With grain, vegetables, flax, and a large population in desperate need of immigration, the small Gould Island has almost reached the limit of what it can carry.
Almost all wooden houses have a large amount of supplies piled up. The number of orphans who have been collected has reached a hundred people.
What Rurik controlled was not just 500,000 pounds of wheat. Because Gould sent people to buy some from other tribes, the total amount of wheat was approaching 600,000 pounds. This is just wheat; more than 300,000 pounds of vegetables need to be transported.
The total amount of numerous personnel and materials has completely exceeded the limit of Gould's ability to organize a fleet.
As early as the time of purchasing food, everyone was sure that there would be no possibility of bringing all the supplies back to Rossburg at once. However, when the time came to set off, everyone felt even more pressure.
Neither Rurik nor Gould wanted to delay any more time, because the climate was getting colder day by day, and every day that passed was closer to winter than the previous day.
The only thing that makes everyone feel relieved is that the entire region has not yet been hit by the autumn rain. The Russians, who are holding a large amount of supplies, are facing an extremely critical transportation window.
The planned return date is September 30th.
The day has not yet come, and a large number of ships are already crowded at Gould Island, the busiest dock. Sailors, mercenaries, and even Ross soldiers all turned into porters and began to The ants moved like moving, struggling to throw the linen bags filled with oats into the cabin of the cargo ship.
The cargo ships owned by the Russians are entirely models built by the shipbuilders of Malaren. They have a thick keel that is spliced together, and they also have a sturdy body shape.
According to its design, the safe load capacity generally recognized by businessmen is around 8,000 pounds, which is equivalent to a little more than three tons. It can of course be carried more heavily, and for every pound added, the danger of navigation increases.
Excess weight brings a deeper draft, which also weakens the speed and flexibility of the ship.
This is not the most fatal thing. When it drafts too deep, the risk of running aground is even greater.
All fishermen generally have a fear of the vast sea. Only those who are willing to take risks to hunt whales and form teams to catch herrings will withstand the pressure and rush to the open sea. Merchant ships and fishing boats like to sail along the coastline, and they are happy to shuttle between many islands. It is said that they can see land every time, which makes them feel more secure. As everyone knows, the more islands there are, the more reefs there are, and overweight ships have been prone to running aground on the rocks since ancient times.
As a shopping mall veteran, Gould didn't know this, but he also knew that he had no choice.
Rurik is basically the owner of all the goods. Gould’s property only accounts for a small part of it. However, his own people have to bear the heavy responsibility of transportation and shoulder huge responsibilities. He has to take risks. He also wanted to ensure safety, so he had no choice but to hope Rurik would come up with some plans due to the conflict.
Under such a predicament,Gould believed that the best way to avoid liability was to let the owner of the cargo determine a route. He also intended to listen to the brave Aric's advice. After all, when it came to long-sea navigation, there were few people more experienced than this young man.
Every year before returning home, Gould would routinely gather the main personnel of the returning fleet for a key meeting.
This year it becomes even more important due to the involvement of two Ross leaders.
It was a cold evening, and the atmosphere in the Gould Island Assembly Hall was even more fiery amidst the aroma of barbecue.
The most distinguished people are undoubtedly Rurik and Arik. The girl Carlotta has aroused status and sits in a key position, even if she cannot speak.
Some technicians with low social status also came. They are the shipbuilder Hotla and the owner of the tailoring workshop Fodegen. These two people and their families will also form a fleet. , joined the Russian fleet.
The joyful atmosphere could not dispel Gould's hatred.
Tonight, all the spirits in his inventory were completely moved out, and soon, the entire meeting hall was filled with the aroma of wine.
After eating some meat and drinking a bottle of strong wine, Gould was in high spirits. He slapped the table hard with his thick hands: "Everyone is paying attention and listening to me."< /p>
The lively scene paused, including Arik, who happily held a lamb leg and gnawed it. He also put down the delicious food in his hand and wiped his grease-filled mouth with his sleeve very casually. .
"Now, I would like to ask our Rurik, who was blessed by Odin, to explain the return matter to you."
