The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 129 The Mysterious Island (14)
"And over there?" asked Neb.He had been listening to the conversation with interest, and now he pointed south with his hand.

"There's nothing there," said the sailor.

"Yes, nothing," added the engineer.

"So, Cyrus, what if 'Lincoln Island' is only two or three hundred nautical miles from New Zealand or Chile?" asked the reporter.

"In that case, we would have no need to build houses, but boats, and Pencroft would be at the helm," answered the engineer.

"Mr. Cyrus, I am always ready to be captain, until you manage to build a ship capable of sailing the Pacific," said the sailor.

"We'll build one if necessary," replied the engineer.

This is a group of confident people.They chatted and chatted, and it was almost noon.How, without the use of any instrument, was it possible for Cyrus Harding to see the sun reach the meridian over the island?This question Hubbert did not know.

The observers were located about six nautical miles from the chimney, not far from the dunes.It is there that the Engineer is mysteriously rescued.So they stopped to rest on the other side of the dunes.Since it was almost 11:30, it was time for them to prepare lunch.Harbert went to fetch water from a nearby stream, and this time he had the jug Neb was carrying.

While they were preparing their lunch, Cyrus Harding was making the final preparations for the astronomical observations.He chose a very clean place on the beach. When the sea tide ebbed, it was washed extremely smooth.This layer of fine sand is like a flat mirror, with a smooth surface and no sand grains stick out.It doesn't matter if the layer of sand is level, though.A thin stick six feet high was stuck there, and it didn't matter whether it was stuck vertically or not.Instead, the engineer tilted the thin stick to the south, that is, to the opposite side of the sun. Don't forget that 'Lincoln Island' is located in the southern hemisphere, so the arc of the sun seen by the islanders is not on the southern horizon. but to the north.

Thus, at last, Hubbert understood how the engineer would determine the transit of the sun, that is to say, how the sun had reached the meridian, and what time it was at noon.He used the projection of a thin stick on the sand. Without an instrument, this method could provide an approximate value, allowing him to get the desired result.

When this projection becomes the shortest, it is noon.So, to determine the shortest moment, just gaze at the top.Cyrus Harding continued to tilt the stick against the sun, so that the projection would be longer and easier to observe.Indeed, the longer the pointer on the clock face, the easier it is to watch the movement of the top, and the projection of the thin stick is exactly the pointer on the clock face.

Cyrus Harding thought the time was up, and kneeling on the ground, stuck some sticks into the sand to mark the gradual shortening of the projection.His companions watched him operate with great interest.

The reporter held a watch, ready to record the shortest moment of time.Moreover, the day Cyrus Smith operated, April 4, was the day when the real time and the normal time coincided, so the time recorded by Jardin Splain was the real time in Washington, which was convenient for calculation.

At this moment, the sun moved slowly, and the projection gradually shortened. Cyrus felt that the projection began to elongate, so he asked:

"What's the time now?"

"One minute after five o'clock." The reporter replied.

All that needs to be done now is to record the operation process with numbers, which is not difficult to operate.Therefore, they saw that the meridians of Washington and "Lincoln Island" differed by a full five hours, which means that it was evening in Washington and noon in "Lincoln Island".When the sun moves around the earth, it moves one degree every 4 minutes, and moves fifteen degrees every hour. 15×5=75 degrees

华盛顿的经度是77°3′11″，从格林威治算起是77°，美国人和英国人一致认为格林威治是经度的起点。华盛顿是77°，林肯岛则是77+75=152度，即西经152°。

Cyrus Smith told this result to his companions, and taking into account the errors of observation, as in the calculation of latitude, they were able to ascertain that Lincoln Island lay between 35° and 37° in latitude and at the Greenwich meridian in longitude. Between 150° and 152° west.

The error in observation may be five degrees, sixty nautical miles per degree, and for the sake of accuracy, the error in longitude and latitude may be calculated as three hundred nautical miles.

