Chapter 35 Thirty-five Britannia remains a mystery

If the people who were looking for Captain Grant were doomed to despair, now that they have nowhere to go, shouldn't they also be desperate?The land is vast, where to go for another adventure trip?Is there any way to achieve such a trip?The Duncan is gone, and it is impossible to even return to China immediately!Thus failed the feat of the good Scotsmen.Failure is deaf to those with a bit of perseverance, but Jazz has been teased by bad luck enough, and he has to admit that there is nothing he can do if he continues this career of saving lives. Mademoiselle was obliged to say no more to her father under the circumstances, though she was reluctant to think of that unfortunate crew with grief.In the past, it was Mrs. Helen who comforted her, now it is her turn to comfort Mrs. Helen!She was the first to suggest going back to Scotland. The captain admired her for being so strong and persevering. He wanted to mention looking for Captain Grant, but was stopped by Mary's eyes.She said to him: I can't find my father anymore!Mr. Menger, we have to think about these people who come here out of righteousness.The Jazz should naturally go back to Europe!

You are right, Miss Mary, said Munger, he should go back now, and let the British Government know what happened to the Duncan.But don't let this disappoint you. Since we have come out to find Captain Grant, we can't give up halfway. Why don't you let me go on looking for it alone!If I can't find it, I will never give up! Mademoiselle Mary accepted this solemn promise from the captain, and held out her hand to the young man as a token of her approval of the agreement.This agreement, in John.Meng Geer, is to serve her life, in Mary.For Grant, it is eternal gratitude to him. On the same day, the result of everyone's discussion was that they decided to return to Europe.And agreed to rush to Melbourne as soon as possible.The next day, Menger thought that there were many ships going between Aydin and the provincial capital of Victoria.He went to inquire about the sailing schedule to Melbourne.

Who knows he guessed wrong.There are actually very few ships.There are no more than three or four merchant ships in this place, and they all stop in Tufu Bay.Haven't had one in Melbourne, or Sydney, or Cape Wells.Because there is a regular route of the Peninsula Cruise Line between these three places and the British mainland. After much consideration and negotiation, Sir Greenarvan thought of going to Sydney along the coastal road, but the geographer made an unexpected suggestion. It turned out that he had been to Tufu Bay.Knowing that one of the three ships was going to Auckland, the capital of the North Island of New Zealand, he wanted to charter the ship first, and then take the Peninsula Cruises ship back to Europe.

Everyone is thinking.The geographer did not cite a large set of reasons, but only explained the fact that the journey took up to five or six days.Australia and New Zealand are only a thousand nautical miles apart. Coincidentally, Oakland happened to be on the thirty-seventh parallel that they were keeping an eye on.This suggestion is an opportunity in itself.You can search again on the coast of New Zealand! But New Zealand is just an island, not the mainland to which Captain Grant fled.Therefore, geographers did not make it clear that they could look for Captain Grant again. The captain was very supportive of Paganel's proposal.However, one should always check which boat it is before boarding.So Glenarvan, the major, Paganel, Robert, and Mengele all got into a canoe and approached the boat two chains from the shore.It was a brig of two hundred and fifty tons, called the Macquarie.It is designed for short voyages between ports in Australia and New Zealand.The attitude of the owner is quite rude.Evidently uneducated, Glenarvan had a modest demeanor.The sailors on board are almost the same as the owner of the ship.The captain has a red face, thick hands, flat nose, one eye, lips full of smoke oil, and a grumpy look, Will.The image of Captain Halle is odious.But only his ship was available now, so what could be done?Fortunately, there are only a few days, so we can't be too particular.

What do you want me to do!He asked when he saw the strangers on deck. Are you the captain?Menger replied. That is, Halle said, how about it? Is the Macquarie going to load to Oakle? Yes.How about it? What are you loading? Good buy and sell. When does the ship sail? How about taking advantage of the noon tide tomorrow. Passengers or not. It depends on who the guests are, as long as they are used to the big pot meals on the ship. Bring your own food. how many people? Ten, two ladies. I don't have a cabin. You just give up the toilet on the deck. this Do you agree or not?Mengel said.

It depends on the captain of the Mercalli turning around once or twice, his leather boots with iron soles clattering on the deck, and then standing in front of Meng Geer. How much will you give?He said. How much do you want?Menger asked back. fifty pounds. Glenarvan nodded, yes. All right, fifty pounds.Menger replied. This is just the shipping fee!The captain added. OK, just the boat fare. Food is out. just outside. Well, let's say it's a deal.How about it?Halle held out his hand. What? What about the deposit? This is twenty-five pounds, half of which should be paid first, and Meng Geer counted the money to him.Halle took the money and stuffed it into his pocket.

Get on the boat tomorrow, he said, come before noon, when the time comes, we will sail no matter whether you arrive or not. Arrive before noon. After answering, Glenarvan and his gang left the ship. What an old man!Mengel said. Well!He's to my taste, says the geographer, a sea wolf! It's an out-and-out bear!Corrected the major. I dare to say, Meng Geer added, that this bear must have done human flesh trading back then. Never mind!Greenarvan replied that as long as he was the captain of the Macquarie, and that the Macquarie went to Oakland.We only saw him a few times from Tuff Bay to Auckland, and never again after Auckland.

