Hope

Hope

Indian Ocean is the third largest in the area and depth of the Earth's ocean, which is about 20% of its water surface.  It ishes Asia, Africa and Australia and it borders Antarctica in the south. During the great discoveries in the 1500s, the Indian Ocean was given the status of one of the most important transport routes. First of all, this was due to the desire of Europeans to gain access to India, where jewelry, rice, cotton, chic fabrics and many other things were actively purchased. It is the Indian Ocean that connects the largest number of the most important ports in the world.

So, the ship "Hope" sailed from India to Dublin. A strong squall, accompanied by rain and fog, carried us far to the east. We fell into a drift and soon lost sight of the shore. Four days the storm whipped us. The sails were constantly torn, the deck began to leak and the sailors, who lived in constant damp, complained of colds, coughs and headaches.

The ship was crossing the Indian Ocean. Suddenly a storm began. It lasted several days when at last the wind died down. The captain and his people did not know where they were. There was  food on the ship but the people needed fresh water. Suddenly they saw a shore. Somebody cried, "Land!". It was an unknown country. The sailors took a boat and heated for the shore. There was no river where they landed, so the people began to look for fresh water and went into the depth of the forest.

We felt lonely and helpless in this wild forest country, located on the edge of the world. It seemed that the natives extincted. The shores of the Strait of Cook, still so recently littered with populous villages, were now empty and morose. Some strange rustling and voices came from the forest, as if unknown enemies were watching us from the thicket and waited only for the opportunity to attack and kill. And we tried as little as possible to move ashore.

But time was going, nothing has happened, and our fears dissipated. We got used to the sullen wildness of the coastal rocks, and when there were voices in the forest, we said that the birds were screaming.

Finally the ship was put in order, and we began to get ready to return. I wanted to collect fruits and vegetables to eat them in our long way back to home.