Chapter 19 Chapter 4 Martinique

Maybe three more times in Martinique, St. Lucia and Barbados, the kind of danger Harry Markle just escaped from.So, can he turn bad luck into good luck, and bring good luck when he dies? ... Good fortune followed him early in his pirate career, until he and his companions were caught aboard the Helifa.Then, that luck struck again when they escaped from Queenstown Prison and hijacked the Spirit.Since then, good luck has followed, even saving Harry Markle from meeting Ned Brar once again.As for the fact that the sailor took him for Captain Paxson, and the difference in appearance between the two of them was so great, Harry Markle didn't take it seriously at all.Students have long given up thinking about it.He believed in his good fortune, and he wanted to see through to the end his adventure and sinful voyage.

We have already said that the ship was five or six miles south of Dominica that morning, when the last peaks of Dominica could still be seen, and if the wind had picked up at that time, it might have been seen. Going from Dominica to Martinique is about the same as going from Dominica to Guadeloupe.The mountains of Martinique, however, are so high that they can be seen from sixty nautical miles on a clear day.So it's still possible to see the island's peaks before the sun goes down.In this case, the next day, the Ingenuity could have reached the capital, Fort-de-France, towards which the Ingenuity was now heading.

Martinique consists of two regions, Saint-Pierre and Fort-France, which are divided into nine districts and twenty-nine towns. The sky was clear and cloudless, and patches of light were reflected on the sun-drenched sea.People have just been able to feel the one after another and the regular waves coming up from the sea.The ship's barometer remained motionless like a dead fish's eye. Don't expect the Spirit to travel five or six knots an hour in these conditions.So Harry Markle had the main foremast rigs, staysails, and, in short, all the sails of the three-masted schooner rigged.

While the students were busy tightening the sail's front shrouds and then straightening the back shrouds, Tony Reynolds and Magnu Anders quickly climbed to the top of the second sail along the side shrouds of the mast without hesitation , and then climbed directly to the top of the mast along the back of the mast without even passing through the lift of the mast tower, and fully opened the auxiliary sails. After all this was done, the two brave lads did not go down to the deck at once, because they would not give up the opportunity of enjoying themselves on the mast! The leader, Mr. Pattenson, was sitting in an upholstered double wicker armchair in the poop, proud of the young lads.But he was still a little worried when he saw these young men walking up and down on the spars and climbing up and down the ladders and ropes.So he yelled at them now and then, reminding them to be careful and hold on tight.All in all, he was quite satisfied.what!If his headmaster, Julian Arder, had been with him at this moment, they would have exchanged views and admired these students at Antilles Secondary School!This is exactly what Mr. Pattenson will tell the headmaster when he returns the booklet recording all the accounts of this miraculous trip!

As Tony Reno and Magnu Anders climbed to the top of the mast, Mr. Pattenson gave the following quote to John Carpenter: “sic itur ad astra” "What is the meaning of this passage, sir?" asked the captain. "It means they fly to the sky." "Then, who spouted these words one after another? . . . " "Extraordinary Virgil." "I knew a man by that name, a Negro, a coalman on a transatlantic liner..." "It's not him, my friend..." "Then it is very good of your Virgil to come, mine has been hanged!" On this day, the "Spirit" crossed several ships sailing in the waters between the Antilles, but the "Spirit" did not approach these ships.

What worries Harry Markillon is that in the next few days, the ship will stop due to lack of wind, which will inevitably delay their arrival in Martinique. The wind on the sea did tend to subside gradually, but it did not stop completely with the arrival of night.The wind, though weak, seemed likely to remain so throughout the night.The wind was blowing from the northeast, which favored the Spirit's sails, and the Spirit did not lower the sails, although this was usually done between sunset and sunrise. Before it was completely dark, the students were really working hard.Try to spot the summit of Bald Peak.The highest peak of Bald Peak is 1,356 meters above sea level.Near nine o'clock in the evening, everyone returned to their respective cabins. Due to the sweltering heat, all the cabin doors were open.

