Chapter 44 Chapter 21 The small island has become a small island

Three hours later, the last pieces of drift ice also disappeared on the horizon.The rapid disappearance of the ice floes proves that the island is now barely moving.This also proves that the driving force of ocean current surges is mainly in the deep water layer rather than on the surface of the sea. At noon, people measured the position of the island and got accurate results. Twenty-four hours later, Victoria Island had drifted by less than a mile, judging from re-measured bearings! Now, there is only one hope of salvation, and that is the ship, waiting for a whaling ship to pass by here to pick up these victims; otherwise, they can only stay on the island, or once the island melts and sinks Just board the raft.

The island's present position is latitude 54° 33' north, longitude 177° 19' west, still several hundred miles from the nearest landmass, the Aleutian Islands. On this day, Lieutenant Hobson called everyone together again to listen to everyone's opinions in order to determine what should be done next. Everyone's opinion is the same: as long as the island is not sinking, they will stay on the island, because the impact of the waves cannot be felt on the island; wait! The raft was now fully built.Mike Knapp built a big shed on it, in which all the people could shelter from the cold.A mast was also erected on the raft in case of need, and the sails were already ready.The raft was strong, and if there was a fair wind and the sea was calmer, it was probable that this "boat" of girders and panels would save us all in danger.

"As long as," said Mrs. Barnett, "as long as the wind is fair and the waves are moderate, we shall be saved!" Jasper Hobson counts the food.There are not many reserves, and the damage caused by the avalanche is not small, but there are still many ruminants and rodents on the island, and they have enough moss and shrubs to eat.It seems that some meat should be supplemented as a reserve, and the hunters brought back some reindeer and hares. In general, everyone is in good health.The mild winter did them little harm, and the mental anguish did not impair their health.It must be admitted, however, that they were not without melancholy and foreboding when they thought of the day when they would leave the island, or rather the island should leave them.They could not help but shudder at the thought of floating on a plank in a windswept, endless sea.Even in relatively normal weather, it is quite dangerous to let the wind blow and the waves beat on the raft.What's more, they are not sailors, but soldiers, and they are only used to acting on solid land. Unlike sailors, as long as they have a few planks, they can float freely in the sea.Their small island is fragile. Its base is only a thin ice sheet, and above the ice sheet is land on which green plants and trees grow; there are also some animals that live on it with them; it and The sea is completely different after all!People thought it was solid and wouldn't move.yes!They love this Victoria Island, they have lived on it for two years, they have been to all corners of the island.They sowed and harvested on it, and the island led them to overcome all kinds of difficulties and dangers!yes!They will have no regrets when they are about to leave the island. Of course, only when they see the island disappearing under their feet, they will have the heart to leave!

Lieutenant Hobson understood everyone's mentality very well, and he thought it was natural.He knew how much his companions were reluctant to go on the raft, but things would change quickly, it was not man's will, and islands would melt quickly in warm water.In fact, this sign has already appeared, and it must not be sloppy. The new raft was square, 30 feet long on each side, and had an area of ​​about 1,000 square feet.The deck of the raft was two feet above the surface of the water, and the siding on the raft could block small wind and waves, but could not stop larger waves.In the center of the raft, the master carpenter built a shed that could accommodate 20 people.Boxes were made on the side of the raft for food and fresh water, and all these were fastened to the platform of the raft with nails.The mast, some thirty feet high, was erected over the shed, and was then fastened to the corners of the raft by ropes.Equipped with a square sail for the mast, it can come in handy in case of a tailwind.There was nothing superfluous on the raft, except a small rudder which was of no use.

This is the raft built by the master carpenter. This raft can hold 20 people, and if Mike Knapp's children are counted, it is 21 people. superior.To be sure, this raft was the elaborate work of the victims. It was exquisitely laid out and quite sturdy, but it was a raft after all. On June 1, a new situation occurred.The soldier Hope went to the lagoon to fetch water for cooking. Mrs. Jolliff tasted the water and found that the water was salty. She called Hope and told him to fetch fresh water instead of sea water. Hope told her the water came from the lagoon.While the two of them were arguing, Lieutenant Hobson came up to them.After hearing Hope's explanation, his face suddenly turned pale, and he hurriedly ran towards the lagoon...

