The long voyage made people exhausted. The only thing that could comfort everyone was the sufficient reserves of supplies, which also prevented the huge fleet from docking for supplies midway.
Rurik had no time to waste time. He had already spent too much time in his homeland, and the fleet must arrive at Fort New Ross as soon as possible.
The fleet only replenished fresh water at Tombstone Island at the T-junction of the ocean, and the rest was a full five days and nights of sailing all the way east! Even if the fleet could dock at Helminki City on the Gulf of Finland, Rurik had not made a decision.
The sea conditions were always good during the voyage. Although there was haze, there was no rainfall.
The south wind was generally strong, and all the ships tilted their triangle sails. The entire fleet sailed sideways and continuously sailed in a zigzag line, making the speed even more gratifying.
The flagship Avora led all the ships, large and small, and the entire fleet was stunned to throw away the following merchants.
Rurik would not let the fleet accommodate those guys who were eager to get rich. As a large island appeared directly ahead, excitement quickly spread throughout the fleet.
That is Kotlin Island, a sandstone island. It is not the largest island in the entire Gulf of Finland, but when the fleet sails here, you can see the city standing in front of you with the naked eye.
Rurik, who was blowing the wind from the bow of the ship, saw the city walls of Novorossberg. The entire city was extremely conspicuous and dazzling on the small alluvial plain at the mouth of the Neva River that lacked trees.
He looked back at the people on his flagship with a calm face: "New Roseburg is ahead! Our first destination has arrived!"
The already agitated crowd became even more manic, and even the most depressed people were now excited. They roared loudly, made noise in various ways, and waved to approaching ships.
Compared to their excitement, Rurik seemed much calmer.
Arriving at New Roseburg is a staged victory in the long journey. A group of people will land here and become a new group of settlers. Especially those accompanying leather craftsmen and small-capital merchants. They will build new mansions here and settle in the new world.
Start a new business life.
The Governor of New Roseburg took all the current residents of the city out of the city! They gathered on the river bank, watched the arrival of the huge fleet, and actively started to welcome it.
Now is the wet season of the Neva River, and the flow of the river is quite large. It is already quite difficult for the fleet to advance solely by wind power.
The main ships began to be towed and assisted by rowing boats, and all the ships docked. As a result, the "Fleet Eighty-Eight" of the Principality of Ross was already anchored in the capital of the principality.
The long and narrow wooden board was put down, and the sliding door panels on the side were pulled up.
Rumia had gone through a long voyage, and she had vomited all over the place. Rurik hoped it was morning sickness, but in fact it was simply seasickness.
Her mental condition is quite depressed, but facing this new big city that is not part of the old capital of Fort Ross, she must show the style of the high priest of Ross to the people here while wearing a deer-antlered helmet.
"This...is New Roseburg." She looked at Rurik and asked calmly.
"How? A brand new city, our capital."
"How great! We are going to build a new temple here."
"Perhaps we should also build a large sculpture at the mouth of the river. A sculpture of Odin! Odin's eyes stare at all the passing ships." Rurik seemed to be saying this, but in his heart he was planning to imitate New York.
Seriously, New Roseburg really needs a landmark building, such as a lighthouse, or a giant statue of a god that looks like a lighthouse.
The Colossus of Rhodes? Or the Statue of Liberty?
From a pragmatic perspective, piling up a rammed earth mound to set up a lighthouse can be described as a cheap and practical move.
New Roseburg should have major infrastructure, and all the current infrastructure is inferior to building a new temple.
He hurriedly took the hand of Rumia who was looking around and said with a smile: "Let's go! High Priest. Let the cheering crowd see our style."
She nodded and burst into tears again, because she was indeed the core of the cheers.
The high priest is here, New Roseburg is the real capital!
The high priest is here, and the gods will truly bless this place!
Rurik exchanged pleasantries with Governor Knusson, and both of them knew their responsibilities, so they spent the rest of the time directing the unloading of cargo and people disembarking.
