Classics fantasy – 10

SMOKER OF OPIUM

Easy glaucescent fog clouded the Island of the Lost Ships. The broken masts and iron pipes of steamships as ghosts, loomed in fog.

The old man Bokko and Chinese Hao-Zhen sat on the deck of an old brigantine. The Chinese sat not movably as a figurine, having drawn in legs and having put palms of hands on knees, and looked at a tall mast.

Bokko repaired network and with boredom asked the Chinese on his homeland and close people. At last he asked the Chinese whether that was married.

Some shadow ran on a face of the Chinese.

– Was not – he answered and added more quietly: – The bride was, the good girl.

– Well and that you?

– It is impossible – a surname one…

– Relative?

– No. Just surname. Law such.

The careless question Bokko awakened some distant memories in the Chinese’s soul. It was delivered and rose.

– I will go – the Chinese declared.

– Yes where pulls you? Again you will go to smoke the dope? Sidi.

But the Chinese already incorrect, unsteady gait went on a planked footway to the remote bark.

Bokko shook the head:

– The guy will be gone. And so, to what it became similar!

Bokko was not mistaken. Hao-Zhen went to smoke opium. The Chinese somehow found a stock of this poisonous medicine in one of the old ships and since then excitedly indulged in smoking. His face turned pale, became yellow as straw, eyes deeply fell, looked wearily, without expression, hands began to shiver. When learned about his passion, to it most strictly forbade to smoke, being afraid of the fire. Still the captain Sleyton several times cruelly punished Hao-Zhenya, locked him in a hold, starved, demanding that the Chinese gave opium reserves, but could not break persistence of the Chinese. He could be killed rather, than to force to give opium. He well hid stocks and managed to smoke as soon as supervision of it weakened.

Hao-Zhen came to the old bark standing slantwise, at an angle almost in 45°. Under protection of this inclination covering it from looks of islanders it also arranged to itself (himself) курильню at the water.

He prepared by the hands shivering for nervousness everything for smoking and greedy involved sweetish smoke.

And gradually fog began to get a golden shade. Clubs of gold clouds were turned in the long film, and this not a tape, and the river, the great Blue river any more. Yellow fields, yellow rocks, the lodge hollowed in the rock with the paper dragon fluttering downwind at an entrance. The father strugat at the house, on the Chinese custom, not from himself, and to himself. Down the river the fisherman floats, standing aft and rotating an oar. All such close, familiar, native! At the river irises, fine lilac irises blossom.

When Hao-Zhen recovered from a dope, there was a night. Fog dispersed. Only its separate shreds as ghosts, quickly rushed on the North. It was silent. Occasionally fish lapped. Because of the horizon the red moon rose. It was not reflected in water. Seaweed as opaque glass, only poorly gleamed. Only here and there, in small “ice-holes” – in places, free from seaweed – water was lit by moonlight.

Near the island directly on seaweed the silhouette which stood out against the background of the ascending moon clearly moved. The Chinese wiped eyes and began to peer. Familiar figure. Well, of course, it it, late captain Sleyton! On it there is only no jacket. But dead persons do not feel night dampness. Why he wanders here? What it is necessary to it? Hao-Zhenya’s teeth began to beat a tattoo.

In the morning the Chinese whispered on an ear to the friend Bokko:

– The captain went. Sleyton went at night on water. Itself saw. Badly the dead man was buried. Shipko a harm is so the person to bury. Here also goes. It will be bad! The harm will be, m-m-m…

Bokko nodded, with pity looked at the Chinese and thought: “Was gone, the poor creature, absolutely lost mind from a damned potion”.

In several days this conversation repeated. The Chinese saw the dead captain who was slowly walking by the sea again. Bokko did not bear.

– You bothered me with the dead man! Here that – I with you will be on duty today at night. Also look at me if you see, and I will not see – it is necessary to you, to two pokoynichka to walk about by the sea together! Brosha you in water, you can be sure of that!

Night stood dark. The sky was laid densely over by clouds. Drizzled a rain, Bokko quarreled, muffling up in a latany raincoat.

About one o’clock in the morning in darkness, not far from the Island, Bokko the first noticed a shadow of the person. It was so dark that it was difficult to distinguish figure outlines. But something similar really went on the person on water and disappeared in a gloom.

Bokko felt how at him hands grow cold.

– You see? – the Chinese whispered, grabbing the shivering hand Bokko’s shoulder.

– Sh-sh!

And they sat till the morning, without having been able for fear to move.

Only when there ascended the sun, Bokko breathed a sigh of relief. Soon a message about the captain’s ghost Sleytona flew about all population of the Island and reached Flores. He did not trust in ghosts, but this message about the vagrant ghost of Sleyton excited him as not clear danger.

