Chapter 15 Chapter 15 advances another latitude

After the separation, the British astronomers continued their geodetic work, and their work would be more onerous, but the experiments themselves could not be harmed by this.They will apply the same accuracy and rigor to the measurement of the new longitude, and will do the checking work with the same meticulousness.It's just that the work is shared by three people, the speed of progress is slowed down, and people will be more tired, but they are not people who are afraid of hardship. What the Russians will do, they can also do on the new longitude. When necessary, National pride will support them in this long and arduous work.Three operators now need to take on the work of six people, and they must put all their thoughts on their work at every moment.William.Amory must indulge less in his dreams, and Lord John should not study his weapons and the beasts of South Africa as he used to.

The three scientists quickly settled on a new plan in which each would share a portion of the work.His Excellency John and the Colonel were in charge of the zenith and geodetic observations, while Amory took over Barendre's calculations.The selection of observation points and the placement of benchmarks are jointly decided by everyone, and there is no longer any need to worry about differences of opinion among the three.The brave Morcombe, as before, was the hunter and guide of the expedition, and the six English sailors, who had once formed half the crew of the Queen and the Tsar, now followed, of course, their English leader.Although steamboats were reserved for the Russians, rubber boats sufficient to cross small rivers belonged to their equipment.As for the carts, they are assigned according to the nature of the food they carry.Supplies and even living equipment were guaranteed for both expeditions.As for the native detachment led by the Bushmen, they were divided into two parts with equal numbers, and their attitude did not hide their dissatisfaction with the division. Perhaps they were right on the point of overall security.These Bushmen had to move away from their familiar territory, away from their accustomed pastures and rivers, and come to a northern region where they had the misfortune to be shuttled by wandering tribes hostile to southern Africans.It is not appropriate to spread their strength in this situation.In the end, with the help of Morcum and Forobel, they agreed to split the expedition into two groups. However, the fact that they had to work in the same area and close to each other was the reason that touched the Bushmen the most.

On August 31st Colonel Everett's party left Coloban and headed for the stone shed which had served as a post during the latest survey.They returned to the burned forest and reached the hill.Experiment restarted on September 2nd.A great triangle, the apex of which would be erected on pillars raised on a mound, would push observers ten or twelve miles north immediately west of the old meridian. Six days later, on September 8th, a series of auxiliary triangles were completed, and Colonel Everett, in agreement with his colleagues, checked the map and selected a line which they would measure up to twenty degrees south latitude. outside the new longitude.This meridian lies one degree west of the old meridian, at twenty-three degrees east.Thus the British worked only sixty miles from the Russians, but that was far enough to prevent the two sets of triangles from intersecting.Under these conditions, it is impossible for the two groups to meet when triangulating, and therefore it is impossible for the choice of the pole to be the cause of a quarrel or perhaps a regrettable conflict.

The area through which the British observers passed in September was fertile, undulating, and sparsely populated, which was favorable for the expedition.The sky was cloudless, clear and fogless.Observations went well.It is rare to see large tracts of forest, only widely distributed undergrowth, large areas of grassland, and mounds rising everywhere are very suitable for setting benchmarks during the day or night, and are conducive to the normal use of instruments.At the same time, it is an area rich in natural products.Many wild flowers attract swarms of scarabs by their rich fragrance, and especially a species of bee which closely resembles the European honey bee, which produces white, thin, delicious honey in crevices of rocks or in cracks in tree trunks.Certain tall animals sometimes ventured around the camp at night, giraffes, various antelopes, a few beasts of prey, hyenas or rhinos, and elephants.But Lord John did not want to be distracted by them any longer, and his hands were fiddling with the telescope instead of the shotgun.

In this case it was Morcombe and a few natives who were in charge of supplying the meat, but one can believe that the sound of their guns would have set the venerable Lord John's pulse sharply.At the gunpoint of Mocum, two or three tall meadow buffaloes fell. These Poquerocoro of Betjoana are four meters long from the tip of the mouth to the tail, two meters high from the feet to the shoulders, and have black skin. Shines light blue.These intimidating animals have short, powerful limbs, small heads, and wild eyes.Thick black horns atop a fierce forehead.This fresh game meat enriched the daily meals of the expedition team.

