Due to time constraints, Da Gama is about to set off, so Marin also plans to speed up the progress and set off early.
In fact, Marin still got some data from the West African coast from the Portuguese. For example, which side has a large freshwater estuary, which can replenish fresh water.
You know, in this era, fresh water preservation is very troublesome. Generally, a bucket of fresh water will start to stink within a few days, making it difficult to drink. To combat the stink of fresh water, later navigators invented the method of carrying spirits such as rum. Because, spirits don't keep bad.
However, after the invention of citric acid, freshwater conservation was greatly developed. Under normal circumstances, fresh water with citric acid will take a long time to deteriorate. As for the method of dripping lemon juice, fresh lemons cannot be stored for a long time...
Lemon leaves can also be soaked, but the extension time is not very long. Because, lemon leaves are somewhat low in citric acid.
For this reason, Marin thought about it, and thought of the way to deal with the cans...
The earliest canned food was actually to put the canned food materials into glass jars and plug them with corks. Then, heat the canning jars in a steamer to kill any bacteria in the canning jars. In this way, the canned food can be stored for more than 10 months. Of course, in order not to leak air, wax is also applied around the cork.
Marin designed a cauldron for the fleet to heat freshwater wooden barrels. The freshwater casks are all oak barrels, and they all use corks with good air-tightness.
Marin's method is to put the oak barrel into a large pot to boil after the oak barrel containing fresh water is filled with fresh water and the cork is tightly plugged. Cook until it becomes hot, and then take it out to dry the outer wall of the wooden barrel.
As for the problem of cork sealing, Marin doesn't have that much wax to seal. But he can, when the cork is wet, on the outside of the cork, smeared with mud...
This way, when the outside of the barrel and the cork dry, the mud on the top of the cork also dries. The hardened soil can also play a great role in holding breath. Of course, when storing the bucket, pay attention to dryness. Because the mud blocks soften when they meet water.
In this way, the fresh water stored in oak barrels is basically not much different from that in cans. At best, clay seals are not as good as wax seals. But in this way, at least fresh water can be kept safe for a few months.
However, considering the difficulty in obtaining fuel during sailing. Marin "invented" the legendary solar cooker again, because there is no tinplate for reflection, nor is there any tinplate. Although Marin could produce tinplate, but the time was too tight, so Marin simply made a solar cooker out of copper. The reflectivity of the copper skin is not bad, and it is enough to heat the cauldron.
In this way, when sailing, you don't have to bring too much fuel when you put it on. Of course, you still have to bring some fuel. Because, in rainy weather, the solar cooker can't be used, and it still has to rely on ordinary fuel. So, put on a batch of briquettes to heat food in rainy weather.
In fact, Marlin's treatment is much better than that of ordinary sailors. In the early voyages, in order to save space, they generally carried little fuel. Sailors, usually eat ham and bacon and other foods that do not need to be heated. Where can I drink hot food? Only when you have just left a certain supply coast, will you pile up a batch of firewood cut from the land mountain. During this period, the sailors were able to eat hot food for a period of time. And in the middle of the sea, everyone ate ham and bacon to maintain...
Columbus was amazed by the solar cooker "invented" by Marin. Da Vinci, who was kidnapped, was also very surprised by Marin's big brain...
In addition, in order to prevent scurvy, Marin took out a dozen sacks of lemon leaves and handed them to Columbus. And, it is mandatory that all people, including Columbus, have to soak lemon leaf fragments in boiling water every day and drink three cups.
Of course, because there are many people who Marin is worried about wearing, such as the two hired Portuguese translators. Therefore, Marin kept a hand.
In order to cover up the smell of the lemon leaves, Marin stirred a lot of pepper, ginger powder and other spices into the lemon leaf fragments to mess up the smell of the lemon leaf fragments. Although it is put in less, the smell of spices is already strong, and it can basically mess up the taste.
Moreover, Marin quietly told Columbus and the other three captains that drinking water soaked in this "herb" every day can prevent scurvy...
The other three didn't feel much about it, but Columbus was taken aback...
You know, a group of sailors died of scurvy during the voyage to discover America. Therefore, Columbus has discovered that the chances of getting sick from scurvy are high when sailing in the ocean. And Marin actually said that this herbal medicine can prevent scurvy, which made him a little suspicious.
"Captain Zorro, this is what my teacher Einstein taught me. My combat skills are also passed down from my teacher..." Marin explained.
Although Columbus still had some doubts in his heart, he didn't say anything. Also, if this herb could really prevent scurvy, it would be fantastic for sailing.
