heroes of the telegraph-第30章
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hing the hundreds of large fish who lazily swam in shoals about the river。 The big canes on the further side hold numberless tortoises； we are told； but see none； for just now they prefer taking a siesta。 A little further on； and what is this with large pink flowers in such abundance？… …the oleander in full flower！ At first I fear to pluck them； thinking they must be cultivated and valuable； but soon the banks show a long line of thick tall shrubs； one mass of glorious pink and green； set there in a little valley； whose rocks gleam out blue and purple colours； such as pre…Raphaelites only dare attempt； shining out hard and weird… like amongst the clumps of castor…oil plants； cistus； arbor…vitae； and many other evergreens； whose names； alas！ I know not； the cistus is brown now； the rest all deep and brilliant green。 Large herds of cattle browse on the baked deposit at the foot of these large crags。 One or two half…savage herdsmen in sheepskin kilts； etc。； ask for cigars； partridges whirr up on either side of us； pigeons coo and nightingales sing amongst the blooming oleander。 We get six sheep； and many fowls too； from the priest of the small village； and then run back to Spartivento and make preparations for the morning。'
JUNE 18。'The short length （of the big…cable） we have picked up was covered at places with beautiful sprays of coral； twisted and twined with shells of those small fairy animals we saw in the aquarium at home。 Poor little things！ they died at once； with their little bells and delicate bright tints。'
JUNE 19。'Hour after hour I stand on the fore…castle…head picking off little specimens of polypi and coral； or lie on the saloon deck reading back numbers of the TIMES； till something hitches； and then all is hurly…burly once more。 There are awnings all along the ship； and a most ancient and fish…like smell （from the decaying polypi） beneath。'
JUNE 22。'Yesterday the cable was often a lovely sight； coming out of the water one large incrustation of delicate net…like corals and long white curling shells。 No portion of the dirty black wire was visible； instead we had a garland of soft pink； with little scarlet sprays and white enamel intermixed。 All was fragile； however； and could hardly be secured in safety； and inexorable iron crushed the tender leaves to atoms。'
JUNE 24。'The whole day spent in dredging； without success。 This operation consists in allowing the ship to drift slowly across the line where you expect the cable to be； while at the end of a long rope； fast either to the bow or stern； a grapnel drags along the ground。 The grapnel is a small anchor； made like four pot…hooks tied back to back。 When the rope gets taut the ship is stopped and the grapnel hauled up to the surface in the hopes of finding the cable on its prongs。 I am much discontented with myself for idly lounging about and reading WESTWARD HO！ for the second time instead of taking to electricity or picking up nautical information。'
During the latter part of the work much of the cable was found to be looped and twisted into 'kinks' from having been so slackly laid； and two immense tangled skeins were raised on board； one by means of the mast…head and fore…yard tackle。 Photographs of this ravelled cable were for a long time exhibited as a curiosity in the windows of Messrs。 Newall & Co's。 shop in the Strand； where we remember to have seen them。
By July 5 the whole of the six…wire cable had been recovered； and a portion of the three…wire cable； the rest being abandoned as unfit for use； owing to its twisted condition。 Their work was over； but an unfortunate accident marred its conclusion。 On the evening of the 2nd the first mate； while on the water unshackling a buoy； was struck in the back by a fluke of the ship's anchor as she drifted； and so severely injured that he lay for many weeks at Cagliari。 Jenkin's knowledge of languages made him useful as an interpreter； but in mentioning this incident to Miss Austin； he writes； 'For no fortune would I be a doctor to witness these scenes continually。 Pain is a terrible thing。'
In the beginning of 1859 he made the acquaintance of Sir William Thomson； his future friend and partner。 Mr。 Lewis Gordon； of Messrs。 R。 S。 Newall & Co。； afterwards the earliest professor of engineering in a British University； was then in Glasgow seeing Sir William's instruments for testing and signalling on the first Atlantic cable during the six weeks of its working。 Mr。 Gordon said he should like to show them to 'a young man of remarkable ability；' engaged at their Birkenhead Works； and Jenkin； being telegraphed for； arrived next morning； and spent a week in Glasgow； mostly in Sir William's class…room and laboratory at the old college。 Sir William tells us that he was struck not only with Jenkin's brightness and ability； but with his resolution to understand everything spoken of； to see； if possible； thoroughly into every difficult question； and to slur over nothing。 'I soon found；' he remarks； 'that thoroughness of honesty was as strongly engrained in the scientific as in the moral side of his character。' Their talk was chiefly on the electric telegraph； but Jenkin was eager； too； on the subject of physics。 After staying a week he returned to the factory； but he began experiments； and corresponded briskly with Sir William about cable work。 That great electrician； indeed； seems to have infected his visitor during their brief contact with the magnetic force of his personality and enthusiasm。
The year was propitious； and； in addition to this friend； Fortune about the same time bestowed a still better gift on Jenkin。 On Saturday； February 26； during a four days' leave； he was married to Miss Austin at Northiam； returning to his work the following Tuesday。 This was the great event of his life； he was strongly attached to his wife； and his letters reveal a warmth of affection； a chivalry of sentiment； and even a romance of expression； which a casual observer would never have suspected in him。 Jenkin seemed to the outside world a man without a heart； and yet we find him saying in the year 1869； 'People may write novels； and other people may write poems； but not a man or woman among them can say how happy a man can be who is desperately in love with his wife after ten years of marriage。' Five weeks before his death he wrote to her； 'Your first letter from Bournemouth gives me heavenly pleasure for which I thank Heaven and you； too； who are my heaven on earth。'
During the summer he enjoyed another telegraph cruise in the Mediterranean； a sea which for its classical memories； its lovely climate； and diversified scenes； is by far the most interesting in the world。 This time the Elba was to lay a cable from the Greek islands of Syra and Candia to Egypt。 Cable…laying is a pleasant mode of travel。 Many of those on board the ship are friends and comrades in former expeditions； and all are engaged in the same venture。 Some have seen a good deal of the world； both in and out of the beaten track ； they have curious 'yarns to spin；' and useful hints or scraps of worldly wisdom to bestow。 The voyage out is like a holiday excursion； for it is only the laying that is arduous； and even that is lightened by excitement。 Glimpses are got of hide…away spots； where the cable is landed； perhaps。 on the verge of the primeval forest or near the port of a modern city； or by the site of some ruined monument of the past。 The very magic of the craft and its benefit to the world are a source of pleasure to the engineer； who is generally made much of in the distant parts he has come to join。 No doubt there are hardships to be borne； sea…sickness； broken rest； and anxiety about the workfor cables are apt suddenly to fail； and the ocean is treacherous； but with all its drawbacks this happy mixture of changing travel and profitable labour is very attractive； especially to a young man。
The following extracts from letters to his wife will illustrate the nature of the work； and also give an idea of Jenkin's clear and graphic style of correspondence ：…
May 14。'Syra is semi…eastern。 The pavement； huge shapeless blocks sloping to a central gutter； from this base two…storeyed houses； sometimes plaster； many…coloured；
