Chapter 14 Chapter 14 What the "Albatross" did may be unprecedented
The next day, it was July 24th.However, July 24 in the Southern Hemisphere is equivalent to January 24 in the Northern Hemisphere.The latitude of 56 degrees just flown corresponds to the parallel passing through Scotland via Edinburgh.
Therefore, the temperature displayed on the thermometer is always below zero.This requires a little artificial heat to meet the heating needs of the aircraft.
Needless to say, on June 21, after the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, the days are getting longer each day.But because the "Albatross" went straight down to the polar region, the days were much shorter.
The result is that the skies over the southern Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Antarctic Circle are too dark to see and very cold at night.To ward off the cold one had to dress like the Eskimos and Fuegorians.Fortunately, there are many such exotic clothes on the aircraft, so that the two colleagues can stay on the platform in strict clothes, concentrating on their plans and how to implement them.Moreover, they hardly saw Robier now.The engineer had not spoken to them since the confrontation in Timbuktu.
As for Friccolin, he stayed in the kitchen all day long, hardly ever going out, because there François Tapa would do his best to entertain him, provided, of course, that he was a cook's assistant.To have such a good thing, after the black man obtained the consent of the owner, he agreed very willingly.In addition, if you lock yourself up like this, you will not be able to see what is happening outside. In this way, you will first have a sense of security psychologically.He is so good at eating, and so simple-minded in thinking, isn't he the same as an ostrich?
Which corner of the earth is the "Albatross" flying to now?Does it really have the guts to venture out over the Antarctic sea and over the mainland in the middle of winter?Under such cold conditions, even if the chemicals in the battery can withstand the cold without freezing, can the people on the aircraft be guaranteed not to die?Guaranteed not to be horribly frozen to death?Robier was fine flying Antarctica during the hot season, but in the endless nights of Antarctic winter, it was irrational!
The president and secretary of the Welton Society thought so.Now, they have been brought to the end of the New World. Although it is still the American continent, it is no longer the America where the United States is located!
What on earth does this difficult Robbiel want to do?If not destroying this machine now to end this trip, when?
It is certain that on the 24th there was a great deal of contact between Robier and his foreman.Tom Turner looked at the barometer with him several times-this time, not to judge the altitude of the flight, but to record some data related to the weather.Undoubtedly, there are signs that cannot be ignored.
Uncle Prudden also noticed that Robier was carefully counting the remaining various supplies: including the supplies needed for the propulsion and lifting mechanisms of the aircraft and supplies for the people.The operation of people on the aircraft cannot be ignored either.
Everything indicated that Robier was already thinking of returning.
"Go back!" said Phil Evans. "Go back to where?"
"Where Robier can replenish his provisions," replied Uncle Pruden.
"It must be some small island in the Pacific Ocean, where there are a group of rogue immigrants who share the same smell as their leader."
"I think so too. Phil Evans, I guess, is heading west, and at his speed, it won't be long before he reaches his destination."
"If he reaches the destination...then our plan will all come to nothing..."
"He can't make it, Phil Evans."
The engineer's plan was apparently partly guessed by the two colleagues.On this day, after the "Albatross" flew towards the Antarctic coast for a while, it will definitely retreat completely, and there is no need to doubt this.Ice pushing into the waters of Cape Horn means that the entire southern Pacific Ocean has been covered by ice peaks and ice sheets.The natural barrier formed by these ice floes is even for the strongest ship.Even the bravest navigator can never go beyond.
Of course, if the "Albatross" flapped its wings faster, it could fly over the icebergs gathered on the surface of the ocean, and fly over the Antarctic continent—if this is really a continent that covers the top of the southern hemisphere like a hat—— the mountains.But, in the long Antarctic night, to fight the cold of minus 60 degrees, does it have the guts?Certainly not.
So, after flying southward for about a hundred kilometers, the "Albatross" began to turn its head westward, flying towards an unknown island in the Pacific Islands.
Beneath the aircraft was the vast liquid plain sandwiched between the two continents of Asia and America.The color of the sea water at this moment is very unique, and it is this color that has won it the reputation of "the sea of milk".The entire surface of the Pacific Ocean was opalescent in a gloom that the sun's feeble rays could not dispel.Looking down from a high altitude, it seems to be a vast snowfield without ups and downs.Even if the entire ocean were to freeze, it is estimated that its color would not change.
