The sun had just risen, and the waters of the Thames were still foggy.

However, the West India Terminal is brightly lit, and the terminal business is always so hot during the peak shipping season.

In the dock's sailors' pile, Elder was leaning against a railing, yawning sleepily.

He looked at the sailors who were carrying boxes of supplies to the ship, took out their pipes from their pockets and lit them, took a deep breath, and then spat out the smoke rings with satisfaction, and exclaimed: "It's so comfortable! ”

Darwin stood beside him, and he looked at the boxes of cabbage, fresh beef, and rum, and looked at him with some suspicion.

He pestled Elder beside him and asked in a low voice, "Elder didn't you lie to me before, didn't you say that the Royal Navy was treated poorly?" But I think it's okay! ”

Elder glanced at Darwin and snorted disdainfully: "Charles, of course you ate well when you were offshore, if you go on an ocean voyage for a few months, you will have to bear it when you look back." And when I say that the treatment is not good, I mainly refer to the salary level.

I didn't say the Royal Navy ate badly! Aren't you a naturalist? Then you should know, if the animals can't eat, where will he have the strength to complete two rounds of shelling in less than three and a half minutes? ”

Darwin stared at the sailor who walked in front of him with a box of lemon juice, and couldn't help swallowing, he muttered, "But isn't this food a little too good?" Does the Army also have this treatment? ”

"Army? Do they deserve it too? They eat about the same! ”

Elder scoffed, "Those old hats nibble on some mashed potatoes and some breadcrumbs." The army has long legs, you can't starve, you just need to be able to walk. Who wouldn't be in the army, line up to shoot, just find a few people to train for two weeks and then go to the battlefield, what kind of technical content does this branch of the army need?

The sailors of the Royal Navy are not like them, and we are all valuable technical talents here. Charles, you have to know how difficult it is to train a skilled sailor.

Many of our sailors got on board at the age of seven or eight. If you put them outside, they are all technical talents on merchant ships.

It's no joke that merchant ships are willing to pay three or four times the price to poach them, and the shipowners are not stupid, at least they know how to do the calculations.

For such talents, it doesn't matter if the Navy can't afford to pay much, but at least the supplies must be made better.

Because of this, even during the most difficult times of the Napoleonic Wars, sailors in the Royal Navy ate at least a few pounds of corned beef and a gallon of beer a day. ”

When Darwin heard this, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded: "Are you telling the truth?" ”

Elder nodded, "Of course, why should I lie to you about this." Isn't that right, you just understand when you stay on the ship for a while?

As long as they didn't stay offshore for long periods of time, meals in the Royal Navy were always okay, and almost all fleet commanders took the issue of supplies very seriously.

Part of the reason why Admiral Nelson was so popular in the Royal Navy was that he was very strict about the supply of the fleet, and he had to taste the dishes for the sailors himself, and he had to return and buy anything he found unpalatable.

It is precisely because of this that everyone is willing to work for him. Moreover, after the Battle of Trafalgar, the captured French commander Villeneuve came to dine on the Victory and said: 'You eat so well, no wonder you win'.

But I can understand that, after all, the Royal Navy's most hated corned beef is a delicacy in the French. They ate it with great pleasure, and it was no wonder that they would exclaim at our food. ”

Speaking of this, Elder suddenly pulled out the "Daily Food Quota Table for the Crew of the Beagle" stuffed in his breast pocket and looked at it.

"Let me see, the Admiralty has gotten us something good this week......

Monday, a pound of cookies, a pint of wine, a pound of pork, half a pint of peas, 3/4 ounce of lemon juice.

Tuesday, one pound of crackers, half a pint of rum, two pounds of corned beef, one pint of oats, two ounces of butter, 3/4 ounce of ceviche.

Wednesday...... Well, isn't that what it is today? ”

Elder looked at it, and suddenly slapped his head and exclaimed, "Oh! ! Today's dish is a little fucking rich! Four pounds of flour and a pound of raisins, half a pint of gin, and half a pound of cabbage and three pounds of fresh lamb! There is also sugared black tea available after the meal!

O my God! Colonel Fitzroy is quite good at arranging it. He knew that his brothers didn't like to get on the boat, so he specially listed a table of delicacies for us! ”

When Darwin heard Elder say this, he actually began to look forward to the next week's sea training life.

He swallowed greedily and spat at his backpack again, grumbling at Elder.

"Elder, you're not a thing! You talked so badly about life at sea, that I bought a lot of food yesterday to take with me on board. Now it seems that none of these things are of any use, and the main meals served on the ship alone will feed me every day. ”

Elder also gave him a blank look: "Of course it's miserable, when the global voyage starts later, and we can't dock to replenish, you will feel good!" Besides, what I'm talking about this time is asking you to buy some tobacco, playing cards or something, but you have to buy food yourself, and you blame me after you buy it. Charles, that's what's wrong with you. ”

"I don't smoke and gamble, what am I buying all that stuff for?"

Elder said angrily, "Can't you learn if you can't do it?" Besides, even if you don't play, I can play! ”

When Darwin heard this, he also got angry: "Hey! Held, you fuck ......"

But before he could finish his curse, he saw three men in black coats on the dock hurrying towards them.

Darwin picked Elder away, squinted at them, and muttered, "What do those people do?" ”

Elder didn't care about turning his head either, but as soon as he saw the three of them dressing, he was immediately frightened and hurriedly ran to the boat: "Fuck! It must be looking for Lao Tzu to collect debts! These bastards are chasing too hard, don't I just owe more than ten pounds in gambling debts? Alas, alas! Charles, don't look at you, boy, get on the boat with me! ”

Elder was about to grease the soles of his feet, but he was grabbed by Darwin.

"Don't be in a hurry, it seems to be the two Scottish Yard officers I taught."

"Arthur?" Elder didn't believe Darwin's words, and he opened his mouth and scolded, "Charles, didn't I just trick you into buying some snacks?" Why don't you take revenge on me like this? Will you let go? If I don't let go, I'll turn my face!

I, Held, am a decent gentleman who graduated from the University of London, but if I unleash the devil lurking in my heart, I will surely show you the power of an Oxford villain! ”

Elder and Darwin one wanted to run, and the other didn't let go.

The two were in a stalemate, when they heard Arthur's voice running through the docks.

"Elder you can fucking see clearly, I'm not a debt collector! If you dare to run away, I'll go back to Scotland Yard and turn over all your case records later! ”

(End of chapter)