Chapter 16 Chapter fifteen

Dr. Saunders intends to say goodbye to the captain and his party at Kanda-Mérieux Island.It was the twin islands off the Kanda Sea, where KLM ships often called.The doctor thought that it would not be long before a ship sailed to a place he liked.The previous gale had blown them off course, and for the next twenty-four hours, the sailboat was unable to sail because of no wind, until the early morning of the sixth day when a little wind blew up, not strong, but just enough to drum up sails.It wasn't long before they were able to see the Merieux volcano.The town is on Kanda Island.At nine o'clock they were approaching the entrance of the harbour, and according to the nautical guidebook, it was not easy to moor a boat in this harbour.Mérieux is a tall, conical mountain covered with thick jungle, almost covering the top.A plume of smoke, shaped like a giant umbrella pine, rises from the crater.The strait between the two islands is very narrow, and it is said that there is a raging current.In some places the strait was so narrow that it was only half the width of a cable, and there were many shoals with only a thin layer of water flowing over it.However, Captain Nichols is a first-class sailor, and he himself knows this very well, so once there is an opportunity to show off his sailing skills, he will never let it go.He was wearing bright striped pajamas, a floppy sun hat, and a white beard that hadn't been shaved for a week. He looked dirty, smelly, and very scruffy.However, it was this disheveled Nichols who drove the "Fenton" into the harbor in an orderly manner.

The small town gradually came into view. "It doesn't look bad," said the captain. There are some warehouses and local dwellings that are supported by shelves and covered with thatch on the top.Naked children frolicked in the clear water.A Chinese man in a wide-brimmed hat was fishing in a canoe.The harbor was not at all crowded, except for two galleys, three or four large dhows, a motorboat, and an abandoned schooner.Outside the town is a hill topped by a flagpole with a Dutch flag fluttering limply. "I don't know if there is a hotel here." The doctor whispered.

Captain Nichols was at the helm, the doctor by his side, and Fred on the other side of the captain. "There must be. In the past, this place was a prosperous place. It was the center of the trade of spices and other things. It is rich in nutmeg. I have never been here. I heard that there is also a marble palace, but I don't know what it is." There were two piers in the harbor, one clean and tidy, the other wooden, crumbling and corroded and discolored so badly that a fresh coat of paint was necessary.The wooden pier is shorter than the other. "I guess the long one was made by the Dutch company," said the captain. "We'll use the other one."

They landed, lowered the mainsail with a clatter, and lashed. "Okay, doctor, you're here, have you got your luggage ready?" "Aren't you going ashore together?" "Fred, what do you think?" "Of course, I'm going to lose my mind if I stay on board. And I'll have to get another life raft." "And the jib. I'll fix it, and I'll come." The captain stepped down from the cabin.It didn't take long for him to catch up with Fred and Dr. Saunders, and grooming was a simple matter for him. He just took off his pajama pants, put on a pair of khaki pants, and put on a khaki shirt A coat and bare feet in tennis shoes.They staggered up to the pier and walked along it.There was no one around.After a while they came to the pier, and after hesitating for a while, they chose a road that looked like the main street.There is nothing around, very quiet.They walked side by side in the middle of the road, looking around.After spending so much time on the boat, it was very pleasant to go for a walk to stretch my body.And when the feet were on the solid ground, the sense of security gushing out of my heart also soothed the tense nerves of the previous few days.Various Doric and Corinthian columns on both sides of the road supported the protruding, tall and pointed thatched roofs of the bungalows, forming a series of wide verandas.These buildings reveal an ancient and rich atmosphere, but the lime powder on the walls has become mottled, looking old.The small garden in front of the house was overgrown with weeds and gave off a foul smell.They went to several shops, and they all sold the same goods, nothing more than cotton cloth, aprons worn by the natives of the Malay Islands, and canned goods.The streets are lifeless, and some shops don't even have shop assistants, as if they don't intend to have customers.There were a few passers-by here and there, either Malays or Chinese, and they walked very lightly, as if they were afraid of disturbing the goddess of the forest.From time to time, there is a scent of nutmeg in the air, which penetrates the nostrils.Dr. Saunders stopped a passing Chinese and asked him how to get to the hotel.The Chinese told them to go straight ahead.After a while they came to the door of the hotel, but after entering the door, they found that there was no one inside.They sat down at a table in the verandah, tapped the table with their fists a few times, and then a woman in an aborigine came out.She watched them, but when Dr. Saunders spoke to her, she walked away.At this time, a mixed-race boy came out, wearing a white single-breasted jacket with a stand-up collar, and the collar was tightly buttoned.The doctor asked him if there were any vacant rooms, he looked blank, then the doctor asked again in Chinese, but he answered in Dutch.Seeing that the doctor shook his head, he smiled slightly, as if asking everyone to wait a moment, then walked down the steps and went to the opposite side of the street.

