Chapter 26 Twenty-six to Australia

Jazz has always done things swiftly and decisively, never wasting time.As soon as Paganel's proposal was accepted, he immediately ordered all preparations for the journey to be made, and set off the next day. What will be the result of this time across the Australian continent?Now that Captain Grant's presence on this continent has become an irrefutable fact, the expedition may be fruitful, and there must be more opportunities to find clues.People will follow the thirty-seventh parallel south latitude, of course, no one can be sure that they will be found on this line.But there may be traces of him on this line, and this line leads directly to the wreck site.That's the main goal.

Moreover, Ayrton agreed to go with them, as guide, leading them through the woods of Victoria, and to the east coast, which added to the chances of success.He was very glad to have the help of Captain Grant's sailors, and asked the farmer if he was in any way inconvenienced by Ayrton's absence. Although Omor was reluctant to lose a good helper, he still agreed. And you, Ayrton, will you join us in finding your companion in distress? The bosun did not answer at once, but hesitated for a moment, and then, having considered everything, said: Well, sir, I will go with you.If there's no trace of the captain, I'll at least lead you to where it happened.

Thank you, Ayrton.Sir said. I'm going to ask you a question, sir. Go ahead, friend. Where are we going to rendezvous with the Duncan? If we don't need to go all the way, let's go to Melbourne; if we go straight to the East Coast, we'll meet there. So, what about the captain of the Duncan? The captain awaits instructions in Melbourne. Well, sir, you just have to trust me. Of course I trust you. Ayrton, the bosun's captain of the Britannia, was warmly welcomed by the crew, and Grant's sons and daughters also expressed their gratitude to him.All but the Irish immigrant were happy with his decision.Only Omor didn't like it very much, because Ayrton was going away, and he lost a wise and faithful assistant, but he knew that this expedition must be guided by him, so he had to reluctantly part with him.The Sir asked Omor to provide transportation, and after the agreement was made, the passengers returned to the ship, and agreed with Ayrton on the time and place of meeting.

Everyone happily returned to the ship, everything changed, and all worries disappeared. Those brave visitors didn't have to fumble around inland, and everyone's heart was filled with the joy of gaining confidence. If all goes well, maybe the Duncan will be able to send Captain Grant to the coast of Scotland in two months! When Captain Mengel supported the proposal for a transcontinental trip, he thought he must be part of the caravan.Therefore, when discussing the action plan with the Jazz, they put forward various reasons and insisted on going. There's only one question, don't worry, said Sir, and that is, can your first mate be trusted?

Absolute confidence, replied the captain, that Austin is a good seaman.He must be able to drive the Duncan to its destination, and his ingenuity will repair the ship as soon as possible.Moreover, he is a person who is loyal to his duties, and he will never change the plan or delay the implementation without permission.Your Excellency, therefore, may as well trust him as you trust me. "In that case, well, you will come with me," he continued, "we will find Mary's father, and it will be better if you be here." Ah, sir!Meng Geer responded vaguely. That's all he said, because he was very emotional.

The next day, the captain took the carpenter and several sailors to the farm with food, and he was in charge of discussing with Omor about organizing transportation. The owner's whole family was waiting for them, ready to start working at his command.Ayrton is also here, and he does not hesitate to give a lot of advice based on his accumulated experience. On one point, Omor and Menger agreed: the female passengers ride in ox carts, and the male passengers ride horses.The owner can provide carts, cattle and horses. That kind of ox cart is a big trailer six meters long, covered with a big leather canopy, and has four board wheels underneath, without spokes or iron hoops on the wheels.The front of the car is far away from the rear and cannot make sharp turns.A ten-meter shaft is installed on the front of the car, and six cows are prepared to stand on the side of the shaft in pairs.Driving such an ox cart requires skill.Ayrton was a master at driving, and the duty of driving belonged to him.

There were no springs on the car, and the bumps were severe. Meng Geer couldn't do anything to improve this rough thing, only the interior of the car could be better arranged.First, divide the carriage into two sections with a middle interlayer plank.The rear section holds food, luggage and cooking stoves, and the front section takes female passengers.After carpentry, the front part has been turned into an exquisite cabin, with carpets on the floor, washing facilities inside, and two beds for Mrs. Helen and Miss Mary.There are leather curtains hanging around, which can be put down at night to keep out the cold.If it rains, the male guests can hide in to shelter from the rain, but during normal nights, they live in another tent.The captain racked his brains to turn this small place into a safe haven, and he succeeded.Lady Helene and Miss Mary would not miss a ship's stateroom in this traveling cabin.

