Chapter 73

The fishing boat continued its voyage. The purpose of this trip to the Sea of Okhotsk to catch snow crabs had been accomplished, and Ye Yuan did not intend to stay in this cold sea any longer. 520 official website

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The fishing boat sailed southeast, and all the crew members still wanted to discuss the silver coins that Ye Yuan had just salvaged, but they were stopped by Yu Hongbo.

During the voyage, Ye Yuan did not continue to use his perception to detect the situation of the fish in the water. Instead, he let the crew members cast a few nets on their own.

Although the harvest was not much, it was still acceptable, indicating that the fish in this sea area were still abundant.

Ye Yuan sat on the deck, enjoying the sea view. Gong Hongzhuang came over and asked him with a somewhat embarrassed look,

"Boss, how many more days until we return?"

Ye Yuan looked at the chubby chef with great surprise. In his memory, these sailors were always at sea. How could they think of returning to shore after just a few days?

Gong Hongzhuang saw Ye Yuan's confusion and explained,

"It's not that I want to go back, but the vegetables we brought are almost used up."

Only then did Ye Yuan realize that in his previous voyages, he had always brought his mechanical crew members, who, although they ate, could eat anything. Therefore, the vegetables supplied on the ship were not many.

On the contrary, a lot of high-energy foods like meat were brought. However, this time was different, and he had forgotten to inform the supply manager, Ding Yi, about it.

Perhaps many people would ask, what's the problem with not eating vegetables for a few days? However, on a ship, vegetables are not just food; they are also an important source of vitamin C.

In the early days of navigation, due to storage and preservation considerations, long voyages mostly carried salted meat and dried meat.

Fresh vegetables and fruits were rare, and the lack of fresh water often led to many sailors suffering from scurvy.

Scurvy is a very serious disease at sea. It usually involves multiple abscesses and, if the course is long, is called sepsis.

If scurvy is not quickly controlled, it can spread from the primary infection site to other parts of the body, causing metastatic abscesses.

Abscesses can occur on the surface of the brain, causing meningitis; on the heart's surrounding membrane, causing pericarditis; on the heart's inner lining, causing endocarditis; in the bone marrow, causing osteomyelitis; and in large joints, causing joint pain or arthritis.

Ultimately, the accumulation of pus in any part of the body can form abscesses, leading to severe cases of septic shock and metastatic lesions.

Later, through generations of exploration, it was discovered that this was due to a lack of vitamin C. Eating more fresh oranges and lemons can effectively prevent it.

However, these problems are rarely seen in Huaguo. Although it cannot be said that Huaguo people are completely unaffected by scurvy, due to the advanced shipbuilding technology and the characteristics of the Huaguo people, the ancient Huaguo people were indeed the least affected by scurvy.

Huaguo's ancient shipbuilding technology has long been leading the world, capable of producing large and high-performance ships.

With larger ships, there was ample space to utilize. The Huaguo people made full use of the ship's size to grow vegetables and raise livestock on board.

For example, a large number of flower pots were used to grow fresh vegetables like ginger, garlic sprouts, and green onions, and livestock like rabbits were raised to provide fresh meat.

Moreover, the Huaguo people had a unique secret that foreigners did not have—bean products.

During long voyages, the crew would make tofu, soy milk, or sprout soybeans from the soybeans they carried. These bean products ensured a sufficient supply of vitamins.

Although Ye Yuan had a large amount of vegetables and fruits in his space, he couldn't just take them out.

The diving ability of the crew members had already been recognized, and slightly revealing some abilities was not a problem, but the secret of the space could not be exposed. Ye Yuan could not just take out the vegetables.

Ye Yuan realized he had wronged Gong Hongzhuang and said to him with an apologetic look,

"Yes, it's my fault. In the past, there were fewer people on my ship, and the supplies were enough. Now that there are more people, I'll entrust the procurement to you next time."

After Gong Hongzhuang left, Ye Yuan took out the sea chart and checked his exact position.

The fishing boat was now leaving the Sea of Okhotsk. The nearest island should be the Kuril Islands, so it seemed they could only go there for supplies.

Adjusting the course, they headed towards the Kuril Islands.

The Kuril Islands serve as a natural barrier in the southeastern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, acting as a maritime passage between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, making them strategically important.

The Kuril Islands are rich in resources and have a superior geographical location. Located at the confluence of cold and warm currents, they are abundant in marine life and have a thriving fishing industry, making them one of the world's three major fishing grounds.

Kunashir Island is known for its crabs and sea cucumbers, and Iturup Island is a whaling base with rich underground mineral resources. However, what is more notable is the "Golden Waterway" of these four islands.

The nearby waters are a shortcut for the Russian Empire to enter the North Pacific and are a necessary route for the Russian Empire to travel between Kamchatka, Chukotka, and North America.

The four islands have many natural good harbors, which are deep and wide, allowing large ships to dock year-round.

Some of the more famous ports include Shikotan Island's Shikotan Port, Iturup Island's Tanmen Port, and Tinting Port in Single Crown Bay.

The residents of the Kuril Islands are mostly Ainu people, who mainly engage in fishing and forestry.

The southern islands have abundant feed, suitable for livestock farming, while the northern islands are only suitable for hunting wild boars. The arable land is mostly used for growing potatoes and vegetables.

The main economic center is Kurilsk. The Ainu people were known as "hairy people" in the 5th century AD because of their dark skin, thick and long hair, wavy hair, and abundant facial and body hair. They are not tall, with adult males averaging about 1.6 meters in height.

Their faces have European features, and their language is not similar to that of neighboring ethnic groups and countries. Men have red beards.

The Ainu people have a very interesting festival and ritual, the most famous being the "Bear Festival." They like to carve animals, especially bears, on peeled logs, which the Japanese call "Ainu carvings."

The Ainu people have a rich cultural heritage, skilled in embroidery, and enjoy dancing.

They have created many poems, which are passed down through generations by memory.

Some long narrative poems of the Ainu people have been passed down historically, with rich content and requiring a long time to recite.

The Ainu people have their own language, the Ainu language, which is an agglutinative language. This is an independent language. Apart from the Ainu people, only the Eskimos and American Indians use agglutinative languages.

Ye Yuan's fishing boat sailed into Iturup Island, the largest island in the Kuril Islands.

Iturup Island is 200 kilometers long and about 30 kilometers wide, with an area of 3,139 square kilometers.

The terrain is steep and mountainous, with a thriving fishing industry and a whaling base. The island has over ten bays, all of which can accommodate large ships. The Single Crown Bay on the southeast coast was a naval base for the Japanese during World War II.

After completing the relevant entry procedures, Ye Yuan instructed Gong Hongzhuang and Yu Hongbo to go and replenish the fishing boat.