They had never slept so soundly all night, and at five o'clock in the morning, they got up and went to the deck. Tony Leno pointed to a peak to the south and shouted: "Bald Peak, that's Bald Peak!...that's it...I recognize it!..." "Did you recognize it?..." Roger Hinsdale asked in a suspicious tone. "No doubt! . . . How will it change in five years? Look . . . those are the three peaks of Galbai! . . . " "Admittedly, Tony, you have a very good eye..." "Absolutely!...I assure you that this is Bald Peak!...But it's not bald at all!...It's lush and full of trees, like all the mountains on my home island!...In There, you will see other mountains like this... If we go to the top of Vaukran... I don't know if you will, but you should take a good look at my native island. It is the most beautiful in the Antilles. "

Everyone let him get excited, otherwise, this lively young man will refute violently. Tony Reno didn't exaggerate his resignation to brag about Martinique.In terms of area, this island ranks second in the Antilles, it has 986 square kilometers.There are no less than 167,000 residents on the island, including 10,000 whites, 15,000 Asians, 150,000 blacks and mostly Martiniques of color.The entire island is made up of mountains, covered from top to bottom by beautiful and spectacular forests.The natural rivers necessary for the fertile land allow the island to withstand the heat from the equatorial regions, most of the island's rivers are navigable, and the ports can berth large-tonnage ships.

On this day, the weak wind continued to blow on the sea, and it was only in the afternoon that the wind strengthened slightly. At the northernmost tip of Martinique, the Maguaba Peak was exposed in the shallow sea. About one o'clock at midnight, the sea wind increased, and the Spirit, at full sail, rounded the west side of the island, and sailed on with the wind. At dawn, Jacob's Hill appeared not far from the center of Bald Peak, and the summit of Bald Peak soon emerged from the low morning mist. Near seven o'clock, about off the coast of the northwestern tip of the island, a city appeared.

Tony Leno then yelled: "The city of Saint-Pierre in Martinique!" Then he sang aloud the refrain of an old French song: "This is where I was born!" Tony Renault was indeed born in Saint-Pierre, but when his family left Martinique to settle in France, they left no relatives on the island. The city of Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique, is situated a little to the south on the same seafront, at the entrance to the harbor of the same name.It used to be known as Fort Rock City.Trade here, however, did not develop as dramatically as it did in Saint-Pierre.Saint-Pierre has 26,000 inhabitants, while Fort-de-France has only two-fifths of its population.The other main towns in Martinique are: Laurentian on the west coast, Holy Spirit, Diamond, Menu on the south coast and Three Gods at the top of the island.

