Chapter 25 third chapter

The next day, October 30th, everyone made preparations for the scheduled expedition.Many recent events have made this expedition very necessary.Indeed, the situation is different now, and the inhabitants of Lincoln Island not only do not need help from others, but can help others. Therefore, the unanimous opinion of everyone is: as long as it is possible to go, sail as far as possible to the upper reaches of the Mercy River.This enabled the expedition to cover considerable distances without difficulty, while at the same time transporting their provisions and weapons to the west of the deserted island.

Now, in addition to considering what to bring, you must also consider that they may bring a batch of things back.If, as imagined, there were boats in distress on the beach, then there would be many things left behind, which they could legally possess.In this case a cart is much more useful than a light barge.But the cart was too heavy to pull, and Pencroft regretted that there was not half a catty of tobacco in the trunk, and now that it lacked two strong New Jersey horses, because of this. It is very useful for the expedition team. Neb had packed provisions, which included a great deal of meat and gallons of beer, enough to feed them for three days, the period Smith had fixed for their expedition.Moreover, they intended to add along the way that Neb had not forgotten to bring a portable stove.

The only tools they brought were two woodcutters, which could be used to open the way when passing through the dense forest; as for instruments, they brought a pair of binoculars and a pocket compass. As for weapons, they chose two flintlocks, as they thought it more appropriate to carry a flintlock than a firing pin.The flint needed for the flintlock is easily replenished, but the firing pin requires a detonator, and if used frequently, their finite store would be exhausted.But they also took a carbine and some ammunition.As for the gunpowder, there were about fifty catties in the barrel, and they had to carry a little, but the engineer intended to make a kind of explosive himself, so that they could save the gunpowder.In addition to the firearms, they carried five sharp knives well concealed in leather sheaths.Armed with such equipment, it is no wonder that the inhabitants can venture into the Great Forest with the hope of success.

It is needless to say that Pencroft, Herbert, and Neb were quite satisfied with such equipment;Smith told them to pledge that they would not fire a random shot unless they had to. At six o'clock in the morning the barge left the shore; all aboard, including Top, set out for the mouth of the Mercy. The tide had risen half an hour ago.The tide will flow in for a few hours, which is good for sailing, and when the tide goes out, it will be more difficult to go against the current.The moon would be full in three days, and the tide was already strong enough to keep the boat in the center of the tide, and make it afloat swiftly between the towering banks without needing to use the oars to increase its speed. .A few minutes later, the explorers came to a corner of the Mercy River.It was here that Pencroft built his first raft seven months before.

After this sharp turn the river opened up, and the boat passed under the shade of tall evergreen firs. The scenery on both sides of the Mercy River is very beautiful.The beauty of nature's random arrangement of water and trees made Cyrus.Smith and his partner couldn't help admiring.The further they went, the more types of trees there were.Beautiful elms grow on the right bank of the river. This kind of elm, which is cherished by architects, will not rot even if it is immersed in water for a long time.There are also many other species of trees of the same family, among which there is a particular one whose kernels contain a very useful oil.Farther on, Herbert discovered Akebia, a coiling shrub whose branches, when soaked in water, make excellent rigging, and he saw two or three ebony trees , with a beautiful black exotic pattern.

The gondola always comes to a stop when it gets a good landing, Keating.Spilett, Herbert, and Pencroft, armed with guns, jumped ashore with Top.In addition to hunting some game, there are some useful plants to come across; the young naturalist took great pleasure in discovering a wild spinach of the Chenopodiaceae family, and many cruciferous vegetables of the cabbage family, which are sure to be transplanted, here And cress, radishes, turnips, and finally some hairy, branchy weeds a meter high with brown seeds. Do you know what plant this is?Herbert asked the sailor. tobacco!exclaimed Pencroft, evidently he had never seen this beloved plant except in his pipe.

no!Pencroft, said Herbert, this is not tobacco, but mustard. Whatever mustard greens!Said the sailor, but boy, if you come across tobacco, don't let it go! One day we will find out!Ji Ding.Spilett said. All right!exclaimed Pencroft, I can't think of what else our island lacks until then! They had carefully uprooted all kinds of vegetation, and were carrying them back to the barge, when CyrusSmith was still thinking about it. In this way the correspondent, Herbert, and Pencroft went ashore, sometimes to the right bank of the Mercy, sometimes to the left. The left bank of the Mercy River is relatively flat, but the trees on the right bank are denser.The engineer glanced at his pocket compass, and the direction of the river, from the first bend, was apparently from southwest to northeast, and was almost straight for about three miles.After the first bend, however, the direction might have changed, and the upper Mercy might have gone north-west until it reached its source, a spur of Mount Franklin.

