Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen: Declaration of War

Work was resumed on this day.All excuses for argument vanished.Neither Colonel Everett nor Strux could forgive the other, but they resumed the geodetic operation together. About five miles to the left of the wide gap opened by the fire, a very prominent hillock rose.Its high point can serve as a benchmark and be used as the apex of the new triangle.After the angle it formed with the previous observation point was measured, the expedition continued the next day through the burned forest. This is a road paved with charcoal.The ground was still scorching hot, smoking stumps were everywhere, and a hot mist of steam rose in the air.Burned carcasses were seen in many places, animals that had been attacked in their hiding places and could not escape the raging flames.The swirling black smoke in some places showed that local fires still existed, and one could even believe that the fire was not extinguished, but would be rekindled by the wind with a new force, and finally swallowed the entire forest.

This is why the Scientific Committee has stepped up its pace.Had it been trapped by fire, the expedition would have been destroyed.They were eager to cross the fire that was still burning on the side.Morcum then encouraged the wagoners' enthusiasm.Towards noon they established camp at the foot of a hill that had been surveyed by re-theodolites. The pile of rocks on top of the hill seems to have been built by human hands.It is like a dolmen, a collection of Druidic ritual stones, an archaeologist would be very surprised to see it here.A cone of sandstone overlooks the original building at its apex.This is most likely an African altar.

Two young astronomers and Lord John wanted to visit this strange building.Accompanied by Morcombe, they climbed the slope of the hill to the top platform. When the visitors were only twenty paces away from the stone shed, a man who had been hiding behind a foundation stone appeared for a moment, then scrambled down the hill, and soon fled into an area that had been spared by the fire. in the dense jungle. The Bushman only saw the man for an instant, but it was enough for him to recognize the man: Marco Lolo!he shouted.Then quickly chase. Lord John followed his hunter friend by instinct.The two searched the woods, but did not find the native.The latter had reached the forest, and he knew the tiniest paths in it, and it was impossible for even the most skilful pursuer to overtake him.

Colonel Everett, once informed of this, called the Bushmen and questioned him on the subject: who was this native, what was he doing here, and why he was being pursued. It's a Marco Lolo, Colonel.Mocum replied, a native of the northern tribes that haunt the various tributaries of the Zambezi.It was an enemy, not only of us Bushmen, but of all travelers who ventured in the middle of southern Africa.This man once spied on us, and perhaps we have reason to regret not having caught him. But, Bushmen, continued Colonel Everett, what have we to fear from such a band of thieves?Are we not outnumbered enough to hold them back?

So far, it's okay.But the Bushmen countered that these marauder tribes were more common in the north, where it would be hard to escape them.If this Marco Rolo we see is a spy, I don't think there is any doubt that he will rob us hundreds of times on the way.When they all come, Colonel, I think all your triangles will be worthless. Colonel Everett was very unhappy at this encounter.He knew that the Bushmen were not one to exaggerate danger, and he had to account for observation.Indigenous people's intentions cannot just be suspect.His sudden appearance and immediate escape showed that he was caught red-handed while conducting espionage.It seems impossible that the appearance of the Anglo-Russian Committee was not promptly informed of the northern tribes.In short, the problem was hopeless, and they could only decide to conduct reconnaissance for the expedition's progress more strictly, and the triangulation work should continue.

On August 17, another longitude arc was measured.The longitudes obtained by rigorous observation were accurate enough to determine the point of arrival, and the astronomers had measured the length of three degrees on the arc of the meridian, for which they had established a total of twenty-two triangles since the base of the southern base was established. . When they checked it on a map, they found that the small town of Coloban, northeast of the meridian, was just over a hundred miles away.The astronomers held a meeting and decided to go to this village to rest for a few days, and maybe they could collect some news from Europe there.Since leaving the Orange River six months ago, they had been lost in these remote parts of southern Africa, cut off from the civilized world.Coloban was the more important town, the main site of the missionaries, where they might be able to reconnect the broken links with Europe.Expedition teams can also recover from fatigue, restore strength, and partially renew supplies.

An unshakable rock served as the benchmark for the latest observations, and it also served as the end point for the first part of the geodetic work that had just been completed.After the rest, the geodetic work will resume from this fixed benchmark.Its longitude position has also been accurately determined.Colonel Everett, reassured by this sign, gave the order to set off, and the whole expedition proceeded towards Coloban. They reached the town on August 22 without encountering any incidents.The town of Coloban is an Indian hut village controlled by a missionary agency.The village, also called Litubaluba on some maps, was formerly known as Le Praure.In 1843, David.It was here that Dr. Livingston lived for several months, and thus became familiar with the customs of the Bechuanalians, who in this region are specifically called the Bakuan.

The priests received the members of the committee very warmly and made all local resources available to them.Livingstone's house can still be seen as it was when Baldwin the Hunter visited it: destroyed and looted.Because the Bushmen didn't take it seriously when they invaded in 1852. No sooner had the astronomers settled down in the priest's house than they began to inquire about Europe, but the priest failed to satisfy their curiosity.For six months, the church has not received any mail.But in a few days one would expect a native man delivering newspapers and mail, who had recently been seen along the upper Zambezi.According to him, the arrival of the mail this time will not take more than a week at the latest.This was the time the astronomers were planning to take to rest, and they would spend the week doing nothing while Barendre checked all his calculations.