The water definitely turned into salt water!It is obvious that the bottom of the lagoon has been pierced, and sea water has poured in. This incident spread immediately, and people suddenly fell into a panic. "There's no fresh water!" cried the poor people. In fact, after the Ballina River disappeared, Lake Barnet just disappeared too! Lieutenant Hobson, however, hastened to explain and comfort his companions on the matter of fresh water. "My friends, we have a lot of ice," he said. "Don't worry, just take a few pieces of ice from the island, and I don't think we'll swallow the island," he added. , and forced a smile, wanting to relax the tense atmosphere.

In fact, simply boiling salty water, causing it to vaporize and condense, will completely lose its salt.Large blocks of ice were dug up and melted, not only enough for daily use, but also to fill the vessels on the raft. However, the warning that nature has just given to people must not be ignored.The island's foundations are melting, as evidenced by seawater pouring into the bottom of the lagoon.The ground could collapse at any moment now, and Lieutenant Hobson no longer allowed people to go far, because that would risk being separated and falling into the sea. The animals on the island also seem to have a premonition of the coming disaster.They have gathered near the former trading station.Since there is no fresh water, people often see them licking the ice cubes that come out of the ground to quench their thirst.All of them showed uneasy expressions, and some even became manic, especially those wolves, they came in groups with their manes erect, came in a hurry, and then left howling.Those fur beasts are often grouped together at the hole in the sunken house.Sometimes hundreds of animals are seen congregating there.The bears also roamed around, but never harmed other animals, nor did they harm people.Its instinct also made it look anxious. If it could speak, it would surely seek protection and try to escape from this inevitable disaster.

Until then there were still many birds on the island, and now they are also constantly leaving.In recent days, many flocks of birds, especially those big birds that can fly long distances such as swans, have begun to fly south, where they will fly to the Aleutian Islands to find reliable shelters.This was observed by Mrs Barnet and March, who were walking along the bank.This made them feel ominous. "There's plenty for the birds to eat on the island," said Mrs. Polina Barnett, "but they all fly away! Not for nothing, my poor March!" "Yeah," March answered, "that's because they thought it would be good to fly away. But if it's calling the police, we've got to be ready and go. I've found other Animals also appear more disturbed than ever."

On this day, Jasper Hobson decided to load most of the food and tent items on the raft.He also resolved that they all board the raft at once. However, at this moment, another wave broke out in the sea.The sea water of the Bering Sea poured into the lagoon, and the rough waves made this place become turbulent like a small Mediterranean Sea.The waves in the lake lapped the steep shore with a loud noise, as if there were a storm blowing on the lake, or even out at sea.The raft was bumping violently in the wind and waves, and the waves kept rushing up.People had no choice but to not board the raft, and the work of carrying food had to be temporarily suspended.

Under the circumstances, Lieutenant Hobson no longer insisted on the decision to have all his companions board the raft, but it was better to spend another night in peace on land.Once the weather improves the next day, it will not be too late for everyone to board the raft again. He did not let the soldiers and women leave their quarters and move to the rafts, which would be tantamount to abandoning the island if they all escaped and boarded the rafts. The night is quieter than one might imagine.The wind died down gradually.The sea gradually calmed down.The storm passed like a thunder and lightning.At 8pm, the waves had almost completely subsided, leaving only microwaves rippling in the lagoon.

Undoubtedly, the disintegration of the island was imminent, but it was better not to be suddenly torn to pieces by the wind, which could happen at any time if the waves were to crush the island like a mountain. The storm was followed by a mist, which gradually became dense fog during the night.The fog came from the north, and it soon covered most of the island from north to south! Before going to bed, Lieutenant Hobson went to see that the cables holding the raft to the shore were still in good order.Just to be sure, he wound the cable around the trunk one more time.He thought that the worst possible situation would be that the raft would be blown around in the lagoon, and the lagoon was not big, so the raft would never be lost again.