It is from November to March that navigation is at its busiest in the vicinity of Tsugara.
The sea is always merciless there. But if nothing checks or calms the tremendous surges that roll in from the two seas, at this time the atmosphere is more equable, and the storms that disturb even the highest zones are only passing ones. During this period of comparatively fair weather, steamships, and sailing ships were more ready to adventure upon the doubling of Tsugara Strait.
But the passing to and fro of vessels, either around the Emerald Point or to the south of Hanami-do itself, could not break the monotony of the long days of this season. They have never been numerous, and they have become fewer still since the development of steam navigation and the perfecting of charts have rendered the Tsugara Strait less dangerous, the route which is at once shorter and easier.
Nevertheless, this monotony, which is a part of lighthouse existence, is not readily noticeable to the men who are usually appointed to their service. They are for the most part old sailors or old fishermen. They are not men to count the days and hours; they have the knack of keeping themselves constantly occupied and amused. Besides, the duties are not limited to maintaining the light between sunset and sunrise. Ivanov and his companions had been instructed to maintain a careful watch upon the approaches to Gyeongseon Bay, to go several times a week to Silvershore Cape, and to patrol the coast as far as Emerald Point, never, however, going more than three or four miles away.
They were to keep the lighthouse log up to date, entering into it every incident that might occur, the passing of steam and sailing ships, their nationality, their name when they reported that with their number, the height of the tides, the direction and force of the wind, the weather reports, the duration of the rains, the frequency of the storms, the maxima and minima of the barometer, the temperature and other phenomena, to enable the meteorological charts of those seas to be prepared.
Ivanov, who like Nikolai was Russian by birth (Everhartberg was an American). was to be the chief lighthouse keeper on Hanami-do. Ivanov was forty-seven years of age. A powerful man, of robust health and astonishing endurance, as is proper in a sailor who has crossed most of the hundred and eighty parallels over and over again, resolute, energetic, and familiar with danger, he had come through many dangers. It was not only to his seniority that he owed his selection as chief watchman but also to his finely tempered character, which inspired the highest confidence. Although he had never attained a higher rank than that of first mate in the Imperial Navy, he had left the service with the esteem of everybody. And so, when he applied for this appointment on Hanami-do, the naval authorities had had no hesitation whatever in giving it to him.
Nikolai was also a sailor, aged forty years respectively. Ivanov had known his family for a long time, and he had recommended them to the government. Like Ivanov, Nikolai was a bachelor.
Everhartberg, born and raised in the vast plains of Texas, was a rugged and adventurous soul. He possessed an insatiable wanderlust that led him to explore the uncharted territories of the American West. Everhartberg's life took an unexpected turn when he found himself entangled in a dispute between two powerful cattle ranching families.
In 1856, tensions escalated between the rival factions, and Everhartberg, known for his sharpshooting skills and unwavering loyalty, was caught in the crossfire. Faced with an impossible choice between betraying his principles or risking his life, he made a fateful decision to protect innocent lives by exposing the corruption within these influential families.
His actions did not go unnoticed. The powerful ranchers sought revenge and put a bounty on Everhartberg's head. Realizing that his days were numbered if he remained in America, he embarked on a treacherous journey across oceans to seek refuge in Russia.
Arriving in Russia with nothing, Everhartberg faced the daunting challenge of starting his life anew. The unfamiliar language and culture posed significant barriers, but his determination remained unshaken. With resilience as his guiding force, he sought employment opportunities and gradually built a network of trustworthy allies who helped him navigate the complexities of his new surroundings. Despite the initial hardships, Everhartberg's perseverance paid off as he began to adapt to the Russian way of life. He immersed himself in the local customs and traditions, eager to learn and integrate into the vibrant community. Over time, his language skills improved, allowing him to communicate more effectively and forge deeper connections with the people around him.