It is now clear that this phenomenon is caused by swarms of glowing particles and phosphorescent microbes.Some might wonder how this clumping milky glow can be seen beyond the surface of the Indian Ocean.
After daybreak, the barometer, which had remained high for hours, suddenly dropped.Evidently there had been some symptom which would have alarmed the ship but which the aircraft could have dismissed.To be sure, though, a storm has just hit the Pacific Ocean.
At 1:00 p.m. Tom Turner approached the engineer and said:
"Captain Robier, look at that black spot on the horizon... there... just north of us...isn't there a rock?"
"No, Tom, there's no land around here."
"Either a boat, or at least a dinghy."
Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans also came to the front of the platform to look at the black spot Tom Turner was pointing at.
Robier asked someone to bring a nautical telescope, and carefully observed the discovered object.
"It's a boat," he said, "and there must be people in it!"
"In distress?" cried Tom.
"Yes, they were wrecked, and I suppose they abandoned their ship as a last resort," went on Robier; "the poor fellows, they don't know where the land is, and they'll die of hunger and thirst! Come on! But Don't let people say that the 'Albatross' is dying!"
An order was immediately communicated to the mechanic and his two assistants.The aircraft began to descend slowly.When it reached an altitude of 100 meters, it stopped descending and flew north rapidly under the drive of the propulsion propeller.
It was indeed a boat.The sails were hoisted to the mast, and it could hardly move without wind.It can be concluded that no one in the boat has the strength to row.
There were five men in the boat who, if not dead, must have passed out from exhaustion, or were immobilized.
The "Albatross" came above them and began to descend slowly.
Judging from the name on the stern of the small lifeboat, it can be known that the original big ship that the crew was forced to abandon should be the "Jeannette", a French steamer.
"Hello!" Tom called.
It should be audible from the boat, the aircraft is within 80 feet of the boat.
no answer.
"Fire!" said Robier.
The gunshot rang out, and the sound of the gunshot echoed on the water for a long time.
At this time, one of the victims sat up with difficulty, his eyes were startled, and his face was as thin as a skeleton.
Upon seeing the "Albatross," it was first a terrified response.
"Don't be afraid!" cried Robier in French. "We have come to save you... who are you?"
"Crew of the three-masted Jeannette. I'm the mate," replied the man.
"15 days ago, when the boat was sinking...we left the boat...we now have neither water nor food!"
The other four victims also sat up slowly, all pale, exhausted, and frighteningly thin.They held out their hands towards the craft.
"Attention!" cried Robier.
A rope was lowered from the platform, and a bucket of fresh water was lowered into the skiff.
Those poor people all rushed forward and drank from the bucket, their greedy appearance made it unbearable to watch.
"Bread! . . . Bread! . . . " they cried.
A basket containing provisions, tins, a small bottle of brandy, and several pints of coffee was immediately delivered to them.It took a lot of effort for the first mate to stop the other people from gobbling.
Then he asked again:
"Where are we now?"
"Fifty miles off the coast of Chile and the Chonos Islands," Robier replied.
"Thank you. There's no wind, what should I do? And..."
"We're here to drag you!"
"who are you?"
"Some who have had the honor of helping you," replied Robier simply.
The first officer understood that the other party did not want to reveal his identity, so it was inconvenient to ask further questions.As for this flying machine, does it really have the power to drag them forward?
no problem!The skiff was attached to the end of a cable a hundred feet long, and was dragged eastward by the mighty machine.
Land was seen at 10pm, or rather, flashing lights showing where the land was.For the victims of the "Jeanette", the rescue from the catastrophe came at the right time, and they have every reason to imagine their rescue as a miracle.
When the aircraft dragged them to the entrance of the channel of the Chonos Islands, Robbier let them loose the cable--they blessed their rescuers as they untied the cable--and the Albatross headed out to sea again. fly away.
Not to mention, this aircraft really has its strengths, it can actually save sailors lost in the vast sea.If it is a balloon, even the most perfect can do nothing about this kind of thing.Although, depending on the state of mind of Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans at the moment, they could deny the obvious facts, but in private they could not but admit the superiority of this aircraft.