But even if errors do occur, at this level, they will not have a significant impact on their decision at all.It turned out that "Lincoln Island" was far from any landmass.It would be a fool's dream for immigrants to risk sailing in a simple, flimsy boat.

According to the engineer's measurement, the location of "Lincoln Island" is at least 1000 nautical miles away from Teddy Island or the Pamotu Islands, [-] nautical miles away from New Zealand, and [-] nautical miles away from the American continent.

Cyrus Harding searched his memory, but could not recall any island in the Pacific where "Lincoln Island" stood.

smelting metal
On the 4th of April Pencroft was the first to ask Jardine Splane upon waking:
"Hey, Mr. Splane, what are we doing today?"

"That depends on what Cyrus wants to do!" replied the reporter.

Before, engineers and companions worked as brickmakers and potters.However, this time they were going to be smelters.

After lunch yesterday, they carried out another exploration work of up to seven nautical miles.They came to "Cape Jawbone", which is the edge of the desert and belongs to the volcanic area.Unlike "Prospect Heights", there are no such tall cliffs, and the shape here is very strange.The north and south capes are formed by minerals from volcanic eruptions.At the headland, the settlers began to return to the "chimney".When they came back, it was already dark.It was a sleepless night, and one important question troubled them all, and that was whether they should leave "Lincoln Island."

The distance between "Lincoln Island" and the Pamo Islands is more than 1000 nautical miles, which is quite a long distance.In any case, a small boat is impassable, and winter is approaching, when the weather is too harsh for long voyages.Of this Pencroft was quite sure.Moreover, even building a simple boat was impossible for the islanders at this time because they had no tools.Even the simplest boat requires tools such as hammers, axes, saws, hatchets, planes, wood drills, etc., and it takes time to make them.Finally, they discussed and decided to spend the winter on the island, find a place more comfortable than the "chimney" to settle down, and wait for the winter to pass.

The primary question now is how to use the iron ore, which engineers have discovered in the northwestern part of the island.They can extract iron from iron ore, or turn it into steel.These deposits are generally not pure, mostly combined with oxygen or sulfur.Cyrus Harding brought back several samples, one of which was magnetite, which had not been carbonated, and one of pyrite, that is, pyrite.The former ore, the so-called iron oxide, can be reduced by coal, and the oxygen is removed by high temperature to obtain pure iron.During the reduction process, the ore must be calcined at high temperature.Of course, there is a faster method, which is the "Catalan smelting method". The advantage of this method is that the process is simple, and pure iron can be obtained with only one procedure.There is also blast furnace smelting, which first melts iron ore and then turns the iron ore into iron.However, 3% to 4% of coal has to be removed in this process.

But it was iron, not molten iron ore, that Cyrus Harding wanted.Therefore, he has to choose the most convenient method.Moreover, he found that the iron oxide ore itself was high in iron.The shape of this iron oxide ore belongs to disordered lumps, the color is dark gray, and it can produce a black powder, which can be crystallized into regular octahedron, providing a natural magnet.In Europe, this ore can be used to smelt primary iron, and there are many such ores in Sweden and Norway.Not far from the iron ore layer is the peat layer.These settlers had already used coal.These two means of production are very close to each other, which is very convenient for ironmaking.

"Then, that is to say, we shall be smelting iron, Mr. Cyrus?" asked the sailor.

"Yes, but before making iron, we will go to the island to hunt seals. I believe you will like it." The engineer replied.

"Seal hunting?" said the sailor to the reporter. "Is it necessary to make iron?"

"Since Cyrus said so, so be it!" the reporter replied.

The engineer left the "chimney".Although Pencroft did not get a reasonable explanation, he also went to prepare for the seal hunt.

Cyrus Harding, Spline, Pencroft, Harbert, and Neb assembled on the beach.When the water was low, they waded to the opposite safety island.Soon, the tide had reached its lowest point.So the islanders crossed the channel with ease, without getting wet above the knees.

It was the first time Cyrus Harding had set foot on the island, and the others the second.Here's where the balloon throws them.

