And still the Unicorn did not arrive, and the end of October was approaching. Every morning M. Zermatt and Ernest and Jack expected to be awakened by the firing of guns. The weather was magnificent. The translucent haze on the horizon melted as the sun rose. Far as sight could travel over the open sea, all eyes sought the Unicorn.
On the 7th of November, all joined in an expedition to Prospect Hill. But no sail was passing out beyond the bay. In vain did all eyes scan the horizon to west, east, north! It was from the direction of False Hope Point that they looked for the realisation of their dearest hopes, from the direction of Cape East that disaster might come.
And so all stood in silence upon the summit of the hill, half in hope, half in fear.
END OF "THEIR ISLAND HOME"
[In "The Castaways of the Flag," which forms a sequel to this story, you can read how it was the Unicorn was delayed, what had happened to her passengers, and how the presence of savages on New Switzerland affected the Zermatts and the Wolstons.]
[1] It was this journal which appeared under the title of "The Swiss Family Robinson."
[2] Mr. Wolston was not deceived in speaking like this; seventy years later the extraordinary increase of the rabbits had become such a menace to Australia that the most active steps had to be taken for their destruction.