On the twenty-first day after going to sea, Zhang Heng could feel that they were getting closer and closer to their target. A few days ago, another pirate ship had an exchange of fire with the Spear of the Goddess, but this time the whaler with weapons and equipment was also involved. gets trickier.
Both sides suffered damage to each other, and the final battle ended with the pirate ship's jib being hit, and the Spear of the Goddess once again successfully escaped danger.
Later, the Jackdaw met the pirate ship that was returning to port for repairs. Billy happened to know the boatswain on it, and the other party gave them the information on hand.
There were about fifty sailors and 17 artillery pieces on board the Spear of the Goddess, 9 of which were dismantled from the pirate ship they had massacred before. In addition, the fifty sailors were also in good health, and Kong It is powerful, but the speed of the whaling ship is not fast. Because it is full of whale oil and spermaceti, the maximum speed is only about 5 knots.
Calculating the time, if everything goes well, the two sides may be able to meet in about half a day.
However, the weather also changed at this moment. Everyone saw the huge dark clouds hovering above their heads. Merck, the sailmaster on the ship, was already dispatching people to climb up the mast and wait for the wind speed to increase to furl the sails. , and some people were praying to Thetis, the goddess of the sea.
Zhang Heng was studying the navigation chart in the captain's cabin. He did not forget his promise to the black gladiators and marked all the uninhabited islands he encountered along the way. First, he excluded some that were too small and lacked the necessary resources for survival. There were also some that didn't have a hidden environment and were crossed by him. In addition, those that were too close to the normal route were obviously not good choices.
In the end, there were only two or three alternatives left, and Zhang Heng planned to take some time to take a look when he returned.
As soon as he closed the chart, the ship began to rock.
When he first came to this world, he could not help but stagger around when encountering such a situation, but now as long as the wind and waves are not too big, it will not affect his normal actions. Speaking of which, this can be regarded as the result of practicing sword skills at sea. As an additional advantage, he needs to constantly adjust his center of gravity according to the ups and downs of the ship's hull. The advantage is that even if he returns to land, he can quickly return to normal if his center of gravity is unbalanced.
Zhang Heng opened the door and walked to the gangway. Raindrops flew in from the entrance and slapped his face, mixed with the salty smell of the sea breeze. Billy was talking to the lookout on the deck.
"Is everything still normal?" Zhang Heng asked.
"I was about to go down to find you. We have no problem, but there seems to be a small problem on the right front of us." Billy said, handing the copper telescope in his hand to Zhang Heng.
The latter put the telescope in front of his right eye and saw the small black spot undulating in the wind and rain.
"Spear of the Goddess?"
"I don't know. I have been observing it for a while, and it seems to be stopping there, but we will know it soon. At the current speed, we will almost be able to get close to it in half an hour."
"Be careful, and try to avoid its sides when chasing. Taking a lesson from the Pelican, we don't rule out the possibility that the other party will repeat their same tactics, deliberately pretending that there is no one around, and wait for us to take the bait." Zhang Heng added, logically speaking, both sides We shouldn't meet so soon, but we can't rule out any accidents. In addition, besides the Spear of the Goddess, there are also various other dangers in the sea.
"Wait a minute. I will bring a team of people up to do some reconnaissance." Anne on the side also said.
Zhang Heng nodded, and then waited. The Jackdaw entered combat readiness, with all crew members in place, and the gunners also stood in front of the artillery. Because the wind direction was not in their favor, it took almost forty minutes for the Jackdaw to catch up with the ship in the distance.
But before that, Zhang Heng had already seen the entire ship through the telescope in advance.
Different from the ships currently plying the Caribbean Sea, the ship in front of me has a somewhat peculiar appearance. It has a round stern and four thick masts, but the sails on it are all in tatters. The tall forecastle and stern make it look strange. It is U-shaped when viewed from the side. The hull is covered with conches and green seaweed, making it look uneven.
With just one glance, Zhang Heng was certain that this ship was definitely not the Spear of the Goddess they were looking for.
"This is... a Clark ship?" Billy's words were also somewhat uncertain. After all, this kind of Spanish sailing ship had basically disappeared as early as the beginning of the seventeenth century, but it was very popular in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The design allows it to carry more cargo and adapt to ocean trade. More masts can also give the ship more power. When Magellan traveled around the world, four of the five ships were Clark ships.
However, due to the high cost and difficulty in operation, especially when the wind is against the wind, the too-high forecastle and stern make it very easy to catch the wind. By the Elizabethan Era, Clark sailing ships gradually began to withdraw from the stage of history, and are now designed to be simpler and more maneuverable. Replaced by the good galleons.
Until now, even old sailors like Billy have never seen this old-fashioned ship type again.
"This guy looks to be quite old." Mr. Helmsman sighed. He saw the words carved on the stern of the ship. It should be the name of the ship, but because of the time, the place has rotted and the writing is blurred. Unclear.
Zhang Heng called out to Anne who was about to put down the boat, and said, "There should be no one up there anymore. Let me go with you."
Billy and four other sailors were also on the boat with them, and they brought five oil lamps. The wind and waves on the sea were strong now, and the boat was floating around again. It was obvious that the distance was not too far, but the seven people still spent a lot of money. It took a lot of strength to get close to it, but the cables on the side of the ship were rotten and could not bear the force. Fortunately, Billy had foreseen it and brought a grappling hook with him.
After the grappling hook was fixed, Annie climbed up first, followed by another sailor and Zhang Heng, while Billy was responsible for the rear.
After landing, the red-haired girl raised the oil lamp in her hand, looked around, and then said, "There is no problem on the deck."
Zhang Heng also rolled in from the side of the ship at this time. If it was just speculation before, now he is sure that the ship does not belong to this era. Although the ship is also equipped with artillery, the models are very old. Compared with the more than 30 cannons on the Jackdaw, they are like toys and have no ability to protect themselves in the nearby waters.
"Let's search in pairs, pay attention to safety." After Billy also boarded the boat, Zhang Heng divided the work and divided the areas that everyone was responsible for.
The six people dispersed as instructed, and Zhang Heng also walked towards the captain's cabin.
