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

Chapter 146 The Mysterious Island (31)
Neb replied, "Jup is my apprentice, and soon he will be as good as I am!"

The sailor retorted, laughing, "I'm sure I'll surpass you, because, anyway, you're always talking while you work, Neb, and Jupu's not like that, and that alone makes you better!"

With the unanimous approval of everyone, Jupu is now very proficient in the business.It could do a lot of work: sweep the room, turn the spit, dust the clothes, set the firewood, serve the meals, and tucked Pencroft every night when he was asleep before going to sleep.Pencroft was very pleased with Master Jupp's attentive care of him.

The health of the residents on the island is very good, no matter whether they are humans or animals, there is no illness.In this temperate zone, this land with mild air and good climate is very suitable for human habitation.Their outdoor life exercises hands and brains, so that they feel never sick.

Indeed, everyone feels better and better.In the past year, Hubbert has grown two centimeters taller, and his appearance has become sharper and more manly. He is determined to become a real man both physically and mentally.In addition, besides working, he also used all his spare time to study.The few books in the box became his textbooks, and he read and studied over and over again.In addition to learning from nature and practice, he also learned languages ​​from journalists and science from engineers.Obviously, the two teachers are very willing to teach him.

The engineer was determined to use all means to pass on all the knowledge he had to the young man, while Hubbert absorbed what the teacher said like a sponge.

Cyrus Harding thought: "If one day I die, he will take my place!"

Around March 3, the stormy day finally ended.In the last month of summer, there are only three or four days of sunny days. The rest of the time is always cloudy and cloudy, and the air is also clouded by thunder and lightning. It is either raining or fogging. Returned to its previous clarity.

During this time, the female donkey gave birth to a calf.The corral was still in good condition, but the flock had grown, and several lambs were already bleating under the shed, and Neb and Hubbert were delighted to see this, and each found themselves among the newborn lambs. favorite.

They also tried to domesticate Xihou, which was also a complete success.Therefore, an additional corral was added adjacent to the poultry farm.Under the care of Neb, there are several small cynods living in it.They are gaining weight every day.Master Zhu Pu is responsible for delivering food to them every day.It is doing its work meticulously, delivering the pot washing water and kitchen scraps on time.Sometimes it also plays with these small animals and tugs their tails happily, but it doesn't have any malice. It just treats the small tails as toys and thinks it's fun to twist these small tails.It seems that Master Zhu Pu also has a childlike innocence.

One day, when Pencroft was chatting with the engineer, he reminded him to remember what he had promised himself.He remembered, but had no time to do it.

"You said, Mr. Cyrus Harding," said Pencroft to him, that there would be a fitting for the long staircase at Granite House, and that you would choose a day to have it installed, did you not?"

Cyrus Harding replied: "You mean the elevator!"

The sailor replied: "The name does not matter, call it the elevator if you like, as long as it can easily lift us up to our lodgings."

"Pencroft, that is a very simple matter, but is it of such great use?"

"Of course it's very useful, Mr. Cyrus. Think about it. You don't have to climb the long ladder with a heavy load, and you can easily ascend to the 'Granite Palace'. This is definitely a luxury enjoyment. How comfortable it is. This thing is really amazing. It’s useful, it’s indispensable.”

Cyrus Harding replied, "Very well! We will make it, and see if it pleases you."

"But you don't have a machine for making it."

"We make it ourselves."

"Is it a steam engine?"

"No, it's a hydraulic press."

The engineer knows that power is needed to operate the elevator, and that the power of nature is readily available, and if he wants to use it, it must be easy to do so.

In fact, it is really not difficult, as long as the flow of the small water flow that supplies water to the "Granite Palace" is increased.So, we enlarged the drain opening between the stones and weeds at the upper end of the drain.In this way, a powerful waterfall is created in the depth of the aisle, and the overfilled water flows away from the inner well.

Below this waterfall the engineer installed a cylinder with small paddles attached to an outer wheel, on which was wound a strong cable, to which was fastened a large wicker basket.

In this way, connecting or disconnecting the hydraulic motor can be solved with a long rope hanging down to the ground.In this way they could ascend in large wicker baskets up to the gate of Granite Palace.

On March 3th, the first operation of the elevator made everyone very satisfied.Since then, this simple tool has played a huge role. All the things that need to be transported to the "Granite Palace" including coal, wood, daily necessities, and all the residents of the island are sent up by this device.Although the original ladder was abandoned, no one felt sorry.The one who is most pleased with this invention should be Top, because his ability to climb the ladder is really not praised, and it is far behind Master Jupu's dexterity, so that many times he was carried on the back by Neb or the orangutan .

It was also during this period that Cyrus Harding succeeded in making glass.He was using the same old pottery stove to help with this new business.The difficulty of the work was great, and many trials failed.But with his unremitting efforts, a glass-making workshop was finally built.The engineer's assistants remained Jardine Splane and Hubbert.In order to develop it successfully, they have been busy for several days in the workshop.