“Why they saw Sleyton? What they, regret for it? Accuse me for the fact that I threw Sleyton into the sea instead of trying to give him help? But it was half-dead. Or… nonsenses! People just with boredom go crazy. It is necessary to entertain rather them” – Flores thought.

And in the evening he secretly summoned Bokko and asked it to see off to that place where they saw the ghost. But neither in this, nor in the next night the ghost did not appear. Flores became cheerful.

– Well, here you see! I said to you that it is one imagination. There are enough nonsenses to be engaged! Desire to be to me on a meeting tomorrow. We should consider the plan of an expedition. Yes do not forget to put on the official suit – you something did not put on it long ago.

– I protect – Bokko ingenuously answered. – Such value!

– For our century will last, Bokko!

Chapter 19

THE DISAPPEARED ISLAND

Since evening “Defiant” entered a strip, free from саргасс. And early in the morning, when spouses Gatlingi came to the deck, saw that around the blue smooth surface of the ocean over which small spots саргасс flash only here and there is spread.

– Strange, really we so evaded to the South? – asked Gatling of professor Thomson who considered some small fish snared.

– We go the region of the warm current where it fights against cold. These cold currents also carried a part of seaweed aside. Tomorrow we will turn on the North, in the thick саргасс.

– What strange fish! – Viviana exclaimed. – Look, Reggie.

The head of fish was supplied wide, an oval form with the guard made of cherepitsevidny plates; the lower body at it was painted in more dark color, than top.

Thomson carefully lowered fish in a big basin with water. Fish immediately turned on a back and densely applied a guard to a basin bottom.

– And well, take fish – Thomson offered.

The Gatling took fish for a tail and tried to lift, but it is vain: fish as if grew to a basin bottom. Thomson laughed:

– You see what exotic fish! It is an ekheneida, or “ры – oh – the bore”. About this fish the whole legends as if she, sticking to an underwater part of the ship, can detain its course in the ancient time went. Here you watch – and Thomson though not without effort, tore off “bore” from a basin.

– Professor, in the sea swims the whole herd of turtles – Thomson’s assistant Müller reported. – Whether you allow me to hunt on them here with this little small fish? I saw how it is done by natives in Africa.

Having got permission, Müller put on a tail of fish a ring with a strong cord and threw her into water. In transparent water all movements of fish were visible. Having made several unsuccessful attempts to escape, it began to swim up to a big turtle who, probably, peacefully slept on the surface of the ocean; the ekheneida stuck to a belly board of a turtle. Müller pulled a cord. The turtle was swept up, but could not get off the bore and in a minute was pulled out together with fish on the deck of the vessel.

– Bravo! – Viviana clapped the hands.

On the deck Simpkins appeared. He just got up and squinted from a bright sun. Popykhivy indifferently looked with a tubule, Simpkins at a turtle and filtered a mouth corner:

– Turtle soup – it will be not bad. And it that for a bloodsucker?

– This is not a bloodsucker, but a clingfish. The turtle, Simpkins, is intended not for soup, and for a scientific collection.

– Watch what charm! – Viviana exclaimed again, pointing to the sea.

Over the surface of the ocean fishes flew. Their whole packs rose over water and flew by considerable space in several tens of meters supported by forward fins which at them are turned as if into wings.

All admired this show.

– Dactylopteres – “short meeting” – professor Thomson explained.

– Really and all birds left the sea? – asked Vivian.

– The ocean – a cradle of all organic life on the earth. You see the flying fishes, but there are also such fishes who walk by land and even vzlezat on roots of trees. All this ancestors of Amphibia and birds.

– Very interestingly – told indifferently to Simpkins – but as though we gathered for searches not only turtles of both bores, and and Ostrov of the Lost Ships. We get all to the south and already left a belt саргасс. There will come rainy time soon – and so often it is raining – when we are engaged in the Island?

– Patience, Simpkins; today we turn on the North, and every hour you will be closer to the purpose.

Симпкинс shrugged shoulders with such look, as if wanted to tell: “Oh these scientists!” – and, having stuffed up hands in pockets, began to look at the sea, spitting out through a board.

– Here shark! – he shouted, having quickened. Obviously, and in the sea he was interested only in a criminal element. – Oho, what big! Only why it is white?

– Yes, it is an interesting copy – Thomson told – the typical representative of the Sargasso Sea. Sargassa detain a sunlight, and local sharks, obviously, do not “sunbathe” as their brothers living in open places; leather of local sharks remains deprived of a pigment (coloring).

The shark floated near the ship. Its movements were bystra, are strong and beautiful.

Sailors already prepared a rope and smeared with fat an iron hook.

