The Silent Sea (2010) - Cussler Clive - Страница 42
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Seng was another former CIA agent and had been with the Corporation almost since its inception. Ironically, though they had served at the same time, he and Cabrillo had never met in the halls of Langley. Born in New York's Chinatown, Eddie was fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin.
He regarded the world through heavy-lidded dark eyes, and in them Juan could see Eddie had discovered something interesting. Behind the Corporation's chief of shore operations, Juan could see the back of the op center, so he figured his image was on the main display above the helm and weapons stations.
You were right, it is Mandarin, but an older form. It reminded me of having to read Shakespeare back in high school.
So what is it?
Are you familiar with Admiral Zheng He?
Some kind of Chinese explorer in the 1400s. He sailed as far west as Africa and as far south as Australia.
New Zealand, actually. He went on seven voyages between 1405 and 1433 in what would be the largest ships built until the eighteenth century. He had over two hundred of them in what they called the Treasure Fleet, and twenty-eight thousand men.
Are you saying that the Chinese discovered America seventy years before Columbus?
No. Zheng didn't place that writing in the pit. But the Admiral who did had been inspired by Zheng and embarked on a remarkable voyage of his own. There were three ships, and they left China in 1495 headed east. In command was Tsai Song. Admiral Tsai had been commissioned by the Emperor to trade as far and wide as he could. And because Zheng had found a continent to the west, Africa, he was convinced the earth had symmetry and there would be another to the east.
So they reached North America, but it was already a couple of years after Columbus did, Max said, relieved that they wouldn't have to rewrite the history books.
Actually, from what I can tell, they landed in South America first. But there was a problem. As Tsai writes, one of the ships was cursed while they were in a 'yhellishly cold cove.' I assume Tierra del Fuego.
What happened?
The crew was overcome by evil. That's what Tsai writes. An evil so powerful that he felt it necessary to order the vessel destroyed and the stricken crew left to die. They sank it with an explosive charge placed against the hull.
Hanley asked, How big were these ships?
Over three hundred feet, with a crew of four hundred.
Max gave a low whistle, impressed with medieval Chinese naval architecture.
Does he say the nature of this evil?
No. The whole purpose of the pit, though, was to give a clue as to the ship's location. He wrote that the evil surrounding it should never be approached, but he was also a pragmatist. There were untold riches aboard her, treasure they had planned to barter with any natives they came across.
Tsai left two markers, one honoring the gods of the underworld the one in the pit and another to honor the gods in heaven.
Something underground and something above, Juan mused aloud. What is the second marker?
Tsai only writes that it can be seen from the heavens. And that they left it two hundred days from the Treasure Pit.
Two hundred days? Max groused. What the hell is that?
I assume, Eddie said evenly, ignoring Max's sarcasm, that it means two hundred days' sailing south of Pine Island. Obviously, the Ronish brothers thought it was around the twenty-fifth parallel.
Hold on a second, Juan said. If they were looking for a marker left by a Chinese Admiral, what were they doing so far inland? Whatever the marker was, surely it would be near the coast.
I don't know.
We need to work on those papers you found at the crash site, Max suggested. The answer could be in their log.
We need to learn more about this Admiral Tsai. This came from Eric Stone, who had been sitting at the helm station but had walked around the op center so that he stood behind Eddie. And what was aboard his ship. This could be a significant archaeological find.
Actually, Max said, we need to ask ourselves if this is worth pursuing further. What's this to us, anyway?
I think the answer is pretty clear, Stone replied. This is something of interest to the Argentine government, a regime currently at odds with the United States. Whatever their agenda, it can't be good.
I agree, the Chairman said. The Generalissimos have an interest in this thing, and until we know their angle we should keep at it. What about the drawing of that cove or inlet?
That is the outline of the area where their ship was sunk, and, before you ask, I've already got Eric here running a computer match of South America's coastline, including all couple hundred islands that make up Tierra del Fuego. It's going to take some time.
Okay. What's the latest on Linda and her team?
They're still in the snowcat. You're not going to believe what they found. What was supposed to be a small Argentine research station turns out to be a full-blown oil field.
A what?
You heard me. They're drilling for oil off the Antarctic Peninsula.
The news rocked Cabrillo, and he blurted stupidly, But that's illegal.
Well, yeah. Apparently they don't care.
Have you reported this to Overholt?
Not yet. Linda said she snapped some pictures. She wants to include them with her report.
This is getting weirder and weirder, Max said. They're taking a hell of a risk pulling a stunt like that.
Not really, Eric Stone countered. They're already an international pariah, so what's a little more bad will?
Bad will, my butt. The U.S. is going to send an armada down there. It'll be like the Falklands War all over again.
Are you sure? Stone asked, one eyebrow arched.
Hanley opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it because he wasn't sure. With the U.S. military spread thin around the world and the current occupant of the White House more focused on domestic issues, it was possible that the government's response would be weak protests and another round of UN sanctions.
Now we have to ask ourselves if a six-hundred-year-old Chinese ship has anything to do with current global events, Eric said.
If things hold true to form, Juan replied, we can count on it.
Eddie asked, What do you want us to do once Linda returns? Should we stay down here or start heading north?
Cabrillo considered the options and came to a quick decision. Get the ship out of there. We have no idea what the Argentines are planning in Antarctica, but if the balloon goes up and war breaks out I want the Oregon clear. Also, we need to get into position for the Kuwaiti Emir's visit to South Africa. He's hired us as additional security, and that's one lucrative contract.
You got it, Eddie said. They should be back in a couple of hours and then we'll head northward again.
Call me when they're back. I want to hear Linda's full r eport.
Juan killed the connection and brought up his electronic Rolodex. There were more than a thousand names listed, from the direct lines of heads of state to some of the most shadowy characters in the world. He thought it ironic that when listed alphabetically, Langston Overholt's entry was next to a French pimp who also trafficked in information.
It was three hours earlier on the East Coast, so he wasn't worried about the time difference. A deep baritone answered on the second ring. Hello?
Mr. Perlmutter, this is Juan Cabrillo.
The infamous Chairman. How are you?
Though the two had never met and had spoken on the phone only once, each was well aware of the other's reputation. St. Julian Perlmutter was a living encyclopedia of all things maritime and owned the largest private collection of books, manuscripts, and folios about the history of ships and shipping. His Georgetown home was quite literally packed to the rafters with his well-thumbed trove.
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