There was a landing on the way, Keating.Spilett managed to catch four quail chickens.The bird has a thin and long beak, a slender head and neck, short wings, and almost no tail.The quail, as Herbert aptly called them, they decided to raise as the first residents of their future poultry farm. Till this time they had not fired a shot, and the first shot was fired in the woods of the Far West, when they spotted a beautiful flying bird that resembled a harpoon. I know it!cried Pencroft, and his gun slipped involuntarily from his shoulder. what do you knowasked the correspondent. From the bird that escaped from our first hunt, we named the forest in that part of the world.

woodpecker!cried Herbert. Yes, it was a woodpecker with a metallic sheen to its plumage.A bullet knocked him out, and Top carried him to the punt, and half a dozen lorangos at the same time.They were about the size of a dove, and their plumage was tinged with green, their wings were crimson, and their crests were fringed with white.These parrots were shot down by the boy, and he was very proud of them.Orangutan parrots are much tastier than woodpeckers, because the meat of woodpeckers is too thick.But it was not so easy to get Pencroft to admit that he had not caught the best birds.At ten o'clock in the morning the punt came to the second corner, nearly five miles from the mouth of the Mercy.Here they stopped and had breakfast in the shade of the beautiful trees.The width of the river here is still sixty or seventy feet, and the depth of the river bed is about five or six feet.The engineer found that there were more and more tributaries, but these were not navigable, because they were but little streams.The surrounding forests (including Woodpecker and Far West Forests) stretch as far as the eye can see.Neither in the depths of the forest nor under the great trees on the banks of the Mercy were there any human beings.The explorers could find nothing suspicious.It can be seen that these trees have not been touched by the woodcutter at all.Nor were the overgrown bushes and vines that climbed among the tall trees in the tall grass uncut by those who opened the way.If the wrecks had indeed been on a desert island, they would never have left the shore, and yet these presumed escapees could not be found in the jungle.

The engineer was therefore anxious to get to the west coast of Lincoln Island, a distance which he estimated to be at least five miles. They sailed on, and the Mercy now seemed to be flowing not toward the coast, but toward Mount Franklin.They resolved to go ahead in barges as long as the river still kept the boat afloat.This saves labor and wastes time, which would otherwise require them to use axes to open their way through the dense forest.But the tide soon lost its effect. I don't know whether it was because of the ebb tide (it's time to ebb now), or it was too far away from the mouth of the Mercy River. In short, they couldn't feel that the tide was moving forward, so they had to use the sculls. Bert and Neb each took one, and Pencroft rowed the oars and continued on against the current.The trees are becoming more and more sparse, the distance between the trees is very far, and often some big trees stand alone.But the farther they are from each other, the more beautiful they grow, because the air circulates between the trees.