Everhartberg's transition to life in Russia was marked by his resilience and adaptability. As he integrated into the local community, he caught the attention of a Russian maritime official named Captain Shoigu. Captain Shoigu, a seasoned seafarer who had heard of Everhartberg's reputation as a sharpshooter and his courageous stand against corruption in America, saw in him a rare combination of skills and principles.
One day, as Captain Shoigu was overseeing the operations of the new Hanami-do lighthouse, he faced a dilemma. The current assistant keeper was retiring, and the position needed to be filled by someone with a strong sense of duty and a keen eye for detail. The Russian maritime authorities were looking for an individual who could not only handle the responsibilities of the lighthouse but also act as a vigilant guardian of the coastal waters.
Captain Shoigu, inspired by Everhartberg's remarkable journey and his commitment to justice, proposed the idea of appointing him as the assistant keeper of the Hanami-do lighthouse. He believed that Everhartberg's unique set of skills, combined with his determination and unwavering loyalty, would make him an excellent fit for the role. The Russian authorities, intrigued by the prospect of having an American with such a diverse background in their ranks, approved the appointment.
At the expiration of the three months, Ivanov, Nikolai, and Everhartberg were to re-embark upon the Ekaterina, which would bring three other lighthousemen to Hanami-do. They would take the place of these again three months later.
It would be in January, February, and March that they would take their second tour of duty---that is to say, about the middle of winter. Thus, after comparative immunity from the inclemency of weather during their first stay, they would have a rather wretched existence to look forward to on their return to the island. But there was nothing in that to cause them anxiety. Ivanov and his mates would be fairly acclimatized by that time and would be able to brave the cold and storms and all the rigors of Asian seasons.
From the 10th of January, the service was properly organized. Every night the lamps worked under the supervision of one of the keepers stationed in the watch room, while the other two took their rest in their quarters. During the day the various instruments were inspected, cleaned, furnished with new wicks according to need, and put for the due projection of their powerful rays at sunset.
When any of the three made these expeditions in the bay or the neighborhood of the enclosure, one always stayed on watch in the upper gallery of the lighthouse. A ship might happen to pass off Hanami-do and wish to report her number. So one of the lighthouse keepers needed to always be at his post. From the platform the sea was visible only to the east and northeast; in all other directions, the view was closed by cliffs a few hundred yards away.
The first few days following the departure of the dispatch boat were unmarked by any incident. The weather remained fine, and the temperature was fairly high. The thermometer sometimes registered ten degrees above zero, centigrade. The wind blew off the sea, and as a rule, there was a light breeze between sunrise and sunset; then, at evening, it veered to the landward, that is to say, it went round to the northwest and came from the vast mountains of Hokkaido and Sakhalin.
As the weather grew warmer the flora began to appear. The grassland near the enclosure showed a pale green carpet. In the woods of Arctic beech, it would have been pleasant to lie at length beneath the fresh foliage. The stream ran brim-full to the creek. Mosses and lichens reappeared at the foot of the trees and carpeted the sides of the rocks. In a word, it was such summer as the region knows, and summer would reign for several weeks on this far point of the Asian continent.
At the end of the day, before the actual moment came to light the lamps, Ivanov, Nikolai, and Everhartburg sat together in the circular balcony that ran around the lantern, talking.
"Well, boys," said Ivanov, after he had carefully packed his pipe---an example copied by the other two----"what about this new life? Are you beginning to get used to it?"
"Sure, Ivanov," Nikolai answered. "We haven't had time as yet to get bored or tired."
"True," Everhartburg agreed. "Our three months will pass quicker than I would have believed."
"Oh, my friend, they will slip along like a corvette under royals, topgallant sails, and studding sails."
"Talking about ships," Nikolai remarked, "we haven't seen a single one today, not even on the horizon."
"They'll come, Nikolai, they'll come," Ivanov replied, holding his hand to his eye as if to form a spyglass. "It wouldn't have been worthwhile to build this beautiful lighthouse on Hanami-do, throwing a light ten miles out to sea, if no ships came along to profit by it."