"To pick up somebody, I guess," said the captain. "It's a wonder they don't speak English. I kind of see why this place needs civilisation." A few minutes later, the mixed race came over with a white man.When the mixed race pointed out the doctor and his party to him, his eyes were full of curiosity.Then he came up the steps, politely removed his sun hat, and saluted. "Good morning, gentlemen," he said. "Can I help you? Van Lyck doesn't understand you." His English is very standard, but with a foreign accent.He was young, in his twenties, tall, at least six feet three, broad-shouldered, powerful, but so clumsy that despite his apparent strength, he still couldn't hide his clumsiness.He wore clean, neat canvas trousers, and a pen in the pocket of his doublet, which was buttoned at every button.

"The boat is at anchor as soon as we come into port," said the doctor. "Is there any spare room here until the next steamer comes?" "Of course. There are no tourists here." He turned to the mulatto and fluently conveyed the doctor's request.After the two of them spoke briefly, he said to the doctor in English: "He will prepare a very nice room for you, including meals, and it costs eight yuan a day. The manager has gone to Batavia, and now the hotel is under the care of Van Luc, and he will make you feel at home." "How about a drink?" said the captain. "Have some beer."

"Would you like some too?" the doctor asked politely. "thank you very much." The young man sat down and took off his sun hat.His face was broad and flat, with a flat nose, high cheekbones, and small, dark eyes.His skin is sallow and smooth, and his cheeks are not rosy.He has jet black hair cut very short.His eyes were gentle and friendly.His appearance is not good-looking at all, but one can tell that he is a good person, which makes people have to like it. "Dutch?" asked the captain. "No, I'm Danish, my name is Eric Christensen, and I'm a permanent representative of a Danish company."

"Have you been here long?" "four years ago." "My God!" exclaimed Fred Blake, startled. Eric Christensen laughed, as simple as a child, with kindness in his eyes. "It's very good here, the most romantic place in the East. They wanted to transfer me away, but I insisted on staying." Then a boy brought a bottle of beer, and the tall Dane raised his glass and said: "Gentlemen, I wish you well!" Dr. Saunders felt very strange why the stranger in front of him caught his attention so much.Not because of his enthusiasm, because in the East, enthusiasm is a very common quality.The doctor felt vaguely that there was something pleasing about the Dane.

"It's looking pretty bleak here," said Captain Nichols. "The splendor is long gone. Living on memory is what makes this island so special. It used to be so crowded that the harbor was so full that there was no room left. Waiting outside the port, waiting for a ship to leave to vacate the berth before entering the port. I hope you can stay for a few more days, and I can take you around. This place is very charming, hidden in the depths of the remote sea An unknown island." The doctor listened with pricked ears, Eric's words seemed to be quoted from somewhere, but the doctor couldn't remember where it came from for a while.

"Where is this sentence?" "Just now? Browning's Pippa Walks by." "You actually saw this?" "I have read a lot of books, you know, I have plenty of time. I like English poetry the most, and Shakespeare." He gave Fred a tender and friendly look, and a smile hung on his wide mouth, and then Recited: Eric chanted, with a thick foreign accent, which sounded very strange and harsh, as if it was stuck in his throat.But what was even more inconceivable was that the young Dane should read Shakespeare to a rogue like Captain Nichols and a dull fellow like Fred Blake.Seeing such a scene, Dr. Sanders felt faintly amused.The captain gave him a wink, which made it clear that this man was a queer man.Fred Black, on the other hand, had a blush on his face, looking extremely shy.The Dane didn't realize this, and he continued impatiently:

"When the spice trade was prosperous in the past, the Dutch merchants were so rich that they didn't know how to spend the money. When there was no goods to ship, they would bring back some marble to build houses. If you are not in a hurry, I will Show you around my house, which was left by a certain planter. In the winter, they sometimes bring a shipment of ice back, is it strange? This is their ultimate luxury. Come to think of it, from Holland It would take six months to bring a ship of ice all the way here. They all had their own wagons, and when it was cool in the evenings, they rode in the wagons along the coast and around the block. Really. Yes, these stories should be recorded, this is the Dutch version of "The Arabian Nights". Did you see the Portuguese fortress when you went to the island, I will take you there in the afternoon. If there is anything else I can help Yes, do tell me, I'll be more than happy." "I must go and get my luggage," said the doctor. "These gentlemen gave me a ride very kindly, and I am so sorry that I do not want to disturb them any more." Eric Christensen looked at the captain and Fred approvingly, and said, "That's why I like the East, everyone is so friendly and willing to help with everything, and it's not a hassle at all. You can't even imagine those How did a stranger help me." Then the four got up together, ready to leave.The Dane told the half-breed that Dr. Saunders would be back in a few minutes with his luggage and entourage. "You guys should have lunch here. It's reistafel day and they're doing a really good job. I'll be back in a bit." "You two should have lunch with me," said the doctor. "Reistafel is a death sentence to me," said Captain Nichols, "but I don't mind sitting by and watching you eat." Eric Christensen shook hands with the other three solemnly. "It was a pleasure meeting you. Strangers don't come here very often, and it's great for me to meet English gentlemen." They said goodbye at the foot of the steps, and Eric bowed politely to the captain and his party. "Very clever lad," said the captain, after they had walked for a while, "you could see right away that we were gentlemen." Dr. Sanders glanced at him with a calm expression, without any trace of sarcasm.