In Saint-Pierre, the administrative capital of the colony, trade was not restricted by military regulations as in Fort-de-France.Tribes and Mouage, two well-armed and fortified fortresses defended Martini. When the clock struck nine o'clock in the morning, the Spirit cast anchor into the harbor in Round Harbour.Deep in the port, the city sits sheltered from the wind.A high mountain blocks the wind from the east.A fordable river divides the city in two. Alice Ricluse would like to tell you what the historian Duterte said about the city of Saint-Pierre. "This is a city that no outsider can forget. The way of life of the people here is so menacing, the temperature is so comfortable, and people live so justly, equally and honestly in this free land so that no man or woman, when leaving it, has a strong desire to return to the old place." Tony Raynor seemed to experience this passion, for he was more excited and exuberant than ever before, and his classmates could have no doubt that he would do their best for them.It didn't matter that the sailing plan was only four days in Martinique!The students have great enthusiasm and a strong desire to travel to every corner of the island, coupled with strong legs, under the leadership of a guide like Tony Renault, they visited one after another until Marti The Nick Island capital is out of the question.To do otherwise would be like traveling all over France without visiting Paris or, as Tony Renault said, arriving in Dieppe without seeing the sea! Such a plan requires complete freedom of action.We should not be forced to go back to the boat to sleep every night.Everyone spent the night wherever they went.This may add some costs.The general affairs of Ke Antilles Middle School will strictly control these expenses and record them in the notebook.Besides, he also foresees that every prize winner must receive the grant in Barbados.Therefore, is it necessary to seriously consider this matter? ... The first day is all spent visiting the city of Saint-Pierre.First of all, everyone admired the city's stepped landscape from the coast.Its layout is ingenious and reasonable.There are clumps of magnificent and beautiful palm trees, and the peaks are covered with other kinds of tropical trees, which make a beautiful and varied backdrop for the city.Then, visited the scenery of the island.Maybe those yellow-painted low-rise houses are not grand at all, but the reason people do this is to make the houses strong and reliable, to make them resistant to earthquakes, and to make them resistant to the earthquakes that often occur in Ann. Powerful hurricanes in the Leeds, such as the one in 1776, wreaked havoc on the entire island. Tony Reynolds did not forget to be a landlord to his classmates in the house where he was born.He was born there seventeen years ago, and the house has now become a food warehouse for the colony. Until 1635, the Caribs were the only inhabitants of Martinique.During this period, the Frenchman Esnanby, the governor of St. Christopher, led more than a hundred people to settle here, and he forced the locals to return to the mountains and dense forests.However, the Caribs do not want to be deprived of their right to live here without resistance.They enlisted the help of the Indians of the neighboring islands, and at first they succeeded in driving the foreigners out.But these foreigners moved in reinforcements and regained the lost land. In the last battle, seven or eight hundred of the locals were wiped out. The Caribs attempted to reclaim lost lands with ambushes, raids, and murder.So the occupiers decided to completely wipe out this terrible race.After a massive repression, the French finally became masters of Martinique. From this period onwards, planting was carried out actively and methodically on the island.Cotton, tobacco, indigo plants, sugar cane were grown, and later, from the end of the sixteenth century, cocoa became the main wealth of the island. In this regard, Thor Reynolds also told everyone the following short story, and Mr. Pattenson made a detailed record: "In 1718, a very violent hurricane destroyed all the cocoa plantations, and yet there are still a few trees like this in the Botanic Gardens of Paris. They came from Holland. brought to Martinique. During the crossing of the Atlantic, fresh water was almost used up. But Descrina poured a few drops of his daily ration of fresh water on the cocoa roots he carried, and when they arrived safely, the two Cocoa roots have revived cocoa farming on the island." "Did Jussieu do the same thing so that we can enjoy the cedars in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris?" asked Louis Clodiron. "Yes ... the tree is beautiful ... very beautiful," Mr. Pattensink declared. "France is a great people." In 1794, however, Martinique fell to the British.According to the treaty signed in 1816, Martinique finally returned to France. At that time, the colonies struggled against what had become a very difficult situation, and slaves were overwhelmingly superior in numbers compared to their masters.The outburst of resistance by the fugitives necessitated the wise action of emancipation, and three thousand slaves were freed.These people of color enjoy and exercise all civil rights equally.Since 1828, there have been 19,000 free black slaves in Martinique, many of whom worked for themselves and became owners of part of the land. The next day, the tourists ascended Bald Peak through dense forests that covered the slopes with trees.Such a climb did not tire them out, and Tony Reynolds and his classmates quickly regained their strength.Standing on the top of a high mountain overlooking the whole island, Martinique is like a leaf floating on the blue sea of ​​the Antilles.To the southeast is a very narrow isthmus, about two kilometers wide, with marshes on both sides.The two parts of Martinique are thus connected together.The