Works of Jules Verne/Five Weeks in a Balloon/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI
ARRIVAL AT ZANZIBAR
Favoring breezes had hurried the Resolute towards her destination. The Mozambique Channel proved particularly kind to her. The sea voyage was held as a good omen for the success of the air journey. Everyone on board wished for the moment of arrival, and vied in assisting Doctor Ferguson in his final preparations.
At length the vessel came in sight of the town of Zanzibar, situated upon the island of the same name, and on the 15th April, at 11 a. m., she cast anchor in the harbor.
Zanzibar belongs to the Imaum of Muscat, an ally of England and France, and it is certainly a beautiful possession. The harbor shelters a great number of ships hailing from neighboring ports. The island is only separated from the mainland by a channel about thirty miles wide.
Zanzibar enjoys a large traffic in gum, ivory, and, above all, ebony, for it is a celebrated slave market. Here are concentrated all the booty taken in the battles which are being incessantly waged by the chiefs in the interior. This traffic extends to the whole eastern coast, almost up to the Nile region, and M. Lejean has seen them carrying on the traffic close to the French consul's residence.
So soon as the Resolute had arrived the English consul came on board, to offer his assistance to the doctor whose intentions the European journals had some time before announced. But up to that time the consul had enrolled himself among the skeptics.
"I confess I did doubt you," said he, extending his hand to Doctor Ferguson, "but I doubt no longer."
He placed his house at the disposal of the doctor, of Kennedy, and, naturally, of Joe also. While enjoying these attentions the doctor saw several letters which the consul had received from Captain Speke. The captain and his companions had undergone terrible sufferings from hunger and bad weather before reaching the territory of Ugogo. They only advanced with extreme difficulty, and gave up all hope of forwarding intelligence quickly.
"Those are some of the perils and privations which we shall avoid," said the doctor.
The baggage of the three travelers was sent up to the consul's house. They made preparations to land the balloon upon the beach at Zanzibar; they had there fixed upon a convenient spot close to the signal station, near to an enormous building which sheltered them from the east wind. This immense tower, like a tun standing on end, and compared to which the great tun of Heidelberg is but a small barrel, was used as a fort, and upon the platforms Beloutchis, armed with lances, kept watch—a lazy, noisy garrison.
But when the balloon was about to be landed, the consul was warned that the population of the island would oppose the disembarkation by force. This was only their blind fanatical passions showing themselves. The news of the arrival of a Christian, who was about to rise up into the air, was received with much irritation. The blacks, more excited than the Arabs, saw in this project intentions hostile to their religion, for they imagined the white men were about to go up to the sun and moon. As the sun and moon are both worshiped by the African tribes, these people determined to oppose this sacrilegious expedition. The consul being acquainted with these intentions of the negroes, conferred respecting them with the doctor and Captain Penney. The latter had no desire to yield to menace, but his friend caused him to regard it in a different light.
"We shall accomplish our object," said he, "and even the Imaum's soldiers would assist us if necessary; but my dear captain, an accident very easily occurs—an unfortunate blow would do irreparable damage to the balloon, and the journey would be hopelessly deferred; it is much better to take precautionary measures."
"But what can you do? If we disembark anywhere on the coast, it will be all the same. What can you do?"
"Nothing easier to answer," said the consul. "Do you perceive those islands outside the harbor? Disembark your balloon there, establish a cordon of sailors round you, and you will have nothing to fear."
"Capital," cried the doctor, "and we shall be able to make our preparations in comfort."
The captain yielded to this advice. The Resolute hauled up alongside the island of Koumbeni. During the morning of the 16th April the balloon was safely bestowed in the midst of an open space, shaded from the sun by large surrounding trees.
Two masts, each twenty-eight feet high, were placed at some distance apart, and pulleys fixed to them, so as to raise the balloon to the center of the rope stretched between them. The balloons were quite empty. The inner one was fastened to the top of the outer one, so that it could be raised with it.
