第 八 章 · Joe’s Importance.—The Commander of the Resolute.—Kennedy’s
. Joe’s Importance.—The Commander of the Resolute.—Kennedy’s
Arsenal.—Mutual Amenities.—The Farewell Dinner.—Departure on the 21st
of February.—The Doctor’s Scientific
Sessions.—Duveyrier.—Livingstone.—Details of the Aerial Voyage.—Kennedy
silenced.
About the 10th of February, the preparations were pretty well
completed; and the balloons, firmly secured, one within the other, were
altogether finished. They had been subjected to a powerful pneumatic
pressure in all parts, and the test gave excellent evidence of their
solidity and of the care applied in their construction.
Joe hardly knew what he was about, with delight. He trotted incessantly
to and fro between his home in Greek Street, and the Mitchell
establishment, always full of business, but always in the highest
spirits, giving details of the affair to people who did not even ask
him, so proud was he, above all things, of being permitted to accompany
his master. I have even a shrewd suspicion that what with showing the
balloon, explaining the plans and views of the doctor, giving folks a
glimpse of the latter, through a half-opened window, or pointing him
out as he passed along the streets, the clever scamp earned a few
half-crowns, but we must not find fault with him for that. He had as
much right as anybody else to speculate upon the admiration and
curiosity of his contemporaries.
On the 16th of February, the _Resolute_ cast anchor near Greenwich. She
was a screw propeller of eight hundred tons, a fast sailer, and the
very vessel that had been sent out to the polar regions, to revictual
the last expedition of Sir James Ross. Her commander, Captain Bennet,
had the name of being a very amiable person, and he took a particular
interest in the doctor’s expedition, having been one of that
gentleman’s admirers for a long time. Bennet was rather a man of
science than a man of war, which did not, however, prevent his vessel
from carrying four carronades, that had never hurt any body, to be
sure, but had performed the most pacific duty in the world.
The hold of the _Resolute_ was so arranged as to find a stowing-place
for the balloon. The latter was shipped with the greatest precaution on
the 18th of February, and was then carefully deposited at the bottom of
the vessel in such a way as to prevent accident. The car and its
accessories, the anchors, the cords, the supplies, the water-tanks,
which were to be filled on arriving, all were embarked and put away
under Ferguson’s own eyes.
Ten tons of sulphuric acid and ten tons of iron filings, were put on
board for the future production of the hydrogen gas. The quantity was
more than enough, but it was well to be provided against accident. The
apparatus to be employed in manufacturing the gas, including some
thirty empty casks, was also stowed away in the hold.
These various preparations were terminated on the 18th of February, in
the evening. Two state-rooms, comfortably fitted up, were ready for the
reception of Dr. Ferguson and his friend Kennedy. The latter, all the
while swearing that he would not go, went on board with a regular
arsenal of hunting weapons, among which were two double-barrelled
breech-loading fowling-pieces, and a rifle that had withstood every
test, of the make of Purdey, Moore & Dickson, at Edinburgh. With such a
weapon a marksman would find no difficulty in lodging a bullet in the
eye of a chamois at the distance of two thousand paces. Along with
these implements, he had two of Colt’s six-shooters, for unforeseen
emergencies. His powder-case, his cartridge-pouch, his lead, and his
bullets, did not exceed a certain weight prescribed by the doctor.
The three travellers got themselves to rights on board during the
working-hours of February 19th. They were received with much
distinction by the captain and his officers, the doctor continuing as
reserved as ever, and thinking of nothing but his expedition. Dick
seemed a good deal moved, but was unwilling to betray it; while Joe was
fairly dancing and breaking out in laughable remarks. The worthy fellow
soon became the jester and merry-andrew of the boatswain’s mess, where
a berth had been kept for him.
On the 20th, a grand farewell dinner was given to Dr. Ferguson and
Kennedy by the Royal Geographical Society. Commander Bennet and his
officers were present at the entertainment, which was signalized by
copious libations and numerous toasts. Healths were drunk, in
sufficient abundance to guarantee all the guests a lifetime of
centuries. Sir Francis M——presided, with restrained but dignified
feeling.
To his own supreme confusion, Dick Kennedy came in for a large share in
the jovial felicitations of the night. After having drunk to the
“intrepid Ferguson, the glory of England,” they had to drink to “the no
less courageous Kennedy, his daring companion.”
Dick blushed a good deal, and that passed for modesty; whereupon the
applause redoubled, and Dick blushed again.
A message from the Queen arrived while they were at dessert. Her
Majesty offered her compliments to the two travellers, and expressed
her wishes for their safe and successful journey. This, of course,
rendered imperative fresh toasts to “Her most gracious Majesty.”
At midnight, after touching farewells and warm shaking of hands, the
guests separated.
The boats of the _Resolute_ were in waiting at the stairs of
Westminster Bridge. The captain leaped in, accompanied by his officers
and passengers, and the rapid current of the Thames, aiding the strong
arms of the rowers, bore them swiftly to Greenwich. In an hour’s time
all were asleep on board.
The next morning, February 21st, at three o’clock, the furnaces began
to roar; at five, the anchors were weighed, and the _Resolute_,
powerfully driven by her screw, began to plough the water toward the
mouth of the Thames.
