War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1160 Food and Necklace

At noon, the scorching sun wishfully tried to boil the water in the Coral Sea to cook a large pot of assorted fish soup that could be drunk by people all over the world.

On the rippling sea, the whaling ship Nagatsuka Maru, which was far away from the regular route, had already increased its speed to 18 knots, trying to catch up with the huge group of whales not far ahead.

Thanks to the chat in the captain's room just now, Wei Ran, who was supposed to go to work in the warehouse, also entered the command room with a camera at the invitation of Captain Fernando, watching the whole process of the other party commanding the sailors to hunt down the whales.

After getting permission from the other party, Wei Ran took a few photos of the sailors in the command room, and Fernando, who invited him up, also introduced in his busy schedule, "We have observed about 20 whales that we are hunting so far. Long, we can probably catch a quarter of them, and maybe half of them if we're lucky."

The whaling cannon on the bow of the ship had already fired before it could finish speaking. Through the glass window of the command room, Wei Ran could clearly see that the fired javelin with a white rope easily hit the target. There was a whale on the side of the ship, and everyone in the command room immediately burst into cheers.

But this time, the whaling ship did not stop or slow down, and even the sailors on the deck did not salvage the hit whale.

Under Wei Ran's puzzled gaze, the whaling cannon at the bow fired again, and a particularly conspicuous inflatable floating ball appeared at the end of the rope dragged by the javelin that hit the target first.

As the whaling guns fired again and again, javelins were shot out one by one, and the originally blue sea was also dyed red in clusters.In the center of the tumbling red sea water, there is also a conspicuous inflatable floating ball floating in each.

Just when Wei Ran tried to raise the camera several times but failed to press the shutter, Fernando walked up to the devil's hemorrhoid flag hanging on the wall on the side of the command room with an excited face, stretched out his hand from under the flag, and fixed it on the wall He untied a samurai sword that was fastened to it by a belt from the knife holder on his bed, and threw it on the floor as a cane. He folded his hands and rested his palms on the handle of the knife.

In addition to the bastard practice posture that made Wei Ran want to slash it, Fernando's original command in English was also switched to Japanese broadcasted to the whole ship through the loudspeaker.And those busy sailors distributed in the command room and even on the deck responded loudly to the corresponding orders.

Under this efficient killing, in less than an hour, the last whale in sight was also hit by the javelin shot by the whaling cannon.

"Captain! A total of 11 were killed, all of which were sperm whales!" In the loudspeaker in the command room, a sailor reported loudly, followed by cheers from everyone except Wei Ran.

"Good job, let's get started!"

Fernando bent down and leaned over to the fixed microphone on the podium to issue new orders.

Soon, the whaling ship began to salvage busy after going around in circles. Wei Ran also left the command room at the invitation of Fernando, who still had a camera around his neck and had an extra samurai sword in his hand. Went to the aft deck.

Almost at the same time they walked onto the deck, the last captured whale was pulled up through the ramp trestle at the stern.

"Victor, today is a good harvest day, please help us take some photos."

While speaking, Fernando handed the camera hanging around his neck to Wei Ran, and then pointed at the whale that had just been pulled up with his samurai sword, "Just take pictures of the hardworking sailors at work, the best Take a picture of each whale as it is pulled up."

"Mr. Nagatsuka doesn't mind appearing in the camera?"

Wei Ran deliberately used Japanese when taking the camera, and deliberately used the surname of Nagatsuka to address the captain, "For a captain of a whaling ship, this is a memorable day."

"It's my honor." After Fernando finished, he put on the pilot with the katana sword in his hands again, and even straightened his waist and stowed his lower abdomen.

How about posing with me together?
Wei Ran muttered to himself, raised the Nikon camera, put the bloody scene of whale slaughter on the deck, and Fernando with a complacent villain look on his face, and pressed the shutter.

After taking five or six photos of Fernando from various angles in a row, the latter took his own camera with satisfaction, and at the same time pointed to the second sperm whale that was about to be pulled up and said, "I have gained a lot this time. Get all these whales up and we can head back."

"So fast?" Wei Ran asked subconsciously.

"Our cargo hold capacity is limited"

Fernando explained, "And we don't have a lot of supplies. Send these harvests back first, and then purchase more supplies, so we can go further."

