Chapter 24 26.heading to australia

Jazz has always done things swiftly and resolutely, never wasting time.As soon as Paganel's proposal was accepted, he immediately ordered all preparations for the journey to be made, and set off the next day. What will be the result of this time across the Australian continent?Now that Captain Grant's presence on this continent has become an irrefutable fact, the expedition may be fruitful, and there must be more opportunities to find clues.People will start along the 37th parallel south latitude, and of course no one can be sure that they will be found on this line.But there may be traces of him on this line, and this line leads directly to the wreck site.That's the main goal.

Moreover, Ayrton agreed to go with them, as guide, leading them through the woods of Victoria, and to the east coast, which added to the chances of success.He was very glad to have the help of Captain Grant's sailors, and asked the farmer if he was in any way inconvenienced by Ayrton's absence. Although Omor was reluctant to lose a good helper, he still agreed. "And you, Ayrton, will you join us in finding your companion in distress?" The bosun did not answer at once, but hesitated for a moment, and then, having considered everything, said: "Well, sir, I will go with you. If there is no sign of the captain, I will at least lead you to the place where it happened."

"Thank you, Ayrton," said Sir. "I want to ask you a question, ser." "Speak, friend." "Where are we going to rendezvous with the Duncan?" "If we don't have to go all the way, let's go to Melbourne; if we go straight to the east coast, we'll meet there." "And what about the captain of the Duncan?" "The captain is in Melbourne awaiting instructions." "Well, sir, you just have to trust me." "Of course I trust you." Ayrton, the bosun's captain of the Britannia, was warmly welcomed by the crew, and Grant's sons and daughters expressed their gratitude to him.All but the Irish immigrant were happy with his decision.Only Omor didn't like it very much, because Ayrton was going away, and he lost a wise and faithful assistant, but he knew that this expedition must be guided by him, so he had to reluctantly part with him.The Sir asked Omor to provide transportation, and after the agreement was made, the passengers returned to the ship, and agreed with Ayrton on the time and place of meeting.

Everyone happily returned to the ship, everything changed, and all worries disappeared. Those brave visitors didn't have to fumble around inland, and everyone's heart was filled with the joy of gaining confidence. If all goes well, maybe the Duncan will be able to send Captain Grant to the coast of Scotland in two months! When Captain Mengele supported the proposal for a transcontinental trip, he thought he must be part of the caravan.Therefore, when discussing the action plan with the Jazz, they put forward various reasons and insisted on going. "There's only one question, don't worry about it," said Sir, "and that is, can your mate be trusted?"

"Absolutely," replied the captain, "Austen is a good seaman. He will surely get the Duncan to her destination, and he will repair it as soon as possible with his ingenuity. And he is a man of duty, and he will never change it on his own initiative." planned or delayed. Your Excellency, therefore, has as much confidence in him as in me." "In that case, well, you will come with me," he continued, "and it would be good if you were there when we find Mary's father." "Ah, sir!..." Mengele replied vaguely. That's all he said, because he was very emotional.

The next day, the captain took the carpenter and several sailors to the farm with food, and he was in charge of discussing with Omor about organizing transportation. The owner's whole family was waiting for them, ready to start working at his command.Ayrton is also here, and he does not hesitate to give a lot of advice based on his accumulated experience. On one point, Omor and Menger agreed: female passengers ride in ox carts, and male passengers ride horses.The owner can provide carts, cattle and horses. That kind of ox cart is a large trailer with a length of 6 meters, covered with a large leather canopy, and has four board wheels underneath, without spokes and iron hoops on the wheels.The front of the car is far away from the rear and cannot make sharp turns.A 10-meter shaft is installed on the front of the car, and six cows are prepared to stand on the side of the shaft in pairs.Driving such an ox cart requires skill.Ayrton was a master at driving, and the duty of driving belonged to him.

There were no springs on the car, and the bumps were terrible. Mengele couldn't do anything to improve this rough thing, only the interior of the car could be better arranged.There is no first, divide the carriage into two sections, with wooden boards in the middle.The rear section holds food, luggage and cooking stoves, and the front section takes female passengers.After carpentry, the front part has been turned into an exquisite cabin, with carpets on the floor, washing facilities inside, and two beds for Mrs. Helen and Miss Mary.There are leather curtains hanging around, which can be put down at night to keep out the cold.If it rains, the male guests can hide in to shelter from the rain, but during normal nights, they live in another tent.The captain racked his brains to turn this small place into a safe haven, and he succeeded.Lady Helene and Miss Mary would not miss a ship's stateroom in this traveling cabin.

