A. Belyaev - Classics fantasy – 10

– 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.