The substances needed to make glass are sand, chalk, and soda carbonate or sulfate.The island is rich in raw materials.The coast has an inexhaustible supply of sand, the chalk is supplied by the lime, the soda by the marine plants, the sulfuric acid by the pyrite, and the coal needed for firing is not lacking on the island.

Cyrus Harding, therefore, possessed all the conditions necessary for making glass.

In the glass making process, the most difficult thing is to make the glass blowpipe, which mainly uses one end of it to collect the molten material. It needs to roll a long and thin iron sheet into an iron pipe five or six feet long. This problem was overcome by Pencroft, who made the pipe and quickly put it to use.

On March 3, the fire was raging.Two or three parts of coal powder are mixed with one hundred parts of sand, forty parts of sulphate soda and 28 parts of chalk, and put into a clay pot for melting.

The furnace burns more and more vigorously, and the continuous high temperature melts these substances into a liquid state. To be precise, when it should be a jelly, the blowpipe comes in handy, and a metal plate is prepared in advance.Cyrus Harding first "gathered" a certain amount with the blowpipe, and then turned it back and forth on the metal plate, and turned it into a shape suitable for blowing.Then he handed the blowpipe to Hubbert to blow from the other end.

"Isn't that like blowing soap bubbles?" asked the young man.

The engineer replied, "Yes."

Harbert puffed his cheeks into the blowpipe and blew hard, turning it around as he blew.He blew so well that the transparent mass began to swell.Then some jelly was added to the metal plate, and soon a bubble a foot in diameter was blown, and Cyrus Harding took the blowpipe back from Harbert's hand, and swung it back and forth like a pendulum. It finally pulls the bubble into a cylindrical shape.

The process of blowing is over.Thus, a glass cylinder was formed, with two hemispherical projections at both ends, which were easily cut off by dipping a sharp piece of iron in cold water.

In the same way, the cylinder was cut lengthwise, then heated again, its malleability restored, then spread out on a board, and then flattened with wooden rollers.

Thus the first piece of glass was made, and fifty times of making it according to this method, a glass of 50 yuan was obtained.In this way, translucent glass panels were quickly installed on the windows of the "Granite Palace".The clarity of these glasses is good, just not too white.

Just like idle play, cups and bottles are quickly made.Whatever you want to blow it up, you can blow it up.Pencroft felt that this method of making was very interesting, and wanted to blow it for fun, but he blew it too hard, so what he blew out were all strange shapes, which made everyone laugh.Despite this, he personally thinks highly of his products.

During this time they went out a few times and found a new tree on one of the outings.This is no ordinary tree, and its products are edible for everyone.

On this day Cyrus Harding and Hubbert went hunting.They ventured into the Far West Forest on the left bank of the "Grateful River".As in the past, the boy still had countless questions to ask the engineer, and the engineer answered them all honestly.Hunting is like doing anything else, without enough enthusiasm and dedication, there will be no big gains.Cyrus Harding was no hunter.On the other hand, Herbert's energies were not on hunting, and he was constantly talking about physics and chemistry with Cyrus Harding, so although many capybaras, kangaroos, and agouti were jumping not far from them that day, Bouncing around, but none were hit by the lad.It was getting late, and it seemed that the two hunters were likely to waste their efforts.Suddenly Herbert stopped, and with a cry of delight, exclaimed:
"Ha! Mr. Cyrus, do you see that tree?"

What he was pointing at was actually a shrub, not a tree, for it consisted of a single stem with scaly bark and leaves covered with tiny, parallel veins.

Cyrus Harding asked: "It looks like a small palm tree. But what kind of tree is it?"

"We have a picture of it in our natural history dictionary, calling such a tree 'variety cycad'!"

"But why can't I see the fruit on this bush?"

"No fruit, Mr. Cyrus Harding," answered Hubbert, "but in its trunk there is the perfectly ground meal that nature has sent us."

"Is this a bread tree?"

"Yes, it is a bread tree."

The engineer replied: "Very well, my boy, this is a most precious discovery. Although our wheat has not yet been harvested, this tree will obviously solve the problem. Let's get to work, and God will not let it go." You read it wrong!"

Hubbert was indeed right.He broke off the stem of a cycad, and he could clearly see its glandular structure, which contained a lot of starchy medulla.Many bundles of wood run through it, and growth rings separate the bundles.The starch mixes with the mucilage, resulting in a slightly off-taste, but the mucilage is easily removed by pressing.

This honeycomb substance is a very nutritious and pure high-quality flour. In the past, in Japan, there was a special law prohibiting its export.

Cyrus Harding and Herbert, having observed carefully the place of the long cycads in the Far West Forest, made some marks and returned to Granite Palace.After returning, they told everyone the good news.

At daybreak, everyone went happily to cut, and Pencroft liked the island more and more.He said to the engineer: "Mr. Cyrus, do you believe in an island of wrecks?"

"How do you say that, Pencroft?"

"Oh, that's right. I heard that there are islands created especially for the victims. On those islands, the victims who have nothing will always find a miracle to get out of trouble!"

The engineer smiled and replied, "It's possible."

Pencroft replied: "It is certain, sir, and it is certain that 'Lincoln Island' is such an island!"

