heroes of the telegraph-第27节
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rling shells。 No portion of the dirty black wire was visible； instead we had a garland of soft pink； with little scarlet sprays and white enamel intermixed。 All was fragile； however； and could hardly be secured in safety； and inexorable iron crushed the tender leaves to atoms。'
JUNE 24。'The whole day spent in dredging； without success。 This operation consists in allowing the ship to drift slowly across the line where you expect the cable to be； while at the end of a long rope； fast either to the bow or stern； a grapnel drags along the ground。 The grapnel is a small anchor； made like four pot…hooks tied back to back。 When the rope gets taut the ship is stopped and the grapnel hauled up to the surface in the hopes of finding the cable on its prongs。 I am much discontented with myself for idly lounging about and reading WESTWARD HO！ for the second time instead of taking to electricity or picking up nautical information。'
During the latter part of the work much of the cable was found to be looped and twisted into 'kinks' from having been so slackly laid； and two immense tangled skeins were raised on board； one by means of the mast…head and fore…yard tackle。 Photographs of this ravelled cable were for a long time exhibited as a curiosity in the windows of Messrs。 Newall & Co's。 shop in the Strand； where we remember to have seen them。
By July 5 the whole of the six…wire cable had been recovered； and a portion of the three…wire cable； the rest being abandoned as unfit for use； owing to its twisted condition。 Their work was over； but an unfortunate accident marred its conclusion。 On the evening of the 2nd the first mate； while on the water unshackling a buoy； was struck in the back by a fluke of the ship's anchor as she drifted； and so severely injured that he lay for many weeks at Cagliari。 Jenkin's knowledge of languages made him useful as an interpreter； but in mentioning this incident to Miss Austin； he writes； 'For no fortune would I be a doctor to witness these scenes continually。 Pain is a terrible thing。'
In the beginning of 1859 he made the acquaintance of Sir William Thomson； his future friend and partner。 Mr。 Lewis Gordon； of Messrs。 R。 S。 Newall & Co。； afterwards the earliest professor of engineering in a British University； was then in Glasgow seeing Sir William's instruments for testing and signalling on the first Atlantic cable during the six weeks of its working。 Mr。 Gordon said he should like to show them to 'a young man of remarkable ability；' engaged at their Birkenhead Works； and Jenkin； being telegraphed for； arrived next morning； and spent a week in Glasgow； mostly in Sir William's class…room and laboratory at the old college。 Sir William tells us that he was struck not only with Jenkin's brightness and ability； but with his resolution to understand everything spoken of； to see； if possible； thoroughly into every difficult question； and to slur over nothing。 'I soon found；' he remarks； 'that thoroughness of honesty was as strongly engrained in the scientific as in the moral side of his character。' Their talk was chiefly on the electric telegraph； but Jenkin was eager； too； on the subject of physics。 After staying a week he returned to the factory； but he began experiments； and corresponded briskly with Sir William about cable work。 That great electrician； indeed； seems to have infected his visitor during their brief contact with the magnetic force of his personality and enthusiasm。
The year was propitious； and； in addition to this friend； Fortune about the same time bestowed a still better gift on Jenkin。 On Saturday； February 26； during a four days' leave； he was married to Miss Austin at Northiam； returning to his work the following Tuesday。 This was the great event of his life； he was strongly attached to his wife； and his letters reveal a warmth of affection； a chivalry of sentiment； and even a romance of expression； which a casual observer would never have suspected in him。 Jenkin seemed to the outside world a man without a heart； and yet we find him saying in the year 1869； 'People may write novels； and other people may write poems； but not a man or woman among them can say how happy a man can be who is desperately in love with his wife after ten years of marriage。' Five weeks before his death he wrote to her； 'Your first letter from Bournemouth gives me heavenly pleasure for which I thank Heaven and you； too； who are my heaven on earth。'