As for the male guests, it is relatively simple: the jazz, the geographer, Robert, the major, the captain, and the two sailors Wilson and Murady each have a horse, and these two sailors can sail on land again.Ayrton drove, of course sitting in the front. Mr. O'Bierre didn't like riding, so he preferred to sit in the trunk. The cattle and horses all graze on the estate's meadows and are easy to muster for departure. Menger made all the arrangements and took the Irish immigrant family to the boat.This family will pay homage to your lordship.Ayrton also felt that it would be well to go with them, so, towards four o'clock, the captain entered the cabin with a large number of guests.

They are warmly welcomed.Jazz left them to dine on board.The kindness was hard to turn down, and they gladly accepted it.Omor was surprised to see all this.He admired the furniture, the closets, and the ship's maple and rosewood fittings. Ayrton, on the contrary, does not appreciate these unnecessary expenses very much. However, the bosun made a survey of the cruise ship from the point of view of sailing.He visited all the way to the belly of the ship, looked at the machine, and asked about the horsepower and coal consumption of the machine; he went to the coal bunker and the grain bunker; he paid special attention to the weapon room, and learned about the performance and range of the cannon.Menger heard his professional discussions and knew that Ayrton was an expert.Finally, he inspected the masts and rigging, and thus concluded his visit.

Your boat is beautiful, sir, what is it?he asks. Two hundred and ten tons. The boat can cover nine kilometers in one hour at full speed, said Ayrton, and I suppose it is about the same? If it said ten kilometers, the captain corrected, then you guessed right. Ten kilometers, the helmsman called out, then no warship could catch up with it. Yes, the captain replied proudly, the Duncan is a racing boat, no matter how she sails, she will not lose. Does Zhang Fan sail faster than other ships? That's right.Menger said again. Then, sir, and you, captain, said the bosun, accept my congratulations as a common seaman!