As for the loner Strux, he never socialized with his British colleagues and stayed alone.Amory and Zorn make the most of their time walking around Coloban.The most sincere friendship united these two young men, and they did not believe that any incident could break the intimacy based on the sympathy of mind and heart. On August 30th, the messenger who was anxiously awaited arrived.The aborigines came from Gilmina, a city on the mouth of the Zambezi River.In early July, a gum and ivory merchant ship from Mauritius landed on the east coast of the region.Put down these mails which the courier brought for the priests of Coloban.These mails are more than two months old, because it took more than two weeks for the Aboriginal people to travel up the Zambezi River to get here.

On this day, events occurred which should be recounted in detail.Because its consequences seriously threatened the future of this scientific expedition. As soon as the messenger arrived, the godfather handed Colonel Everett a bundle of European newspapers.Most of these issues are from The Age, Daily News and Tribune.The news in the newspapers, as one judges, is of special importance in the circumstances of the time. Members of the committee assembled in the church hall.Colonel Everett unwound the bundle of newspapers and picked up the Daily News for May 13, 1854, to read to his colleagues.

However, as soon as he saw the title of the first article in the paper, his facial expression changed suddenly, he frowned, and the paper shook in his hand.Soon the colonel regained control and regained his usual calm. Lord John stood up beside Colonel Everett: What do you know from newspapers?he asks. Big news, gentlemen.Colonel Everett replied, I have great news for you! The Colonel kept the Daily News in his hand.The others were staring at him, not misunderstood his attitude, they were anxiously waiting for him to speak. The colonel stood up.To everyone's astonishment, and especially to Strux's astonishment, the colonel came up to him: Before delivering the news from the newspaper, sir, I would like to make a suggestion to you. I'm all ears.The Russian astronomer replied. Colonel Everett said to him in a serious tone: Mr. Strux, until now some rather than a scientific rather than a personal rivalry has divided us and made it difficult for us to to cooperate together in a cause undertaken for the common good.I think this state of affairs can only be attributed to the fact that we were both at the head of the expedition at the same time, a situation which produced an endless confrontation between us.Any cause can only have one leader anyway.Don't you think so? Strux nodded his head in agreement. Mr. Strux, went on Everett, a situation which was painful to both of us was about to be changed by some new circumstances.However, allow me to say to you in the past that I have a great appreciation for you, an appreciation that is entirely befitting of the place you occupy in the scientific community.I ask you to believe in my regret for what happened between us. Colonel Everett delivered this speech with dignity, even with a peculiar pride.In these words of voluntary apology spoken outright, people do not feel the slightest demeaning meaning. Neither Strux nor his colleagues knew what Colonel Everett was going to say, nor could they guess what made him do it.Perhaps the Russian astronomer did not want to publish the same reasons as his colleagues for this, but he overcame his antipathy by saying: I think, like you, Colonel, that the animosities between us, which I do not seek to trace, cannot under any circumstances injure our common scientific enterprise.I also have an admiration for you commensurate with your talents, and I will henceforth make myself disappear personally from our relationship as long as I am needed.But just now you said that some situations will bring changes to our mutual situation, I don’t understand You will understand, Mr. Strux.Colonel Everett replied, not without sadness, but before that, please pass me your hand. please.Strux could not hide his slight hesitation. The two astronomers shook hands and said nothing more. it's over!cried Lord John, you are friends now! No, sir John!Colonel Everett said, while letting go of the Russian astronomer's hand, we will be enemies from now on!Enemies separated by a chasm, enemies who should never meet again even in the land of science! Then he turned to everyone: Gentlemen, Great Britain and Russia have declared war, and these are the British, Russian and French newspapers that bring the news. Indeed, the war of 1854 had already begun by this time.The British joined forces with the French and Turks to fight the Russians in front of the port of Sevastopol.Middle East issues are negotiated with cannon in the Black Sea. Colonel Everett's last words were a bolt from the blue.Both the British and the Russians felt very strongly, and their national feeling reached rare heights.They stood up suddenly, war broke out, a word is enough.They are no longer friends, colleagues, or scientists banded together to accomplish a scientific enterprise.They are enemies who have begun to look at each other.What an effect does the war between nations have on the human mind! An instinctive movement had alienated these Europeans from one another, and even Ballendre was affected by this common influence.Perhaps only Amory and Zorn still looked at each other more sadly than hostilely, regretting not being able to shake hands before Colonel Everett delivered the news. No one said a word.After saying goodbye to each other, the British and the Russians went their separate ways. The split between the two parties in this new situation will make the continuation of the geodetic work more difficult, but not interrupted.Everyone, for the good of the country, wants to continue the experiments that have been started.However, measurements should be made on two different meridians.A meeting between Strux and Colonel Everett settled the matter, and it was decided that the Russians would continue to operate on the old warp; At the same time, they are to choose another meridian sixty-eighty miles to the west, and then connect it to the first meridian by a series of auxiliary triangles, and they will continue their triangulation under these conditions Measured up to twenty degrees south latitude. All matters were settled between the two scientists without any uproar.Their personal animosity vanished in the face of a higher national animosity, and neither man said a single word of ill to the other, both restraining themselves as far as possible within the bounds of decorum. They decided to divide the expedition into two groups, each with its own supplies.The steamboat, which the Russians were fortunate enough to have, was evidently inseparable. The Bushmans had nostalgia for the British, especially Lord John, and stayed to lead the British expedition.Forobel, an equally able man, became the leader of the Russian expedition.The two teams each kept their own instruments and one of the double records, in which the last measurements taken before the split were recorded. On August 31, the members of the former scientific committee broke up.The British set off first in order to connect the nearest observation point with their longitude.After thanking the godfathers for their hospitality, they left Koloban at eight o'clock in the morning. A few minutes before the British departed, a missionary entered Zorn's room and saw Amory shaking hands with the former friend, now the enemy, as their Majesties the Queen and Tsar wished!