That night, there was a real carnival in New Roseburg.
The city's inherent market is open all night long, and new immigrants who choose to settle here are scheduled to purchase daily necessities as soon as possible.
The ships of casual merchants and craftsmen will arrive one after another, and some of the first people to arrive will be immediately shocked by the fur trade here.
Because, in Fort Ross and the world further north, traces of large squirrel skins have disappeared for many years. Looking at the fur market here, squirrel skins are large and cheap. They are glad that they are following the fleet closely, and they have forgotten their fatigue and are purchasing some leather.
After that, they began to drive small wooden piles in the open space near the city, and never declared this to be a homestead.
A key meeting was held that night in the Ross Duma here.
Knusson killed a few deer to meet the elites of the prince's large fleet, but instead of eating and drinking, Rurik had to arrange tasks for Knusson.
He listed a number of projects, such as fully supporting the construction of shipyards, planning residences for merchants and craftsmen, and ensuring the prosperity and stability of the commercial district.
The most important thing is that the Xingjian Temple was deliberately left in the open space near Harvest Square!
Only this Rurik asked too much.
The big temple must have a rock base. Stone must be quarried on the Stone Island (Gogland Island) in the Gulf of Finland. Stones must be stacked on the stone base to build a large stone chamber with a wooden roof. A batch of cement mortar must be made.
As an adhesive, a large amount of crystal clear glass will eventually be affixed to it, so that the sun shines on it and the temple is crystal clear. This is very meaningful, because it is said that Asgard is full of gems, so it will be connected with the divine world.
It is of great significance that the big temple is covered with gems. Real gems are naturally unavailable, but the principality can mass-produce glass fragments.
The Great Temple Rurik has some creative ideas. However, the current material conditions are limited. Covering the temple with glass is already a major and expensive feat. Logically speaking, Ross is fully capable of covering the temple with a layer of glass, but this is due to financial control.
, Rurik didn’t want to spend crazy money on this.
My sister-in-law Lilia has become a very good female glass craftsman through long-term work. She does not blow glass herself and does not want her beautiful face to look strange. She processes almost all glass products using the die-casting process, which happens to make a large number of glazed tiles.
It relies on die casting. The Neva River has a lot of river sand that can be stepped on. This sand has too many impurities and can only be used to make colored glaze.
Rurik brought a group of young craftsmen from his hometown, especially the young Kamne who he relied on. They are already independent comprehensive craftsmen and only serve the prince. They will establish a state-owned blacksmith shop here.
, besides providing tool repair services for local people, the biggest job is to manufacture colored glaze and glassware.
Although the clarion call of industrialization has not yet sounded in New Roseburg, this city has not been based on agriculture since its founding. New Roseburg will dominate the north with integrated handicrafts, trade, and shipbuilding industries.
Rurik gave Governor Knusson a light but heavy construction list. He took out a heavy sum of silver from the large treasury and handed it over. This was called the initial city construction fund.
In order to avoid being obsessed with money and causing Conuson to take money instead of doing things, he also asked the governor to produce a list of the use of funds afterwards.
Rurik currently does not have the ability to make detailed financial planning for the urban construction of New Roseburg. His management methods are relatively rough. Of course, there will be many problems here, which can only be made up for in the future.
Rumia was ordered to stay here and wanted to come to the high priest's stay to supervise the governor's honest work...
Rurik did not stay in New Roseburg for too long. He paid attention to the growth of oats in the nearby fields and was pleased that this year was indeed a good year.
The fleet will still travel far, and its next stop is Novgorod.
The meandering Neva River is becoming more and more rapid, and the Russian immigrants who came to Eastern Europe for the first time are observing the surrounding scenery.
When the river began to extend northward, even the retrograde fleet was able to take advantage of the southerly wind. A large lake that looked like a boundless sea stretched across their eyes. They cheered, and many people were shouting that Novgorod, which is adjacent to the large lake, would soon arrive.