Let’s just say that the last voyage didn’t have the money to buy more supplies.
Wei Ran muttered to himself the truth that he guessed, but asked, "So we're still docking in Sydney Harbour?"

"No, we're going to the Port of Brisbane," Fernando explained. "We'll definitely gain more on the way home."

Before he finished speaking, someone on the deck blew a whistle, and immediately after that, four busy sailors rushed into the cabin.When they came out again, they already had a whaling gun in their hands.

Soon, the four sailors ran to the edge of the deck and fixed the butt of the whaling gun in their hands to the railing with iron pins.

"It's a meat-stealing shark or a dolphin"

Before Fernando finished speaking, two of the sailors opened their mouths in no particular order, and shot out the small javelin connected to the rope in the barrel.

Soon, the third whale was pulled up, and a little later, several dolphins with small javelins were also pulled up!And the four sailors who originally used whaling guns also changed their tools one after another, skillfully slaughtering and cutting the struggling dolphins into large and small pieces of meat.

"Their tail fin meat is very delicious, especially for sashimi. You can try it for dinner."

After Fernando finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the command room, "Victor, you can stay here and take pictures for everyone."

Looking at Fernando's back, Wei Ran hid the murderous intent in his eyes, and continued to watch the slaughtering and salvage of whale carcasses on the deck with a cold eye through the camera lens in his hand.

It's hard for Wei Ran to describe how big a sperm whale is. The only accurate word he can think of is "Roshan".

However, it only takes half an hour and at most 40 minutes for such a mountain of meat to be dragged onto the ship to be divided and sent to the refrigerated cargo hold on the lower deck.And the upper deck of the stern of this whaling ship can kill three whales at the same time!

In less than two hours, the 11 sperm whales hunted before, 7 additional sharks and more than 20 dolphins caught along the way, all became the trophies of this boat.

And the only trace that proves that they once existed in this clean sea area is the track on the sea surface that was stained red by the blood washed off the deck, and various marine life that smelled blood and swam over.

With the identity of the photographer temporarily arranged by Fernando, Wei Ran was also able to follow the carcass of the last whale into the assembly line on the lower deck, and witnessed the whole process of refining whale oil and filtering whale brain oil.

He even saw several sailors hiding on the lower deck, surrounding a juvenile dolphin that was still alive on the table, tasting the dolphins that a ghost sailor cut off from the skinned tail fin with a look of intoxication. Still twitching chunks of meat.

With a blank face, he took a group photo of the sailors smiling at him around the young dolphin. Wei Ran, who left here quickly, couldn't help but think of those man-eating demons in the jungle, and of Helen Reef. The man-eating Wendigo on the table reminded him of the little arm that hit him in the explosion on the Teng County battlefield, and the string of five emperors' coins left on his arm.

"vomit--!"

While running back to the upper deck, he finally couldn't hold back his nausea, lying on the railing, facing the blood-stained reddish water outside the ship, and began to retch.

"Victor, what's the matter with you?" At this moment, Karan and Valoro came out of the cabin carrying a long-handled brush and a tin bucket respectively.

After waving his hands to indicate that he was fine, Wei Ran calmed down and asked, "Aren't you guys helping in the kitchen?"

Karan spread his hands and said indifferently, "I just heard from Hugo that it seems that the captain decided to eat whale meat to celebrate today. Now the kitchen is full of recruited sailors with the best cooking skills. We can't help at all, so They were directed to clean the deck."

"Where's Hugo?" Wei Ran continued to ask after spitting out of the boat.

"He's been helping to operate the radar all day today." Valoro hinted meaningfully, "It seems that he has eaten a bad stomach."

"I guess I drank too much fish soup last night," Karan added with a wink.

Before Wei Ran could ask again, the devil's second officer on the boat also called out to Wei Ran to let him go down and open the door of the warehouse.

Same as yesterday, this time what the other party took away was still two boxes of sake, some beer and some vegetables.

The second mate had just been sent away, and the first mate also came with a dozen sailors. After Wei Ran registered them one by one, he sent barrels of whale naphtha and refined whale oil into the warehouse.

"Victor"

After all the oil drums were put into storage, the first mate signed and said, "Help me tell your friends, come join us to celebrate tonight, this time we can have a few more drinks, and we don't work overtime."

"We will be on time for the appointment," Wei Ran responded with a smile.

"Bring your camera then"

The first mate handed the signed record book to Wei Ran, "How about taking some more photos for us then?"