– And why the shark does not eat these little small fishes what spin about her? – asked Vivian.

– This is fish pilot, the inseparable fellow traveler of a shark.

At this time the hook with a bait was thrown. The first fish pilot noticed a bait. She sniffed at a bait and quickly swam up to a shark, trying to pay her attention to production.

– See you, podvodchitsa! – translated Simpkins of an event into language of criminal practice.

The shark turned, noticed production and greedy grabbed in a mouth a hook.

– Devil take it, it was provocation from fish pilot! – Simpkins exclaimed.

The shark was thrown and so pulled a rope that two sailors fell to the deck and the ship took an easy list. Fight began. Sailors released a rope, selected, tightening more and more growing weak animal. Passed not less than an hour, pre-chspr than it was succeeded to pull out a shark on the deck. Tired, it lay as dead.

– Aha, got, my dear! – with a celebration told Simpkins, approaching a shark.

– I bet – told Gatling – that you regret, to Simpkins, about absence at a shark of hands.

– Why?

– You would put on them “bracelets”.

– Still stuck! – with surprise Viviana, увидав the fish who stuck to a stomach of a shark exclaimed.

– A usual thing – Thomson answered. – Bores often do it and have threefold advantage for themselves: so to speak, gratuitous journey, full safety from other predators under cover of the sea of the enemy, terrible for all inhabitants, and some remains from a plentiful table of gluttonous sharks.

– In a word, everywhere same – noticed Simpkins – around big criminals the small pack of swindlers for small instructions always spins.

– It is a little more, Simpkins, and you will write scientific work: “Underworld of inhabitants of the sea” – told, smiling, Gatling.

Симпкинс approached closer a shark and suddenly, having grasped a hand the bore, began to pull:

– And well, we will look whether you will keep?

The bore as if grew to a stomach of a shark. Then Simpkins with a force pulled fish. The shark unexpectedly started a huge body and slapped Simpkins a tail with such force that it, having waved in air legs, flew through a board and fell in the sea.

Professor Thomson with emotion shouted to the sailor:

– Throw a rope rather!

Gatling this nervousness and haste of the scientist surprised. Симпкинс there was a quite good swimmer, bathing in warm, almost hot water did not threaten with cold.

But Thomson was afraid of another: he knew that sharks often pass packs. Where one floated, there can be also others.

And his fears were not vain. Not far really suddenly seemed it is unknown from where the undertaken sharks. They quickly approached Simpkins who did not notice them yet. Meanwhile already carried the ship on several meters from Simpkins.

– Rather, Simpkins, rather! – shouted to it.

The captain gave the order to stop the car, and ingenious sailors, without expecting an order, with feverish haste lowered the boat.

– What do you worry? I swim as a stopper! – Simpkins which was not suspecting dangers yet shouted, but, seeing that all views are directed not to it, and somewhere in the sea, looked back, grew cold with horror and began to work with despair hands and legs. But the become wet clothes slowed down swimming.

When the boat with three sailors swam up to Simpkins, sharks were about him. One of them, having swum up under Simpkins, already turned on a back and opened the wide mouth seated by several rows of teeth, but someone from sailors thrust an oar which instantly was shattered in small spills in an open mouth. And it saved Simpkins. Other sailor helped it to get into the boat.

The predators angered by the fact that production left from them fought at the boat, trying to turn it. Several times they almost managed it. The boat turned, tilted, scooping edge water. The sailor beat off an oar fragment, others strenuously rowed. At last with great difficulty sailors and Simpkins moored to a board and ascended on “Defiant”.

All breathed a sigh of relief.

Симпкинс panted. From his clothes water flew down on the deck, spreading pools.

– I thank you – at last he said. – I will go to change clothes. – And, far bypassing the lying shark, splashing wet legs, Simpkins went down in a cabin.

The scientific collection of Thomson quickly grew. Sea needles and skates, aktennariya, flying fishes, a hedgehog fish, spotty sinerog, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, graceful gidroidny polyps, kladokorina and salpa flaunted in banks with alcohol in the form of effigies and skeletons, filling laboratory and adjacent cabins.

“Defiant” turned on the North and went on a continuous carpet of seaweed.

Despite often falling intermittently rains, Thomson tirelessly researched the Sargasso Sea. The Gatling helped it, and time passed imperceptibly. In the evenings, after a lunch, they took seat in comfortably arranged cabin and listened to fascinating stories of Thomson about inhabitants of the sea – the strange, extraordinary world, so unlike the familiar surface world.

From all participants of an expedition one Simpkins missed and felt unfortunate. Its organism got used to the constant movement. Nervous rise, unseparable with ventures, was necessary for it as drug. And in this quiet situation of Simpkins felt ill. Yawning, he wandered about the ship, disturbed all – from the captain to the fireman, grumbled, smoked and contemptuously spat in the sea.