As for the male guests, it is relatively simple: Jazz, geographer, Robert, major, captain, and two sailors, Wilson and Murady, each with a horse, and these two sailors can "navigate" on land again "Yes.Ayrton drove, of course sitting in the front. Mr. O'Bierre didn't like riding, so he preferred to sit in the trunk. The cattle and horses all graze on the estate's meadows and are easy to muster for departure. Mengele made all the arrangements and took the Irish immigrant family to the ship.This family will pay homage to your lordship.Ayrton also felt that it would be well to go with them, so, towards four o'clock, the captain entered the cabin with a large number of guests.

They are warmly welcomed.Jazz left them to dine on board.The kindness was hard to turn down, and they gladly accepted it.Omor was surprised to see all this.He admired the furniture, the closets, and the ship's maple and rosewood fittings. Ayrton, on the contrary, does not appreciate these unnecessary expenses very much. However, the bosun made a survey of the cruise ship from the point of view of sailing.He visited all the way to the belly of the ship, looked at the machine, and asked about the horsepower and coal consumption of the machine; he went to the coal bunker and the grain bunker; he paid special attention to the weapon room, and learned about the performance and range of the cannon.Mengele heard his professional remarks and knew that Ayrton was an insider.Finally, he inspected the masts and rigging, and thus concluded his visit.

"You have a fine yacht, sir, and what tonnage is it?" he asked. "210 tons." "The boat runs nine miles in an hour at full speed," said Ayrton, "and I suppose it's about the same?" "If it says ten kilometers," corrected the captain, "then you guessed right." "Ten kilometers," cried the helmsman, "then no man-of-war can overtake it." "Yes," replied the captain proudly, "the Duncan is a racing boat, and she can't lose in any way she sails." "Does Zhang Fan sail faster than other ships?"

