How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 42: Practical Problems (2)

"Here! The liquid fertilizer is all gone, so I brought an empty water container. Where should I throw this away?"

"As usual, clean it thoroughly and give it as a water container to houses that don't have—no, wait."

Huh?

IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) tank.

Why didn't I think of that?

Is it light? If you remove the steel pallet from the bottom, it's plastic.

Is it sturdy? Of course, with a steel frame surrounding the exterior.

The shape? It's a 500-liter, appropriately large, square rectangular shape, so if we tie several together like blocks and place boards on top...?

A spacious barge would be completed immediately.

We immediately collected IBC tanks that were being used as water containers in each house and tied them with wire. After gathering dozens, hundreds of tied IBC tanks and placing them on the sea, they floated... despite bobbing up and down.

It was a success.

We immediately fixed boards on top and the excavator... on it...

Thud!

...It worked.

"It's a success!"

"We really floated that monster on the sea!"

It worked. We completed the barge and loaded the excavator on it? This means we can now transport anything from a Hijet to the heaviest equipment by sea.

Out of Roanoke, that is.

"Phew... now whoever moves that will have quite a hard time? Looking at the structure, they'll have to attach that barge to the back and drag it to Chesapeake Bay."

"That's right. It will be a very dangerous voyage."

"..."

"..."

"...Please do your best, Vicente."

"So it's me, as expected."

Of course. You're the captain.

Pay for your sins of trying to kill me three years ago, Vicente!

"The excavator? Since the Lord helps, it will return even if it breaks. The barge? We have plenty of materials, so if it breaks, we can just make another one.

But if the Nautilus breaks..."

"...I understand. I'll try my best."

Vicente González, 48 years old.

The first human to almost die by being run over by an excavator.

Can he become the first human to be submerged in the sea along with an excavator...!

"Huff, huff... I, I, I survived..."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Fortunately, the excavator wasn't submerged, and neither was Vicente González.

After a journey of several days, when the excavator arrived at Chesapeake Bay, people went crazy, gathering to see it.

And then.

CRASH!

As expected, the agricultural land area in Chesapeake Bay began to increase several times over in an instant.

The logging work itself doesn't take long. Rather, it's difficult to dig the ground, remove the tree roots, and completely clear them away.

Our goal is not to obtain timber but to clear the land, so we need to completely remove even the tree stumps.

When the excavator was mobilized for this work, the process accelerated several times.

In an instant, tens of hectares of land were newly cleared and distributed to the Algonquins and the English. Now it's the end of April, so it was fortunate that it barely overlapped with the growing season for some crops.

Those who built houses and churches with the timber obtained from clearing the land began to settle in Chesapeake Bay, one by one leaving their cramped ship cabins.

Ah, and one more thing. Unlike Roanoke, there's no infinite clean water in Chesapeake Bay.

"Ugh... ughhhh...!"

"My child has severe stomach pain! He keeps having diarrhea...!"

"First, give him this antipyretic! Margaret!"

"I have the IV fluid here!"

Because of this, some people suffered severely from stomach pains and high fevers. I placed IBC tanks left over from making the barge near each house where patients with stomach issues had appeared.

"Everyone, fill these tanks with water and add a bit of this liquid. You must never touch or drink this liquid directly."

"Y-y-yes, understood!"

"Everyone remember! For a while, you must boil water before drinking it!"

Either drink water mixed with bleach, or boil it before drinking.

Just by sharing that simple fact, the mysterious disease subsided within days. People regained stability.

It was a moment when villages and settlements were being created, and the colony was growing. As some of the busy tasks were completed, Walter Raleigh came to visit.

"Good heavens... I never thought this would really work."

He was half moved to tears.

"Just until recently, I was on the verge of bankruptcy... now there are thousands of subjects in the colony... And that timber! Isn't it amazing? Such timber can't even be seen in England anymore!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. To obtain oak trees of that size, we'd have to import them from Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and such places. Especially after more than dozens of ships were destroyed in the recent naval battle with Spain, there must be a timber shortage now."

"Then couldn't we take that back?"