"Besides," Everhartburg pointed out, "our lighthouse is brand new."
"As you say, boy," Ivanov replied; "skippers must have time to learn that this coast is lighted now. When they know it they won't hesitate to come closer to it and to make the strait, much to the advantage of their navigation. But to know that there is a lighthouse isn't everything; you've still got to be sure that it's always lit, from dusk till dawn."
"That won't generally be known until the Ekaterina has got back to Vladivostok," Nikolai observed.
"Yes, lad," Ivanov assented; "and when Captain Petrov's report is published the authorities will make haste to spread the word all over the shipping world. But even now most navigators must know what has been happening here."
"The Ekaterina started only five days ago," Everhartburg went on; "her passage will take....."
"Not more than another week, I'm sure," Ivanov broke in. "The weather is fair, the sea is calm, and the wind is in a good quarter. With flowing sails day and night, and her engines, I should be very much surprised if the dispatch boat didn't make her nine or ten knots."
"By this time," said Nikolai, "she must have got past the Tsugara Strait and doubled Cape Devstvennitz with a good fifteen miles to spare."
"Sure, boy," Ivanov declared. "At this moment she is going along the coast of Kamchatka, and she can beat any Mongolian horseman at racing."
It was natural that thoughts of the Ekaterina should still occupy the minds of these good fellows. She was like a piece of their native land which had just left them to go back there. In thought, they would follow her to the end of her voyage.
"Did you get any good fishing today?" Ivanov went on, addressing Nikolai.
"Pretty good, Ivanov. I caught a few dozen with my line, and with my hand, I caught a turtle weighing a good 3 pounds as it was crawling among the rocks."
"Jolly good show!" Ivanov exclaimed. "You needn't be afraid of unstocking the bay. The more fish you catch, the more there are, as the saying goes, and that will enable us to economize our stores of tinned beef and salt pork. As for vegetables...."
"I went down to the beech wood," Everhartburg announced. "I dug up some roots, and I will turn you out a splendid dish of them. I've seen the chief cook on the dispatch boat do it, and he knew all about it."
"It will be welcome," Ivanov declared. "One mustn't overdo it with tinned things. They are never as good as what has been fresh killed, or fresh caught, or fresh picked."
"Ah!" said Nikolai. "If only we could get hold of a few deer from the interior of the island: a couple of sikas or something like that."
"I'm not saying that a fillet or haunch of sika is to be sneezed at," Ivanov replied. "A good slice of venison, and the stomach can't say anything but 'thank you!' when you've put it inside it! So if any game heaves in sight we'll try to bowl it over. But, boys, mind not getting far away from the enclosure to go after game, big or little. The main thing is to obey orders and not to wander away from the lighthouse unless it is to observe what's going on in Gyeongseon Bay and out at sea between Hana Matsuri Point and the Khatan Kairkhan Peninsula."
"But," said Everhartburg, who was very fond of hunting, "suppose a fine head came within gunshot...."
"Within gunshot, or even two, or even three, and I don't say," Ivanov answered. "But you know the sika is too wild a beast by nature to be fond of good society----of ours, I mean---and I should be uncommonly surprised if we saw even one pair of horns above the rocks beside the beech wood, or anywhere near the enclosure."
Since the works had begun not a single animal has been seen anywhere near Gyeongseon Bay. On several occasions, the lieutenant of the Ekaterina, who was an ardent sportsman, had tried to hunt the guanaco. His attempts had been in vain, although he had penetrated five or six miles into the interior. If big game were not lacking, at any rate, it only allowed itself to be seen when too far away to be shot. Maybe if he had scaled the heights and gone beyond Hana Matsuri Point, if he had pushed to the other end of the island, the lieutenant might have been more fortunate. But over there, in the western part of the island, where high peaks towered up, the going would have been very difficult, and neither he nor anyone else of the crew of the Ekaterina had ever explored the neighborhood of Silvershore Cape.