"That's right," Mengele said again. "Then, sir, and you, captain," continued the bosun, "please accept my congratulations as a common seaman!" "Well, Ayrton," said Sir, "you may come and do business in this ship whenever you like." "I'll think about it in the future," replied the bosun simply. At this time, Mr. Obir came to report that the banquet had been set, and everyone was invited to sit. "What a clever character, Ayrton," said the geographer to the major. "How clever!" said the major vaguely.He always felt that there was something wrong with the bosun's face and manner, which, we should say, was perhaps due to prejudice and jealousy. During the dinner, the boatswain gave many interesting introductions to the continents he was familiar with.He asked Sir how many sailors he took to travel on the Continent.Hearing this, he only brought Murady and Wilson to express surprise.He advised Sir to find some more.On this point, he even insisted again and again. Such insistence should have completely dispelled the Major's antipathy towards him. "Why do you do that?" Sir asked. "Is there no danger on the way?" "There is no danger," replied the bosun. "Then, try to keep the sailors on board as much as possible. The Duncan is in need of manpower for sailing and repairs. It is especially important that we have to designate a place to join her in the future. Therefore, it is better to keep the manpower on board." Ayrton seemed to understand Sir's meaning, and stopped persuading him. It was getting late and the passengers parted with the Irishman.Ayrton and the Omor family returned to their estate.The chariots and horses should be ready for tomorrow, and the departure time is eight o'clock tomorrow morning. It didn't take long for Lady Helene and Mademoiselle Marie to make all the necessary preparations, and the things they brought were far less trembling than Paganel's.The scholar spent half the night dismantling his huge telescope, wiping and wiping, wiping and reinstalling.So he was still fast asleep when the Major awoke him with a thunderous voice at dawn the next day. The luggage was sent to the farm, and a small boat was waiting below. Mengele and his party jumped aboard, and the captain gave the last order to the first mate Austin.Instruct him to wait for the order in Melbourne, and to carry it out under any circumstances. The old seaman asked the captain to rest assured, and wished the success of the expedition on behalf of all the seamen.The skiff left the ship, and a thunderous "Woo-la!" resounded through the sky.It took only 10 minutes for the boat to dock, and a quarter of an hour later, the group of people appeared in the Omor Manor. Everything was ready, and Lady Helene was overjoyed to see the bunk prepared for her.She also likes the huge primitive bullock cart.The six cows, lined up in pairs, looking like old parents, also suit her taste.Ayrton, bullwhip in hand, was waiting for his new master's order. "Ah! this is a wonderful car!" said the geographer. "It is better than all the mail coaches in the world. Like a charlatan, there is no better way to travel around the country. A mobile A house that can stop, walk, come and go, is there anything better than this? We have finally realized the fantasy of the ancient nomadic Samats." "Mr. Paganel," said Madame Helene, "in the future You can visit my living room now." "Of course, ma'am," replied the scholar, "that would be my honor, and I shall not miss the opportunity." "I shall look forward to your coming every day," said Madame Helene, "and you are..." "I am the most ardent of your friends, am I not?" Paganel smiled courteously at Helene. The social rhetoric was interrupted by seven horses, saddled and neighing.Sir finished the accounts, paid for all purchases, and said many words of thanks.The Irish immigrant felt that words were more precious than money. As soon as the departure signal was given, Lady Helene and Miss Mary got into the "sleeping carriage", Ayrton climbed onto the throne, Aubier got into the trunk, and the rest mounted their horses.Omor yelled "God bless you!" The whole family echoed.With the neighing of the cows and horses, the wheels rolled, the carriage boards creaked, and after a while, the road turned, and the farm of the honest and hospitable Irishman disappeared. December weather in the northern hemisphere has turned cold, wet and nasty.It's different in the Southern Hemisphere, where it's hot summer.On the day of departure, summer has already arrived for two days, because the sun enters Capricorn on December 21, and it spends less and less time on the horizon each day.Therefore, the expedition of Golinarvan and his party was almost carried out under the sun as tropical as it was. The British territories in the Indian Ocean in this area are collectively called Australia, which includes New Holland, Tasmania, New Zealand and several surrounding islands.As for the continent of Australia, it is divided into many colonies of different sizes, rich and poor, and the boundaries between these colonies are all straight.The British are good at drawing such boundaries at will, regardless of differences in terrain, rivers, climate and race.The colonies are all long squares, one next to each other, and they are inlaid with each other, just like a mosaic of squares.Straight lines and right angles are seen to be the tricks of the geometers, not of the geographers.Only the twists and turns of the shoreline represent nature's protests against artificial orderliness with vivid and lovely irregularities. It's no wonder that this checkerboard division was often laughed at by Paganel.If Australia had belonged to France, French geographers would never have loved the ruler and the pencil to such an extent. The continent of Oceania is now divided into six colonies, and only the seaside is populated by immigrants.Only a small