former part extends to the Atlantic Ocean, between Sanshen Port and Gabiron Bay is the Caravel Peninsula; the latter part is rolling mountains.Five hundred meters above sea level is the Vauquelin, and there are also the Robert, François, Constance and Brenner.These peaks are beautiful and uniquely outline the topography of the island.In short, along the seashore, facing southwest, is a semicircular Diamond Bay.To the southeast, there is a clear outline of the corner of the salt flat, which seems to be the leaf stalk floating on the sea. This beautiful and unique scenery fascinated the young travelers, and everyone admired it in silence.Even Mr. Horatio Pattenson could not find a Latin verse in his head to express his admiration for all that lay before him. Looking from the heights of Bald Peak, you can see how fertile the land on this island is.At the same time, it is also one of the most densely populated places on the planet, with 178 people per square kilometer. If the export of cocoa and dyes maintains its importance.Well, the production of coffee has indeed been greatly reduced, almost to the point of abandonment, and as for the total area of ​​sugar cane planted is less than 40,000 hectares, producing between 18 and 20 million tons of sugar, rum and tafia every year. liquor. In all, imports totaled 22 million francs and exports totaled 21 million francs.Nearly 1,900 ships keep Martinique's trade moving at a rapid pace. In addition, the island is connected by many railways for industrial and agricultural use, which link the port with the central factory.In addition, it also has a road network extending in all directions, with a total length of more than 900 kilometers. The next day, August 30th, the sun was shining and the tourists were heading towards Fort-de-France along a well-maintained road.A four-wheeled carriage carried this group of merry lads, and although their faces were darkened and flushed by the Atlantic wind, they were full of joy and joy. After a nutritious lunch in a very good restaurant, the students traveled all over Fort-de-France. As the capital city of the island, it is located in the depths of the harbor with its same name, and the majestic royal fortress overlooks the entire city. urban area.They also visited the arsenal and the naval port, two places which deprived the city of any industrial or commercial character.There, as in America and Europe, it is difficult for military and civilian ideas to develop simultaneously.Likewise, there is a huge difference between Saint-Herre and Fort-de-France. The city was not free from the two calamities which had done so much damage to the West Indies. The earthquake in 1839 caused great casualties to the city.Now it is on the rise again.The wonderful promenade of the travellers, which stretches up the surrounding hills, this rowdy group of young men ambles through the beautiful Avenue Savannah (which leads to the Fort Saint-Louis), in the flat, palm-lined square Turned around.In the center of the square stands a white marble statue of Empress Josephine.In Martinique, a very precious memory of the crowned Creole woman is kept. After touring the city and its surroundings, Tony Reynolds gave his fellow students a little respite.Afterwards, they had to follow him to the Balata military camp on a nearby hill.This is a nursing home specially built for soldiers from Europe to adapt to the new environment.In the end, they traveled all the way to the nearby hot springs. It should be noted that until then, in Martinique, a place full of so-called poisonous snakes, the leader Pattenson and his students have not encountered a single one so far. Even the town of Lamentin, to which the young guide refused to spare his fellow students, had to be passed through the dense forest that covered the place, during which time an accident worthy of detailed description occurred.There was nothing in this matter concerning Mr. Horatio Pattenson worth concealing. On August 31, the day before Spirit set off, after a good night's rest, the hiking students headed for the isthmus, which connects the two parts of the island.As usual, there was laughter all the way, the car had already transported some food away, each of them carried their own water bottle, and at noon everyone would have lunch in the woods beside the isthmus. After driving for several hours, Tony Renault and others got out of the car, walked into a forest, and walked half a kilometer, and encountered a forest clearing.This seems to be a resting place specially prepared for them before going through the depths of the forest. The shambling Mr. Pattenson fell a hundred paces behind them, and no one thought to attend to him, but he was sure to overtake them soon. Ten minutes had passed, and he had not seen him follow, when Louis Clodiron stood up, and exclaimed: "Mr. Pattenson! . . . Here we are, Mr. Pattenson!" There was no echo of him in the woods. "Has he lost his way?..." Roger Hinsdale also stood up and asked at this moment. "He couldn't have gotten very far," said Axel Wickburn. Then all the people shouted loudly: "Mr. Pattenson! . . . Mr. Pattenson!" A kind of ominous omen and anxiety flooded everyone's hearts, and the boys decided to look for Mr. Leader.The trees in the forest are quite dense, and if you are not careful, you will get lost.There will be no terrible beasts, because no beasts have been encountered in the Antilles, but it is possible to encounter some kind of terrible snake by accident. Once bitten by such a cave snake, it will is fatal. After half an hour of continuous looking around without finding anything, everyone was really worried.Everywhere echoed Mr. Pattenson's name.But to no avail... No trace of Mr. Pattenson was found. When everyone came to the depths of the forest, they found a shack.This is a small shack used by hunters, hidden among the trees and surrounded by a mess of