Chapter 15 Chapter Fifteen does have something worth mentioning

When the Albatross was still flying at high altitude, the crew had already discovered that the area of ​​the island was not large.What is its latitude?What is the longitude?Is it in the Pacific Ocean, or in Oceania, or in the Indian Ocean?This will not be known until Robier has measured its exact location.Although the indications of the current compass cannot explain the problem, Robier still has reason to think that this is a Pacific island.Of course, after sunrise, the observation conditions will be better, and further observations will be more accurate. Seen from the present height of 150 feet, the island is about fifteen miles in circumference and has the shape of a triangular starfish.

The southeast corner is an isolated large reef, and further forward, there are some scattered small reefs.There is no sign of tidal impact on the side of the island.Based on this, the engineer's speculation on the location of the island can be basically confirmed, because in the Pacific Ocean, there are almost no high tides and low tides. From the north-west corner stands a conical peak, estimated to be twelve hundred feet high. Not a single native on the island could be seen, perhaps because they lived on the other side of the island.In any case, if they had seen the flying machine, they must have been scared into hiding, or fled.

The Albatross chose to dock at the southeast corner of the island.Not far away, there is a small bay from which a small river flows through the reef into the sea.Farther on, there are several winding valleys, with trees of all kinds, game birds, flocks of partridges and geese.Even if the island is really uninhabited, at least it looks habitable, and Robier can land here.But he didn't do this, maybe he felt that it was difficult to find a suitable place to park the aircraft on this uneven ground. The engineer asked everyone to start repairing.He hoped to finish work before dark so he could take off again.The lifting propellers are in perfect condition.They have been working well during the storm, and it is said that this part of the work has been lightened by the force of the storm.At this moment, half of the seventy-four propellers were still turning, because only half turning was enough to tighten the vertical cable hooked on the beach.

But the damage to the two propulsion propellers was far worse than Robier had imagined.The propeller needs to be straightened, and the gear set that transmits the rotational motion needs to be trimmed. Under the command of Robier and Tom, all the flight attendants first started to work from the front propeller.The advantage of starting here is that if for some reason the Albatross has to take off before it's all repaired, it will make it easier for the craft to keep on course. During this period, Uncle Prudang and his colleagues took a walk on the platform for a while, and then came to the stern and sat down.

As for Fricoland, he felt particularly relieved now.The difference is huge!Although it is still suspended in the air, it is only one hundred and fifty feet above the ground! There are only two intervals in the repair work, one is when the sun rises from the horizon, and the hour angle can be measured; the other is when the sun rises to the mid-heaven, and the local noon time can be calculated. The exact observations are as follows: Longitude: One hundred and seventy-six degrees and seventeen minutes east longitude Latitude: 43 degrees 37 minutes south latitude On the map, this azimuth marked Chatham Island and Weaver Island, collectively known as the Broughton Islands.The archipelago is located in the South Pacific Ocean.Fifteen degrees east of Pomanu Island (Note: the South Island of New Zealand.)

Pretty much what I guessed.Robert to Tom.Turner said. we are in Forty-six degrees, or 2,800 miles, south of X Island. This time, it is even more necessary to repair the propellers. The foreman replied that we may still go against the wind on the way, and the supplies on the aircraft are running out, so we must return to X Island as soon as possible. Yes, Tom, so, even with only one propeller working, I'd like to be able to start tonight.We can fix another one down the road. Captain Robill, Tom.What about the two gentlemen and their footman, asked Turner? Tom.Turner, let them become immigrants from X Island, wouldn't they be satisfied?asked the engineer.

Where is this × island?This is a remote island in the vast Pacific Ocean, located between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, its shape is like the algebraic symbol that Robier named it.It is located in the wide Marquesas Sea, far from all sea routes.There Robier established his small colony; there the Albatross landed to rest when she was tired;On this X island, due to the huge resources, Robier was able to open a workshop and build his aircraft.Here, he can repair the aircraft, and even rebuild one without any problem.The warehouses on the island store all kinds of raw materials and food for the only fifty residents on the island.

A few days ago, when Robier flew over Cape Horn, he wanted to cross the Pacific Ocean diagonally and return to X Island.As a result, the Albatross was swept in by the storm, and was later carried over Antarctica by the storm.Anyway, it's now mostly back on its original course.The delay would have been insignificant had it not been for the damage to the propulsion plant. Go back to X Island.However, as foreman Tom.As Turner said, there is still a long way to go.Maybe there will be a time to contend with a storm that is not conducive to flying.If the Albatross is to reach its destination as expected, it is absolutely necessary to bring out its full mechanical capabilities.Even with normal weather and flying at normal speeds, the voyage would take three or four days.

It was in view of this that Robier decided to stop at Chatham Island.The conditions here are better, at least the forward propeller can be repaired.In this way, when he wants to go north, if he encounters the north wind again, he doesn't have to worry about being blown south.The repair work was finished when it was dark, and the anchor was started.In case the anchor is stuck too tightly by the reef and cannot be pulled out, simply cut off the cable and continue flying towards the equator. It can be seen that this way of handling things is the simplest and best.Everything is going on as planned.