After they landed, hundreds of puffins were in front of them, looking at these visitors with innocent eyes.The islanders can easily kill them with wooden sticks.But they didn't want to do that, it would be a futile massacre, and it would disturb the amphibians, which were not far away on the sand.There are also some penguins around, their wings have degenerated very short, and the feathers on them are like scales.

The settlers moved cautiously to the north, and the ground was dotted with small pits, which became nests for certain waterfowl.At the end of the island, large dark spots appeared swimming on the water.That's the seal they're hunting.

But the seals have to be brought ashore in order to hunt them.These seals have narrow pelvises, short and dense body hair, and their bodies are like a cone, and their ability to swim is super strong, so it is almost impossible to catch them in the sea.But when they landed, the situation was different. Their legs were short and they could only crawl slowly.

Sailors are familiar with this kind of animal, and it is recommended to wait until the seals come ashore to bask in the sun before taking action.After they come ashore, they will soon fall into a drowsy sleep.At that time, it is easy to cut off their escape route and knock their noses.So the hunters hid behind the rocks, quietly waiting for the opportunity.

An hour later, the seals really came to the sand, there were six or seven of them.Hubbert and the sailor left the rocks, rounded the headland of the islet, and hunted them from behind.This also cuts off the seal's retreat.Meanwhile, Cyrus Harding, Jardine Splane, and Neb crawled along the rocks, preparing to fight the seal.

Suddenly, the sailor's tall body appeared and uttered a cry, and the engineer and his companions rushed among the seals.Of these seals, two were violently attacked and died on the beach, while the rest fled back to the sea.

"Here is your seal, Mr. Cyrus!" said the sailor, walking up to the engineer.

"Okay, we'll use them for the bellows of the iron furnace," replied the engineer.

"Bows?" exclaimed the sailor. "That's right, the seals are lucky."

Yes, the engineer intended to make blowers out of seal skins, an essential tool in ironmaking.The seals were of medium weight, no more than six feet long, and their heads resembled those of dogs.The two animals were too heavy to be carried back, so Neb and the sailor skinned them on the beach.Engineers and journalists used this time to survey the island.

The sailor and Neb completed their work, in about three hours.Now the engineer has got two seal skins and plans to use them directly.

Next, they just waited for the sea to ebb and return to the "chimney".

Stretching the seal's skin over the wooden frame, stretching it open so that it can store air, without leaving too many gaps, is no easy task.The only tool available to Cyrus Harding was a thin sheet of steel transformed from Top's collar, but the engineer's hand was so deft.His companions are equally wise, and assist him together.Three days later, their new tool, the blower, was born.This blower is used to inject air into iron ore during iron smelting, which is an indispensable tool for smelting work.

In the early morning of April 4, the immigrants started the smelting work.The reporter recorded all this in his diary.Engineers decided to operate on the ground in coal and iron mines.According to his observations, the mineral bed is located in the middle of the branch of "Franklin Peak", about six nautical miles away.With such a long distance, it is impossible to go back and forth between the "chimneys" every day, so everyone discussed and built a tent with branches to spend the night on the spot, so as to complete this important work all day and all night.

A plan has been agreed upon.In the morning, they set off.Neb and the sailors dragged the blower in baskets, which also contained food, both animal and vegetable.But they are not worried about the lack of food, because food can be replenished at any time.

They go through the woods.From southeast to northwest, that is the most densely wooded part.They want to open up a passage from "Prospect Heights" to "Franklin Peak", which will become an important traffic road.The trees grew very well, and Hubbert pointed out several new varieties, one of which was the dracaena, which the sailors called "false leeks."This tree grows very tall, but like onions, chives, and asparagus, it belongs to the lily family.The woody roots of these dracaena trees are delicious cooked and eaten.And after fermentation, it can also produce a delicious drink, so they stored some.