Well, Ayrton, said sir, you may come and do your business in this ship whenever you like. I will consider this issue in the future.The boatswain answered simply. At this time, Mr. Obir came to report that the banquet had been set, and everyone was invited to sit. What a clever character, this Ayrton.said the geographer to the major. smart!said the major vaguely.He always felt that there was something wrong with the bosun's face and manner, which, we should say, was perhaps due to prejudice and jealousy. During the dinner, the boatswain gave many interesting introductions to the continents he was familiar with.He asked Sir how many sailors he took to travel on the Continent.Hearing this, he only brought Murady and Wilson to express surprise.He advised Sir to find some more.On this point, he even insisted again and again. Such insistence should have completely dispelled the Major's antipathy towards him. Why do you want to do this?Jazz asked, is there no danger on the way? There is no danger.replied the bosun. Keep the sailors on board as much as possible, then, as the Duncan is in need of men for sailing and repairs.It is especially important to designate a place to meet it in the future.Therefore, the manpower on board should not be reduced. Ayrton seemed to understand Sir's meaning, and stopped persuading him. It was getting late and the passengers parted with the Irishman.Ayrton and the Omor family returned to their estate.The chariots and horses should be ready for tomorrow, and the departure time is eight o'clock tomorrow morning. It didn't take long for Mrs. Helene and Miss Mary to make all the necessary preparations, and the things they brought were far less cumbersome than Paganel's.The scholar spent half the night dismantling his huge telescope, wiping and wiping, wiping and reinstalling.So he was still fast asleep when the Major awoke him with a thunderous voice next day at dawn. The luggage was sent to the farm, and a small boat was waiting below. Meng Geer and his party jumped on it, and the captain gave the last order to the first mate Austin.Instruct him to wait for the order in Melbourne, and to carry it out under any circumstances. The old seaman asked the captain to rest assured, and wished the success of the expedition on behalf of all the seamen.The dinghy left the ship with a thunderous whoosh!The sound resounded through the sky.It took only ten minutes for the boat to land, and a quarter of an hour later, the group of people appeared in the Omor Manor. Everything was ready, and Lady Helene was overjoyed to see the bunk prepared for her.She also likes the huge primitive bullock cart.Those six cows, lined up in pairs, looking like old parents, also suit her taste.Ayrton, bullwhip in hand, was waiting for his new master's order. ah!This car is fantastic!Geographers say it is better than all the mail cars in the world.There is no better way to travel than to travel around the world like a charlatan.A mobile house that can stop, walk, come and go freely, is there anything better than this?The fantasy of the ancient nomadic Samats has finally come true. Mr. Paganel, said Mrs. Helene, you may visit my drawing room someday. Surely, madam, replied the scholar, it will be my pleasure, and I shall not miss my chance. I shall look forward to your coming every day, said Lady Helene, and you are I'm the warmest of your friends, aren't I?Paganel smiled graciously at Helen. The social rhetoric was interrupted by seven horses, saddled and neighing.Sir finished the accounts, paid for all purchases, and said many words of thanks.The Irish immigrant felt that words were more precious than money. As soon as the departure signal was given, Lady Helene and Miss Mary got into the carriage, Ayrton climbed onto the throne, Obier got into the trunk, and the rest mounted their horses.Omor yelled God bless you!The whole family and together.With the neighing of the cows and horses, the wheels rolled, the carriage boards creaked, and after a while, the road turned and the honest and hospitable Irishman's farm disappeared. December weather in the northern hemisphere has turned bleak, wet and nasty.It's different in the Southern Hemisphere, where it's hot summer.On the day of departure, summer has already arrived for two days, because the sun entered Capricorn on December 21, and its time on the horizon is getting less and less every day.Therefore, the expedition of Greenarvan and his party was carried out under the almost tropical sun. The British territories in the Indian Ocean in this area are collectively called Australia, which includes New Holland, Tasmania, New Zealand and several surrounding islands.As for the continent of Australia, it is divided into many colonies of different sizes, rich and poor, and the boundaries between these colonies are all straight.The British are good at drawing such boundaries at will, regardless of differences in terrain, rivers, climate and race.The colonies are all long squares, one next to each other, and they are inlaid with each other, just like a mosaic of squares.Straight lines and right angles are seen to be the tricks of the geometers, not of the geographers.Only the twists and turns of the shoreline represent nature's protests against artificial orderliness with vivid and lovely irregularities. It's no wonder that this checkerboard division was often laughed at by Paganel.If Australia belonged to France, French geographers would never love the ruler and the pencil to such an extent. The continent of Oceania is now divided into six colonies, and only the seaside is populated by immigrants.Only a few daring residents have ventured three hundred and twenty-four kilometers inland to live, but have since died.As for the real hinterland, almost no one knows its inside story. Fortunately, the thirty-seventh parallel does not pass through these deserted places, where many scientific expeditions never return.Jazz will not take the risk. Now, the southern