The aborigines processed these rhino meat into dried meat patties in the way that the northern Indians used to, so that they could be preserved for a long time.Europeans followed suit with interest, but at first they seemed reluctant.After the rhino meat is sliced ​​and dried in the sun, it is stuffed tightly inside tanned hides and then flailed vigorously to reduce them to barely palpable pieces, pulverized flesh powder, which is then powdered. Packed in animal skin sacks, compacted, then moistened in boiling rhino fat.Admittedly, African cooks have added to this somewhat fatty fat the fine bone marrow and the berries of several small bushes, the sugar of which seems incompatible with the nitrogen contained in the animal flesh.Finally, the oiled meat powder pockets are mixed together, patted and pounded, and when cooled, a meat cake as hard as a stone will be made.

When it was done, Morcum asked the astronomers to taste his national delicacy, the dried meatloaf.The Europeans gave in to his entreaties, and the first few bites were uncomfortable, but they soon got used to the African sausage and seemed to love it.Indeed, it is a very nutritious food, very suitable for the needs of such an expedition that goes deep into strange lands and lacks fresh food.This highly nutritious substance is easy to carry, almost never spoils, and packs a lot of nutrients in an extremely small patty.With Morcombe's efforts, the storage of dried meatloaf reached several hundred pounds, ensuring future needs.

Time passed day by day, and sometimes night time was used for observation.William.Amory was always thinking of his friend Michelle.Zorn, regret that the sudden bad luck cut off their close friendship in an instant.Yes, he missed Zorn, and the nature of the great wilderness filled him with feelings, but he did not know whom to tell them to.He put his heart and soul into the calculation, hiding in the pile of numbers with the tenacity of a Barendre.It was like this for an hour, and an hour passed.Colonel Everett, he was the same man, the same cold man with a passion for triangulation.As for Lord John, he frankly lamented his half-free situation, but he did his best to keep himself from complaining.

But good fortune often compensated him.Even though he no longer had time to hunt in the coppice or the surrounding areas, on certain occasions the animals tried to interrupt his observations by asking him to come over.In this case, the hunter and the scientist are no longer alone, and Lord John feels he is in self-defense.In this way, on September 12th, he had a serious encounter with an old rhino nearby.It was a high-priced encounter, as one will see. For some time, the animal had been stalking the fringes of the expedition with a malicious intent.The gigantic hulk, the name given to the animal by the Bushmen, was fourteen feet long and six feet high, with a black coat less coarse than its Asian counterparts.Morcum had recognized it as a dangerous animal, for the black beasts were more agile and aggressive than their white counterparts, and would even attack men or other animals without provocation.

His Excellency John, accompanied by Mercombe, went that day to a plateau six miles from the observation point, on which Colonel Everett wished to erect a post.On a certain hunch, His Excellency John carried a rifle with a cone cartridge, not an ordinary shotgun.Even though he hadn't noticed the old rhino for two days, Lord John didn't want to walk unarmed through unfamiliar terrain.Morcum and others had once hit the pachyderm, but they missed, and the giant still couldn't give up its attempt. Sir John does not regret his prudent actions.He and his companions arrived at the designated high place without incident, and climbed up to the steepest summit. At this time, in the clump of short and sparse thorns at the bottom of the hill, Yujuo suddenly appeared.His Excellency John had never seen it so close.It was indeed a formidable animal, with small sparkling eyes, and straight horns, each about two feet in length, bent slightly back at the tips, firmly planted in tandem on the top of a large bony snout, Form a fearsome weapon.