"No problem." Wei Ran made a promise again.

Not long after seeing off the chief mate, Japanese music was played again on the speakers of the whaling ship, and ghost songs sung by groups of sailors could even be heard throughout the ship.

In this warm atmosphere, Wei Ran shuttled among the sailors with the camera in his hand, and took pictures of them one after another. The upper deck at the stern was also carefully watched by the sailors including Karan and Valoro. Cleaned up and set up small tables one by one.

When night fell, the speed of the whaling ship slowed down and the music played louder.

And on the upper deck of the brightly lit stern, a barbecue grill with a length of four meters was also set up. Several devils who changed their clothes were also standing behind the grill, either busy roasting food, or busy frying food. Various snacks such as making tempura and stewed oden.

The scene of celebration also followed the arrival of Captain Fernando who had changed into a kimono, and it began to gradually become tidy, but it made Wei Ran, Hugo and Valorozzi frown and cheered.

Looking around, Fernando didn't say much, but just waved his hand.

Soon, one by one sailors brought up trays of food, and they were delivered to each table like running water.

Among the food served are the teppanyaki steak that is still sizzling and dripping with oil, and the sashimi that made the four of Wei Ran sitting around the table frown, and there is a barbecue grill not far away. Seafood skewers and freshly baked tempura came out.

And these sailors who delivered dishes to each table did not deliver a dish, and someone would loudly tell what dish it was in Japanese.

"Victor, what's the matter with you?" Hugo asked curiously, looking at Wei Ran whose face became increasingly ugly.

However, before Wei Ran could answer, four small plates were served on the table that made the eyes of the people at the table widen.

Each of these small white porcelain plates has an eye, an eye as big as a child's fist!
"What is this?" Valoro waited until the sailors came out with four small dipping bowls, and then asked the question that both Hugo and Karan were curious about with a hint of panic.

"Eye"

Wei Ran sighed, and translated the introduction of the sailor just now into English, "Dolphin's eyes."

"Well!"

Karan was the first to get up in a panic, covered his mouth and ran to the corner of the deck where the lights couldn't reach, and began to vomit.

"This is too scary." Hugo said with a shivering Adam's apple, obviously frightened by this dish.

"This is Whale Meat Yamato Boiled with Whale Meat and Offal"

Wei Ran picked up a pair of chopsticks on the table, pointed to the dishes that had just been served, and explained one by one according to the introductions of the sailors, "This is a platter of dolphin tail fin and whale tail fin meat sashimi, this is whale tongue sashimi, This is dolphin heart sashimi, this is fried whale meat, this is Teppanyaki whale steak, and this, this is."

"Enough, enough Victor."

Valoro frowned and stopped Wei Ran, "Is there nothing we can eat here? I don't want to eat raw, it will make me think of rain involuntarily"

Valoro didn't say all of what came to mind, but Hugo got up abruptly and ran to the corner, lying beside his little brother Karan, leaning on the guardrail and began to retch.

"The ones sent up next should be able to. Forget it."

Wei Ran shook his head, those sailors sent bowls of Japanese ramen, but the bucket not far away for cooking ramen was the one they used to cook fish soup yesterday—he didn’t want to Eat anything cooked in a pee bucket and spittoon.

"Let's eat this." Wei Ran picked up a piece of tempura, "This is a vegetable."

"Let them remove these things first, especially these eyes."

Valoro said with difficulty, "I'm sure, Hugo and Karan won't come back if this is not removed."

Hearing this, Wei Ran glanced at the eyes on the plate, stopped the sailor who was about to bring ramen to the table, and expressed the dietary demands of the people at the table.

Under the slightly disdainful gaze of the sailor, the ramen, the sashimi, and the eyeballs that were robbed were all taken away, and Hugo and Karan were also called back by Valoro.

While the four people at their table watched with frowning eyes, the sailors on the surrounding tables enjoyed all kinds of raw food and those huge eyeballs that were simply boiled.

And as Captain Fernando, who was seated at the top, toasted again and again, the sailors who had a good harvest also gave out a series of cheers.

In the middle of the celebration, at the suggestion of the chief mate who was about 1.7 meters tall, the sailors cleared two spaces in the middle of the deck to play judo and swordsmanship, and the captain Fernando actually took the lead in opening the game mouth.

