Chapter 9 Chapter IX Phileas Fogg crossed the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean without incident

Suez is exactly 1,300 nautical miles from Aden.According to the operating regulations of the Peninsula Steamship Company: the company's ships can cover this distance in just one hundred and thirty-eight hours.The Mongolia increased its firepower and moved forward quickly, and it seemed that it could reach the destination ahead of schedule. Almost most of the passengers embarking from Brindisi are going to India, some to Bombay, some to Calcutta, but they also pass through Bombay, because since there is a railway that traverses the entire Indian peninsula, there is no need to go there. Bypass Ceylon.

Among the passengers on the Mongol were various civil servants and generals at all levels, some were generals of the regular British army, and some were officers commanding Indian soldiers, all of whom were well paid. People are very comfortable on board the Mongol.Among these officials, there are also some young British who have gone overseas to do business with huge sums of money.The ship's purser is also the confidant of the steamship company, and his status on the ship is equal to that of the captain.He is very particular about all affairs, whether it is breakfast in the morning, Chinese food at two o'clock in the afternoon, dinner at half past five and evening meal at eight o'clock, the table is full of plates and plates of fresh cooked meat and other side dishes side dishes.The food is provided by the ship's meat supply and food department, and there are also several female guests on board, who have to change twice a day.Whenever the sea is calm, there will be music playing on board, and people can dance.

But the Red Sea, like all narrow and long bays, is often rough and tumultuous.A strong wind at sea, whether it is blowing from the coast of Asia or the coast of Africa, will make the shuttle-shaped fast ship Mongolia, which is equipped with a screw propeller, sway to and fro.At this time, the female guest disappeared, the piano stopped playing, and all the singing and dancing stopped.However, despite the howling wind and the raging waves, the ship, driven by powerful machinery, still sailed unambiguously towards the Mandeb Strait. What was Mr Fogg doing on board at this time?One might have thought that he must have spent his days grimly worrying that the changing winds would be unfavorable to the voyage, that the rolling waves would break down the machinery, that a possible accident would force the Mongol to anchor at a midway port, Thus disrupting his travel plans.

However, he didn't think so at all.Even if Mr. Fogg really thought about these possible mishaps, he wouldn't show it on his face.He is always a calm person, he is the most calm and stable member of the reform club, and no accident or misfortune can make him panic.His mood was as restless as a ship's clock.People rarely encountered him on deck.Although the Red Sea has left a rich and colorful memory in the earliest history of mankind, Mr. Fogg did not want to see it at all.He also didn't look at the strange ancient cities on both sides of the Red Sea, the shadows of the cities floating in the sky were simply like beautiful pictures.He also didn't want to think about the dangers that might happen in the Arabian Gulf: how many historians in ancient times, such as Strabon, Arian, Artemido, Edrisi, etc., all turned pale when they mentioned this place.In the past, if the navigators who passed by here did not offer sacrifices to the sea god and pray for safe travel, they would never dare to sail rashly.

So what is this strange man doing in the cabin of the Mongol?First of all, he eats four meals a day as usual, and the rocking and jolting of the ship cannot disturb his pace of life. He is simply a machine with a very delicate structure.After eating, he typed "Whistler".By the way, he'd already found some poker partners who were just as obsessed with the game as he was.One was a tax collector on his way to Goa, one was missionary Desimus Smith on his way back to Bombay, and the other was a brigade commander on his way back to the defense of Benares.These three travelers were just as addicted to whistling as Fokker was, and the four of them played cards all day long.

As for Passepartout, he was not at all sea-sick, and lived in a first-class stateroom forward; he, like Fokker, always had a good appetite.To be honest, he had nothing against such a trip.He has made up his mind.Eat well, sleep comfortably, and enjoy the scenery along the way.Besides, he was sure that this inexplicable trip would be over at Bombay! October 10, the day after departure from Suez.On deck Passepartout met again the gallant friend with whom he had spoken on the Egyptian docks.This of course pleased him. "I am not mistaken, sir," said Passepartout, going up to the man, with a very agreeable smile, "and it was you who were so kind to guide me at Suez?"

"Yes!" replied the detective, "I recognize it too, you are the butler of that queer English gentleman..." "Exactly, sir, your last name is..." "My name is Fix." "Mr. Fix," said Passepartout, "I am very glad to see you again on board. Where are you going?" "Like you, to Bombay." "That's great. Have you been to Bombay before?" "Several times," replied Fix, "I am the agent for the Eastern Peninsula Steamship Company." "Then you must be familiar with India?" Fix did not wish to dwell on it, but replied, "Yes, . . . of course."