The walk through the forest was a long one, taking them all day, but it also gave them a chance to observe the animals.Top is in charge of hunting animals.It ran around in the grass and brambles, driving all kinds of animals out.Reporters and Hubbert shot two kangaroos and a hedgehog-like anteater.The animal is huddled and covered in spines, with digging claws and a sticking out tongue full of insects.

"I wonder what it will be like when you boil it in a pot?" said the sailor.

"Like a nice piece of beef," Hubbert said.

"That's enough!" said the sailor.

During this excursion, they also spotted several wild boars, which they did not attack.Other than that, no more ferocious beasts were encountered.Once, the reporter saw an animal, thought it was a bear, and took a closer look, and found that the animal was among the branches.Later, the reporter determined that it was a koala.So he concentrated on painting.This animal is not scary, just like a big dog with a gray coat that can climb trees and eat leaves.They didn't bother the animal, and the reporter's sketch was done.He named the animal "Koala".Then everyone continued on their way.

At around 5 o'clock in the evening, the engineer signaled to everyone that it was time to rest.They were in the middle of the forest, and the Red River was a few hundred steps away, so drinking water was not a problem.Soon, the campsite was found, on the edge of the forest, among the trees.They interweave the branches with creeping vines and paste them with clay.In this way, it took about an hour to build a hut.Here, enough for them to live.Tomorrow's plan is geological prospecting, and tonight's dinner is ready and the barbecue is turning over the roaring campfire.At eight o'clock, one person was left to watch the fire and observe whether there were any beasts attacking around, and the rest fell into a sweet dreamland.

On April 4, the engineer took Hubbert to explore the formation and picked up some ore samples.Engineers discovered a ground-level seam, just below the side of a ridge branch, at the headwaters of the Red River.These ores are extremely rich in iron, and their impurities are easily dissolved, and are perfectly suitable for smelting by the simple method that the engineer intends to use, that is, the Catalan smelting method.But engineers also simplified it, similar to the method used by people on the island of Corsica.

Strictly speaking, the Catalan smelting method requires the construction of a furnace and a crucible, in which ore and coal are alternately placed layer by layer, and then they react and reduce.However, Cyrus Harding simplified this step, deciding not to build a furnace and a crucible, but to arrange the coal and ore into a cube, and use a blower to blow the air in the middle.This may be a very primitive method, but it will also be a method with a high success rate.

The ore and coal have been prepared, and it can be said that it does not take much effort, and the materials are obtained nearby.These are all on the ground surface.They broke the ore into small pieces, removed the surface impurities by hand, and then piled the coal and ore on top of each other, just like a charcoal burner does when he burns wood into charcoal.In this arrangement, the blower injects air, and the coal is converted into carbonic acid, which in turn is converted into iron oxide, which is reduced to iron, releasing oxygen.

Engineers use this method to operate. The seal skin blower is placed next to the ore pile, and a high-temperature-resistant clay pipe is placed on the top of the blower.Of course, this is prepared in advance and prepared for use.Blowers, consisting of wooden frames, fiber ropes, and counterweights, blow air into the pile of ore, which raises the temperature and also helps provide the chemical reaction of the pure iron.

This operation was not easy, and the immigrants completed the whole process very patiently and creatively.They succeeded.Ultimately, they produced wrought iron that took on a spongy shape, which was then hammered to remove impurities.But what to forge?The immigrants didn't even have a hammer.

The first piece of wrought iron was mounted on a stick, and this was the first hammer.A second piece of wrought iron was forged on granite, and at last they had a rough but workable piece of metal.

With so much effort and toil, on April 4, the islanders forged several iron bars.Tools such as pliers, tweezers, picks, and hoes were then made.Sailors and Neb called these tools exquisite masterpieces.However, the role of this metal in pure iron is very limited, and it needs to get steel.However, steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.Decarburized steel is obtained by removing excess carbon from pig iron; hardened steel is obtained by carburizing.

The engineer decided to refine the latter hardened steel, since he already had pure iron.He put iron and coal powder into a crucible made of high temperature resistant clay, so he succeeded.

(End of this chapter)