number of bold residents ventured 324 kilometers inland to live, but they did not know whether they lived or died.As for the real hinterland, almost no one knows its inside story. Fortunately, the 37th parallel does not pass through these uninhabited places, where many scientists have explored and never returned.Jazz will not take the risk. Now, the southern part of Australia that he wants to pass includes: the long and narrow part of Adelaide, the whole of Victoria and the tip of the inverted triangle of New South Wales. From the manor to the border of Victoria, less than 100 kilometers, can be completed in two days.Ayrton planned to spend the night in Aspen Ray, the westernmost city in Victoria Province, the next night. At the beginning of the trip, it is always "the spirit of the man on the saddle, and the spirit of the man off the saddle".The human spirit is irrelevant, but the active horse needs to be controlled a little bit. "Whoever wants to go a long way must cherish the horse's steps."Therefore, everyone decided to walk only 40 to 50 miles a day on average, not much.Moreover, "an old cow pulls a broken cart", the speed is very slow, and the carriage has to match the bull's pace.The cart, together with its occupants and supplies, became the core of the guard, like a mobile fortress.The rider should walk on both sides of the car as much as possible, but not too far away from the car. There is no special order for people and horses, and they can walk freely within a certain range. Those who are good at hunting run in the wilderness, and those who are good at communication talk with female guests. It is a gathering of philosophers to discern philosophy.Paganel was good at everything, so he was very busy. The first part of the journey was nothing spectacular.A series of hills, not high but bare.A vast piece of wasteland forms what people call a "grass breeding area"; many grasslands are covered with patches of bushes. These plants have a salty taste and pointed leaves. Sheep love to eat them. They can be walked for several kilometers. , It seems that it is nothing more than these things.Sometimes you can also see an animal with a pig's head and a sheep's body - a pig face cover, grazing under the telephone poles. Up to here, this plain is no different from Banpass grassland, with flat green grass, blue sky, and herds of wild animals.The major insisted that this was still Argentina, but the geographer assured that the terrain would soon change.Because of his assurance, everyone looked forward to the emergence of new things. It was almost 3 o'clock, and the car walked through a large treeless wilderness, commonly known as "Mosquito Field".This is a veritable world of mosquitoes, the annoying two-winged insects that constantly bite people, which makes the whole group of people and cattle and horses very distressed.It is impossible to prevent mosquitoes from biting you. Fortunately, there is plenty of ammonia water on the mobile car. If you are bitten, you can wipe it and it will immediately relieve the itching and pain. Paganel is big, and those stubborn mosquitoes especially patronize him. He was so angry that he scolded his mother. In the evening, several fences made of bean curd trees dotted the plain, and there were a few white gum trees scattered here and there. A little farther away, there was a newly pressed track, and then there were some exotic tree species: olive tree, lemon tree, etc. Trees, green trees, and finally, some fences to protect the garden.At eight o'clock in the evening, driven by the whip, the cow stepped up and arrived at the red glue station. The so-called "station" refers to the buildings on the grassland for raising livestock.We know that livestock is a major asset on the Australian grasslands.The shepherds are "ground-sitters," that is, people who sit on the ground.Indeed, immigrants who are far away from their homeland are nomadic in the boundless grassland. When they are tired, the first action is to sit on the ground. The Red Gum Station is a small building, but the Jazz has received great hospitality.These remote people are always hospitable.It can be seen everywhere in the Australian immigration area. The next day, at dawn, the travelers moved again.They will arrive in Victoria Province that night.The ground gradually became uneven, and the hills were winding and undulating, with no end in sight. The hills were covered with strips of red fine sand, which looked like a big red flag wrinkled by the wind.A few straight white-barked fir trees stretched out their branches and shaded the fertile pasture with dark green leaves, and the grassland was full of lively kangaroos.After a while, people saw a large area of ​​thorns and small gum trees.Soon, these bushes gradually changed from dense to sparse, isolated small trees turned into big trees, and began to show the style of a primeval forest. However, when approaching the Victorian border, the scenery changed significantly, and pedestrians felt that they were stepping on a new ground.They always move in a straight line, regardless of any obstacles such as hills or lakes.They are always staring at the first theorem of geometry, and they are literally walking the shortest distance between two points in a straight line.All fatigue and difficulties are completely forgotten. Their speed is determined by the speed of cattle. These calm animals do not go fast, but they do not stop. In this way, I walked 100 kilometers in one breath and divided it into two days. On the evening of the 23rd, I arrived at the Aspen area, which is the first city in the west of Victoria.The car was sent to the inn by Ayrton, and this inn called "The Crown Hotel" was the best hotel in the city.In the evening, all the mutton was served on the table, steaming hot, various and very rich. We ate a lot and talked a lot.Everyone wanted to