To the lower extremity of each balloon were fixed the tubes for the introduction of the hydrogen. The whole of the 17th was passed in arranging the apparatus for making the gas. It consisted of thirty casks, in which the decomposition of the water was carried on by means of iron and sulphuric acid mixed with a quantity of water. The hydrogen gave off into a vast vat in the center, having been purified in transit, and thence it passed into the balloons through the tubes. In this manner each was filled with an accurately-known quantity of gas. In this operation 1,866 gallons of sulphuric acid, 16,500 pounds of iron, and 966 gallons of water were employed.
This operation was begun about three o'clock on the following morning, and continued till eight. The next day the balloons, covered by the net, were balanced gracefully above the car, which was held down by a number of bags of earth. The apparatus for the dilation was put in with great care, and the pipes leading from the balloon were fastened into the cylindrical chest.
The grapnels, ropes, instruments, rugs, tent, the provisions, and arms were placed in the car as previously arranged. Water was provided at Zanzibar. Two hundred pounds of ballast were taken in in fifty sacks, and placed at the bottom of the car within reach. The preparations were ended about 5 P. M. The sentinels patroled continually around the island, and the boats of the Resolute kept watch in the channel.
The negroes continued to display their anger by cries, grimaces, and contortions. The sorcerers went about amongst the excited people fanning their indignation. Some fanatics endeavored to swim across to the island, but they were easily repulsed.
Then the charms and incantations commenced. The rain-compellers, who pretended to be able to control the clouds, summoned up hurricanes and hailstones to their assistance. For that object they collected leaves of all the different trees in the country and made a fire, and sacrificed a sheep by driving a long needle into its heart. But, notwithstanding their ceremonies, the sky continued cloudless, and they were no better for their sheep and their grimaces.
The negroes then abandoned themselves to the most terrible orgies, and got tremendously drunk with "tembo," a potent spirit derived from the cocoa-nut tree, or upon a very "heady" species of beer called "togwa." Their songs without melody, but of correct rhythm, were heard all through the night.
About 6 P. M. a farewell dinner was given to the three travelers on board the Resolute. Kennedy, to whom nobody addressed many questions, muttered some indistinct sentences, and never took his gaze from Doctor Ferguson. This was a very melancholy repast. The near approach of the moment for parting inspired many sad reflections in everyone. What fate was in store for these venturesome travelers? Would they ever return to their friends and their happy homes? If their means of transport failed, what would become of them in the midst of savage tribes in an unknown territory in the embrace of an illimitable desert.
These fancies, hitherto put in the background, and to which they had attached little importance, now began to prey upon their already excited feelings. Doctor Ferguson, always cool and collected, spoke of other things and other people, but even he struggled in vain to dissipate the prevailing sadness; he could not overcome that.
As some fears had been expressed respecting the safety of the doctor and his companions, they slept that night on board the Resolute. At 6 A. M. they quitted their cabin and landed on the island of Koumbeni. The balloon floated gracefully in the light easterly breeze. The bags of earth had been replaced by twenty sailors. Captain Penney and his officers were present at this last solemn farewell.
At this moment Kennedy walked up to the doctor, and took his hand. "Is it really decided, Samuel, that you are going?"
"It is really decided, my dear Dick."
"I have done all I could to hinder your voyage?"
"Everything!"
"Then my conscience is clear, and I shall go with you!"
"I was sure you would," replied the doctor, as the tears started to his eyes.
The moment for the final adieu had now arrived. The captain and his officers all embraced their courageous friends, not excepting the worthy Joe, proud and joyful that day. All the sailors wished to shake hands with Doctor Ferguson.
At nine o'clock the three traveling companions took their places in the car. The doctor lighted his blow-pipe, and heated it so as to produce a high temperature. The balloon, which had hitherto remained in equilibrio, began to sway. The sailors were obliged to slacken the ropes they held. The car ascended twenty feet.
"My friends," cried the doctor, coming forward and waving his hat, "let us give our aërial vessel a name which carries happiness everywhere—let us call it the 'Victoria!'"
A ringing cheer was the reply. "God save the Queen! Hurrah for Old England!"
At this moment the ascending force reached a tremendous pitch. Ferguson, Kennedy, and Joe waved a last adieu to their friends.
"Let go, all!" cried the doctor. And the "Victoria" rose rapidly, while the four carronades of the Resolute thundered out a salute as she glided upwards on her perilous journey.