There are always waves rolling on the sea, and various signs are unreliable; the indication on the barometer has dropped a few millimeters.The violent sea wind blew in bursts, causing the propeller of the "Albatross" to make a screeching sound, and then stopped completely.In such cases, in the case of a sailing ship, two mainsails and a foresail are generally lowered.Everything points to a sharp turn to the northwest.The pipe for climate change predictions is starting to get uncomfortably cloudy.
At 1 o'clock in the morning, a very strong wind blew up.Nevertheless, the "Albatross" can still overcome it with the propulsion of its own propeller, and can still advance against the wind at a speed of 4-5 leagues per hour.It couldn't be any faster, though.
Clearly, a storm is brewing.At such high latitudes, this phenomenon is extremely rare.People call the wind in the Atlantic Ocean a hurricane, the wind in the China Sea a typhoon, the wind in the Sahara the Simon wind, and the wind on the west coast a tornado.Whatever the name, it was a whirling storm—a terrible one.As long as any ship is involved in this kind of vortex, the consequences will be unimaginable, because the closer to the center of the vortex, the stronger the wind; only the very center of the vortex is the only calm place.
Robbie knew all this.He knew very well that he needed to be very cautious if he wanted to avoid the suction generated by the strong wind when he swirled by ascending to a high altitude, so as to avoid the storm in the end.So far, though, he's succeeded every time.The action must be fast, let alone an hour, even a minute cannot be delayed!
The wind is visibly increasing.The waves whose tops were cut off by the wind rolled over the sea surface, causing a white mist to appear on the sea surface.It was clear that the storm would be moving towards the Antarctic region at a frightening pace.
"Ascension!" said Robier.
"Elevate!" replied Tom Turner.
The "Albatross" ramped up with all its strength, as if moving southwest along a front slope.
At this time, the air pressure was still falling, and the mercury column quickly dropped another 8 mm, and then another 12 mm.Suddenly, the ascension of the "Albatross" stopped.
what reason?Apparently it was due to an air current, a powerful air flow from top to bottom that weakened the support of the atmosphere on which it rose.
For a ship traveling against the current, the more rapid the current, the greater the useless work done by the propeller, so the ship will retreat significantly, and even drift with the waves.This is exactly the case with the "Albatross" at the moment.
However, Robier did not give up trying.His seventy-four perfectly synchronized propellers were running at top speed, but the irresistible suction of the storm's rotation held the craft so tight that it couldn't escape.When there was a moment of calm, the aircraft could rise again immediately, but then a heavy air current pressed it down again, making it fall straight down like a sunken ship.Doesn't this mean sinking into the vast sea in the dark night that even the lights of the aircraft can't penetrate?
Obviously, if the wind of the storm continues to strengthen, the "Albatross" will be swept away by the storm that can uproot trees, overturn roofs, and tear down city walls like a piece of straw drifting with the wind.
Robbie and Tom can only exchange information by hand gestures.Uncle Pruden and Phil Evans clung to the railing, wondering if nature would play a trick and destroy the flying machine with its inventor and all its secrets.
Since it cannot escape the entanglement of the storm in the vertical direction, the "Albatross" probably has only one way to go, which is to go to the center of the cyclone, where, relatively speaking, it is calmer, and it may still be able to control itself. .right!go there!But this must break through the circular airflow that holds it in rotation.Does its own machinery provide enough power to get it out of trouble?
Suddenly, the upper half of the cloud burst open.The steam condensed into pouring rain.
It was 2 o'clock in the morning.The indications of the barometer fluctuated up and down, with a pressure difference of 12 millimeters, and the lowest has dropped to 709 millimeters—in fact, the decrease of the mercury column must be caused by the height of the aircraft above the sea.
This kind of storm usually rages between 30 degrees north latitude and 26 degrees south latitude, and it is rare to form outside this range.Perhaps that's why this swirling storm suddenly turned into a vertical downpour.What a ferocious storm!Probably only the gale in Connecticut in 1882 can compare with it.The wind speed of that gale was 6 meters per second and 100 miles per hour.
That is to say, the "Albatross" should escape with the wind like a ship. To put it more precisely: since it cannot rise above the storm and cannot rush out, it should follow the air current and escape while walking.However, if it follows this trajectory, it will fly south, to the South Pole, which Robier does not want to approach.Since it can no longer control its course, it can only drift with the wind, wherever it goes.