They cut a lot of cycad stems back to "Granite Palace".To remove the slime mixed with the starch, engineers installed a press.From this a great deal of flour was produced, which Neb turned into puddings and pastries.Of course it's not real bread yet, but it's pretty close.

It is also during this time that everyone enjoys the fresh milk provided by the goats, sheep and wild donkeys in the corral every day.Immigrants also often drove the light animal-drawn cart to the corral.If Pencroft drove, he would gladly take Master Jupp with him, and let him drive.So Master Zhu Pu carried out the task with the dexterity that everyone often sees, brandishing the whip.

Everything was alive and well, whether in Granite House or in the corrals, and everyone was content with everything and had nothing to complain about except being far from their own country.They are very used to this kind of life, and they are even more used to this small island. If one day they really leave this hospitable land, they will definitely be sad!
However, deep in their hearts they still love their motherland so much.If a certain ship suddenly appeared in their line of sight, they would not hesitate to send a signal to attract the ship, and then boarded and left! …and at the moment, they feel very happy with their lives, hoping that something will happen to get them out of here, and at the same time they are worried that it will happen.This feeling is very contradictory.

Who can control his own destiny, and can only imagine what may happen in the future!In any case, this "Lincoln Island" where everyone has lived for more than a year is often the topic of their discussion.

But one day, they conducted another investigation. Everyone did not expect that this investigation would cause serious consequences later.

That was Easter Sunday, April 4st.It was a clear day, like an October day in the northern hemisphere.Cyrus Harding and his companions celebrated this festival with rest and prayer.

After dinner, it was getting dark, and the night was slowly rising on the horizon. Under the pergola on the edge of "Looking Heights", everyone chatted there and spent the leisurely time before going to sleep.They all drank the elderberry-seed tea that Neb brought, which they drank as coffee.Everyone discussed everything about this small island and its specific location in the Pacific Ocean.

Jardine Splane said this: "Dear Cyrus, have we re-measured the position of the isle since the box provided you with the sextant?"

The engineer replied, "No."

"Do you want to use this instrument to test it again? Compared with the one you used, this one is much more perfect."

said Pencroft: "Is there no need for that? The island has not moved!"

Jardin Splane said again: "Maybe, but if the instrument is not good, the measurement may be inaccurate, and it is easy to re-test..."

The engineer replied, "My dear Spline, you are right, and I will re-measure as soon as possible. However, I estimate that the error is small, if any, by no more than five degrees in either latitude or longitude."

The reporter added: "Hey! Are we much closer to inhabited land than we expected? Who knows?"

Cyrus Harding replied, "We shall know to-morrow, and we should have known if we had not been so busy lately."

"Well," said Pencroft, "is Cyrus Harding's powers of observation so great that he cannot be mistaken, and if the island has not moved, it is where he has determined it to be!"

"Let's talk about it later."

So the next day, the engineer re-observed with a sextant, checked the coordinates he had obtained, and came to the following calculation results:
Here are the data on the location of "Lincoln Island" from his first observations:
West Longitude: 150°~55°;

South latitude: 30°~35°
The more accurate data obtained from the second observation are:

West Longitude: 150°3′;
South latitude: 34°57′.

From this it can be seen that Cyrus Harding's calculations, though imperfect in his first instrument, were, as he said, within five degrees.

Jardine Splane said: "My dear Cyrus, anyway, now that we have a sextant and an atlas, let's find out the exact location of 'Lincoln Island' in the Pacific Ocean."

Hubbert brought the atlas.Presumably everyone already knows that this atlas was published in France, so the atlas is annotated in French.

Finding the Pacific Ocean part of the map, the engineer picked up the two-legged ruler and planned to determine the location of "Lincoln Island".

Suddenly, he was stunned and said, "Why is there already an island here in the Pacific Ocean!"

"Is there an island?" exclaimed Pencroft in wonder.

Jardine Splane said: "It may be our island?"

Cyrus Harding added: "No, the island is shown on the map at longitude 153° W, latitude 37° 11' S, two and a half degrees west and two degrees south of our 'Lincoln Island'. "

"What's the name of this island?" asked Hubbert.

"Tabor Island."

"Is this island important?"

"No, it's just a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean, and it's likely that no one has ever boarded it!"

"Then," said Pencroft, "we shall go up and see."

"us?"

"Yes, Mr. Cyrus, we can make a decked boat, and I will steer it. How far is Tabor Island from us?"

"We're about 150 nautical miles northeast of it."

Pencroft replied: "150 nautical miles! Isn't that far? Under the condition of tailwind, we will arrive in 48 hours!"

The reporter asked: "What good will it do us to go there for investigation?"

"I'll have to read it, I don't know now."

In this way, the result of the discussion was that they decided to build a boat and plan to go to sea around October, which is considered to be a relatively good season of the year.

Pencroft's pipe

Pencroft was a man who thought and did.Once he has a plan in his mind, he must do it, otherwise he will never give up.Now he wants to visit Tabor Island, which requires a larger ship, so it is inevitable to build such a ship.

The plan drawn up by the engineer and agreed by the sailors was this:

(End of this chapter)