part of Australia that he will pass through includes: the narrow part of Adelaide, the whole of Victoria and the tip of the inverted triangle of New South Wales. From the manor to the border of Victoria, less than 100 kilometers, can be completed in two days.Ayrton intended to spend the next night in Asbury, the westernmost city in Victoria. At the beginning of the trip, there is always spirit on the saddle, and the spirit is active when the saddle is off.The human spirit is irrelevant, the horse should be controlled when it is active, and whoever wants to go a long way must cherish the horse's steps.Therefore, everyone decided to only walk an average of 40 to 50 kilometers a day, not much.Moreover, the old ox pulls a broken cart, and the speed is very slow, and the carriage has to cooperate with the ox.The cart, together with its occupants and provisions, became the core of the guard, like a mobile fortress.The rider should walk on both sides of the car as much as possible, and can open a little distance, but not too far away from the car. There is no special order for people and horses, and they can walk freely within a certain range. Those who are good at hunting run in the wilderness, and those who are good at communication talk with female guests. It is a gathering of philosophers to debate philosophy.Paganel was good at everything, so he was very busy. The first part of the journey was nothing spectacular.A series of hills, not high but bare.A vast piece of wasteland forms what people call a grassland; many grasslands are covered with shrubs. These plants have a salty taste and pointed leaves. Sheep love to eat them. Walking for several kilometers, look around , nothing more than these things.Sometimes you can also see a pig-faced animal with a pig's head and a sheep's body, a specialty of New Holland, grazing under the telephone poles that lead from Adelaide to various places along the coast. Up to here, this plain is no different from Banpass grassland, with flat green grass, blue sky, and herds of wild animals.The major insisted that this was still Argentina, but the geographer assured that the terrain would soon change.Because of his assurance, everyone looked forward to the emergence of new things. It was almost three o'clock, and the car passed through a large treeless wilderness, commonly known as Mosquito Field.This is a veritable world of mosquitoes, the annoying two-winged insects that constantly bite people, which makes the whole group of people and cattle and horses very distressed.It is impossible to prevent mosquitoes from biting you. Fortunately, there is ammonia water on the mobile car. If you bite, you can wipe it and immediately relieve the itching and pain. Paganel is big, and those stubborn mosquitoes are especially patronizing. Him, he was so angry that he cursed. In the evening, several fences made of bean curd trees dotted the plain, and there were a few white gum trees scattered here and there. A little farther away, there was a newly pressed track, and then there were some exotic tree species: olive tree, lemon tree, etc. trees, green oaks, and finally, some fences to protect the garden.At eight o'clock in the evening, driven by the whip, the cow stepped up and arrived at the red glue station. The so-called station refers to the buildings on the grassland for raising livestock.We know that livestock is a major asset on the Australian grasslands.The shepherds are ground-sitters, people who sit on the ground.Indeed, immigrants who are far away from their homeland are nomadic in the boundless grassland. When they are tired, the first action is to sit on the ground. The Red Gum Station is a small building, but the Jazz has received great hospitality.These remote people are always hospitable.It can be seen everywhere in the Australian immigration area. The next day, at dawn, the travelers moved again.They will arrive in Victoria Province that night.The ground gradually became uneven, and the hills were winding and undulating, with no end in sight. The hills were covered with strips of red fine sand, which looked like a big red flag wrinkled by the wind.A few straight white-barked fir trees stretched out their branches and shaded the fertile pasture with dark green leaves, and the grassland was full of lively kangaroos.After a while, people saw a large area of ​​thorns and small gum trees.Soon, these bushes gradually changed from dense to sparse, isolated small trees turned into big trees, and began to show the style of a primeval forest. However, when approaching the Victorian border, the scenery changed significantly, and pedestrians felt that they were stepping on a new ground.They always move in a straight line, even if they encounter any obstacles such as hills or lakes.They are always staring at the first theorem of geometry, and they are literally walking the shortest distance between two points in a straight line.All fatigue and difficulties are completely forgotten. Their speed is determined by the speed of cattle. These calm animals do not go fast, but they do not stop. In this way, I walked 100 kilometers in one breath, divided into two days, and arrived at Asbury District on the evening of the 23rd, which is the first city in the west of Victoria.The car was sent to the inn by Ayrton. This inn, the Crown Inn, is the best hotel in the city.In the evening, all the mutton was served on the table, steaming hot, various and very rich. We ate a lot and talked a lot.Everyone wanted to know about the curiosities of the Australian continent, and so were eager for the geographer to start the conversation.Naturally, without asking, Paganel began to write articles in Victoria on the topic of happy Australia. Happiness is not the right word to describe!He said that the word rich should be said, because happiness and prosperity are not comparable.There are gold mines in Australia, but they are occupied by those adventurers.We can see it through the gold