As soon as the words fell, everyone's eyes turned sharply. Looking at Rurik, he was already prepared for this.
As if he was making a report, Rurik spoke twice, raised his chin with both hands, and sat upright with a serious face.
“Everyone, it stands to reason that I don’t need to dictate the return route. We can just follow the previous route and lead the huge team of merchants back. It’s just that this time is unusual! Last year, we shipped Two hundred and thirty thousand pounds of wheat were taken away, and the amount of wheat that needs to be transported this year alone is as much as 600,000 pounds.
Part of us is still following last year's plan, hiring some people who own ships, and hiring a group of people. Strong ones, they help us transport all kinds of supplies.
But the volume of goods this year is too much, and I don't have full confidence in those outsiders. I'm afraid that if they transport it, we Russians will be stolen. Listen, I plan to arrange for every Russian to eat wheat porridge every day for a whole year!"
Rurik's words were powerful. , This statement was mainly made to the sailors present. According to common sense, the sailors raised by Gould did not belong to the Ross tribe, and the leader of Ross would not recognize them. Rurik suddenly made a promise that all of Gould's family members and employees would be protected by the Russians if they remained loyal, and if they worked for a few more years, they would be able toOfficially join the Ross tribe.
The sailors' eyes were all trembling, and their slight smiles made the ravine-like wrinkles on their faces even more exaggerated.
“The most critical wheat must be transported by our own people, and the rest must be transported by other people’s ships. Now, we have a lot of money on hand, with twenty-five cargo ships and thirty ordinary long ships. Twenty inferior fishing boats. I know you think that a cargo ship's load capacity exceeds 8,000 pounds and it becomes dangerous. I'm sorry that we have no choice. I now order that the load capacity of all cargo ships be increased to 12,000 pounds. "< /p>
Many people actually have a very vague concept of load capacity. They know that the risk becomes greater when they are overweight. No one pays attention to where the critical point of this risk is.
Rurik expected to receive a burst of exclamations, but he really didn’t expect that only Hotla, who was good at shipbuilding, raised objections.
“My little master, you are taking a risk!”
“Oh? My craftsman, I know I am taking a risk, but what can I do?”
p>
Hotla has the best say in this matter: "Many of the cargo ships you have now are made by me. No one knows these ships better than me. I have tested its ultimate load, and basically It reached the 12,000 pounds you mentioned, but it hit a reef and sank while sailing in the lake. Boy, do you want the wheat to become food for herrings?"
Rurik was not angry at all. He stretched his head, but he really didn't expect that Huotra was quite scientific in shipbuilding.
"Even so, I still have to do it. If we are afraid of running aground, we will go far out to sea."
"The risk is still very high." Hotla said cautiously, "Once If there is a storm, because your ship's draft becomes too deep and a few big waves hit, the ship will definitely sink."
"But what can we do?" Rurik said with a bitter smile: "I hope. Transporting supplies twice is all I can do. Even my inferior fishing boats have to participate in transporting supplies. I am now using all the ships I can mobilize."
< p>Hotra managed his old bones: "Since you are short of ships, I can naturally lend you the two cargo ships I have.""Huh? Really? Why didn't you tell me earlier? You still have a big boat."
"You never asked me. It is impossible for my family to complete the complete move this fall. My people can go in batches in small boats. I will. They are given to you. Since you insist on being overweight, I can only hope that we will have good luck. Oh, it is best to invite the priestesses of Melalen on the day of departure and kill a cow as a priest."
Rurik nodded: "Forget it about the priest, I am the one favored by Odin. Now face reality, our problem is that there are too few big ships. Hotra, I also hope to order more from you. A big ship, it should be extremely huge. Just transporting 12,000 pounds is nothing. I hope it can transport 100,000 pounds at a time."
"Are you serious?of? Bigger boat? ! "Hotra said in surprise.
