrown us.  We are going to live here; a long time, perhaps.  Perhaps, too, unexpected help will arrive, if some ship passes by chance.  I say by chance, because this is an unimportant island; there is not even a port in which ships could anchor, and it is to be feared that it is situated out of the route usually followed, that is to say, too much to the south for the ships which frequent the archipelagoes of the Pacific, and too much to the north for those which go to Australia by doubling Cape Horn.  I wish to hide nothing of our position from you—­”

“And you are right, my dear Cyrus,” replied the reporter, with animation.  “You have to deal with men.  They have confidence in you, and you can depend upon them.  Is it not so, my friends?”

“I will obey you in everything, captain,” said Herbert, seizing the engineer’s hand.

“My master always, and everywhere!” cried Neb.

“As for me,” said the sailor, “if I ever grumble at work, my name’s not Jack Pencroft, and if you like, captain, we will make a little America of this island!  We will build towns, we will establish railways, start telegraphs, and one fine day, when it is quite changed, quite put in order and quite civilized, we will go and offer it to the government of the Union.  Only, I ask one thing.”

“What is that?” said the reporter.

“It is, that we do not consider ourselves castaways, but colonists, who have come here to settle.”  Harding could not help smiling, and the sailor’s idea was adopted.  He then thanked his companions, and added, that he would rely on their energy and on the aid of Heaven.