Lady Helene and Miss Mary were delighted to know that the departure was tomorrow.Jazz explained to them that the McCarley was not as comfortable as the Duncan.But they don't care.Mr. O'Bill went to buy grain.He often cries for his wife.At this time, however, O'Bill carried out the task with his usual zeal.It was done in a few hours, and the provisions were not available on the brig. Paganel found a complete map of New Zealand compiled by Johnston Press in Edinburgh.Meanwhile the Major found a banker, and he did not want to be without cash and ammunition, so he made some money by changing some of the Sir's orders to the Union Bank of Melbourne.

The wound that nearly killed Muradhi is on the mend, and he is now in good health.Just a little time at sea will heal him.He intends to take advantage of the cool breeze on the Pacific Ocean to recuperate. Wilson was sent aboard the Macquarie to arrange the berths for the passengers.After a while of washing, the poo completely changed its appearance.Halle saw that he was working hard and walked away.Harley didn't care if they were boys or girls or what their names were.He would earn an extra fifty pounds if he carried a little more weight, and that was all. This extra load, in his opinion, was by no means as important as the two hundred tons of hides that filled his cabin.He is a businessman, of course leather comes first and people come second.As for his seamanship.He finally had some experience running in the dangerous sea full of coral reefs in this area.

During the rest of the day, Glenarvan thought of going to the place where the thirty-seventh parallel crossed.He has two motives for doing this. He had to think again about the place of the fake shipwreck.In fact, Ayrton was indeed a sailor of the Britannia, and the Britannia may have really sunk off the coast of Australia. If it is not on the west coast, it must be on the east coast.This place will not come again in the future, and it cannot be easily let go.And, if the Britannia had not been wrecked here, at least the Duncan had fallen into the hands of convicts.Maybe there was a bad fight here then!Is there not a trace of this struggle, a resistance of life and death, to be found by the sea?If the crew were all killed in the waves, couldn't the waves pick up a few bodies and beat them to the shore?

Sir, accompanied by his faithful Mengle, made this dual purpose reconnaissance.The owner of the Victoria Hotel had provided them with two horses, and they took the road which rounded the Tuff Bay to the north. That was a painful search.Glenarvan and Captain John rode in silence.They looked at the rocks eroded by the sea, and they didn't speak to each other.They understand each other and have the same thoughts.Therefore, there is the same pain tormenting their hearts. It can be said with certainty that every part of the seaside, even the smallest cove, has been carefully searched, because Menger is so enthusiastic and intelligent.It stands to reason that for those sand dunes and sloping seashores out of the water, although the tide in the Pacific Ocean is not strong, there will always be some relics of shipwrecks washed up on them.But after a careful search, there was not even a single sign. Exactly where the Britannia wrecked remains a mystery. The Duncan had no clue either.This part of the coast of Australia is uninhabited. However, Meng Geer found a few traces of a bonfire under a clump of Miyar trees on the shore. Obviously, someone has camped here recently.Is it the nomads?no.Another sign told him irrefutably that the convicts had been in this country.The sign was a rough gray and yellow sweater, old, patched and disgusting, thrown under a tree.The sweater also had the number of Perth Prison on it.I don't know which prisoner passed through it, and it has begun to rot on this desolate coast. look!Said my sergeant, the convicts have been here!Our poor fellows on the Duncan yes!Meng Ge lowered his voice, no doubt, they did not go ashore, they all died in the Those bastards!cried the sergeant, if one day they fall into my hands, I will avenge my crew! Maybe he still wanted to find such a ship in the open sea.Jazz stared at the expanse of ocean for several minutes.After a while, he calmed down, narrowed his eyes, and then rode silently towards Aiden. That evening Greenarvan reported the recent incident to Sergeant Banks, which was a formality.The police officer's joyful mood could not help but show on his face when he was taking notes.He seemed to have lifted a big rock from his heart, because he heard that Peng.Juss walked away with his gang of strong men.Everyone in the city breathed a sigh of relief just like him.Although the exiles committed another crime when they left Australia, they were gone at last.This important news was immediately communicated by telegraph to the executive authorities in Melbourne and Sydney. Glenarvan returned to the Victoria Hotel after completing the formalities.Their minds, going round and round, are always running in circles in this land full of misfortune.The passengers passed the night in a sullen mood.They recalled how hopeful they had been at Bainuyijiao!Unexpectedly, this hope was ruthlessly shattered in Tufuwan! From the time of the incident on the banks of the Snowy River, John.Menger kept paying attention to Paganel, feeling that Paganel always wanted to say something but was unwilling to say it, and now Paganel was restless again.More than once John had pressed the question, but the scholar always avoided answering. That night the captain invited him to his room and asked him why he was so nervous. John, my friend, no, I'm the same as usual! Mister Paganel, said Mengel, you must have some secret in your heart. Um!What can I do?Geographers point fingers, and I can't help it! What's up? Is happy, is disappointed. Are you happy and disappointed? Yes. Do you have a little eyebrow?Meng Geer pressed, did you find any clues? No!When you arrive in New Zealand, you will not be able to come back, but after all, hey!You know, people always do that!As long as there is still a breath, always refuse to give up!As the saying goes, if you keep your breath, your heart will never die!That's the best saying in the world!