It is needless to say that the topic of conversation with every one on
board was Dr. Ferguson’s enterprise. Seeing and hearing the doctor soon
inspired everybody with such confidence that, in a very short time,
there was no one, excepting the incredulous Scotchman, on the steamer
who had the least doubt of the perfect feasibility and success of the
expedition.
During the long, unoccupied hours of the voyage, the doctor held
regular sittings, with lectures on geographical science, in the
officers’ mess-room. These young men felt an intense interest in the
discoveries made during the last forty years in Africa; and the doctor
related to them the explorations of Barth, Burton, Speke, and Grant,
and depicted the wonders of this vast, mysterious country, now thrown
open on all sides to the investigations of science. On the north, the
young Duveyrier was exploring Sahara, and bringing the chiefs of the
Touaregs to Paris. Under the inspiration of the French Government, two
expeditions were preparing, which, descending from the north, and
coming from the west, would cross each other at Timbuctoo. In the
south, the indefatigable Livingstone was still advancing toward the
equator; and, since March, 1862, he had, in company with Mackenzie,
ascended the river Rovoonia. The nineteenth century would, assuredly,
not pass, contended the doctor, without Africa having been compelled to
surrender the secrets she has kept locked up in her bosom for six
thousand years.
But the interest of Dr. Ferguson’s hearers was excited to the highest
pitch when he made known to them, in detail, the preparations for his
own journey. They took pleasure in verifying his calculations; they
discussed them; and the doctor frankly took part in the discussion.
As a general thing, they were surprised at the limited quantity of
provision that he took with him; and one day one of the officers
questioned him on that subject.
“That peculiar point astonishes you, does it?” said Ferguson.
“It does, indeed.”
“But how long do you think my trip is going to last? Whole months? If
so, you are greatly mistaken. Were it to be a long one, we should be
lost; we should never get back. But you must know that the distance
from Zanzibar to the coast of Senegal is only thirty-five hundred—say
four thousand miles. Well, at the rate of two hundred and forty miles
every twelve hours, which does not come near the rapidity of our
railroad trains, by travelling day and night, it would take only seven
days to cross Africa!”
“But then you could see nothing, make no geographical observations, or
reconnoitre the face of the country.”
“Ah!” replied the doctor, “if I am master of my balloon—if I can ascend
and descend at will, I shall stop when I please, especially when too
violent currents of air threaten to carry me out of my way with them.”
“And you will encounter such,” said Captain Bennet. “There are
tornadoes that sweep at the rate of more than two hundred and forty
miles per hour.”
“You see, then, that with such speed as that, we could cross Africa in
twelve hours. One would rise at Zanzibar, and go to bed at St. Louis!”
“But,” rejoined the officer, “could any balloon withstand the wear and
tear of such velocity?”
“It has happened before,” replied Ferguson.
“And the balloon withstood it?”
“Perfectly well. It was at the time of the coronation of Napoleon, in
1804. The aëronaut, Gernerin, sent up a balloon at Paris, about eleven
o’clock in the evening. It bore the following inscription, in letters
of gold: ‘Paris, 25 Frimaire; year XIII; Coronation of the Emperor
Napoleon by his Holiness, Pius VII.’ On the next morning, the
inhabitants of Rome saw the same balloon soaring above the Vatican,
whence it crossed the Campagna, and finally fluttered down into the
lake of Bracciano. So you see, gentlemen, that a balloon can resist
such velocities.”
“A balloon—that might be; but a man?” insinuated Kennedy.
“Yes, a man, too!—for the balloon is always motionless with reference
to the air that surrounds it. What moves is the mass of the atmosphere
itself: for instance, one may light a taper in the car, and the flame
will not even waver. An aëronaut in Garnerin’s balloon would not have
suffered in the least from the speed. But then I have no occasion to
attempt such velocity; and if I can anchor to some tree, or some
favorable inequality of the ground, at night, I shall not fail to do
so. Besides, we take provision for two months with us, after all; and
there is nothing to prevent our skilful huntsman here from furnishing
game in abundance when we come to alight.”
“Ah! Mr. Kennedy,” said a young midshipman, with envious eyes, “what
splendid shots you’ll have!”
“Without counting,” said another, “that you’ll have the glory as well
as the sport!”
“Gentlemen,” replied the hunter, stammering with confusion, “I
greatly—appreciate—your compliments—but they—don’t—belong to me.”
“You!” exclaimed every body, “don’t you intend to go?”
“I am not going!”
“You won’t accompany Dr. Ferguson?”
“Not only shall I not accompany him, but I am here so as to be present
at the last moment to prevent his going.”
Every eye was now turned to the doctor.
“Never mind him!” said the latter, calmly. “This is a matter that we
can’t argue with him. At heart he knows perfectly well that he _is_
going.”
“By Saint Andrew!” said Kennedy, “I swear—”
“Swear to nothing, friend Dick; you have been ganged and weighed—you
and your powder, your guns, and your bullets; so don’t let us say
anything more about it.”
And, in fact, from that day until the arrival at Zanzibar, Dick never
opened his mouth. He talked neither about that nor about anything else.
He kept absolutely silent.