The crew of the Albatross knew that the time was tight and they were all working hard. Everyone is busy at the bow.At this time, Uncle Prudang and Phil.Evans was talking.The ramifications of this conversation could be dire. Phil.Evans, said Uncle Pruden, are you as determined as I am to sacrifice your life? Yes, same as you! Think about it for the last time, is it really impossible to have any hope for this Rober? Yes. Well, Phil.Evans, I am determined.Since the Albatross is leaving tonight, our operation must be completed tonight.We're going to break the wings of this bird of Engineer Robbill!Let it explode in the air tonight!

Let it fry!Phil.Evans replied. The two colleagues, therefore, were now in complete agreement on all matters, including the calmness with which they met the dreadful death that awaited them. Do you have everything you need?Phil.Evans asked. Have!Last night, while Robbier and his men were busy working on the flying machine, I slipped into the ammunition store and got a dynamite cartridge! Uncle Prudang, let's do it No, only at night!After dark, let's go back to the cabin, and you are in charge of the wind, so that I won't be caught by anyone! As usual, at six o'clock, the two colleagues had dinner.After another two hours, they returned to their staterooms, much as if they were trying to sleep and recover after a sleepless night. Robbier and his companions never imagined that the Albatross would be in great trouble. Uncle Prudang's plan of action is as follows: As he himself said, he had slipped into the compartment on the hull of the aircraft which served as an ammunition store, and had taken some powder and a cartridge like the one the engineer had used at Dahomey.After returning to his cabin, he carefully hid the explosives.He was determined to blow up the aircraft after it took off at night. Phil.Evans was there at the moment examining explosives stolen by his companions. The outside of this thing is a metal shell, which contains about ten kilograms of explosives.These explosives are enough to blow up the aircraft and blow up the propellers to pieces.Even if the aircraft cannot be completely destroyed at once, it will be finished if it falls.As long as the explosive cartridge is placed in a corner of the cabin, the platform and the keel of the hull can be blown up.It's so easy to do. However, to detonate the explosive cartridge, the fulminate detonator on the explosive cartridge must first be detonated.This is the most delicate link in the whole operation, because the detonator must be fired at a precisely calculated moment. In fact, Uncle Prudang has already considered this point: once the forward propeller is repaired, the aircraft will definitely take off immediately and continue to fly north.However, as soon as this work was completed, Robier and his men would probably have to come aft to fix and push the propeller.With so many people coming to the side of the cabin, it might cause inconvenience to Uncle Prudang's actions. Therefore, he decided to use a fuse so that the explosion could be detonated at the scheduled time. He to Phil.Evans said: At the same time as I took the powder cartridge, I also took some gunpowder.According to the requirement of burning time, I intend to make a fuse of gunpowder, and connect it to the fulminate detonator.I plan to light the fuse at twelve o'clock at night, and let the dynamite go off at three or four o'clock in the morning! well organized!Phil.Evans agreed. It can be seen that the two colleagues were so calm when they planned this terrible destruction in which they themselves would be buried.They hated Robier and his gang as if their own destiny were to die with the Albatross and her gang.This action, whether it is absurd or not, abhorrent or not, don't care about it!After five weeks of pent-up anger and unfulfilled thoughts, they were about to explode! And what about Fricoland, Phil.Evans said, do we have the right to dictate his fate? We also sacrificed our own lives!replied Uncle Pruden. It is doubtful that Fricoland also thinks this reason is sufficient. Uncle Prudang immediately set to work, Phil.Evans was in charge of monitoring the movement around the cabin. The flight attendants have been busy at the bow, so there is no need to be afraid of someone breaking in. Uncle Prudang first crushed part of the gunpowder and ground it into powder.After wetting it a little, he packed it into a fuse-like canvas bag.After ignition, it was confirmed that the fuse burned five centimeters every ten minutes, which means that the burning length after three and a half hours should be one meter.He extinguished the fuse, twisted the rope tightly, and attached it to the bomb. At about ten o'clock in the evening, everything was ready without arousing any suspicion. At this time, Phil.Evans walked back to the cabin and joined his colleague. Repairs to the forward propeller had also been frantic throughout the day, only having to be retrieved to the vehicle to remove the twisted blade. As for the things that provide power for the mechanical part of the Albatross, such as dry batteries and accumulators, they were not damaged in any way during the storm, and they were enough to last for another four or five days. It was already dark, and Robier and his companions stopped working.The forward propeller hadn't been installed yet and needed three hours of repairs to get it running.with Tom.After Turner's discussion, the engineer decided to let the exhausted crew rest first, and save the unfinished work for the next day.What's more, correction work like this requires very meticulous work, and the daytime light alone is not enough. How can it be done only by the light of the lamp? Under these circumstances, Uncle Prudang and Phil.Even Evans didn't know.All they knew was what Robier had said earlier, and they thought the forward propellers had been repaired before dark and the Albatross had set sail for the north.They thought the aircraft had left the island, but in fact it was still held there