ivy. Could Mr. Pattenson seek asylum there for some reason?In any case, the shack was closed, its door held against the outside by a stick. "He couldn't have been in it," Niels Alber said. "We'll have to see," said Magnu Anders: The stick was removed, and the door opened. The shack was empty, save for a few bales of hay.A hunting knife hung in a sheath against one wall, a small hunting bag, some animal skins, and dead birds hung in a corner. Louis Clodiron and Roger Hinsdale entered the hut, and almost at once came running out again, calling out to the schoolmates: "There he is, there he is..." they cried over and over. Sure enough, twenty steps behind the shack, Mr. Pattenson was lying stretched out under a tree, his hat dropped to the ground, the muscles in his face twitching, and his arms clenched together.On the surface, he looks like a lifeless person. Louis Clodiron, John Howard, and Albertus Levine all ran to Mr. Pattenson...his heart was still beating...he was not dead... "What happened to him? . . . " cried Tony Raynor. "Did he get bitten by a snake?" Yes, Mr. Pattenson may have wrestled a cave snake.This "spearhead" snake is common on Martinique and the other two Lesser Antilles.These are very dangerous snakes. Some snakes have six long legs, which can only be distinguished by their skin color. It is easy for people to confuse snakes with grass, and snakes hide in grass. Therefore, people It is difficult to dodge their quick and sudden attacks. Since Mr. Pattenson is still alive, we should do everything possible to revive him.Louis-Claudilon undressed him to make sure that he had not been bitten by any snake.So, how to explain his state at that time and the fear on his face? He lifted his tip up, leaned his body carefully against a tree, sprinkled cool water from a small river flowing into the swamp, and poured a few drops of Lang into his mouth. rum. He finally opened his eyes and spit out a few vague words: "Snake... where is the snake?..." "Mr. Pattenson...Mr. Pattenson..." Louis Clodiron called out, grabbing his hands. "The snake... did the snake escape?" "What kind of snake?..." "That snake I saw on this branch..." "Which branch? . . . which tree? . . . " "Look... there... right there... Be careful!..." Although Mr. Pattenson only let everyone hear a few incoherent words, everyone finally understood: he encountered a big snake, which was wrapped around a branch of a tree...the snake stared at him motionless... He resisted... resisted... In the end, the snake sucked him in.When this terrifying guy rushed towards him and was about to touch him, out of the instinct of resistance, he used the stick in his hand to hit the snake fiercely... What is the snake like now? ... was beaten to death? ... slipped out of the grass? ... The lads reassured Mr. Pattenson that there was no sign of any snakes... "No...no!..." he cried. He sat up, pointed with his finger and said: "There... right there..." the voice repeated in horror. All eyes looked in the direction of Mr. Pattenson's finger.he shouted: "I saw it... I saw it!" Sure enough, a huge cave snake carcass was hanging on a branch under a tree, its eyes were still shining, and its letter was spitting out, but it was weak and powerless, hanging there motionless, its tail was still wrapped around the branch, and there was no life left. look. It was evident that Mr. Pattenson hit the stick perfectly.Killed a thick and long snake.Mr. Pattenson didn't know what happened next...he passed out under the tree. Mr. Pattenson was congratulated as a matter of course as a victor.The students were not surprised that he wanted to take his "trophy" back to the Spirit.His purpose in doing this was to have the giant snake stuffed the next time it was moored. John Howard, Magnu Anders, and Nils Alber immediately removed the snake from the tree and moved it to the clearing in the woods.Everyone had a sumptuous lunch there and toasted together to wish Mr. Pattenson good health.After that, go to visit the isthmus together.Three hours later, they returned to the car, put the snake away, and returned to Saint-Pierre just before eight o'clock in the evening. After the students boarded the boat, John Carpenter and Coty had the giant snake hoisted aboard and moved into the dining room, while Mr. Pattenson continued to throw fear and pride at the snake. gaze.How he would describe the adventure to Mrs. Pattenson, and what a show would be given to the striking and feared Martinique cave snake in the library of the Antilles High School. s position!This is exactly what Mr. Leader will say in his next letter to Mr. Julian Arder. What a fulfilling and enriching day!So said Aulas, so said Horatio.There are only two things to do when you get down: first have a good dinner; then have a good sleep and wait for the departure time of the next day. And so it went.However, before returning to the cabin, Tony Renault pulled his classmates aside, behind Mr. Pattenson's back, and said to them: "Hey, that's a strange thing! . . . " "What's strange? . . . " asked Huber Perkins. "My discovery just now..." "what have you found?……" "There's no need to stuff Mr. Pattenson's snake..." "why?……" "Because it has become a specimen." It doesn't get any more real than that.What Tony Raynor just observed while moving the snake, yes!The snake entangled in the branch of the tree next to the shack was just a prey... Brave Mr. Pattenson hit a dead snake... It was agreed that the snake should still be taxidermied in St. Lucia.Don't make Pattenson sad, it's better to let him enjoy his victory. At dawn the next day, the Spirit weighed anchor and went out to sea. At noon, the peaks on the island were no longer visible. If Martinique is "the place to linger", everyone is eager to come back here again.Perhaps one or the other of the Antillean High School students thought so too, but no one could have guessed what fate awaited them!