Dia 38 - O navio segue velozmente
Phileas Fogg, este, também não deixava de pensar no criado, tão estranhamente desaparecido. Por um mal entendido o rapaz teria embarcado no Carnatic no último momento e assim poderia acontecer que o reencontrassem em Yokohama.
À meia noite Fix, Phileas Fogg e Mrs. Aouda desceram para a cabina. O piloto e seus homens ficaram a noite toda no convés.
No dia seguinte, 8 de novembro, ao nascer do sol, a goleta tinha feito mais de cem milhas a uma velocidade entre oito e nove milhas com todo o pano largo obtendo assim sua máxima rapidez. A Tankadère, durante todo este dia, não se afastou muito da costa, mantendo-a a cinco milhas a bombordo.
Pelo meio dia, o vento amainou um pouco e rodou para sudeste e o piloto largou as flechas. Porém, ao fim de duas horas, foi preciso recolhê-las porque o vento refrescava de novo.
Mr. Fogg e a jovem, muito felizmente refratários ao mal do mar, comeram com apetite as conservas e a bolacha de bordo. Fix foi convidado a partilhar de sua refeição e teve do aceitar, porque bem sabia que é tão necessário lastrear o estômago como os barcos, mas aquilo o vexava! Viajar à custa deste homem, nutrir-se com seus víveres, achava pouco leal.
Seguiam velozmente. John Bunsby tinha boas esperanças e diversas vezes disse a Mr. Fogg que chegariam no tempo desejado a Shangai. Mr. Fogg respondeu simplesmente que contava com isso. Toda a tripulação da pequena goleta se esforçava por isso, estimulados pela gratificação.
À tarde, o piloto tinha apurado com a barquilha um percurso de duzentas milhas percorridas desde Hong Kong, e Phileas Fogg podia esperar que ao chegar a Yokohama não teria nenhum atraso a registrar no seu programa. Portanto, o primeiro contratempo sério que experimentara desde sua partida de Londres, não lhe causaria provavelmente nenhum prejuízo.
Day 38 - The ship goes fast
As for Fogg, he too was thinking about his servant who had vanished so mysteriously. As the result of some misunderstanding, probably the poor fellow had embarked on the Carnatic at the last moment and they might possibly meet up with him again in Yokohama.
At midnight Fix, Phileas Fogg and Mrs Aouda went down to their cabin. As for the skipper and his men, they stayed on deck all night.
At sunrise the following day, 8 November, the schooner had covered more than 100 miles at the average speed between eight and nine knots. The sails of the Tankadère had the wind behind and were all carrying. The Tankadère stayed in touch with the coast all day, keeping five miles out at most.
At about midday, the wind softened slightly and veered south-east. The skipper set the topsails, but two hours later they had to be taken down again, for the wind had freshened once more.
Mr Fogg and the young woman were fortunate not to suffer from seasickness, and so ate with a hearty appetite the preserved food and biscuits customary on board. Fix was invited to share their meal and was forced to accept, knowing that stomachs need ballasting as much as boats; but it galled him all the same! Travelling at the expense of this man and living off his food, he found rather treacherous.
The ship was flying ahead. John Bunsby had high hopes and several times he told Mr Fogg they would reach Shanghai in time. Mr Fogg merely replied that he hoped so. In any case the whole crew of the little schooner were working as hard as they could. The bonus spurred on these experienced men.
In the evening the skipper used the log-line to confirm that they had done 200 miles since Hong Kong. Mr Fogg could now hope that on arrival in Yokohama, he would not have any delay to write in his programme. The first serious setback encountered since leaving London looked as though it would cause him no serious harm.
Leia o livro completo "A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias", esta parte no capítulo XXI.
Read the complete book at "Around the World in 80 Days", this part in chapter XX.
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