Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Torres Strait

During the night of December 27th and 28th, the Nautilus sailed at super speed and left the Vanikoro Islands.It headed northwest, and in three days it covered the seven hundred and fifty leagues from La Perouse to the southeastern tip of Papua. In the early morning of January 1, 1868, Conseil came to me on the platform, and the honest man said to me: "Sir, let me wish you a happy new year, okay?" "Do you need to ask, Conseil, as I am in Paris, in my studio in the Jardin des Plantes. I accept your congratulations, and I thank you. But let me ask you, in our present situation My lord, what do you mean by a good year? Is this the year that will bring our captivity in the ship to an end? Or is it still the year that continues this strange voyage?"

"My God," Conseil replied, and I didn't know what to say to Monsieur.We did see a lot of strange things, and we didn't feel bored at all in the past two months.The latest bizarre incident is also the most astonishing. If things go on like this, I really don't know how it will end in the future.But I don't think we'll ever find that opportunity. " "Never will be found, Conseil." "Besides, Mr. Nemo, as his Latin name suggests, seems to be alone, out of the way." "Conseil, what do you mean?" "If Mr. Let me say, I think a successful year is a year that allows us to see everything..."

"Conseil, do you want to see everything? What about the thoughts of little Ned Land?" "Ned Land's ideas are just the opposite of mine," Conseil replied. "He is a very practical man, and at the same time eats a lot. Looking at fish and eating fish does not satisfy him. There is no wine, bread and meat. Uncomfortable to a true Saxon, since steak is his habit, and a moderate amount of brandy or genie does not frighten him!" "Personally, Conseil, it wasn't eating and drinking that bothered me. I was quite comfortable with the food and drink on board, and got used to it very quickly."

"Me too," replied Conseil, "so I want to stay, Ned. Master Land wants to run away, so if the new year is not going well for me, it will be bad for him." It goes well; and vice versa. Then there will always be one of us who is satisfied. Finally, I conclude my promise, and I wish you all the best, sir." "Thank you, Conseil, but I want you to put aside the question of the New Year's gift, and for now take a good handshake as a New Year's greeting. This is the only thing I have with me at the moment." "Sir has never been so generous," Conseil replied.

Having said this, the honest man walked away. Since we set out from the Sea of ​​Japan on January 2, we have traveled 11,340 nautical miles, or 5,250 miles.What the Nautilus could see now from the angle of attack was the dangerous surface of the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia.Our ship sailed along the reef at a distance of several nautical miles; Cook's ship almost sank here on June 10, 1770. Cook's own ship hit a rock and the ship did not sink. , it was due to a special situation, that is, a piece of coral stone collapsed due to the boat picking it up, and blocked the broken hull, so the boat was saved.

I should like to see this reef three hundred and sixty miles long, on which the sea is always pounded by rough seas, rushing and furious, like the rumble of thunder.However, at this time, the Nautilus turned the tilting plane and brought us to a very deep place under the water. I couldn't see the Great Wall made of coral.I can only look at the different kinds of fish that our nets catch.Among the many fishes I have caught, I have seen the gammon, which is a finfish as big as a whale, with light blue sides and horizontal stripes on its body. Gone are the hermits; these fish keep us company in schools, and supply us with particularly delicious meat.The fishing net caught many blue-and-white silkfish, which were half a decimeter long and tasted like sea-tripped carp.They also caught the Cone-horned flying fish, which are real delphiniums of the sea. At night, they emit phosphorescent light, which alternately shines in the air and in the water.On the fish net, I got all kinds of emerald worms, seaweed, rough fish, spur fish, compass fish, cherry fish, and glass fish belonging to the molluscs and zoophytes.The plants and flowers caught by the fishing net include floating beautiful seaweed, blade algae and macrocystis.The alga has a mucus secreted from the pores.Among these seaweeds, I also picked a very beautiful gelatinous seaweed, which is classified as a natural treasure in museums. , After two days of walking through the Coral Sea, on January 4, we saw the coast of Papua Island.At this time, Captain Nemo informed me that he intended to go to the Indian Ocean via the Torres Strait.Besides, he doesn't say anything.Ned Land was very happy, feeling that this road was gradually bringing him closer to the European sea.

Torres Strait is considered a dangerous place, not only because of the hedgehog-like reefs, but also because of the natives who live on this coast.The Torres Strait separates Papua (also known as New Guinea) from New Holland. Gabuya Island is about 400 miles long, 130 miles wide, and covers an area of ​​about 40,000 square miles.It lies between 0° 19' and 10° south latitude and between 128° 23' and 146° 15' west longitude.At noon, when the ship's officer came to measure the altitude of the sun, I saw the peaks of the Ahuas Mountains, rising layer by layer, with steep peaks at the top.

