Chapter 285 The beginning and end of the weather station
On the dark and cold Bear Island, two reindeer sleighs moved slowly forward on the thick snow. From time to time, they had to stop to distinguish the surrounding terrain before continuing.
Speaking of which, this island is actually not that big. The maximum distance between the north and south shores is only 20 kilometers, and the maximum distance from east to west is even less than 20 kilometers. With those few strong reindeer, even if they run around the island for a whole
It doesn't take much time to circle.
But this is without considering the topography. This heart-shaped Bear Island has high terrain on the east and south shores and steep shores. Although the rest of the location is flat and has no undulations, it hides a large number of ice crevices and ice that are enough to take people away.
Buried snow nest.
Often, in order to reach the location pointed by Jonas, Leo, as a guide, has to take them around a distance far beyond their imagination.
He shouted at the reindeer and followed the sled driven by Leo in front of him, running up and down for several hours. Wei Ran gradually relaxed his tense nerves and began to think about the requirements of this return mission.
Not to mention the shooting work of those 200 photos, the simple four-word requirement of "survive to the end" brought him countless guesses.
Since he needs to survive to the end, there must be someone who did not survive. So who did not survive? Those three people on the sleigh in front? How did they die? It was the fishing boat waiting at the simple dock that killed them.
Are they, or will a second group of people land on the island soon?
This time, the only weapons Metal Book provided for him were Mauser bayonet and his own pistol. Even including the 1911 pistol obtained on the fishing boat, this firepower is definitely not powerful. In addition, the island is harsh.
The environment is also threatening everyone's safety.
After figuring out the cause and effect, Wei Ran also ordered the two reindeer to slow down again and cautiously moved forward slowly along the traces left by the sleigh in front, while listening attentively to the movements around them.
The two sleighs stopped and went until the high-pressure gas lamps that provided lighting were about to go out. Leo, who was in the lead, took them to the back of a rock the size of a truck and stopped.
"My cousin said I can't continue running and I need to take a rest."
Eric waited for Wei Ran to come up and helped translate, "Although those reindeer don't need to consume fuel, they have reached their limit."
"Then let's take a rest." Jonas looked at the aurora rolling above his head and nodded helplessly in agreement with Leo's arrangement.
After Wei Ran also nodded, Leo immediately untied the reindeer of the four reindeer. These four sturdy guys were extremely docile. They neither ran nor barked, but snorted and kicked with their thick hooves.
Breaking through the thick snow, quietly eating the moss and lichens buried under the snow.
Carefully brushing the frozen snow off the reindeer's body with a brush, Leo said something as he unloaded a dirty deerskin square blanket from Weihan's sleigh and spread it on the ground, then put it on top
Sprinkle some of the salt brick and bean mixture.
When the reindeer saw this, they immediately ran over and stretched out their big wet tongues to lick the things on the blanket. Two of them even lay down directly on it.
Eric smiled and translated, "Leo just said that he has raised these reindeer since they were young, so there is no need to worry about them running around. Now let's put up the tent quickly."
After Eric finished translating, Leo immediately called to him and Wei Ran for help, unloading two heavy canvas bundles and two wooden sticks as high as a person's wrist and as thick as his wrist from the loaded sleigh.
Insert one of the wooden sticks into a hole reserved in the front of the sled car. With the help of Wei Yan and his cousin Eric, Leo used one of the bundles of canvas to wrap around the stick that had been raised by the sled car.
With two-meter-long wooden sticks, he easily set up a pyramid-shaped tent.
After understanding how to set up, Wei Ran and Eric followed suit and put up another tent. Leo also tightened the wind ropes of the first tent and then swung the snow shovel vigorously to lift the tent.
The edges were buried tightly, and the snow in the tent was also patted flat.
Although Professor Jonas couldn't help with the manual work of setting up the tent, the old man was not idle either. He took the initiative to light up the gasoline pancake stove he and Eric brought and used the matching stainless steel kettle to cook it.
of snow.
The four of them worked together to set up two tents, and Leo gave each of them two thick reindeer skin blankets. As for himself, he walked into the other tent holding his precious polar bear skin.
Although the tent Leo prepared for them was only a thick waterproof canvas on the outside, it also had a thin deerskin lining on the inside. These two layers easily isolated the freezing temperature and biting wind outside.
Coupled with the whirring gasoline pressure furnace and the thick and fluffy reindeer skin blanket under their buttocks, everyone took off their thick cold-proof cotton clothes in less than ten minutes.
I have to admit that although this tent is a bit primitive, it is definitely easy to use. Moreover, the materials Leo prepared are sufficient. After moving so many things, the sleigh operated by Weiyan is still full of goods.