know about the curiosities of the Australian continent, and so were eager for the geographer to start the conversation.Naturally, without asking, Paganel started writing articles in Victoria on the topic of "Happy Australia". "Happiness is not the right word!" he said. "We should say abundance, for happiness and abundance are not the same. Australia has gold mines, but they are occupied by adventurers. We walked through the gold mines." area, you can see it." "Victoria is a colony with a short history?" Mrs. Helen asked. "Yes, ma'am, only thirty years old. It was Tuesday, June 6th, 1835..." "7:15 p.m.," continued the major, who was fond of joking with geographers who gave dates. "No, it was seven ten minutes past seven," said the geographer again solemnly. "Bateman and Falkner established a stronghold at Port Philip, on the bay to the east of Melbourne. The first 15 years In the middle, this colony was considered a part of New South Wales, and later declared independence, called Victoria Province." "Prosperity after independence?" Sir asked. "Just think, my noble friend!" replied the Geographer. "Here are some recent statistics, which, whether the Major hates them or not, seem very interesting to me." "You agree," said the major. "In 1836, there were 244 people in the colony. Today, there are half a million people. Seven million vines produce 121,000 gallons of wine a year. Thirteen thousand horses gallop the plains, and 675,000 Two hundred and seventy-two cattle graze on the endless pasture." "And the pigs?" asked the major again. "Sorry, I almost forgot. There are 79,625 pigs." "How many sheep, Paganel?" "7,119,943 sheep, Mr. Major." "Does the head we're eating now count?" "No, not included, we have eaten three-quarters of this sheep." "Wonderful! It's a geographer!" Mrs. Helen cheered, "It must be admitted that this scholar is too familiar with these issues. His cousin MacNabbs can't trouble him at all." "Of course, until now there has been no..." the major continued, deliberately arousing his interest. "Wait a minute, Monsieur Major!" cried Paganel, "I tell you, I assure you, this place is the strangest place in the world. The formation, topography, properties, climate, and even Its future disappearance will not at all surprise all the scholars of the world. The continent was not first formed from the center, but rose up on all sides, like an infinite circle; then its middle formed An inland sea was formed and slowly dried up. Now there is no moisture in the air or soil; the trees shed their bark once a year, the leaves never fall, and the leaves face away from the sun, so there is no shade; wood often cannot be burned; stones are exposed to rain the trees grow very low, but the grass grows very high; the strange types of animals, quadrupeds and long-billed birds, such as platypus, make biologists have to add another "monotreme" to them "New species; kangaroos hop on uneven legs; goats with pig's heads; raccoons fly; swans are black; mice build nests; brooding birds greet guests; birds sing and The gestures make you unable to imagine, some are like a clock telling the time, some are like a whip whipping, some are making the sound of sharpening knives, some are ringing with the pendulum sound of "Dida, Tida", and some are waving in the morning. They chirped when they came out, and some cried at dusk and sunset! Ah! What a strange, illogical place! What a land that is not close to human feelings and natural laws!" Paganel's grand discourse, uttered with complacency, seems to be chattering endlessly.He's always talking up, gesticulating, forks flying in his hands, and it's dangerous to sit next to him.Finally, a thunderous applause silenced his words.He finally fell silent. Of course, people are already satisfied with the stories he told about the Arabian Nights, and they don’t want him to add any more.The major, however, spoke sarcastically and asked him: "Have you finished, learned expert?" "It's over? It's still early!" The geographer rebuked him with renewed energy. "Why?" Madam Helen teased him again inadvertently, "Is there anything more strange than this?" "Of course, ma'am, climate is stranger than plants and animals!" "Give me an example!" Someone called. "Not to mention Australia's advantages in health conditions, here is rich in oxygen, not much nitrogen; there is no damp wind, and many diseases have never occurred here, from typhoid fever, smallpox to various chronic diseases, there are none here." "However, that is no small advantage!" said Sir. "Certainly an advantage, but not remarkable," replied the geographer, "and it seems false that I speak only of one point of climate." "Say it, try it." The captain asked eagerly. "You'll never believe me." "We believe, say it!" The audience couldn't bear it anymore. "Say, it has..." "have what?" "It has the function of enlightenment!" "Education function?" "Yes!" said the geographer confidently, "here metal does not rust, and neither do people. Here is a pure and dry air, which will quickly wash everything, from clothes to soul! England, where convicts were sent to be civilized, had long noticed the efficacy of the climate." "What! Will there be such an effect?" asked Lady Helene. "Yes, ma'am, it works on man as well as on beast." "You are not joking, M. Paganel?" "Of course not! Look, the horses and sheep here are extremely tamed." "Impossible!" "But this is an unchangeable fact! Anyone who does bad things will become better in a few years once they are transported into this energetic and hygienic air. This function has long been known by philanthropists. In Australia Continent, all human nature is getting better." "And you, M. Paganel," said Madame Helene, "you have become so good, what will become of this blessed continent?" "In the future Go squawk, ma'am," the geographer chuckled, "scratch, there's nothing else to say!"