How lush and beautiful the vegetation is in this area!After looking at these flowers, plants and trees, botanists must be able to tell the latitude of Lincoln Island without hesitation. Eucalyptus tree!cried Herbert. Yes, it is this beautiful tree, a large subtropical tree of the same kind as the eucalyptus of Australia and New Zealand (both of which lie on the same latitude as Lincoln Island), some of which reach a height of two hundred feet. feet, twenty feet around the lower trunk, with a jagged bark five inches thick, containing a fragrant red resin.This tall myrtle tree is really rare, their leaves are vertical instead of horizontal, that is, the edge of the leaf grows upwards, not the surface of the leaf, so the sunlight can easily penetrate the tree. down. Under the eucalyptus tree is a piece of greenery, and a group of small birds escaped from the bushes. They fluttered in the sun, like rubies with wings. It seems to be a kind of tree!cried Neb: But will it work? Hey!Pencroft replied that these big trees are like big fat people, and they are not useful. I think you are mistaken, Pencroft, Gideon.Spilett said that the eucalyptus tree is a fine wood for making furniture. I should add, Herbert says, that this family of eucalyptus contains many useful species, among which the guava fruit is used to make jam; the lilac tree produces spices; The fruit of the tree can be brewed into fine wine; the black bayberry tree contains a strong alcohol content; the caryophyllaceae bayberry bark can be made into precious cinnamon; Extract pepper.The eucalyptus tree provides a spice, and the sap of the Guinea eucalyptus tree is fermented to make beer.In a word, all the rubber and iron trees of Australia belong to this myrtle family, which includes forty-six genera and thirteen hundred species. The young man went on talking endlessly, and he spoke out all his common sense in botany with great interest.Cyrus.Smith listened with a smile, and Pencroft had a kind of pride. very good!Herbert, said Pencroft, but I will wager that these trees are not of the useful kind you have just mentioned! Yes, Pencroft. This confirmed what I said just now, the sailor went on, what use are these big barks! Then you are mistaken, Pencroft, said the engineer; these tall eucalyptus trees over our heads are of some use. What's the use? Maintain local sanitation.Do you know what the residents of Australia and New Zealand call them? I don't know, Mr. Smith. Call them Chill and Fever Trees. Is it because they spread cold and fever, No, because they protect against chills and fevers! OK, I'm going to make a note.said the correspondent. Write it down!Dear Spilett.Eucalyptus has been proven to drive away miasma.In Central Europe and North Africa, where the soils of many countries are very harmful to health, this natural antidote has been tried and the sanitation of the inhabitants has gradually improved.Wherever there is a myrtle forest, there is now no malaria.This is a proven fact, so such an environment is very favorable to our group of residents of Lincoln Island. ah!What a nice island!What a wonderful island!exclaimed Pencroft, I say, here is everything but It will, Pencroft, it will be found, replied the engineer, but now we will sail on, and we will sail as far as the river will allow us! They went on for another two hours, and the area was covered with eucalyptus trees, which are the chief trees in this part of the desert island.The Mercy River stretches forward in a meandering way, with towering green steep slopes between the banks. On both sides of the river bank, there are endless eucalyptus trees.Very long aquatic plants and even some protruding rocks are found in the river bed from time to time, which adds great difficulty to navigation.The oars were hindered, and Pencroft was obliged to push the boat with a long pole.They found that the river was getting shallower and shallower, and soon it would be difficult for the flat-bottomed boat to go.The sun had sunk to the horizon, and there were long shadows of trees all over the ground.Cyrus.Smith knew that it was impossible to reach the west bank of the deserted island at once. Even if he wanted to continue sailing, the river was too shallow, so he decided to camp on the spot.He figured they were still five or six miles from the sea, a distance that was obviously too far to cover in the dark through the unfamiliar jungle. The canoe moved on through the forest, which was now thickening again, and it seemed to be more densely populated, and if the sailor read correctly, he seemed to see many monkeys jumping in the trees.Two or three monkeys even came close to the barge and stared at them without any fear, as if they were seeing humans for the first time and didn't know how to be afraid.It is very easy to hit one of these monkeys with a single shot.Pencroft was eager to try it, but Smith did not approve of this senseless massacre.It is more prudent to do this, because the monkeys (actually the apes) seem to be very flexible and powerful, and there is no need to attack them for no reason, and they are likely to attack the explorer regardless of the power of their firearms.It is true that the sailor looked at the monkeys purely from the point of view of food. He knew that these herbivores were excellent game, but since their rations were still abundant, it would be a pity to waste gunpowder. By four o'clock, navigation on the Mercy became more difficult as aquatic plants and rocks clogged the channel.As the banks rose higher and higher, they were approaching the spurs of Mount Franklin, and not too far from the source of the Mercy, which is formed by the confluence of the streams from the southern slopes. In a quarter of an hour, said the sailor, we must stop the ship, Mr. Smith. Very well, stop now, Pencroft, we shall make a camp. How far are we from Granite Palace?asked Herbert. Taking the bend of the river into account, said the engineer, we were about seven miles to the northwest. Shall we keep going?asked the correspondent. Yes, as long as we can go, we will go, Cyrus.Smith answered, To-morrow we shall be out of the punt at first light, and I hope to be at the seashore in two hours, so that we shall have a whole day to survey the coast. Then go ahead!said Pencroft. But at once the barge touched the stony bottom, and the river was now no more than twenty feet wide.The trees on both sides of the river set up a pergola over the river, making the surrounding environment semi-light and semi-dark.They also heard the roar of the waterfall, and there was evidently a natural barrier a few hundred feet upstream. After a sudden bend in the river, they saw a waterfall through a gap in the trees.The barge hit the bottom again, and a few minutes later it landed under a big tree on the right. It was almost five o'clock.The afterglow of the setting sun shines among the dense branches and leaves, and it shines on this small waterfall, making the splashed water droplets form a colorful long rainbow.Farther on, the River of Mercy disappeared in the distant bushes, where its springs were concealed.Below this numerous tributaries join up to make it a regular river, but here it is only a clear, shallow stream. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, and everyone agrees to sleep here.They jumped out of the boat, and at once a bonfire was lighted under a clump of trees, and Cyrus, if necessary,Smith and his mates can also spend the night on the branches of large trees nearby. Everyone was hungry, they finished their supper like a storm, and then just waited for bed.However, as night fell, they heard a suspicious growling sound.In order to ensure that the group of people slept safely, they lit a huge fire, which crackled and crackled.Neb and Pencroft took turns to keep watch, and fuel was constantly poured on.In the darkness they seemed to see some wild beasts coming out of the bushes and slinking around the camp.But the night passed safely after all.The next day, October 31, they were all up at five o'clock in the morning, ready to go back on the road.