"I never break my promise. Listen, next spring at the latest, I want you to build a big ship for me. If possible, your family will come to Roseburg, even if it is winter, the shipbuilding work will begin. I have some ideas of my own when it comes to building a boat. If you build it according to my ideas, your wealth and status will naturally be yours. "
Hotela hurriedly covered her heart: "Oh, that's really my honor. Now, in my lifetime, I have built with my own hands a huge ship capable of transporting 100,000 pounds. "
When he thought that this man still had a big ship, Rurik immediately turned to look at Fodegen: "Friend, do you have a big ship? "
"Me? Sorry, I really don't. ”
Fordgen’s expression was quite timid. He did not have a cargo ship on hand, but there were many ordinary rowing long boats.
Since the other party did not have a cargo ship, Rurik did not have one either. Pressing, he began to formally explain the return route, and this route was also discussed with his cousin Arik.
“This time, after we left the Great Lakes, we did not simply go north. The entire fleet is heading northeast. There is an archipelago there, which is now the sphere of influence of us Russians. The Tombstone Island settlement is there, and hundreds of brothers have settled there! Tombstone Island is our future frontline stronghold in the crusade against the Gotlanders. We have to manage it well, and naturally we have to provide enough supplies to the brothers who are left behind to help them survive the winter safely.
I decided that this time the fleet would pass through the islands. I don't care about the danger, because under the leadership of the navigator Arik, we will avoid all the reefs and go straight to Tombstone Island.
I just want to show those brothers our Russian transport fleet. The fleet led by me is not inferior to my father’s Sorgon fleet.
I just want to show them that I, Rurik, am indeed a trustworthy person.
Oh, by the way, we can also borrow the ships there to share our load pressure. ”
Rurik’s previous words were full of indignation. Everyone listened to him with all their strength. By the last sentence, everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
About this route, Arik had a great say. He took over his brother's words and said: "Brothers, have you ever known about the islands northeast of Malaren? In my opinion, it was originally inaccessible, but now it is a settlement of the Russians. . Listen, whether you like it or not, this year's fleet has to get to the Islands first.
This year is not a special case. Every year in the future, our fleet departing from Mälaren must pass through the archipelago, and it is best to rest at Tombstone Island. This is not only what I mean, but also what Rurik means. "
Arik did not get to the bottom of his words. Rurik simply stood up and said loudly to everyone: "Everyone, for our Ross, Tombstone Island has an extremely critical strategic position. The inaccessible archipelago has given rise to our settlements, it is our place! With Tombstone Island,The ships coming out of Lake Mälaren have a resting point, and the fleet going to and from Coward Gorod also has a resting point. Even our fishermen, they don’t have to go back directly to Roseburg when they go south to fish, they can rest on Tombstone Island. Also, when we start to launch operations against the enemy, Tombstone Island is the best gathering point for our Ross warriors. With it, our warriors no longer need to sail for four days before launching an attack..."
< p>Everyone present has somewhat understood the importance of Tombstone Island. As for its astonishing strategic value, they could not relate to it, so everyone watched Rurik being filled with indignation and passively expressed their support.The so-called meeting is, to put it bluntly, a complete report meeting. Others can only agree with Rurik's decision.
Gould, Rurik and Arik can only agree on the details of the entire route. The discussion has already been completed.
The only thing that surprised everyone at the meeting was Rurik's regulations on the cargo ship's load. Anyway, the property rights of the ship were either Rurik's or Gould's. What should the captain do? Others can only do it.
In fact, a practical problem has been plaguing Tombstone Island under Ross's rule - it is really inaccessible.
The Melalen people are forced to do it. Due to the competitive pressure of Gotland fishermen, most of them will not risk leaving the lake and entering the sea, even if the leader Olegin has sent people to build several strongholds on the islands at the mouth of the sea that function as guard posts. He very much hopes that the alliance under his rule will be stable, so his long-term policy is to passively defend against the enemy. Only now, many internal and external pressures have come, making him intend to make a difference, but not now.
On a single Malaren fishing boat, only a few people dared to enter the sea. They soon saw the strange fishing boat from a distance and thought that it was a Gotlander. In fact, it was a Ross fishing boat that went south to seize the living space.
As for the Gotland fishing boats, more than forty of them were sunk by Arik! In the huge sea, the figures of the Gotland people have become rare. The fishing boats were armed patrol boats dispatched by the wealthy families of Gotland. Even these boats did not dare to head north rashly.