Is not it?
Look here, you can see a group of fishing boats on the lake, and there is a small settlement not far away by the lake.
The fleet entered the lake and headed east, with the small villages in the distance getting closer and closer.
Then someone from the flagship asked the confident prince: "Isn't it possible that Novgorod is there?"
"Of course not there! It's just..."
Rurik's answer was ambiguous, but in fact he was also confused by this village.
As the fleet approached, some fishing boats showed off their Ross flags and came over.
In the vast sea or a large lake, flags are the best token of recognition for each other. Rurik quickly figured out the situation, because those fishermen were simply the fighting madmen of the First Flag Team!
The fishermen held up a big pike with both hands, and depending on their mood, they wanted to offer this big fish as tribute to the prince.
"His Majesty is finally here! Accept my gift!"
Everyone on the flagship gathered together to one side, and the faces of women and children gathered into a line. Not only the flagship, but other cruisers of the same class also came closer, making it appear that the fishing boat was a tiny presence in the gap.
Rurik was so interested that he dropped the rope. After all, his subordinates had given him gifts. It would be disrespectful to refuse them.
"Okay! I'll accept your gift! Improve the food for women and children!"
What Rurik said is true, because real Russians have always had the habit of eating raw fish, especially caught herrings. They cut off the head and tail with a knife and cut off the internal organs. The whole fish can be stuffed into the stomach, just like a dolphin.
How to eat it. Pike is extremely delicious, and no one will object to its fishy smell, because the thick fish oil can help people survive in the extreme cold. The women will drag the fish up with saliva, and then they will cut the meat and eat it raw.
Suddenly, a woman's excited scream attracted all attention.
But I saw the woman on the Duke of Ostara holding up her young child and shouting to the fishermen: "Harald! Look at me! And your child!"
The fishermen squinted and took a look. They immediately trembled all over and steered the fishing boat closer to it.
He was still yelling: "Kalia! Wait for me! I'll pick you up."
The woman could not wait to be reunited with her husband. She was a Slavic woman and knew that returning to Novgorod would mean returning to her hometown. Over the years, her heart had become one with Russia.
She sold her wealth in her hometown and turned it into a heavy bag of silver and copper coins. She wrapped herself in soft cloth and climbed down the rope ladder that was thrown down. The two children had already been hung down to theirs with ropes.
In father's hands.
The Russians witnessed a scene that made people cry. The reunion of their family on Lake Ladoga was just the beginning. Soon most Russian families will be reunited.
Rurik once wanted to build a small town at the mouth of the Volkhov River into Lake Ladoga, or even build another town at the intersection of the Neva River and Lake Ladoga.
Obviously the people made their own choice, and they chose the former.
Lake Ladoga is a term that has been used since ancient times. The Russians learned it from the Suomi people very early on. What it means is not important. It probably describes a large lake. This fishing village has its own name, which is called Ladoga.
Dogstad, a typical Norse name.
The fleet had to stay briefly in Ladogastad for a very touching reason.
This is because the traditional Rus people did not become farmers until this year. They have only made major innovations in sowing technology and have no clear concept of intensive farming. If Rurik did not personally supervise them, they would not even have the idea of diverting lake water for irrigation. They would not be able to plant large amounts of water.
Time was spent on tending the fields, but instead engaged in the old business of fishing. It happened that the hydrological conditions in this area were excellent, and the rich fish resources were simply left to the Russians to plunder.
A group of elite members of the First Flag Team went down the river, carrying fishing gear, fishing rods and other professional tools, and set up a summer camp on the bank of the big lake, which they called Ladogastad.
Then when we accidentally caught a huge plump pike while camping on the lakeside during the Sorgon voyage, the good news was passed among the Russians. No one can refuse the scorched aroma of the roasted meat when it is sizzling and oily.
