On the evening of the same day, the Yuandou stopped at the mouth of Xiuguluan Creek.

Early the next morning, the heavily armed intruders again boarded the river bank in a dinghy. Unlike yesterday, the dinghy made two round trips today, bringing both traversers ashore.

This is already a powersearch search. Pan Mingzhong commanded in the center, and more than 20 sailors with 28 big covers around him pulled out the skirmish line, and the whole team began to slowly walk upstream of Xiuguluan Creek.

Behind the large army were Lei Jian and a few team members who carried baskets on their backs.

No matter how hard they killed yesterday, no one dared to say that the natives would not retaliate today. So everyone looked like they were facing a big enemy today, and they were on high alert the whole time - the safe distance that the river beach could provide was less than 200 meters, and beyond that was all dense jungle, no one knew how many open-cock fighters were hidden in it.

The canoe that had overturned on the shore yesterday was still parked there, including the two indigenous wounded, who were half-submerged in the water and had long since choked.

The exploration team walked past them without stopping.

It didn't take long for the team to go upstream, and there was a catch: Thunder Sword found iron ore with dark brown spots in the shallow waters of the river.

It didn't take long for the two exploration team members who rolled up their trousers and went into the water to shovel a basket of iron sand on the spot.

"Well, is this the thing?" Pan Mingzhong, who ran over, was impatient.

"Well, yes, it's this thing." Lei Jian pulled the iron sand in his palm with his fingers, and said affirmatively: "Magnet sand." Unlike pyrite such as ferric oxide, this is ferric oxide. ”

"Oh, I've found it, so let's call it a day?" Pan Mingzhong had no concept of iron oxide at all, and he didn't want to stay in this ghost place for a minute now.

Lei Jian laughed when he heard this, and then drew a circle in front of him with his arm: "There are at least two miles left, measure 5 points, and dig 10 baskets back to count." ”

"Hold the grass!" Pan Mingzhong's head is big now.

......

The iron placer mines along the river and stream have relatively harsh metallogenic conditions. The upstream water has to pass through the mine just right, and then the iron ore is washed and transported downstream by years of weathering and rock fragmentation.

Of course, this form of coastal mineral sands is usually produced in small quantities, because they are not thick enough in the riverbed, shoals, estuaries and so on.

But there are also many benefits to coastal placer mines.

The first is good taste. China claims to be a vast land, but the taste of iron ore is a flaw: only about 35% on average, and many of them have no industrial mining value. A few like Hainan Shilu Iron Mine, with an average of 51%, are already the first in China.

Compared with Australia and Brazil, which often have more than 60% of refined iron ore, they really can't get it.

The iron placer ore is washed by the water flow all the year round, which is equivalent to going through natural elimination, so the taste is a little higher than that of ordinary iron ore. Like the samples that Lei Jian got here at Xikou, the visual taste is more than 40%.

In addition, iron ore does not need to drill deep in the mountains and old forests, do not need to pave roads and dig tunnels, open the face of the tunnel, pump water and pump gas to prevent the collapse of the mine, so this is the most suitable mining method to cross the forces at the moment: there will be no frequent deaths, only shovels and baskets are needed, and anyone can do it.

It took the exploration team a morning to complete the task. The team went 2 kilometers above the mouth of the stream to collect enough samples. More than 10 baskets of iron sand ore collected from the underwater and river beach parts were clearly marked by Lei Jian one by one, and they were only to be transported back to the kiln base for analysis and testing.

At the same time, Lei Jian also used a digital camera to photograph all the terrain of the small plain of the estuary. The next time a large army arrives, they will prepare supplies and manpower based on these photos, and build a castle and dock in the shortest possible time.

......

After completing the task of exploring iron sand, the Yuandou continued to pull anchor and go north without stopping. After walking for two full days in the headwind, I came to the vicinity of Hualien.

Considering that all the various stone mines contained in Hualien need to be explored in the mountains, Pan Mingzhong thought about it or forget it - the stones can't run away there, and people can't get out of the dense forest.

After passing Hualien without entering, the next stop is Yilan.

When I arrived in Yilan, I was already close to the northeast corner of Taiwan.

The Yilan Delta Plain is the largest alluvial plain in Taitung – although it covers an area of only 300 square kilometers.

When the Yuandou passed by, it deliberately moved the route out of the route a little, so as not to let the indigenous people of the local Kamalan tribe come out to find trouble.

...... If everything goes well, for a long time in the future, the tentacles of the passing forces will not reach Yilan's side.

The iron placer mine at the mouth of Xiuguluan Creek is actually a little lower than Dayuan Island. That is to say, it can be reached by going south from Dayuan, running a quarter of the sea distance of Taiwan, and then bypassing Cape Kenting and going north from the shore of the outer islands for the same amount of distance.