During the night of the 16th of December, while Everhartberg was on duty in the watch room from six until ten o'clock, a light appeared in the eastward, five or six miles out to sea. It was a ship's light, the first that had been seen in the waters of the island since the completion of the lighthouse.
Everhartberg rightly thought that it would interest his comrades, who were not yet asleep, and he went to call them.
Ivanov and Nikolai immediately went up with him, and with spyglasses to their eyes posted themselves at the window opening to the eastward.
"It's a white light," Ivanov announced.
"And therefore not a position light, which would be either red or green," said Nikolai.
The position lights, according to their color, are placed one on the port and the other on the starboard of a vessel.
"And," Ivanov added, "being white, it's on the forestays, and that means a steamer off the island."
It certainly was a steamer making towards Silvershore Cape. The question the lighthouse keepers put to themselves was whether it would enter Hana Matsuri Harbor or whether it would pass southward.
So they watched the ship's progress as she drew near, and after about half an hour were sure about her course.
The steamer, leaving the lighthouse to port on the south-southwest, steered boldly to the strait. Her red light could be seen as she passed the opening into the harbor of Hana Matsuri; then she soon vanished amid the darkness.
"That's the first ship to pick up the Lighthouse in the Middle of Nowhere!" Nikolai exclaimed.
"It won't be the last!" Ivanov assured him.
The next day, in the forenoon, Nikolai sighted a large sailing ship appearing on the horizon. The weather was clear, a light breeze from the southeast driving away the mists and enabling the vessel to be seen at a distance of at least ten miles.
Ivanov and Everhartberg were called and went up into the lighthouse gallery. The ship that had been signaled could be made out above the far cliffs of the shore, a little to the right of Gyeongseon Bay, between Hana Matsuri Point and Seo Yujin Promontory.
The ship was scudding fast before the wind, under full canvas, at a speed of not less than twelve or thirteen knots. She was sailing large, on the port tack. but, as she was making a beeline for Hanami-do, it was too early to say if she would pass it to the north or the south.
Like seamen, who are always interested in such questions, Ivanov, Nikolai, and Everhartberg argued the point. Finally, it was Everhartberg who was proved to be in the right, he having maintained that the sailing ship would not make for the mouth of the strait.
When she was not more than a mile and a half from the coast, she luffed, to come more up into the wind with the object of rounding Hana Matsuri Point.
She was a big ship, of at least eighteen hundred tons' burthen, rigged as a three-masted barque, one of those American-built clippers whose speed is truly remarkable.
"May my spyglass change into an umbrella," Ivanov exclaimed, "if that ship didn't come out of a California yard!"
"Do you think she will give us her number?" Everhartberg enquired.
"She would only be doing her duty if she did," was the chief lighthouseman's reply.
And that was what happened just as the clipper was turning Hana Matsuri Point. A string of flags ran up to her peak, signals that Ivanov immediately translated, after consulting the signal book kept in the watch room.
She was the Empress of China, from San Francisco Harbor, California, United States of America.
The lighthousemen replied by hoisting the Russian flag to the rod of the lightning conductor and then continued to watch the ship until the top of her masts disappeared behind the heights of the Khatan Kairkhan Peninsula, on the south side of the island.
"And now," said Ivanov, "goodbye and good luck to the Empress, and may the Saints grant she does not run into bad weather off Tsugara Strait!"
During the next few days, the sea remained practically deserted. Just a glimpse of one or two sails on the eastern horizon. The ships that passed ten miles or so away from Hanami-do were manifestly not bound for Asian shores. In
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxYezxvcM0
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUESFSxkFQi
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4P6q6J3cvn
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWYrLp9XZ2
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr7CjxrFuP
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRa5ICmHvg
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3WXE7EgO2
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pM1yzuSdP
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bKtPzui7q
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLXrIV8q8m
187Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9CXBoLg0J
and then Add to home screen.