Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1149 Exploring Indigenous Peoples and Gold Mine

"Are you really going to look for the New Zealand Islands? There is only one boat and dozens of people, and I'm afraid there will be many crises on the way." By the rough pier of the Yarra River, the residents living in this colonial stronghold came to see off Cheng Hong and the others. .

The expedition team in Oceania once organized an expedition to the New Zealand Islands under the leadership of Cheng Hong, but encountered a storm on the way and turned back.This is the second time they are going to find the New Zealand Islands across the sea.

The Tasmania Island opposite Melbourne Bay has been set foot by the expedition team led by Cheng Hong, and only the New Zealand Islands have not yet planted the Chinese flag.

Dozens of people, including Cheng Hong, were worried about the failure of the exploration operation of the New Zealand Islands, and wanted to make the last voyage before returning to the mainland.

"This time is the persistence of dozens of us, and we can't cause too much trouble for everyone because of our ideas. We started to make full preparations for this expedition a year ago, and this expedition should not happen. Whatever the problem, we will be able to find the island marked on the map." Cheng Hong said confidently.

"Exploring the New Zealand archipelago is a good thing for us. We will not oppose your actions, but the sea is extremely dangerous. No one can provide support for you. Take care of yourself." Lai who succeeded Cheng Hong as the governor of Tianji City The man said to the expedition team members who were about to set off.

"Please allow us to take away twenty muskets. If the sailing goes well, we will inspect the coastline of the islands after we reach the New Zealand islands. If we haven't turned back in half a year at most, it means we have been killed." Cheng Hong said.

"Take the muskets, and I will report them to the military for you. Twenty muskets are not valuable to us," the governor said.

"Brothers, it's time for us to set sail. This may be our last adventure across the ocean! There is a huge archipelago five thousand miles east of the ocean. We want to plant our flag there. , we will be the first to discover the huge archipelago and complete our unfinished mission!" Cheng Hong made the last mobilization before setting sail.

This time, the expedition to find the New Zealand Islands has only one ship, and what they will face is the vast South Pacific.Melbourne Bay is more than 2000 kilometers away from the New Zealand Islands, which is farther than from the capital to Dongying, and there are only sporadic Pacific islands in the middle, so the supply is very unstable.If their ship hits the rocks and enters the water, they don't even have a spare ship, and it is very likely that they will all be buried in the sea.

Lonely boats filled their sails and sailed down the Yarra River into Melbourne Bay and out into the vast South Pacific.

The governor of Tianji City watched the lonely sailboat gradually disappear: "When they have been in Oceania for several years, they still have such drive and pursuit. They are really rare adventurers. If they can explore this sea area, they will All the islands in the Pacific Ocean have been identified, which will be of great help to the development and route planning of this place.”

"My lord, the main purpose of our trip to Oceania this time is to find an alluvial gold placer called Sovereign Mountain. It is said that there is a large amount of gold placer that is easy to mine. I don't know when we will leave?" Geological experts and mineral experts consult the Governor for instructions.

"Everyone, don't worry, Shufen Mountain is still quite a distance from the Tianji City we established. You must know that except for the Tianji City, it is surrounded by plains, mountains, and swamps. Fenshan is looking for gold mines. Don’t mention the gold mines to the local residents for the time being, otherwise it will affect their planting crops and grazing in captivity.” The governor reminded these experts who don’t care much about the world.

If the news of their coming to explore the gold mine spread, the residents of Tianji City would probably not be in the mood to farm and herd their cattle anymore, and would clamor to pan for undiscovered gold mines.

"Wait until we discover the gold mine and establish a strict inspection system before we see whether we need to conscript immigrants to pan for gold, or we should conscript natives to help us..." the governor said.

The newly arrived exploration team lived in the house of Tianji City. There have been two or three batches of reclamators who came here a few years ago. Many of them have reclaimed large tracts of farmland and pastures by themselves. When he was transferred back to China, he chose to stay and become a permanent resident here.At night, hundreds of people stationed at the southernmost tip of the Eastern Hemisphere lit a bonfire, chatted about their hometown and land reclamation, each with their own regrets.

Among this group of people, there are a few people who are very special. They are shirtless, wearing animal skin skirts around their waists, and they are skillfully turning the grill.The mutton sizzled under the charcoal fire, the golden fat overflowed, and then topped with chili juice and cumin, the seductive smell made people around salivate.

"The seasoning you brought is really great! It must be a gift from the nature god!" Several aborigines in animal skin skirts were greedy when the roast mutton was not cooked.

"What are the identities of those people? How can they speak Chinese?" The new governor asked the residents of Tianji City.

"They are a few young people from the indigenous tribe that Captain Cheng Hong subdued when we landed here. At first they regarded us as gods, and later they often mixed with our people, and asked us to defeat a few people who were with them. For the tribes competing for territory, we shared the captives and spoils together. In order to obtain more labor force that is easy to communicate with, the teachers we bring will teach Chinese.” The residents said to the governor.

"How many people are there in their tribe?"

"There are hundreds of people in this tribe, and there are seven or eight tribes that have established relationships with us. The other tribes that do not want to obey us have been driven farther north by us. And the tribes that have made friends with us need to send their tribesmen to help us cultivate farmland and graze , Captive livestock. In return, we will provide some items and food they want.”

"That is to say, if we have something, we can dispatch these people who obey our tribe?"

"That's right, we have supreme power in this area, and the backward tribes worship us just like the former vassal states."

"I plan to lead the exploration team to explore the coal mines in the western valleys, and ask ten strong men from each tribe to assist us. They are more familiar with the terrain here and survival on this continent. With their assistance, our casualties may be reduced." The governor heard that there were seven or eight tribes around them obeying their orders, so he came up with the idea of ​​recruiting aborigines to form an exploration team to Sovereign Mountain to look for gold mines.

(End of this chapter)