open sea

Chapter 601 A Foreign Land
"Land! See the land!"

After the heavy rain, the endless sea was calm, and the pirate lookout who hadn’t seen the land in recent months shouted loudly on the mast, and a group of distressed sailors lay on the bow of the ship and looked into the distance. Without binoculars, they could only see the sea and the sky. .

Lin Afeng pushed away a few sailors who stood in front of her, and while rubbing the small mud ball on the back of her neck, she took out the binoculars and looked forward. When she saw the land, she immediately ran back to the cabin, and searched for it in the rickety cabin. A few maps were laid out on the deck, and the last note and route record were poured on the map with a wave of his hand, looking for the exact location of the fleet.

The maps turned over on the deck include not only the map of the world in the second year of Wanli, but also maps marked with foreign characters. Some Lin Feng can understand and some cannot understand, but the maps are roughly the same, and there are always some clues in comparison. Plus his track record—he knew he was there.

"Wooden bones, all bundles?"

Behind his swaying flagship, there is a large and winding fleet on the sea, more than seventy three-masted ships, most of which are Fu Chuan, seventeen eight-hundred-year-old ships are Lin's Flying Sharks painted blue, and the rest It is the blessing boat of Baicao and Wucao.

In addition to these local ships, there are also Caravel and Clark belonging to the Portuguese, as well as the galleys of the Safavid Dynasty-they are full of his spoils, especially the Clark sailing ships that can carry huge amounts of cargo are far away. Hanging at the end of the fleet that stretches for several miles at sea.

The door of the captain's room was gently pushed open, and the Flying Shark Captain Zhuang Gong, who was next to the flagship, came over on the springboard. He saw Lin Afeng kneeling on the chart without any image, and quickly moved aside and sat down with his face. He lowered his head solemnly and said, "My lord, the watchman saw land, but it doesn't seem to be full of trees, it looks like a big island."

Mogadishu is the largest trading port along the coast of Africa. Since Zheng He's fleet arrived here, there are often sea merchants carrying porcelain dealers here, and Lin Afeng's visit here is no exception.

He needs to replenish water and food, repair warships, and sell the huge booty, and wants to grab a piece of land nearby as a short-term habitat.

"island?"

Lin Afeng, who was focused, was not affected by the loud shouts of the sailors outside the cabin, but turned his head because of Mr. Zhuang's soft reminder. He nodded slowly, then searched on the charts and notes, and said casually: "It's okay, even if it's not a wooden bone Dushu is not far away, so I ordered the flying sharks to spread out with full sails and explore the coast."

"I heard that the coast of Africa is the territory of the Portuguese and Yi, so don't take it lightly."

Lin Afeng's voyage was more difficult than all previous fleets including Zheng He, because they did not sail all the way along the coastline, but sailed all the way southwest along the border between Mughal and Safi. He offended everyone he could--Arakanese, Portuguese, Mughals, Persians, merchant ships, warships, it didn't matter what country or person.

At first, the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty who left Malacca were very happy to travel with such a large Ming fleet. Some merchants even planned to change their original routes and follow Lin Afeng to do business in farther places. He does not snatch ships, not to mention that all ships on the sea are his prey. Once the sea ships resist and cause him some casualties, even the nearest coastal ports will suffer.

In Xiaoxiyang, Lin Afeng's fleet seemed to be in no man's land, and no merchant ship could stop him from snatching it. Until the fleet went deeper and deeper, it was chased by two huge imperial navies, and many coastal ports were already on alert. He was no longer so easy to get, so he sailed all the way to the southwest.

After all, he is just a helpless pirate. Even if the fleet is huge and powerful, no port is like duckweed without roots, and others cannot beat him in surprise battles, but once he enters a regular naval battle, he will always lose. Just run away.

The merchants who traveled with him for half a small ocean just failed to make a single deal. As long as the profitable ports along the way were burned, those that could be robbed were robbed, and those that could not be robbed would not be allowed to come by. Hong Kong, but ended up doing business with Lin Afeng.

The useless warships seized by Lin Feng with the war profits arrived at the caravan's cargo.

Seeing the land and stepping on the land meant two hours to Lin Feng. To the disappointment of the pirates, what they found was indeed an island.

In the evening, after learning that there was no port in the northeast coast of the island, and only a few settlements similar to fishing villages remained, they found a suitable bay to dock their ships. After moving off the ship, two other flying shark boats and galleys were sent to explore separately from the landing place.

"Sail for three days and return without meeting."

"This island doesn't need to be very big, as long as it has a radius of a hundred miles, it's enough for me to eat and live."

Carrying goods continued until night. Lin Feng's people did not do these things. The coolies were all foreigners who were looted after the ports were captured and captured in naval battles. These people are now close to [-] people, and they have become the largest in their long voyage. Anxiety factor, several leaders among the pirates hope that Lin Afeng can find a place to throw them away, not like this.

"It's a waste of rations like it is now. The leader has to think about it. If the bones are all tied up, we won't be able to let us dock. We still have to capture and rob."

Li Mao, the leader of Qiongzhou pirates, has suffered a lot for more than a month. During the encounter with the Mughal Empire Navy, his ship was damaged in the artillery battle. The angry Li Mao drove a galley and crashed into a ship. Fighting hand-to-hand with the enemy, the pirate leader did not lose the wind when fighting with the enemy, but his arm was injured by the displaced artillery when the ship was hit. His left arm is still tied to a splint and hung around his neck.

After speaking, Li Mao turned his head to Shi He, Su Da and other pirate leaders and said with a smile: "Going out to sea with Chief Lin, I have never felt so happy, but at this time, I also feel that gold and silver are tiring!"

All the pirate leaders roared with laughter, Lin Feng also raised his head and smiled, raised his hand to pick up the bonfire and said: "Yes, the spoils are nowhere to be sold, and now it has become a burden, and I don't know if I can do business with me. Goods, if it’s not easy...it’s a big port, it’s best if you can barter, if you can’t, burn it and loot it, it will be more than our current war profit!”

"Hey!" Shi He yelled in surprise, slapped his legs and said, "Then what's the deal, wouldn't it be better to just grab it?"

Su Da, who was from Qiongzhou with Li Mao, picked up the stones and threw them jokingly at Shihe, saying: "If you keep grabbing, do you still have room to store goods on the boat, we are gone!"

Shi He said to the people who were still struggling to carry the goods under the light of the torches on the coast: "Leave those people behind, and you can still put a lot of goods."

"People, don't lose it."

Lin Feng paused for a moment with his hand stirring the bonfire, glanced at the group of pirate leaders, drew a circle on the beach, and said: "We are not far from the wooden bones, and if we offend Yin Zhengmao, Malacca will not be able to go back for a while. There are only [-] soldiers on the road, and the shells, guns, bullets, warships, and armor are worn out and have to be repaired."

"If the wood and bones can be traded, these people will plant land and repair ships for us here, and let them be craftsmen and shipwrights. If they can't trade."

Lin Afeng took a deep breath and let it out quickly, threw the firewood into the fire, and with the sparks rising, he said: "Shoot it down, recruit troops, buy horses, build ships and cannons!"

(End of this chapter)