The roasted pike has the most fragrant smell. They mainly catch pike, followed by bass. Occasionally, they also actively hunt freshwater seals when they encounter them.
After landing on the shore, Rurik saw clearly the general outline of this small fishing village. The brothers all lived there temporarily, and the large number of wooden shacks they built could not withstand the wind and cold.
There are not many buildings here, but there are a lot of wooden poles with hemp ropes hanging between the poles, and densely packed dried fish that have been baked and dried into extremely tight dried meat. Apparently they had caught a lot of pike before.
They all became ready-to-eat fish steaks, and a batch of sea bass were hung whole.
In their concept, wheat is always precious. They have never seen a harvest created by their own hands, so they are not completely sure about this year's wheat harvest season. At least fishing for fish and making dried fish is a craft that everyone has been doing for generations.
If you do it, you will get the opportunity to catch a lot of fish. Most people making dried fish are almost following their survival instinct.
A group of women disembarked with their children in their arms. They were reunited with their husbands, followed by Lado Gastad, who ran the summer camp on the spot.
This is a good start. The settlement is formed spontaneously, which means that this geographical node requires a settlement. In the foreseeable future, the settlement will become urbanized until it becomes a station-like existence.
The journey is still going on, and the journey is nearing its end.
Now is the final voyage, and the rowing boats pulling the ship are all moving forward hard. There are a group of Russian women in the oars, and a group of Slavic women. The former is to open up a new world, and the latter is simply returning to their natal homes. Today's oars have already
It doesn't matter whether they are men or women. In order to get home faster, everyone who can use their strength is rowing hard. On the other hand, there are almost no people standing on all the big boats.
No one thought this was inappropriate, because the great and young prince was also one of the rowers.
Rurik was sweating, everything was just like Otto forty years ago. His young boys and girls, who were richer than the king, interpreted through their actions of paddling on the Volkhov that they were real Russians.
As the saying goes, if you don't advance in a boat against the current, you will retreat. Although the Volkhov River in the wet season is far less than the Neva River, its flow speed puts a lot of psychological pressure on these brats. The paddlers cannot stop because the towed boat is behind them.
It's another towing team, and the result of one party's slackness may be a collision with the rear ship.
Their daily high-intensity physical training fully demonstrated their physical advantages at this moment, and the young paddlers fully proved that they are indeed the new force of the Principality of Ross.
After three days of paddling, many people were still bothered by sore arms, including Rurik himself.
Perseverance finally yielded perfect results, and ahead was the farmland attached to the White Tree Manor.
No! That's already Novgorod!
The boy who belonged to the White Tree Manor standing on the shore waved to the Ross fleet, which was flying the Ross flag and arranged in a long snake formation. The oarsmen couldn't take their hands off, so they responded with joyful shouts.
There is no longer any suspense. The closer the fleet gets to Lake Ilmen, the river becomes more open and the water flow continues to relax.
The fleet came back, on the sixteenth day of July in the Julian calendar. Although Rurik still took more time than expected, he finally succeeded in completing this feat.
The fleet was temporarily anchored on the Volkhov River, and the ships anchored one after another. Everyone disembarked and immediately started supply work in Novgorod.
Compared to the excitement of the tribesmen entering a warm new world, Rurik only had the joy of success.
He easily recognized Svetlana from the welcoming crowd. She was still so fresh and beautiful. Then came Noren, whose high and delicate chin showed arrogance.
Although Otto was old, in order to show his arrogance in front of his tribe, he changed into a chain mail shirt this time. The difference was that he actually picked up a cute little girl with pigtails and a finger.
Niya is also an old woman, and she continues to hold a baby in her arms.
Rurik's ten maids were all gorgeous, with similar hairstyles and the same clothes, as if they were 10-member twin sisters!
Rurik returned to his loyal Novgorod, got closer to his family and his subjects.
He didn't say much, just "I'm back", concisely announcing the successful conclusion of the immigration operation.