Four large 20-liter barrels of gasoline, and a wooden box of vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions.
In addition, the sleigh also contained a box of condensed milk cream coffee and the like, a skinned goat, a large box of cooked and frozen Arctic shrimps, and bread and sausages stuffed in every corner.
, even a small box of wine was prepared.
Such a rich reserve of ingredients naturally made Wei Ran and others in the tent extremely happy. When Eric saw his cousin giving him such honor, a look of pride could not help but appear on his young face.
After the snow in the stainless steel kettle completely melted and boiled, Eric made coffee and poured a cup for everyone. He asked curiously, "Professor, you never said where you got the news about that weather station."
.We have all arrived at Bear Island, can you tell us about it? After all..."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "After all, you provided financial support for this expedition, right?"
Jonas glanced at Leo who was wiping his weapons under the light of a kerosene lamp. After hesitating for a moment, he put down the wooden cup with instant coffee and explained, "My father worked here during World War II.
Not long ago, I found the work notes he left and learned that there was an abandoned weather station here."
"Professor, are there many such weather stations?" Weiran asked, "Since there is Equator Weather Station No. 2, there should be at least Station No. 1."
“It is true”
Jonas nodded approvingly at Weiran, "According to the work notes left by my father, there are about a dozen such weather stations on various Arctic islands, but most of them are unmanned.
It's a pity that he only recorded the specific location of Station 2 and the reason for its abandonment in his notes, otherwise we might be able to collect more meteorological data, which would be much more accurate and valuable than those provided by the school."
Eric sighed regretfully, "In recent years, international disputes over Arctic territory have become more and more serious, and the value of these meteorological data has also become higher and higher. If we can find other weather stations, we can completely
A research group has been established.”
"Even if you only find Station 2, it will be enough for you and Victor to set up a research team and apply for some funds."
Jonas said expectantly, "When you graduate, you can even continue research on this topic. No matter who is the master of the Arctic in the future, this is a highly valuable research direction."
"professor"
Weiran asked tentatively, "Compared with these, I am a little curious why the Equator 2 weather station we are looking for was abandoned."
"This matter starts at the end of World War II"
Jonas leaned on the huge wooden box he brought and explained, "According to the work diary left by my father, when the German army withdrew from Norway, they were prepared to take away the staff here, but due to the Allied forces at sea
and air blockade, retreating at that time was obviously not a wise choice.
So the navy that was responsible for picking up the soldiers left them a civilian fishing boat that was enough for them to sail to Norway, and left a small team in Norway to pick them up when the situation was better. Before that,
He and his colleagues still have to continue to ensure the operation of Station 2, and also need to receive meteorological data from other weather stations and send them back to Norway uniformly by radio."
"Then what?" Eric asked.
"Then World War II ended."
Jonas spread his hands and replied matter-of-factly, "My father and his colleagues secretly escaped back in a fishing boat after the end of World War II. But the people who took them over were gone, so after the situation got better, they
He returned to West Germany using the false identity he had prepared in advance, and the meteorological data he had not brought back with him has remained on the island."
"I once heard from my cousin that when the Germans occupied Norway, they took away a lot of good things from his hometown of Finnmark."
As Eric spoke, he turned to look at his cousin Leo and asked something in Norwegian. The latter immediately danced and gave a long list of responses that only Eric could understand.
Eric spread his hands, "He said that Finnmark County was almost turned into ruins by the Germans at that time, and even the icons and crosses in the church were robbed. This is a story that almost everyone in the area knows.
.”
"It's impossible for those things to be sent to Bear Island," Wei Ran couldn't help but say.
Jonas gave Wei Ran a cup of coffee and asked with interest, "Why is it impossible?"
"A very simple math problem"
Wei Ran took a sip of coffee and explained, "For Germany at that time, the value of safe and reliable weather information far exceeded the property robbed from Finnmark County. Unless the person responsible for robbing local property at that time was a Pole, otherwise he was
I will never, and I dare not, risk exposing this weather station by transporting looted items here."
"Victor is right."
Jonas refilled a cup of coffee for Eric and his cousin Leo, and then continued, "This is the value and role of meteorology. A perfectly prepared weather forecast can easily change many things."
"Victor's joke is not bad," Eric agreed with a grin, "but it would be great if we could really find the things that Germany took from Norway in World War II on this island. Then we would not only have enough
You can also make a fortune by researching information.”
Jonas shook his head dumbfounded, "Although it is the polar night, it is still far from the time when you can dream while you are awake."
