Three Hundred and Eighty Eighth Atoll Confluence

At 10:00 in the morning, the Future set sail on time, and slowly sailed into the Aldabra Atoll in a serpentine file with the Neozoic.

At 11:15, they saw Sunflower in the southern part of the atoll, which was much freer in shallow water.

The mottled colorful sail is the symbol of the Sunflower. When it is close to 3 kilometers, the pansy flag raised by the Sunflower indicates its belonging. The Sunflower is still Drake’s delicate flower.

Aldabra Atoll is a vast area of ​​shallow water. The deepest water here is less than 10 meters deep, with an average of 7 meters. The colorful corals are floating on the blue sea and white sand, just like a dream, like a paradise.

Shallow sea is a common sign of complex hydrology. In this water area, Brigentines like Sunflower can navigate most of the sea surface, while Galen like Future need to find those cobweb-like waterways.

The waterway is winding and changeable, and the Future can only maintain a floating speed, and it is almost impossible to raise the horizontal sail.

But that's exactly what Pierce is for.

The Portuguese ships will not have a shallower draft than the high-speed cutting-edge ships of the Qin formation, and even if they are familiar with the sea, they cannot come and go freely.

Such an ambush location can only be set at the exit of a wide and deep atoll. They are free, and the special service fleet can also raise their horizontal sails, using their own high speed to minimize the possibility of being bombed.

It would be better if the battle could be delayed. As long as the noble lady enters the battlefield, even if it is a battle that is not aimed at winning, they can win some valuable spoils.

A cooperative enemy is a good enemy.

Pierce thought so, watching the Sunflower and the Future dock, and Dylan led the observers to the side of the ship.

Observers are still in the dark.

This trip was very pleasant, relaxed and smooth. Although Admiral Dylan Snapps didn't read much, he was talkative and funny, and getting along with him was never boring.

Drake's on-board food is also a must. A variety of pickled vegetables, smoked and dried meat, fresh sea fish, live poultry and fresh eggs, and oriental-style soy products that are stored dry and foamed when used make the menu delicious and rich, and even half of them are not seen. Maggots.

They also drink tea on board.

Sailors and guests have matching tea bags that suit their individual tastes, while ordinary sailors have uniformly cooked thick and astringent tea soup. Aside from the odd rule that the tea leaves must be eaten, life on Drake's ship is almost identical to life on the manor.

This trip allowed them to fully appreciate Drake's wealth and power, and at the same time, fully feel the arbitrariness of this powerful chamber of commerce.

Observers are called VIPs, they enjoy an independent cabin on the same floor as the admiral, do not participate in duty, have high-end drinks and designated escorts, but they have no right to express any opinions on the voyage, and any sloppy sailor can ask them On deaf ears.

Even so, most of their requests are reasonable and well-intentioned.

Like this voyage across the atoll.

Aldabra is one of the most inhospitable places in inhospitable Africa, and its atolls are vast, deep and shallow, and have complex hydrology.

In addition to special business needs, African maritime merchants often choose to detour and avoid the atolls, but Drake's people chose the seemingly short-cut crossing.

The observers thought that they just made a mistake in judging the environment because they were unfamiliar with the environment. They found out that the fleet itinerary was planned by the young adjutant of Admiral Dylan Snapes, and organized a group to remind him.

As a result, Pierce actually had them forked out of the cabin and threatened them viciously that anyone who dared to say that he was not weaned would be hung on the rudder to feed the fish.

How barbaric! How uneducated!

After that, the observers stopped expressing their opinions. They just tasted tea and discussed wine, and it was just romance.

They don't know anything about the planning of the voyage, and they don't know that today, in the center of the atoll belt, there is actually a Brigantine dressed like a clown that will join the fleet until they see it with their own eyes.

There was a slight tremor on the deck, and the two ships were linked together. The observer asked Dylan curiously: "Admiral, is this ship?"

"This is the communication ship Sunflower of our fleet,

Like the navy, the Drake Chamber of Commerce has professional communication ships in ocean-going configurations, and their high speed is the only way for the entire Chamber of Commerce to maintain smooth communication. "

"Professional communication ship? Brigantine?" The observers were amazed.

Three people came aboard the Sunflower, the leader was a young English gentleman, the second was the beautiful Miss Dongfang, and the last was a black-skinned savage who dressed himself like a gentleman and wore a monkey crown.

The beautiful Miss Dongfang was the fastest, surpassing the gentleman on the narrow plank, Pingping Tingting stepped in front of old Dylan: "Where is the young master?"

Dylan pointed to the stern cabin as a matter of course.

"goodbye!"

Wayward women leave as soon as they say it, leaving the center of gravity of the deck to handsome men.

Faraming and Hashim boarded the ship together, and walked in front of Old Dylan and the observers.

Old Dylan raised his hand and introduced: "Hashim In. Leo Dispra, our navigator, master of astronomy from the University of Bern, Godson of the Earl of the Swiss Confederation of Lovestone. Hashem, They are business observers from France, Spain, and the Netherlands, and they are here to investigate the business environment of the East African route with us, and will also discuss the possibility of the four chambers of commerce jointly advancing to Asia."

Hashim gave a standard gentleman's salute to the observers.

"Hashim Desplat sends his greetings to all gentlemen, may God shine on your life." He said in Latin with a perfect accent.

The observers were hit harder than when the Third Sister Xiao floated back and forth. Mr. Melidori from the Netherlands opened his mouth wide: "Lo... the godson of Earl Lovisdon, a master of astronomy, a black..."

Mr. Mombadi from Spain cut off Melidori's unfinished sentence with an elbow, put on a smile like a spring breeze, and paused every word with a strange accent.

"It's been a long time since I've heard such authentic Latin. Mr. Desplat's accent reminds me of those old scholars in the library of the Church in Madrid. I was almost kicked out of the library by them for the interpretation of the Holy Trinity."

Melidori's mouth opened even wider: "Ecclesiastical library? Latin? Not Savage?"

Mr. Ilich of France finds himself unbearable with such stupid companions.

He left his companion aside and walked in front of Faraming: "I don't know this young gentleman?"

"Faramin Snapps, my proud son." Old Dylan laughed loudly, "Faramin, this is Mr. Ilich, from the Rosettarry Chamber of Commerce in France."

Faraming smiled and greeted Ilic and the other two.

After the greetings were over, Spain's Mombadi tentatively asked: "Mr. Admiral, is meeting in the atoll belt also one of the plans for this voyage?"

"I guess you want to add another word, furtive."

Dylan's candor convinced three observers. Melidori from the Netherlands is the most straightforward, and immediately said: "Yes, sir, sneaking around."

Dylan ordered the Sunflower to separate, led Hashim and Faraming, and accompanied the three observers all the way to the bow.

"Drake will not hide anything from his allies. My son set off a few days earlier than us, and the destination is Mombasa. Kenya is a key stop for us to open up Asian routes. As the organization of this joint survey Man, Drake has an obligation to make things easier for us."

Ilich of France frowned: "You mean... to stand in front?"

"A small gift, we will be welcomed like friends in Mombasa, this is the treatment that a distinguished gentleman should have, Mr. Ilich, what do you think?"