"Is India an interesting place?" "It's very interesting! There are many solemn mosques, tall minarets, magnificent temples, ascetics begging for alms bowls, pagodas, spotted tigers, black-skinned poisonous snakes, and Indian girls who can sing and dance I would like you to have a good time in India." "Why don't I want to go for a walk, Mr. Fix, you fully understand that how can a sane man suffer by saying that he will travel around the world in eighty days, every day when he gets off the ship. No one can bear to get on a train, and then get on a ship right after getting off the train! This gymnastic journey is over in Bombay, no problem, you see."

"How is Mr. Falk lately?" asked Fix, casually. "He's all right, Mr. Fix, and I'm all right. I'm eating like a hungry ghost now, and it's all because of the ocean climate." "Where's your master? How come I haven't seen him on deck?" "He never comes on deck. He's an unspectacular fellow." "Mr. Passepartout, do you know that this gentleman who pretends to travel around the world in eighty days may secretly have another secret mission...for example, a diplomatic mission or something!" "God knows! I tell you the truth, Mr. Fix, I don't know a thing. Really, I wouldn't pay a penny to find out about such things!"

Since this meeting, Passepartout and Fix have often chatted together.The detective tried his best to get close to the butler Fogg so that he could be used if necessary.So Fix used to buy Passepartout a few glasses of whiskey or white beer in the ship's bar.In order not to owe favors, he also asked Fix to pay back.He decided that Fix was a very decent man. The Mongol was indeed running very fast. On the 13th day, they saw the collapsed city walls around Moka, and some green date palm trees grew on the walls.In the distance, among the thousands of mountains, there are coffee plantations one by one.Passepartout could not help looking at this famous city with pleasure.In his opinion, this ancient city composed of some ring-shaped broken walls, together with the ruined castle next to it that looks like a teacup handle, looks like a huge coffee cup.

That night, the Mongol crossed the Mandeb Strait.The name means "gate of tears" in Arabic.The next day was the 14th, and the Mongolian berthed at Steamship Cape in the northwest of the Gulf of Aden, because it was going to add coal there. It is indeed an important and difficult business to carry coal from the mines so far to Steamboat Point to supply the steamers which come and go.The coal expenses of the Eastern Peninsula Shipping Company alone cost 800,000 pounds (20 million gold francs) a year.Coal depots had to be established in several ports, but the price of coal was as high as eighty francs a ton to transport it to such a remote sea. The Mongol still had one hundred and fifty nautical miles to Bombay, and had to stop at Steamboat Point for four hours to fill up the bilge coal bunker. But this delay of four hours did not hinder Mr. Fogg's travel plans, because he had already expected it.Besides, the Mongol was supposed to arrive in Aden on the morning of October 15th, but now it is the night of the 14th.That is to say, rich for fifteen hours. Both Mr. Fogg and his servant went ashore.This gentleman is going to do passport visa procedures.But Fix followed quietly behind.After Mr. Fogg had completed the visa formalities, he returned to the ship and continued to beat his "whistler". The city of Aden had 25,000 inhabitants, among whom were Somalilanders, Banyans, Parsees, Jews, Arabs, and Europeans.As usual, Passepartout strolled among the motley crowd.He admired the coastal defenses that made Aden the Gibraltar of the Indian Ocean, and admired the ingenious underground cisterns.For two thousand years, following the engineers of King Solomon, many British engineers participated in the construction work here. "How interesting, how interesting!" said Passepartout to himself, when he returned to the ship; "now I understand that the best way to see new things is to travel." At six o'clock in the evening, the Mongol anchored.The blades of the propeller beat the sea water in the Gulf of Aden, and in a short while, it drove into the Indian Ocean.According to regulations, the Mongolia should sail from Aden to Bombay within 168 hours.However, the current climate conditions in the Indian Ocean are very favorable for sailing. The northwest wind is always blowing on the sea, and the sails effectively help the machine to move forward.Since the Mongol was moving with the wind, it didn't sway much.At this time, the female guests in rich and colorful clothes appeared on the deck again.People sang and danced, and the boat began to rejoice.This section of the voyage passed under such smooth conditions.Passepartout was very happy to have, by chance, met such a dear friend as Fix. By noon on Sunday, October 20, the coast of India was in sight.Two hours later, the pilots boarded the Mongolia.A distant view of mountains loomed on the horizon, set off beautifully and harmoniously against the blue sky.After a while, I saw rows of lush palm trees blocking the city of Bombay.The Mongolia sailed into the harbor surrounded by Salset Island, Colaba Island, Elephant Island, and Butcher Island, and arrived at the Mumbai pier at half past four. At this time, Phileas Fogg was finishing the thirty-third game of the day. He and his partner, because of a bold hand of cards, won thirteen decks. This voyage also followed. With the complete victory of this game of cards, it came to an end. According to regulations, the Mongol should have arrived in Mumbai on October 22.But it will arrive on the 20th.So Mr. Fogg had gained two days from his departure from London.Mr. Fogg officially entered this time in the Surplus column of his travel diary.