The island was acquired by the Portuguese Francis in 1511.Discovered by Xue Langnuo, followed by Don Joseph in 1526, de Minassus) Glenava in 152, and Spanish general Alva de Saavedra in 1528 , in 1545 there was Jugo Ortiz, in 1616 there was the Dutchman Shutian, in 1753.Years have Nikolai.Suruk.Tasman.Hu Meier.Cartier, Edward, Bushwell, Cooke, Holest, Dan Turga-Steau in 1792, Doubille in 1823, Dumont Cuvier in 1827; Rainz said He said: "Papua is the concentrated place of the blacks who occupy the whole of Malaya." I am sure that the chance of this voyage has drawn me to the terrible Andamanni.

The Nautilus thus sailed to the mouth of the most dangerous strait on earth, a strait that even the most daring navigator would have dared not venture through. Louis Guez de Torres returned from the Southern Sea. When he ventured across the Melanesian Islands, in 1840, several of Dumont Cuvier's ships ran aground there, and nearly all sank.Although the Nautilus can surpass all the dangers in the sea, now it is time to try the power of the coral reefs. The Torres Strait is about thirty-four miles wide, but is blocked by innumerable islets, islets, reefs, and rocks, making navigation so difficult that it is almost impossible to advance.Therefore, Captain Nemo took the necessary measures in order to pass through the strait safely.The Nautilus floated forward, its propellers slowly cutting through the waves like a cetacean's tail.

Taking this opportunity, my two attendants and I both stepped onto the platform that was always empty.Before us was the navigator's cage, in which, if I am not mistaken, was Captain Nemo himself, who commanded the Nautilus himself. Before me was a very detailed map of the Torres Strait, compiled by the hydraulic engineer, former ensign and now admiral Vincent Don Dugerin of the Gugo de Boa, who was at Dumont , Juvier was one of the staff members during his last circumnavigation of the world.This map and the one made by Captain Jin are the most complete maps, which can be used as a good guide to avoid danger. Through this narrow waterway, I carefully examine these maps)