Before the four captains left, Marin repeatedly told the sailors to drink the water soaked in this herbal medicine every day, and not to tell the secret that this herbal medicine can prevent scurvy. Otherwise, if Portugal and Spain know that they have a way to deal with scurvy, they may cooperate to force themselves to hand over the secret recipe...
…
In addition, Marin secretly gave Columbus a pumping telescope. This telescope is very unusual. The glass it uses is high-grade colorless glass made in Venice. Even, in Venice, this kind of colorless glass industry is very rare.
Last time, Marin bought a batch of high-grade colorless glass and entrusted different opticians to polish it into concave and convex lenses. After testing, this new telescope can completely see objects at the horizon on the sea surface in the distance. Of course, you can only see what it is, and you can't see the specific details.
As for the specific distance, Marin also tested it himself...
In clear weather, standing at sea level, you can see about 7 kilometers away. This distance is exactly the distance from your own position to the horizontal line. However, if you stand on the ship tower of the latest Karak sailing ship, where the captain's cabin is a few meters high, you can see more than 20 kilometers away. Of course, in rainy weather, this distance will be shortened.
The reason why Columbus gave the telescope was to facilitate him to track Da Gama's fleet...
Da Gama's fleet still uses human eyes to observe and cannot compete with telescopes. As long as Columbus and his fleet hang around 20 kilometers behind Da Gama's fleet, it will be difficult for Da Gama's sailors to find out. Even if he found it and wanted to turn around and chase him, 20 kilometers away was enough for Columbus to respond. Da Gama's Karak sailboat is no faster than the Karak sailboat ordered by Marin, so there is no way to chase it. Although the caravel sailboat is faster, there is no way to catch up, and it can't beat the carrack sailboat at all. Therefore, Columbus can safely follow Vasco da Gama.
When Da Gama stopped at Mombasa for the first time, according to Marin's plan, Columbus should not stop and go straight north to Malindi. And, tell Chief Malindi that he is the enemy of Mombasa, and then trick Majid into being the navigator...
Before leaving, Marin also secretly handed over to Columbus an outline map of the African continent and a map of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, which were cut from the standard world map of later generations...
"My lord, how did you get this map? Is it accurate?" Columbus was surprised again. With this map, doesn't it mean that some sages have already explored the route? Then he still has a hammer
"Ahem, this is a route map made by my teacher by gathering Portuguese materials and the Ming Empire's nautical charts in the far east..."
"Ming Empire?"
"Well, there was a navigator named Zheng He in that empire, who had been to India and the east coast of Africa... My teacher traveled all over the world and got this pattern in the east..." Marin tried his best to flicker It is indeed true that Zheng He has been to East Africa. Even if someone asks for proof, he can know this fact, and he is not afraid of cheating.
Columbus now calls himself Captain Zorro, not Columbus. Because, he has too many enemies... Those who died of syphilis have all been blamed on Columbus...
In order to win over Columbus, Malin specially named one of the two Carrack sailing ships "Columbus", which moved Columbus very much.
You know, exploring the real India is an absolute big deal. The ships that participated in this voyage will also be immortalized forever. Columbus can no longer show his true colors to others, otherwise it is impossible to guarantee that he will not be beaten to death. However, Marin named the ship the Columbus, and no one else would trouble Marin.
In this way, the name of Columbus can once again be remembered in history with the discovery of the real India... For a navigator, this is the best compliment...
You know, before Columbus explored the New World, and da Gama explored India this year, the names of the ships were basically saints. For example, the Santa Maria, the flagship of Columbus, and the San Gabriel, the flagship of Vasco da Gama. Columbus's name can become one of the four ships, which is definitely a big face for Columbus.
As for the other three ships, Marin did not name them according to common sense. The flagship was named "Warden Warrior", and the other two Kirk sailing ships were named "Hoffman Family" and "Lady Mary"...
After everything was ready, Columbus left Tejorenche with 4 ships, 160 sailors, and a full ship of goods and ammunition, and went to Portugal to chase Vasco da Gama...
Columbus was very puzzled about how Marin knew Da Gama's departure date, but Marin said he had learned the information from Jewish businessmen, so he just fooled it.
Before leaving, Marin took the music master Leonardo Da Vinci and several folk artists who could play musical instruments, and played a shocking piece of music on the pier - "Conquering Paradise"... Of course, in this era of strong religious influence, Ma Lin Lin Ke didn't dare to use a name like Conquering Heaven, but changed the name to "Conquering the Ocean"...
This was originally used by later generations to commemorate the discovery of the New World by Columbus, but at this moment, it was used by Marin to encourage Columbus to discover India...
In the shocking music of "Conquering Paradise", Columbus and his sailors bid farewell to their relatives and embarked on a journey to conquer India...