As for going to Taipei in the future, it will definitely go north directly from Dayuan. Therefore, in a place like Yilan, which is located in the northeast corner of Taiwan, that is, passing by today, the Yuandou did not make any other actions except for taking a few long-range photos.

After passing Yilan, late that night, the Yuandou quietly bypassed the three mink corners. Later generations there was a bright lighthouse here, and of course there was this thing in the 17th century.

After rounding the three sable corners, the course of the Yuandou had gradually shifted from due north to northwest. After continuing to sail for 20 kilometers, you will find the iconic headland of Bitoujiao in the northeast corner of Taiwan.

There was also no lighthouse at the nose corner, and after going around, the course of the Yuandou officially changed from east to west from this moment on.

Although the wind direction was still unfavorable at this time, it was already much better than the previous days, so the Yuandou could now speed up to about 4 knots and go straight to the island of peace where the Spaniards were entrenched.

The journey from Nose Tau Kok to Heping Island is short, only 15 kilometers. In the 17th century, the original name of the island was Sheliao Island, and after the Spanish occupied this place, they established the city of San Salvador, and by the way, the name of the island was changed to San Salvador.

When the Yuandou arrived at Chicken Coop (later known as Keelung) Bay, it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Theoretically, the sunniest time is in Taipei, but it rains; In the mist and rain, the Peace Island, with its Western-style castle, is faintly visible at the mouth of the Keelung River.

The castle is located in the southwest corner of the island of peace, which has since been turned into a dock. And the Yuandou did not rush into the shallow strait between Heping Island and the Keelung coast at this time. Although the Spanish chief mate repeatedly said that the strait could be passed, the Yuandou still took the northern sea route, bypassing Zhongshan Tsai Island and Tongpanyu Island in the rain and fog, and stopped at the outer port of San Salvador at about 4 p.m.

After seeing the Yuandou lowering the sails, it didn't take long for a liaison boat to be rowed out on the simple dock outside the castle. At the same moment, Pan Mingzhong, who was standing on the deck, also took out the signed letter from his pocket and handed it to the first mate: "Go, Lao Sang, make it clear so that there is no misunderstanding." ”

Samper soon returned to the castle in a dinghy.

......

"In fact, the city of San Salvador is now in lockdown, if I'm not mistaken?" Antonio Valdes, the Spanish governor in the chicken coop, looked up and asked after carefully reading the letter in his office.

Since Spain was ruled by Arabs for hundreds of years, black-haired and brown-eyed people were not uncommon.

Mr. Valdes, who has a big beard and thick eyebrows, is also one of them.

Captain Valdes, the commander of the chicken coop, who led the expedition two years earlier to capture the island of peace and build the city of San Salvador.

During a recent raid, Valdes led 100 soldiers and burned the village of Guiroushe near the mouth of the Tamsui River. After the surrender and forced relocation, the Spaniards began to build the city of San Domingo in its place.

And Valdes, who was reading the letter in the office today, was supposed to be carrying sick numbers back to recuperate—it was too hot and humid near the Tamsui River, mosquitoes and fleas were everywhere, and many soldiers were sick with fever.

However, history takes a turn here: the first mate, Samper, appears and disembarks from a junk.

Hearing Valdes' question, Samper bowed slightly, and then said, "Yes sir, we are already in lockdown, but this is temporary. ”

"Well, I noticed what was on the letter. Samper, tell me, are those silks and porcelain real? ”

"Sir, this is true, as all the people on board the Alicante can attest. And this letter, please take a closer look at those signatures. ”

"If His Excellency Tabora agrees to a trade agreement, then we need to cede San Salvador City." At this point, Valdes spoke much slower: "If we can't reach an agreement, then we will defend the city of Salvador......"

The black-haired chief stood up at this point, picked up the brass binoculars on the table and walked out: "What should I know about these pagan weapons?" ”

"Sir, this is the part I want to focus on to you." The first mate said in a hurried tone as he followed the chief out of the door, "On my way here, the infidels were attacked by a native, yes, you know, that raid ......"

......

After waiting outside the harbor for two hours, the Spaniard's dinghy came to the side of the ship again.

First mate Samper brought the commander's answer this time: until the official order to retreat from Manila, the city of San Salvatore will not accept the entry of the crossers, and will not provide food and other supplies to the Yuandou.

In addition, the activities of the Yuandou in other areas of the chicken coop will not be interfered with by the Spanish side.

"Hehehe." When Pan Mingzhong heard this, he couldn't help laughing.

He was very sure that the Spaniards in the castle were already cowardly—just look at the reply of the foreign powerhouse.

Fortunately, the Crossing Crowd did not need any supplies from the Spaniards...... These big pie faces can't eat enough, and saying those words is just a swollen face and a fat man.

It would be enough to get the answer that the Spaniards would not invade each other for the time being. After the Yuandou sent Samper back, he quickly pulled up the full sail and headed straight west in the rain and fog.