Soon, someone brought wooden swords and various protective gear. Obviously, this kind of entertainment is probably the "corporate culture" of this ship.

Although the dinner just now made Hugo and the others a little nauseated, and they were not familiar with the detailed rules of these two confrontation games, but this gambling aroused their interest, and even Wei Ran did not want to make himself too abrupt , to join in the fun, took out a few banknotes and placed a bet.

After a few fights, the first mate who had won five judo games in a row tore off his clothes, stretched his whole body and started to provoke.

However, at this time, Wei Ran noticed that Valoro and Hugo frowned in no particular order, especially the former, with a clear look of anger on his face.

Before this big old black with a good temper could take a step, Wei Ran, who didn't know why, and Hugo, who seemed to see something, reached out their hands almost at the same time, and grabbed Valoro's wrist from left to right.

After simply looking at each other, Wei Ran and Hugo pulled the tense Muscle Warolo to the shadow of the edge of the deck where the light could not reach.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice until his back leaned against the guardrail.

"Is it from your tribe?" Hugo didn't answer Wei Ran's question, but looked at Waloro who was holding the pipe so tightly that the muscles of his entire arm bulged.

"It can't be wrong, it must be." Valoro gritted his teeth and said.

"Can any of you explain it to me?" Wei Ran asked without knowing why.

"Walolo's tribe is considered a relatively civilized tribe"

Hugo sighed and explained, "Before World War II, they used to hunt birds of paradise and exchange those beautiful feathers for various things that are not available in the jungle."

After a short pause, Hugo pointed to himself, "My parents were in the bird of paradise business at the time. Whether it was a living bird of paradise or the feathers on the bird of paradise, as long as they were shipped to Europe, they could be sold at a high price. It is no exaggeration. Even the Queen of England once bought the birds of paradise we shipped to England."

"so."

"Our tribe also started to break away from the previous life after cooperating with Hugo's father. At least we no longer cannibalize."

"At that time, neither I nor Valoro were born yet," Hugo added.

Valoro reached into his pocket and took out a small leather gold coin bag that wasn't too big.After untying the leather cord of the beam, he poured out a string of necklaces and handed it to Wei Ran.

After receiving the necklace, Wei Ran could clearly see by the light in the distance that what was fixed on the necklace, which was worn with a leather cord, were the beaks with patina.

"After we hunted the Bird of Paradise, it would be best if it was still alive. If we accidentally killed it, we would have to sell the feather to Hugo's father."

Warolo pointed to the patted beaks on the necklace and said, "The dead birds of paradise, especially the blue birds of paradise, have blue and white beaks, which are very beautiful. The beak of the bird of paradise is carefully removed, and a necklace is made by passing a rope through the upper nostril.

Since working with Hugo's father, the beaks have become as popular adornments as shells and snail shells. "

"And only their tribe would use only beaks to make necklaces, because it represents wealth and a good hunter." Hugo added.

"Like the necklace the mate wore around his neck"

Valoro took the necklace returned by Wei Ran and carefully put it into the small leather gold coin bag, tied it up carefully and added in a dull voice, "People in our tribe will not give away this kind of necklace, let alone give it away. Not for sale and no one will buy necklaces like ours.

And we haven't caught birds of paradise since the end of World War II, and even mine was left to me by my father, who was a very good hunter when he was young. "

"So that first officer has been to the Kokoda Trail?" Wei Ran said with a frown.

"if not?"

Valoro clenched his fists and asked a question that didn't need to be answered, "I have to grab that necklace back, Hugo, Victor, do you remember what happened in the jungle? Do you remember Kaikai and Susu?"

"Go, go."

Hugo has already taken a step while speaking, "Let's challenge that first mate and see if we can find a way to win its necklace."

"At least ask where he got the necklace from."

Wei Ran looked at Walloro as he spoke, and asked in a low voice, "Everyone knows you're from Papua New Guinea, right?"

"No one knows." Valoro shook his head, "I was smuggled to Australia with the help of Hugo and Karan."

"That's good, how about we keep this matter a secret for the time being?"

Wei Ran moved his fists while speaking. Although he didn't know the rules of judo, if he just hit the opponent, it would not be too difficult.

"I'm an aborigine from inland Australia." Valoro naturally found a new hometown for himself, "My friends, how about letting me come first later? I want to get that necklace back myself."

After a short pause, the old black added, "It's best to kill it!"

(End of this chapter)