Classics fantasy – 10

The Gatling attentively examined an alga and disapprovingly shook the head.

– Sargassum, groups of brown seaweed… Yes, there is no doubt! These are alga sargassova. Here where brought us. Devil take it! Business gets a bad turn. We should discuss situation.

And all three rose by the main deck. Danger pulled together them. Симпкинс waved a hand on “rights”, he understood that only knowledge, experience and energy of Gatlinga could save them.

Most of all detective disturbed an unknown monster. It did not attach to any sargassovy alga significance.

– What do you think, Gatling, about our uninvited guest? – asked Simpkins when all took seat on wattled chairs.

The Gatling shrugged shoulders, continuing to twist an alga in a hand.

– This is not an octopus, not a shark and not some other of the famous inhabitants of the sea… It is possible what is here, in this mysterious corner of the Atlantic Ocean, there live unknown to us monsters, some plesiosauri who remained from primitive times.

– And suddenly they will get out of water and will begin to pursue us?

– We have to be ready to everything. But, I admit, I am disturbed not so much by unknown monsters, how many this leaf – and it showed an alga leaf. – The steamship after all is too big and strong even for these unknown giants of the underwater world. To them not to get also into our close cabins. At last, we have a weapon. But what weapon can win against this? – and it showed on an alga again.

– What terrible is in this insignificant leaf? – asked Simpkins.

– The fact that we got to the area of the Sargasso Sea, the mysterious sea which is located to the west of Korvo – one of the Azores. This sea six times more Germany occupies the space. It everything is entirely covered with a dense carpet of seaweed. “Alga” in Spanish – “sargassa”, from here and the name of the sea.

– As it so: the sea among the ocean? – Ms. Kingman asked.

– This issue was not resolved also by scientists.

– As you have to know, the warm Gulf Stream Current goes from the passages of Florida to the North to Spitsbergen. But this current is divided into ways, and one sleeve comes back to the South, reaches the Azores, goes to west banks of Africa and, at last, having described a semicircle, comes back to the Antilles. The warm ring in which there is cold, quiet water – the Sargasso Sea turns out. Look at the ocean!

All looked back and were struck: the surface of the ocean lay before them motionless as a standing pond. Slightest wave, movement, splash. The first beams of a rising sun lit this strange, stiffened sea which resembled a continuous carpet of greenish and pale seaweed.

– I do not want to frighten you, Simpkins, but a grief to the ship which got to this to “bank with seaweed” as Columbus called the Sargasso Sea. The screw if we also have it in serviceability, could not work: it would reel up seaweed and stopped. Seaweed detain the course of the sailing vessel, do not give the chance and to row. In a word, they it is tenacious hold the victim.

– What will be with us? – asked Simpkins.

– Perhaps, the same, as with others. The Sargasso Sea is called the cemetery of the ships. Seldom who manages to get out from here. If people do not die of hunger, thirst or yellow fever, they live, their ship from weight of the accrued polyps or a leak will not drown yet. And the sea slowly accepts the new victim.

Ms. Kingman listened carefully.

– Awfully! – she whispered, peering into the stiffened green surface.

– We, in any case, are in the best conditions, than many of our predecessors. The steamship keeps well. Perhaps, we will manage to repair a leak and to extort water. There will be enough stocks of products for us three for several years.

– Years! – Simpkins exclaimed, having jumped up on a chair.

– Yes, the road Simpkins, it is possible that several years you should expect the promised award. Take heart, Simpkins.

– I wanted to spit on an award, if only to me to get out of this damned kissel!

…Monotonous, painful, hot days stretched. Clouds of some unknown insects were above this standing swamp. At night mosquitoes did not allow to sleep. Sometimes fog laid down over the sea a funeral veil.

Fortunately, by steamship there was a good library. Ms. Kingman read much. In the evenings all gathered in big magnificent salon. Viviana sang and played grand piano. And even more often Simpkins began to be on these evening meetings with a wine bottle: from a grief he washed down.