Around the Nautilus, the sea was surging and boiling.The waves rush from southeast to northwest, crashing on the coral reefs with sharp peaks everywhere at a speed of two and a half miles. "What a wicked sea!" Ned Land said to me. "Yes, a hateful sea," I replied, "for a ship like the Nautilus." "That strange captain," said the Canadian again, "must be very familiar with the route he took, because I saw a pair of coral reefs, and I accidentally touched a shattered building." Yes, we're in a dangerous situation, but the Nautilus seems to have been able to slip through these treacherous reefs by magic.It did not follow the course taken by the Armillary Sphere and the Zealot, which had struck Dumont Cuvier so badly.It goes a little north, along Mollie Island, and back to the south-west towards the Cumberland Seaway.I thought it was clearly going to take this sea passage, but suddenly it turned back to the northwest, passing through islets and islands unknown to many people, heading for Tontee Island and the dangerous waterway.I was thinking that Captain Nemo was going mad with carelessness, and was going to put his ship in the same dangerous path that Dumont Cuvier's ship was almost sinking.Suddenly it changed direction a second time and was pointing west, heading toward Gueboroa Island. The time is three o'clock in the afternoon.The waves are raging, and the sea is at high tide.The Nautilus approached the island, and even now I can see the edge of the beautiful Banda woods on the island.We walked about two miles along the island.The sudden shock knocked me down.The Nautilus struck a ledge, stopped still, and ran aground slightly on the port side.When I stood up, I saw Captain Nemo and his mate coming up on the platform.They checked the condition of the ship and exchanged a few words with each other in a language I don't understand. Here is our present situation: two nautical miles to starboard is Gueborole Island, the coast of which loops from north to west like a gigantic arm.To the south and east, we have seen some coral tips exposed by the low tide. Our ship is completely stranded in the sea, and the tide here is usually not high, which is very unfavorable for the Nautilus to return to the sea.However, the boat and the well were not damaged, because the hull was very strong.However, although it is not sunk or damaged, it will inevitably be stranded on the reef forever. Isn't Captain Nemo's diving boat finished? While I was thinking this way, Captain Nemo approached calmly, without seeming agitated or disappointed at all, as he always has in mind. "An accident?" I said to him. "No, it was an accident." He answered me "It's an accident," I said again, "but it may make you a land dweller again that you don't want to be!" Captain Nemo looked at me strangely and made a negative gesture.That was enough to show me that nothing could compel him to return to land again.After a while he said to me again: "Mr. Aronnax, the Nautilus is not damaged yet." It can still take you to see the secrets of the sea.Our underwater travel is just the beginning, I am honored to be with you, and I don't want the trip to end so soon. " "Captain Nemo," I added, not paying attention to the sarcasm in his remark, "but the Nautilus ran aground at high tide. As a rule, the tide in the Pacific is not high. Yes, if you can't float the Nautilus—which seems impossible to me—then I don't see how she can get off the reef and get back to sea." "The tide in the Pacific is not high, Professor, you are right," Captain Nemo answered me, "but there is still a meter and a half difference between high and low tide in the Torres Strait. Today is January 4th, The moon will be full in five days. I'd be very surprised if this lovely moon didn't lift up enough water to give me a hand in doing the good thing I only want it to do!" After saying this, Captain Nemo and the officer who followed him returned to the Nautilus.As for the boat, it remained stationary, as if the coelenterates had piled their firm cement on the hull: "How's it going, sir?" Ned Land said to me, coming up to me after the captain had gone away. "That's right, my friend Ned. We have to wait patiently for the tide to come on the 9th, because on that day, it seems that the moon will be very kind and willing to send us back to the sea." "Is that right?" "That's right." "Is the captain ready to pull the ship out, without throwing the anchor overboard, and fastening the chain to the engine?" "Since the tide can do it, of course there is no need." Conseil replied simply. The Canadian looked at Conseil, and then he shrugged his shoulders, which is what a sailor means to show that he is an expert. "Sir," he went on, "you can trust me, I tell you, this pile of iron can no longer sail on the surface of the sea or under the bottom of the sea. Now it has no other use than to sell it for the catty. .So I think it's time to say good-bye to Captain Nemo." "Old friend Ned," I replied, "I don't think like you do, and I'm not entirely hopeless about the brave Nautilus, and that in four days we may have the Pacific tide we've been counting on. Besides, , if we are close to the UK Or the south coast of France.The escape plan may be very timely, but it is different in the sea of ​​Papua at present; and if the Nautilus really has no way to escape, then it is not too late to take this last resort, I always feel that escape It's a serious matter. " "Can't we see what's going on here?" Ned Land went on. "It's an island, and on this island there are trees. Under the trees there are animals on the ground, and there are big pieces of meat on the animals." , I really want to bite them." "On this point, old friend Ned Land is right," said Conseil, "and I agree with him. Couldn't Monsieur ask your friend, Captain Nemo, to send us to the island simply by letting him Let our feet step on the land on our earth again, let us not forget the habit of walking on land?" "I can ask him," I replied, "I'm afraid he won't agree." "Give it a try, sir," said Conseil, "we are very grateful to the captain for his kindness, and there will be no unexpected action." To my complete surprise, Captain Nemo granted my request.and he obliged me very courteously and politely, without my promise to return to the ship.Fleeing on the island of New Guinea would be very dangerous, but I would never let Ned Land try it.Better to be a prisoner on the Nautilus than to fall into the hands of the Papuan natives. That boat can be used by us tomorrow morning.I didn't ask Captain Nemo if he was going with us.I also thought that there might be no one on board to row the boat for us, and Ned Land would be left alone to steer the boat.Besides, we were not more than two nautical miles from the shore, and in the waterways between the reefs, a large ship is very dangerous, but rowing a light boat is not a big deal to Canadians, it is like playing .The next day, January 5, the boat was untied, released from its nest, and released from the platform into the sea.Two people can do these moves.The oars were originally in the boat, so we just had to go up and sit down. At eight o'clock, we brought electric guns and knives and axes, and got off the Nautilus and got on the boat.The sea was fairly calm with a slight breeze blowing from the land.Conseil and I sat at the oars and we rowed hard while Ned Land steered the rudder in the middle of the narrow waterway between the reefs.The skiff went on smoothly, and quickly. Ned Land could hardly contain his joy.He was a prisoner who escaped from prison, and it never occurred to him that he would go back to prison. "Eat big meat!" he repeated, "we're going to eat big meat, good hooks! Real game! It's okay without bread! I don't say fish is bad food, but We can't eat it all day long, but a piece of fresh game, roasted over a red fire, can change our tastes." "Gluttonous," replied Conseil, "he made my mouth water!" "We must know," said I, "whether there is much game in the woods on the island, and whether the game is tall and strong enough to hunt the hunters." "Yes! Mr. Aronnax," replied the Canadian, his teeth sharpened like knives, "if there were no quadrupeds on this island but tigers, I would eat tigers, and their loins. Nest meat." "It's a little frightening, my friend Ned Land," replied Conseil. "Anyway," Ned Land went on, "every quadruped without feathers, or any two-legged bird with feathers, will be saluted by my first shot as soon as they come out." "Well!" I replied, "Master Ned Land is being careless again!" "Don't be afraid, Monsieur Aronnax," replied the Canadian, "please row well, and I can prepare you a plate of meat according to my recipe in less than twenty-five minutes." At half-past eight the Nautilus skiff passed through the coral rocks surrounding Gueboroa Island and came to a halt on the sand.