There were gloomy, gray days. Sometimes fog clouded everything a white veil. In this part of the ocean there was no danger to collide with the passing ship and therefore “Defiant” went, without detaining the course; only occasionally, just in case, the siren howled, and this sound directed horror among surrounding silence.

– And where this Island got lost! – Simpkins grumbled.

And really as if washed away the Island of the Lost Ships from the surface of the ocean. By all calculations, it had to be in these parts. “Defiant” wandered in the center of the Sargasso Sea, changing the direction, but the Island was not.

There passed days behind days, and around there was the same gray sky, a brown surface саргасс, an impenetrable distance in fog.

Already not only Simpkins, but also Gatlingi began to worry about whether it will manage to them to find the Island which is not marked on one map.

One night all were going to discuss situation. The captain shrugged shoulders:

– What I can do! We look for as blind people. So we can swim year – and without any result. Our travel dragged on. The team shows discontent. “In this swamp only to catch frogs” – sailors grumble.

– What do you offer? – asked Gatling.

The captain shrugged shoulders again.

– I suggest to stop these aimless searches and to return.

The Gatling thought.

– Your opinion, professor?

Thomson made a helpless gesture:

– What can I tell? Every day swimming enriches science. But if all decide to return, I, of course, will not object.

– Well you protect interests of science! – Simpkins flared up. He suddenly was the hottest defender of science, however, only to continue searches of the Island. – Object! Demand! Insist!. And the captain… and you are good too! “Aimless wandering! Let’s not find! Whether” Yes you in what places we swim know? Perhaps, here on this very spot Columbus passed! And too sailors grumbled. And to Columbus, you think, it was easier to peddle old stuff or a way to India? Then all were sure that there is no America any and that the ship can reach the end of the earth and fall down to the other end of the world. And Columbus was not afraid and found! And we will find!

As this speech in Simpkins’s lips was comical, but his unexpected eloquence made an impression, and the captain, having a little been confused, answered:

– Yes, but Columbus after all went in one direction, it had trade calculations, and they did not deceive him though it found and not that looked for, and we are just turned on the place. Here if you are so kind to specify to me precisely the direction, I will not be turned – the captain finished with already a little offended tone.

– I understand nothing seamanship. But as for search, I something understand – Simpkins answered. – Each profession creates the skills, disciplines thoughts in the known direction. I thought much of how to find the Island, and, apparently, thought up. It is a long way too, but it will lead us to the purpose rather. Tell, Gatling how for the first time we got on the Island?

– There was a storm, the steamship crashed. You know.

– Further?

– The screw and a wheel were broken, and incurred us.

– Just about, this most! The screw and a wheel were broken, and incurred us. And what if also to us to break a wheel and the screw? – asked Simpkins.

And the others viewed Vivian Simpkins with undisguised great concern.

He noticed it and burst out laughing:

– Be not afraid, I did not go crazy yet. I told about a wheel and the screw allegorically. Let’s stop the car, we will stop operating a wheel and we will watch a current. Here what I offer. Incurred us to the Island some current, isn’t it?

The Gatling nodded.

– Let’s remember it, first. – And Simpkins stuffed up one finger. – If the whole island, then, obviously was formed of the lost ships, in the Sargasso Sea there are constant currents which carry all ships which crashed to one place. Truly?

– So.

– Two – Simpkins stuffed up the second finger. – Well – with, and a conclusion is clear: we will slowly circle, stopping the car from time to time and to watch whether there is no current which would carry the ship in depth of the sea. This current will also bring us to Ostrov. In it all focus! – And Simpkins victoriously raised three fingers.

The plan interested not only the captain, but also Thomson.

– Internal currents of the Sargasso Sea?. Over it really it is necessary to think. Only the Gulf Stream Current around the Sargasso Sea was still studied.

– From where there can be strong undercurrents in the Sargasso Sea? – asked Vivian.

– You want that I gave you the answer to one of the most difficult questions of oceanography – Thomson answered. – What reasons cause sea currents? Scientists did not come to the agreement in this question. One explain emergence of currents with action of inflows and otliv, others – a difference of density of water, at last, the third assign a leading role to winds. Perhaps, it will also be the most probable decision. At least, the direction of sea currents coincides on average with the direction of the main air currents. And is even more true that we have set of a variety of reasons. If Simpkins is right and in the Sargasso Sea there is an internal current towards the Island of the Lost Ships, then it can be a branch, or a deviation, the main current – Gulf Stream. Such deviations most often are caused by some mechanical barriers on the way of the main thing.