Gatlingu was necessary to lock wine cellars. Симпкинс tried to object, but Gatling was relentless.

– There is no that we had to potter with the patient with delirium tremens still. Understand, ridiculous you the person that you will die soon if not to stop you.

Simpkinsu was necessary to obey.

Chapter 5

IN THE KINGDOM OF THE DEAD

It seemed that the steamship is motionless. But, apparently, some slow current carried away it on the middle of the Sargasso Sea: even more often the semi-decayed and become green fragments of the ships began to meet on the way. They appeared as dead persons, with naked “edges” – frames and the broken masts, some time followed the ship and slowly departured afar. By nights Simpkins was frightened by “ghosts”: from the green surface of the sea there were suddenly some columns of pale fog reminding people in shrouds and slowly slid, waved and thawed… It evaporations in those places where in a continuous carpet of seaweed there were “ice-holes” escaped.

In one of moonlight nights some half-ruined brig of the Dutch construction close approached the steamship. It was painted in black color with bright gilding. Its mast and a part of bulvarok were demolished, брашпиль is broken.

With the mixed feeling of curiosity and horror watched Vivian at this dead ship. Perhaps, this their future; time will come – and their steamship will also rush by the sea, not recovered by any human being. And suddenly she screamed:

– Look, look, Gatling!

Having leaned against the broken mast, there was a person in a red cap. In beams of the bright moon on dark, almost black face teeth sparkled. He smiled, smiled from ear to ear. At his legs the bottle lay.

Consciousness that they not one that in this green desert there is one more living human being, excited all. Симпкинс and Gatling loudly shouted and waved hands.

The person in a red cap, still smiling, waved a hand, but it is somehow strange as if having shown something behind itself. And the hand fell at once as a lash. The moon came for a cloud, and the person already died it is visible. But the brig swam up closer and closer to the steamship.

At last the brig already almost closely approached a ship board. At this moment the moon ascended and lit a strange and terrible picture.

The skeleton was tied to a fragment of a mast. Clothes tatters still remained on it. The escaped bones of hands dangled on wind, but the others dropped out of shoulder joints for a long time and rolled on half of the deck. Face skin remained, dried up by the hot sun. On this pergament face the skull smile sparkled. The semi-decayed red cap covered its top.

One moment, and Gatling jumped on the deck of a brig.

– What do you do, Gatling? The brig can depart from the steamship. Then you died.

– Do not worry, Ms., I will be in time. There is something interesting.

The Gatling ran up to a skeleton, grabbed the sealed bottle and jumped on the deck of the steamship while the brig departed already almost on meter.

– Madman! – the turned pale Ms. Kingman met Gatlinga, rejoicing to its safe return. – Well, for the sake of what, really, you so risked? – asked Vivian, looking at a bottle. – We have enough this good.

– And here we will look. – The Gatling beat off a neck of a bottle and took the semi-decayed leaf of bluish paper. The faded, almost red letters could be sorted.

Obviously, by a goose quill, with a strange stroke and curls, it was written:

“Whoever you were, a Christian or incorrect into whose hands this bottle will get, I ask and I conjure you to execute my last will. If you find me after my death on a brig, take money that lie in a white leather bag, in a captain’s cabin, 50 000 guldens gold. From them take 10 000 guldens to yourself, and give 40 000 guldens to my wife, Marta Tes-sel, in Amsterdam, Morskaya Street, own house. And if the brig sinks, and one you will find a bottle in the sea, send it, Marta Tessel, my wife, my last greeting. Let will forgive me if upset her in what… All our died… All crew to the sailor… Carat, Gubert… the first… I one am living, so far. Week… without food… I will become attached to a mast… who will notice… Farewell… Gustav Tessel. Brig of ‘March’, 1713 September of the 15th day”.

When Gatling terminated to read, there came silence.

– As it is terrible and strange! We received an assignment from the dead person to say hello it to the wife who two hundred years as in a grave … – And, having shuddered, Ms. Kingman added: – How many awful secrets this sea keeps!