The Bushmans first noticed it hidden in a clump of cedarwood half a mile away. Sir John, he said immediately, your luck has come!You guys! rhino!exclaimed His Excellency John, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Yes sir John.As you can see, it's a beautiful animal, but it seems ready to cut off our escape at any moment.Why is this bully so ardently against us?I can't tell because he's just a herbivore.But it's down there anyway, and it should be removed! Can it go all the way up?Sir John asked. No, sir.It has stubby limbs and cannot climb such a steep slope.So it's waiting! Well, let it wait!When we're done checking out the observation point, let's get rid of this annoying neighbor. The two resumed the work that had been interrupted just now. They carefully determined the highest position of the hill and selected the place to erect the direction marker.There are also some prominent highlands located in the northwest, which can provide the most favorable conditions for establishing a triangle. Job done, Lord John turned to the Bushmans: when would you like to go? I listen to your Excellency. That rhino has been waiting for us? Always. downhill!No matter how powerful the animal is, a single bullet from my rifle will subdue it. a bullet!cried Morcombe, Your Excellency doesn't know what a Juggernaut is, does he?These animals are very strong, and I have never seen a rhino fall to the ground under a single bullet, no matter how accurately the gun is aimed. Well!Because there is no tapered bullet! Whether cone or round, your first few shots are sure not to take down such an animal! Well, my brave Morcum.Lord John is preoccupied with his hunter's pride, and I'll let you see what our European weapons can do, since you doubt it. After finishing speaking, His Excellency John picked up his rifle, and whenever he felt that the distance was appropriate, he began to shoot. One more word, sir.Morcum was a little sullen, and stopped his companion with his hand, would you agree to make a bet with me? why not?my respected hunter. I'm not rich, but I'd willingly bet a pound on your first shot. That's a deal!Lord John immediately said, If the rhino doesn't fall after my first shot, the pound is yours. Keep your word? a man of his words. The two hunters made their way down the steep slope of the knoll, and soon came to a distance of five hundred feet from the Ujug, where the animal remained motionless.The situation is very favorable to Sir John, and he can aim at will.The honorable Englishman even felt that the situation was too favorable, and when he was about to shoot, he thought that the Bushmans could be allowed to take back the gamble, and asked him: Still want to gamble? more!Morcomb replied quietly. The rhino stood still like a target.Sir John can choose any suitable position to hit it, so that it can be killed immediately.He decided to shoot the rhino in the snout, overexcited by his hunter's pride, and he took aim with extreme care, aided by the accuracy of the weapon itself. The gun rang, but the bullet missed the rhino's flesh, but touched one of its horns, and the tip of the horn flew off in pieces.None of the rhinos seemed to feel the shock. The shot does not count, said Morcum, because your lordship did not touch its flesh. What!Your Excellency John is a little annoyed, this shot counts, I lost a pound, I will bet with you for the last time, if you don’t succeed, double the bet! Do as you please, sir, but you are doomed! Let's see! The bullet was reloaded.Lord John aimed a second shot at the rhino's waist.However, the bullet hit the layers of horn skin, and despite its strong penetrating power, it was bounced to the ground. Two pounds!Morcum said. Do you want it?Sir John asked. certainly. This time, His Excellency John's anger began to rush upwards.Gathering all his composure, he aimed at the rhino's forehead.The bullet hits the target, but it jumps up as if it hit a metal plate. Four pounds!Morcum said quietly. Bet another four pounds!Lord John was outraged. This time, the bullet passed through the rhino's waist, causing it to leap, but instead of falling dead, it burst out of the brambles in an unspeakable rage, trampling the vegetation. I think it's still shaking, Sir John.Morcum said simply. His Excellency John could no longer control himself, and completely lost his composure.He bet the eight pounds he owed Morcombe on the fifth shot, and it missed, and he doubled and doubled again until the ninth shot, the thick hide so full of life. The heart of the animal was pierced by the bullet, and it fell to the ground and could not get up again. His Excellency cheered, his bets, his frustrations all forgotten, and only one thing remembered: he killed the rhino. But, as he later told his colleagues at the London Hunters Club: an expensive beast! Indeed, it cost him thirty-six pounds.The Bushman was paid handsomely for his customary calm.