field. Does Victoria, a colony, have a short history?Lady Helene asked. Yes ma'am, only thirty years old.It was Tuesday, June 6th, 1835 At seven-fifteen in the evening, the major added that he always joked with the geographer who gave the date. No, it was ten past seven, and the geographer said solemnly that Batman and Falkner had established a stronghold in Port Phillip, just on the bay east of Melbourne.For the first fifteen years, this colony was still part of the province of New South Wales. Later, it declared independence and was called the province of Victoria. Prosper after independence?Sir asked. Just think, my noble friend!Here are some recent statistics, replies the geographer, which, whether the Major hates it or not, I find very interesting. You said it.said the major. In 1836 there were two hundred and forty-four people in the colony.Today, there are half a million people.Seven million vines produce 121,000 gallons of wine annually.Thirteen thousand horses galloped on the plain, and six hundred and seventy-five thousand two hundred and seventy-two cows grazed on the endless pasture. And what about pigs?the major asked again. Sorry, I almost forgot.There are seventy-nine thousand six hundred and twenty-five pigs. How many sheep, Paganel? Seven hundred and one nine thousand nine hundred and forty-three sheep, Mr. Major. Does the head we are eating now count? No, not included, we have eaten three quarters of this sheep. Brilliant!Good luck being a geographer!Mrs. Helen applauded. It must be admitted that this scholar is too familiar with these issues, and my cousin McNabbs can't trouble him no matter what. It's not surprising, because that's what I do.Ma'am, I just want to know these things, and to tell you when necessary.So, you can take my word for it, this weird place does have plenty of weird things to show us. Of course, until now no major had answered a sentence to deliberately arouse his interest. You should be patient, Mr. Major!Paganel exclaimed, I tell you, I assure you this place is the strangest place in the world.The formation, topography, products, climate, and even its future disappearance of this continent have surprised all scholars in the world.At first, the continent did not form from the center, but rose up around it, like an infinite circle; then an inland sea was formed in the middle of it, and it slowly dried up.Now there is no moisture in the air or soil; the trees shed their bark once a year, the leaves never fall, and the leaves face away from the sun, so there is no shade; the wood often fails to burn; the stones melt after being exposed to rain; the trees grow very low, But the grass grows very tall; there are strange kinds of animals, but four-legged animals have beaks, such as echidnas and platypus, so biologists have to add a new monotreme to them; Jumping with uneven legs; goats with pig's heads; foxes will fly from tree to tree; swans will be black; mice will build their nests; brooding birds will open the living room to incoming birds; birdsongs of all kinds Some of them are like clocks telling time, some of them are like a horsewhip cracking, some of them make the sound of sharpening knives, some of them are ringing like the pendulum of Dida, Dida, and some of them are like the sound of the pendulum in the morning. They chirp when they come out, and some cry at sunset in the evening!ah!What a weird, illogical place!It is really a country that is not close to human feelings and does not conform to the laws of nature! Paganel's grand discourse, uttered with complacency, seems to be chattering endlessly.He's always talking up, gesticulating, forks flying in his hands, and it's dangerous to sit next to him.Finally, a thunderous applause silenced his words.He finally fell silent. Of course, people are already satisfied with the stories of the Arabian Nights he told, and they don't want him to add any more.At this time, however, the major spoke sternly and aggressively, asking him: Have you finished, learned expert? finished?Still early!The geographer gave him a nod and got excited again. how?Madam Helen teased him unintentionally again, is there anything more unusual than this? Of course, madam, climate is stranger than flora and fauna! Give an example!Someone called. Not to mention Australia's advantages in health conditions, here is rich in oxygen but not much nitrogen; there is no damp wind, and many diseases have never occurred here, from typhoid fever, smallpox to various chronic diseases, there are none here. However, this is also a big advantage!Sir said. Of course it is an advantage, but it is not significant. The geographer replied that I only talked about a certain point of climate, and it seemed false when I said it. Speak up and try it out.the captain asked anxiously. You will never believe me. We believe, say it!The audience could bear it no longer. say it has have what? It has an enlightening function! Enlightenment function? Yes!The geographer said with confidence that the metal here does not rust, and neither do people.There is pure and dry air here, which will quickly cleanse everything, from clothes to soul!In England, the convicts sent here to be civilized had long noticed the efficacy of the climate. how!Will there be such an effect?Lady Helene asked. Yes, ma'am, it works on man as well as on beast. You are not joking, M. Paganel? of course not!You see, the horses and sheep here are extremely tame. Impossible! But this is an immutable fact!Anyone who does bad things will get better in a few years once they are transported into this vigorous and hygienic air.Philanthropists have long known this function.All human nature is changing for the better on the Australian continent. So, what about you, Mr. Paganel, Mrs. Helen said, you are already doing well, what will this blessed continent look like again? The future will be squawking, ma'am, the geographer is shaking with laughter, squawking, and there is nothing else to say!