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第27章

memoir of fleeming jenkin-第27章

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Fort Genois 'Fort Genova of 1858'; where the cable is landed; with 

all sorts of things and directions; whilst I went ashore to see 

about coals and a room at the fort。  We hunted people in the little 

square in their shops and offices; but only found them in cafes。  

One amiable gentleman wasn't up at 9。30; was out at 10; and as soon 

as he came back the servant said he would go to bed and not get up 

till 3:  he came; however; to find us at a cafe; and said that; on 

the contrary; two days in the week he did not do so!  Then my two 

fat friends must have their breakfast after their 〃something〃 at a 

cafe; and all the shops shut from 10 to 2; and the post does not 

open till 12; and there was a road to Fort Genois; only a bridge 

had been carried away; &c。  At last I got off; and we rowed round 

to Fort Genois; where my men had put up a capital gipsy tent with 

sails; and there was my big board and Thomson's number 5 in great 

glory。  I soon came to the conclusion there was a break。  Two of my 

faithful Cagliaritans slept all night in the little tent; to guard 

it and my precious instruments; and the sea; which was rather 

rough; silenced my Frenchmen。



'Next day I went on with my experiments; whilst a boat grappled for 

the cable a little way from shore and buoyed it where the ELBA 

could get hold。  I brought all back to the ELBA; tried my machinery 

and was all ready for a start next morning。  But the wretched coal 

had not come yet; Government permission from Algiers to be got; 

lighters; men; baskets; and I know not what forms to be got or got 

through … and everybody asleep!  Coals or no coals; I was 

determined to start next morning; and start we did at four in the 

morning; picked up the buoy with our deck engine; popped the cable 

across a boat; tested the wires to make sure the fault was not 

behind us; and started picking up at 11。 Everything worked 

admirably; and about 2 P。M。; in came the fault。  There is no doubt 

the cable was broken by coral fishers; twice they have had it up to 

their own knowledge。



'Many men have been ashore to…day and have come back tipsy; and the 

whole ship is in a state of quarrel from top to bottom; and they 

will gossip just within my hearing。  And we have had; moreover; 

three French gentlemen and a French lady to dinner; and I had to 

act host and try to manage the mixtures to their taste。  The good…

natured little Frenchwoman was most amusing; when I asked her if 

she would have some apple tart … 〃MON DIEU;〃 with heroic 

resignation; 〃JE VEUX BIEN〃; or a little PLOMBODDING … 〃MAIS CE QUE 

VOUS VOUDREZ; MONSIEUR!〃



'S。 S。 ELBA; somewhere not far from Bona:  Oct。 19。



'Yesterday 'after three previous days of useless grappling' was 

destined to be very eventful。  We began dredging at daybreak and 

hooked at once every time in rocks; but by capital luck; just as we 

were deciding it was no use to continue in that place; we hooked 

the cable:  up it came; was tested; and lo! another complete break; 

a quarter of a mile off。  I was amazed at my own tranquillity under 

these disappointments; but I was not really half so fussy as about 

getting a cab。  Well; there was nothing for it but grappling again; 

and; as you may imagine; we were getting about six miles from 

shore。  But the water did not deepen rapidly; we seemed to be on 

the crest of a kind of submarine mountain in prolongation of Cape 

de Gonde; and pretty havoc we must have made with the crags。  What 

rocks we did hook!  No sooner was the grapnel down than the ship 

was anchored; and then came such a business:  ship's engines going; 

deck engine thundering; belt slipping; fear of breaking ropes:  

actually breaking grapnels。  It was always an hour or more before 

we could get the grapnel down again。  At last we had to give up the 

place; though we knew we were close to the cable; and go further to 

sea in much deeper water; to my great fear; as I knew the cable was 

much eaten away and would stand but little strain。  Well; we hooked 

the cable first dredge this time; and pulled it slowly and gently 

to the top; with much trepidation。  Was it the cable? was there any 

weight on? it was evidently too small。  Imagine my dismay when the 

cable did come up; but hanging loosely; thus



'Picture'



instead of taut; thus



'Picture'



showing certain signs of a break close by。  For a moment I felt 

provoked; as I thought; 〃Here we are in deep water; and the cable 

will not stand lifting!〃  I tested at once; and by the very first 

wire found it had broken towards shore and was good towards sea。  

This was of course very pleasant; but from that time to this; 

though the wires test very well; not a signal has come from 

Spartivento。  I got the cable into a boat; and a gutta…percha line 

from the ship to the boat; and we signalled away at a great rate … 

but no signs of life。  The tests; however; make me pretty sure one 

wire at least is good; so I determined to lay down cable from where 

we were to the shore; and go to Spartivento to see what had 

happened there。  I fear my men are ill。  The night was lovely; 

perfectly calm; so we lay close to the boat and signals were 

continually sent; but with no result。  This morning I laid the 

cable down to Fort Genois in style; and now we are picking up odds 

and ends of cable between the different breaks; and getting our 

buoys on board; &c。  To…morrow I expect to leave for Spartivento。'





IV。





And now I am quite at an end of journal keeping; diaries and diary 

letters being things of youth which Fleeming had at length 

outgrown。  But one or two more fragments from his correspondence 

may be taken; and first this brief sketch of the laying of the 

Norderney cable; mainly interesting as showing under what defects 

of strength and in what extremities of pain; this cheerful man must 

at times continue to go about his work。



'I slept on board 29th September having arranged everything to 

start by daybreak from where we lay in the roads:  but at daybreak 

a heavy mist hung over us so that nothing of land or water could be 

seen。  At midday it lifted suddenly and away we went with perfect 

weather; but could not find the buoys Forde left; that evening。  I 

saw the captain was not strong in navigation; and took matters next 

day much more into my own hands and before nine o'clock found the 

buoys; (the weather had been so fine we had anchored in the open 

sea near Texel)。  It took us till the evening to reach the buoys; 

get the cable on board; test the first half; speak to Lowestoft; 

make the splice; and start。  H… had not finished his work at 

Norderney; so I was alone on board for Reuter。  Moreover the buoys 

to guide us in our course were not placed; and the captain had very 

vague ideas about keeping his course; so I had to do a good deal; 

and only lay down as I was for two hours in the night。  I managed 

to run the course perfectly。  Everything went well; and we found 

Norderney just where we wanted it next afternoon; and if the shore 

end had been laid; could have finished there and then; October 1st。  

But when we got to Norderney; we found the CAROLINE with shore end 

lying apparently aground; and could not understand her signals; so 

we had to anchor suddenly and I went off in a small boat with the 

captain to the CAROLINE。  It was cold by this time; and my arm was 

rather stiff and I was tired; I hauled myself up on board the 

CAROLINE by a rope and found H… and two men on board。  All the rest 

were trying to get the shore end on shore; but had failed and 

apparently had stuck on shore; and the waves were getting up。  We 

had anchored in the right place and next morning we hoped the shore 

end would be laid; so we had only to go back。  It was of course 

still colder and quite night。  I went to bed and hoped to sleep; 

but; alas; the rheumatism got into the joints and caused me 

terrible pain so th

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