Tom Turner was at the wheel, and he had to use all his strength to keep the craft from tipping to one side.
Dawn had just broken--if it may be called that--to distinguish it from the blurred color of the horizon, and since Cape Horn the Albatross had flown another fifteen latitudes southward, that is to say, she had flown out of After traveling more than four hundred leagues, they entered the Antarctic Circle.
In July in this place, the night is as long as 19 hours.As soon as a sun that neither shines nor heats up on the horizon, it immediately shrinks back.In the polar regions, such a long night lasts for 179 days.Everything shows that the "Albatross" coming here is like falling into an abyss where you can't see your fingers.
On this day, if observations could be made, the latitude would be 66° 40' south, and the craft would be only 1,400 miles from the pole.
The aircraft was involuntarily blown to this inaccessible place on earth.Although the weight of the object is slightly increased due to the slightly flattened poles of the earth, its weight is "eaten" because of its high speed, as if it does not need to lift the propeller at all.Suddenly, the storm became more violent, and Robier had to have the speed of the propulsion propellers reduced to the minimum necessary to pilot the aircraft and avoid serious damage to the machinery.
Facing this series of dangers, the engineer commanded calmly, and the crew comprehended the order.
Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans did not leave the platform for a moment, and there was no discomfort in staying here.There is almost no air resistance at all.The aircraft is like a small boat moving forward in the fluid, floating in the air.
The Antarctic region is said to cover an area of 4.5 million square meters.This is a continent?an archipelago?Or is it an ocean that has been frozen since ancient times and will not melt in the long summer?unknown.The only thing that is known is that the Antarctic is colder than the North Pole - this is determined by its location on Earth during the Antarctic winter.
Looking at the weather, the storm shows no signs of abating. The "Albatross" will enter the Antarctic region at 75 degrees west longitude.Will it come out at that longitude if it still comes out?
As the vehicle traveled south, the days became shorter and shorter.It won't be long before it enters an endless night lit only by the faint light of the moon and the early morning glow of the southern hemisphere dawn.Now, however, at the new moon, Robier and his companions may not even be able to see the face of this region, the mystery of which is still unknown to curious humans.
Maybe the "Albatross" may have flown from places known to humans.These sites lie slightly ahead of the Antarctic Circle, to the west of Graham's Land, discovered by Biscoe in 1832, and Louis Philippe's Land, discovered by Dumond de Urivelle in 1838.These two places are the furthest the human footsteps have reached on this strange continent.
The people on board did not suffer from the low temperatures, which were much higher than they had feared in their hearts.The storm seemed to be the warm Gulf Stream in the air, bringing some warmth.
It is especially regrettable that the whole area is submerged in total darkness!However, even if the moonlight illuminates the sky, the possibility of observation is very small: at this time of year, the entire surface of Antarctica is covered with an endless snow curtain, a layer of ice armor; —that pale light—none: no reflection from the dark sky.Under such conditions, how to identify the shape of land, the area of sea water and the location of islands?How to identify the waterway network here?The peaks or hills here are mixed with icebergs and ice floes. How to confirm their shape?
Near midnight, dawn in the southern hemisphere drove away the darkness.Silver-white beams of light shone in space, forming a huge fan in the sky, illuminating half of the sky.The light that was emitted did not disappear until the constellation of the Southern Cross flickered on the zenith.This phenomenon is spectacular. Under the radiance of this ray of light, one can finally see the appearance of the originally blurred white world.
Needless to say, since this region was only a stone's throw from the South Magnetic Pole, the needle of the compass could only spin wildly, making it impossible to give any definite indication of course.However, according to the angle of inclination of the pointer, Rober finally judged that they were flying over the South Pole at about 78 degrees south latitude.
At about one o'clock in the morning, he calculated the angle between the pointer and the vertical, and exclaimed:
"Antarctica is under our feet!"
A white hat-shaped object came into view, but no one could see what lay beneath the ice.
After a while, the Antarctic dawn was over.This imaginary confluence point of all the earth's meridians will be known later.
If Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans wanted to bury the craft and its world-walker in this most mysterious and remote place, the timing couldn't have been better.But they didn't do that, maybe they still lack the tools they need.