"Could we carry that large and heavy thing across the Atlantic? Even bringing 300 horses and cows was an enormous challenge. I risked my life for it."

"Hmm..."

"Sigh... if only there was a way to take that back, it would be so much easier to gain Her Majesty the Queen's trust."

Spain, huh.

Right. There was Spain in America.

They had already sent several warships this way, thinking that this place might be used as England's military base. There had actually been conflicts.

Ideally, England should gain a moderate upper hand in the war between the two, which would make things safer and more comfortable here...

And, even if not warships, considering other exports, we'd find it convenient to have a few fast transport ships.

"Um, Lord Raleigh? Couldn't we build ships here?"

"Hahaha. How could that be possible? First, we'd need timber, skilled sailors and shipwrights, and all kinds of equipment... and... supplies..."

"..."

Suddenly Raleigh's eyes widened and looked at me.

He too had realized it.

There are the world's most superior supplies here.

"..."

"..."

"...Do you have any designs in mind?"

"I do. Since I don't know much about ships, would it be alright if I show you a picture first?"

"Of course."

"Please follow me to Roanoke."

"Understood."

So Raleigh and I returned to the settlement on Roanoke.

I immediately turned on the computer, captured screenshots from the 19th-century city-building game 'Anno 1800,' printed them, and brought them.

"I'm ignorant about navigation, so I'm not sure if this would be suitable."

"Hahaha! It's fine. I have experience in ship design several times, so I'll look at it and judge... properly..."

"..."

"...Has such a ship ever existed in the world? This picture, where did you get it from...!"

I just brought it thinking that a 19th-century ship would be better than what they have now.

I read the printed materials and told him.

"The ship's name is cli... pper? It's called a clipper."

"The sail arrangement is... extraordinary. How fast is this ship?"

"I wouldn't know. I've only heard about it."

"My goodness, Lord."

Thinking he had received ship blueprints from God, the eyes of Walter Raleigh, the passionate explorer and the Queen's sex toy, suddenly blazed.

"If this ship is built, its speed will be formidable! I guarantee it! Clipper! Even the name sounds swift and good!"

As an experienced sailor, he seemed to have intuitively understood something. I still don't really get it.

"Well then, we'll need shipwrights and designers, so we should move immediately. Actually, it's about time for me to return to London anyway."

"You're going back? To London?"

"Yes! I'll probably arrive in London in about 2 to 3 months! Since many of the settlers want to bring their families, it will take a few months to gather people..."

"...So it will take about a year until you return."

"Pardon? Well, I suppose so?"

"Hmm... then you should be careful."

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"Of course being careful is natural! No matter how familiar I am with navigation, I'm always careful!"

"No. Not about navigation, but about London. There will be the plague."

"...What?"

"Since it's early May now, when you arrive in London, it will be around August, just when the plague starts to spread. Take care of yourself."

"..."

"Oh, and I have some things to give you. Take these vitamin supplements. If you give one to the sailors every few days, it should prevent scurvy."

"...Scurvy? With just that pill?"

"Yes."

I showed him the vitamins I took out from my pocket, then took off my wristwatch and handed it to him.

"This is a watch fixed to Roanoke Island time. Check the time with this on the ship to determine longitude. With a map as well, you should have no problem figuring out your position."

"..."

"And... um... ah, I'll prepare an outfit for you. It's the protective clothing I wear when spraying pesticides, but wearing just that should reduce the chance of contracting the plague even if you come into contact with patients. I'll also prepare masks, so put them on your sailors when you arrive."

"..."

"And I'll give you medicine when you leave."

"...Medicine."

"Yes. I'm not sure if it will work, but if administered with an injection at the right time, it should be able to treat the plague."

"...You're saying you can treat the plague? What do you mean by 'inject'?"

"Hmm... take Margaret Lawrence with you later. Ms. Lawrence will explain. And don't forget to add bleach to water to prevent it from spoiling."

"...Blub, blubber?"

"Lord Raleigh?"

"..."

After hastily conveying various things, Raleigh's expression seemed dazed.

It was as if a storm had swept over him.