During the summer he enjoyed another telegraph cruise in the Mediterranean； a sea which for its classical memories； its lovely climate； and diversified scenes； is by far the most interesting in the world。 This time the Elba was to lay a cable from the Greek islands of Syra and Candia to Egypt。 Cable…laying is a pleasant mode of travel。 Many of those on board the ship are friends and comrades in former expeditions； and all are engaged in the same venture。 Some have seen a good deal of the world； both in and out of the beaten track ； they have curious 'yarns to spin；' and useful hints or scraps of worldly wisdom to bestow。 The voyage out is like a holiday excursion； for it is only the laying that is arduous； and even that is lightened by excitement。 Glimpses are got of hide…away spots； where the cable is landed； perhaps。 on the verge of the primeval forest or near the port of a modern city； or by the site of some ruined monument of the past。 The very magic of the craft and its benefit to the world are a source of pleasure to the engineer； who is generally made much of in the distant parts he has come to join。 No doubt there are hardships to be borne； sea…sickness； broken rest； and anxiety about the workfor cables are apt suddenly to fail； and the ocean is treacherous； but with all its drawbacks this happy mixture of changing travel and profitable labour is very attractive； especially to a young man。
The following extracts from letters to his wife will illustrate the nature of the work； and also give an idea of Jenkin's clear and graphic style of correspondence ：…
May 14。'Syra is semi…eastern。 The pavement； huge shapeless blocks sloping to a central gutter； from this base two…storeyed houses； sometimes plaster； many…coloured； sometimes rough…hewn marble； rise； dirty and ill…finished； to straight； plain； flat roofs； shops guiltless of windows； with signs in Greek letters； dogs； Greeks in blue； baggy； Zouave breeches and a fez； a few narghilehs； and a sprinkling of the ordinary continental shop…boys。 In the evening I tried one more walk in Syra with A； but in vain endeavoured to amuse myself or to spend money； the first effort resulting in singing DOODAH to a passing Greek or two； the second in spendingno； in making A spendthreepence on coffee for three。'
Canea Bay； in Candia （or Crete）； which they reached on May 16； appeared to Jenkin one of the loveliest sights that man could witness。
May 23。'I spent the day at the little station where the cable was landed； which has apparently been first a Venetian monastery and then a Turkish mosque。 At any rate the big dome is very cool； and the little ones hold batteries capitally。 A handsome young Bashi…Bazouk guards it； and a still handsomer mountaineer is the servant； so I draw them and the monastery and the hill till I'm black in the face with heat； and come on board to hear the Canea cable is still bad。'
May 23。'We arrived in the morning at the east end of Candia； and had a glorious scramble over the mountains； which seem built of adamant。 Time has worn away the softer portions of the rock； only leaving sharp； jagged edges of steel； sea eagles soaring above our headsold tanks； ruins； and desolation at our feet。 The ancient Arsinoe stood here： a few blocks of marble with the cross attest the presence of Venetian Christians； but nowthe desolation of desolations。 Mr。 Liddell and I separated from the rest； and when we had found a sure bay for the cable； had a tremendous lively scramble back to the boat。 These are the bits of our life which I enjoy； which have some poetry； some grandeur in them。
May 29。…'Yesterday we ran round to the new harbour （of Alexandria）； landed the shore end of the cable close to Cleopatra's Bath； and made a very satisfactory start about one in the afternoon。 We had scarcely gone 200 yards when I noticed that the cable ceased to run out； and I wondered why the ship had stopped。'
The Elba had run her nose on a sandbank。 After trying to force her over it； an anchor was put out astern and the rope wound by a steam winch； while the engines were backed； but all in vain。 At length a small Turkish steamer； the consort of the Elba； came to her assistance； and by means of a hawser helped to tug her off： The pilot again ran her aground soon after； but she was delivered by the same means without much damage。 When two…thirds of this cable was laid the line snapped in deep water； and had to be recovered。 On Saturday； June 4； they arrived at Syra； where they had to perform four days' quarantine； during which； however； they started repairing the Canea cable。
Bad weather coming on； they took shelter in Siphano； of which Jenkin writes： 'These isles of Greece are sad； interesting places。 They are not really barren all over； but they are quite destitute of verdu