The storm was still violent, and the wind was so high that if the Albatross had hit a mountain at this moment, it would have been smashed to pieces like a ship hitting a shore.
In fact, it is not only unable to control the horizontal flight, but also difficult to move up and down autonomously.
Moreover, there are indeed several peaks on the Antarctic continent, and the aircraft may crash into the mountains and be destroyed at any time.
Crossing the zero meridian, the wind turns westward, making disaster more likely.At this time, directly in front of the "Albatross", about 100 kilometers away, two bright spots appeared.
Those are two volcanoes in the majestic Ross Isle mountains: Erebus and Tyrol.
Is the "Albatross" going to die in the flames like a big butterfly?
This is a thrilling moment.Erebus Volcano rushed towards the "Albatross" which could not escape the storm bed, clusters of flames rapidly grew larger, and a large fire net had been opened on the way forward of the aircraft.The blazing flames lit up the sky, and the faces on the aircraft that were illuminated by the flames all showed a terrifying look.All froze, without a cry, and waited motionless for the terrible moment of being engulfed in the flames of the great furnace.
It was also the storm that dragged the "Albatross" around that saved it from being engulfed in flames.The storm lowered Alebus' flames, allowing the craft to gain a passage.Thanks to the centrifugal motion of Albatross' propellers, it was able to pass through the erupting crater by displacing a hail of dense lava.
An hour later, the two great torches that had illuminated the end of the world in the long polar night disappeared behind the horizon.
At 2 o'clock in the morning, the aircraft crossed Balleny Island on the edge of the coast of Deguwelt, but no one recognized it, because the sea was frozen and the island and the Antarctic continent were connected.
The "Albatross" flew out of the Antarctic Circle from 175 degrees east longitude.Since then, storms have carried it over ice floes and over icebergs, and it has been nearly crashed many times.The helmsman can no longer control it, its fate is in the hands of God... God is an excellent pilot.
The craft was heading north again along the Paris meridian, which is exactly 105 degrees from the meridian it entered the Antarctic Circle.
Finally, after flying over the 60-degree latitude, the storm showed a tendency to subside, the wind weakened significantly, and the "Albatross" could dominate itself again.And, it's a real relief that it's going back to where there is light on Earth.At about 8 o'clock in the morning, it was dawn.
Robier and all his men had escaped a storm before they reached Cape Horn, and were now able to escape from the storm again.They flew across the entire Antarctic region and returned to the Pacific Ocean, which lasted 19 hours and traveled a total of 7,000 kilometers-about 1 farid per minute, which is about the same speed as the "Albatross" under normal conditions. Twice the speed achievable while advancing.
However, Robier didn't know his own position at the moment, because he was too close to the magnetic pole, and the compass pointer was shaking irregularly.Only when the weather is good and the sun rises can observations be made.Unfortunately, the day was cloudy and the sun did not come out.
On board the aircraft, everyone was disappointed, the two propulsion propellers were badly damaged in the storm.
The catastrophe made Robier so unhappy that for the whole day the craft could only travel slowly, passing Paris at only 6 leagues an hour.Moreover, extra care must be taken so as not to make the original damaged part even more unmanageable.Once the two propulsion propellers cannot operate, the aircraft will be in an extremely dangerous situation over the vast Pacific Ocean.Therefore, engineers are considering whether to repair it immediately on the spot to ensure that the flight can continue.
The next day, July 27, at around 7:00 a.m., a patch of land was spotted to the north of the craft.It was quickly seen that it was an island.However, there are thousands of islands scattered in the Pacific Ocean, which one is this?Robier decided to stop here anyway, but without landing.He thought there was enough daylight to fix the damage and continue flying that night.
The wind had stopped completely—a favorable climate for repair work.At least when the "Albatross" stops for repairs, it won't be blown to some unknown place.
The craft dropped a 150-foot cable with an anchor at the end.When the aircraft flew close to the edge of the island, the anchor hung to the outermost reef, and then it was firmly stuck in the gap between the two reefs.The hoisting propeller turned and the cable was pulled tight. The "Albatross" was like a ship anchored on the shore, stably parked in the air.
It was connected to Earth for the first time since leaving Philadelphia.
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