by the anchor.This misunderstanding will cause things to develop in a completely different direction from what they originally imagined. The night was dark, without moonlight, and thick clouds made the night even heavier.I can feel the wind starting to pick up.A few gusts of wind from the southwest failed to blow the Albatross away, and the Albatross stood there securely, with her cables fastened and her anchor gripped firmly to the ground. Uncle Prudden and Phil.The two of Evans shut themselves in the cabin, seldom talking, listening to the whine of the lifting propeller that drowned out all the sounds on the aircraft.They are waiting for their moment of action. Near midnight, Uncle Prudden said: it's time! In the cabin, under the bed, there is a small chest that serves as a drawer.Uncle Prudden's dynamite cartridge, already ignited, was placed in this box.In this way, the fuse can still burn, and the smell and hissing sound of burning will not be noticed.He lit the fuse, and pushed the case back under the bed. Now, let's go to the stern and wait!He said. Two men came out, and to their surprise they did not see the helmsman at his usual post. So Phil.Evans leaned over the side of the boat and looked. The Albatross did not move!he whispered.The repair work is not over yet!It didn't take off! Uncle Pruden made a disappointed gesture and said: Gotta blow the fuse. Don't go out!We should run away!Phil.Evans said. escape? right!Escape along the cable, and it's already dark!Sliding down a hundred and fifty feet is nothing! It's really nothing, Phil.Evans, we'd be crazy if we didn't take advantage of this unexpected opportunity! They returned to their cabins first, and took all they could carry, in case they needed to stay on Chatham Island for a long time.Then they closed the door and walked softly towards the bow. It occurred to them to wake Fricoland and let him escape with them. The night was silent, and the clouds were drifting from the southwest.The Albatross, tied to anchor, had begun to shake slightly, and the cables holding it were becoming less vertical.In this way, the difficulty of the decline may be greater, but this cannot stop people who are not hesitant to prepare at the cost of their own lives from the beginning. The two crawled on the platform, stopping from time to time to listen for any movement under the cover of the cabin.There was silence all around, not a single window for light to shine through.The flying machine is not only immersed in silence, but also immersed in sleep. However, when Uncle Prudden and his companion approached Fricoland's room, Phil.Evans stopped suddenly. Lookout!He said. Sure enough, there was a person lying next to the cabin.If he was already sound asleep, he must have just fallen asleep.Had he sounded the alarm, there would have been no possibility of escape. Where he lay there were some ropes, pieces of canvas, and wooden frames from the repairs to the propeller. In the blink of an eye, the watchman's mouth was gagged, his body was bound, and he was tied to the post of the guardrail. He could no longer shout or move. During the whole process, basically no sound was made. Uncle Prudden and Phil.Evans listened attentively to the still silence of the cabins.All are asleep. Couldn't the two fugitives still call them that?Came to Fricoland's room.Francois.Tapa Ri's snoring is really loud, indeed worthy of his honorable name.This is more reassuring. The astonishing thing was that the door of Fricoland's room did not need to be pushed at all: it was always open.Uncle Pruden leaned half his body into the room, then drew back and said: no one! no one!Where will he go?Phil.Evans whispered. The two wondered if Fricoland had fallen asleep in some corner, so they both climbed to the bow again. Still no one. Did this bad guy think of us and go ahead?Uncle Prudang said. Whatever it is, we can't wait any longer.let's go!Phil.Evans said. The fugitives didn't hesitate at all, one after the other, they grabbed the cable with both hands, hooked it with their feet, and slid safely to the ground. They were overjoyed to set their feet on the long-lost ground, walk on solid ground, and no longer have to be at the mercy of the atmosphere! Just as they were about to go upstream along a small river to the middle of the island, a black shadow suddenly appeared in front of them. It was Fricoland! The black man also thought of the idea that the master thought of, and he dared to slip away without saying a word! But now is not the time to criticize him.Uncle Prudden was going to find a hiding place a little farther on the island, Phil.Evans stopped him. Listen, Uncle Prudden, said he, we are now out of Robier's hands.He and his accomplices are doomed to die badly, that is retribution, and they deserve it!But if he pledges his honor not to come after us again, then in the honor of such a guy Before Uncle Prudang finished speaking, he saw a commotion on board the Albatross.Apparently the alarm had been sounded, and the escape had been detected. help!Come help!Someone is shouting. It was the lookout, who had spat out what was in his mouth.There was a rush of footsteps on the platform.The beam of the searchlight immediately projected towards the open land. there they are!Where!Tom.cried Turner. The fugitives were found. At the same time, Robier gave a loud order, the lifting propeller was slowing down, the cable was retracting, and the Albatross began to approach the ground. At this time, Phil.Evans' clear voice: Engineer Robill, can you honor us by leaving us free on this island? Absolutely impossible!cried Robier. As soon as the words fell, there was a gunshot, and the bullets shot from Phil.Evans brushed past his shoulder. Ah!These rascals!Uncle Prudang roared. Knife in hand, he sprinted towards the rock where the anchor was stuck.The aircraft is only fifty feet above the ground In an instant, the cable was cut.The wind, which had obviously grown stronger, blew the Albatross northeastward from the oblique side and onto the sea.