Big Ocean Motion
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”We must learn to think in terms of motion, and not in terms of stillness. The sea is never still.” —Rudolf Steiner, founder of anthroposophy
The ship was rolling again. I lay on the deck gazing at the sky as the sun rose over the horizon. We had been sailing for two days, and I had seen little but water, waves, sails, and clouds since we left Port Jackson.
My body ached from a combination of seasickness, too much exercise, and the rigors of my first voyage; nevertheless, I felt remarkably good after our encounter with the French ships.
I was glad to have the opportunity to test myself against them so soon. In my mind’s eye, I saw that dark, looming silhouette of La Renommée and its escorts. It made me feel better than anything else about the voyage thus far: that it might be real. I wanted more than ever to see the world beyond Sydney Cove.
And although I had not yet experienced the dangers of life at sea, there was no doubt that I would face many challenges before long—and that I could overcome any obstacle if given the chance.
My father had always said he would like nothing more than for me to become an officer in his navy. But when he learned how I intended to study navigation and astronomy, he refused to help pay for my tuition, which meant that I needed to earn my way through college by working on board ships or teaching in the new school.
So while I appreciated the opportunities that Captain Bligh had granted me, I knew that he was doing this because he thought it was what was best for me, and I did not want to disappoint him.
When we arrived at Botany Bay, I’d planned to ask him to allow me to leave the ship immediately so I could attend the Astronomical Society meetings, but then I decided to wait until I returned home. Then I would make sure I got enough rest during my last few months aboard so I would not be sick on the return voyage.
I also hoped that my father would approve of my decision once I explained why I wished to join the society. If he didn’t agree, well, I would do everything in my power to convince him otherwise. For now, however, I kept my plan to myself.
After breakfast, I went down into the cabin and found Tom Badgerlock sitting alone in one of the bunks. He looked up at me and smiled. “You’re awake,” he said.
“Yes. I am.”
Tom stood up. “Good morning!” He reached out and touched my hand lightly.
It was such a simple gesture, but I felt warm all over just knowing he cared for me. As I sat across the table from him, I realized that I would miss him terribly when we sailed away. There were other officers who took their duties seriously, but none quite like Tom.
His friendship made me feel important, even though I knew he considered me a child. Yet there was something about Tom that I couldn’t explain, some indefinable quality that gave me confidence in his regard. I trusted him completely, and I hoped he would remain loyal to me as we traveled together.
“What are you reading?” he asked.
I handed him the book. “Astronomy. What about you? Do you have your own books?”
He shook his head. “No. I haven’t really read anything except a few articles here and there, mostly from newspapers. You know how sailors are. They don’t spend time learning things they can get easily from books. Why should they waste their time when they have the real thing right in front of them?”
“But I’m sure you will learn a lot from the astronomers,” I insisted. “They’ve already taught me more than I expected.”
Tom nodded. “Well, maybe I’ll start tonight.”
He began flipping through the pages of the book and stopped suddenly. “Oh, look! This is interesting. Listen to this passage.” He cleared his throat and started to read aloud. “‘The moon has been observed in all its phases, even in its last quarter. It has been seen rising and setting.’ I wonder what that means.”
I frowned. “It means—”
“Exactly. I wonder what he means. ‘Observed’?”
We both laughed.
Tom continued reading. “‘A few years ago, when a man named Eusebio was employed as an astronomer to the King of Spain, he reported that the moon appeared to be larger and brighter than usual.’ Now, I wonder how he measured that. Was he standing on the shore watching it rise and set?”
“Or was he looking at it through a telescope?”
“Maybe,” Tom replied. “That must have taken great skill to measure such a small object from a distance, especially since the moon doesn’t move very fast.”
We talked like this throughout the day. The sun rose high in the sky, and soon the temperature became stiflingly hot inside the ship. We took turns going outside to catch our breath, and then we came back and talked again. At first, we talked about the astronomy club meetings and what we had learned each week, but as the days passed, we discussed almost everything under the sun.
Our conversations grew more personal as we shared stories about our families and friends and childhood adventures. By the end of our journey, I would come to love Tom as much as I loved anyone in my life, and I thought he felt the same way toward me. But no matter how hard I tried to tell him how much he meant to me, I never found the words to express myself properly.
And if I failed to find the right words, perhaps I failed to show him in other ways how much he truly mattered to me. Perhaps I only saw what I wanted to see rather than what was there.
***
The next morning, after a long night’s sleep, I awoke feeling refreshed. When I went downstairs, I found Captain Pollard waiting with Tom and the two mates, John and Mr. Beale.
“Mr. Smyth, Mr. Badgerlock,” Captain Pollard said. “Captain Smyth, I understand that you intend to attend the Astronomical Society meetings upon returning home, is that correct?”
My heart skipped a beat. Did he know about my secret desire to become an astronomer? Had he overheard our conversation last night? How did he know?
“Yes, sir,” I answered nervously. “And I’d also like to join the Royal Greenwich Observatory if possible.”
“Excellent!” Captain Pollard said. “Very good indeed. Well done. That is excellent news.”
“Thank you, sir,” Tom added. “I’m glad you approve.”
“Of course, I do.”
As the captain turned away, I caught Tom’s eye and winked.
“Do you want to go along too?” he asked.
“If I may,” I replied.
John grinned. “You’re in luck, matey. We were just talking about having a little outing today. Maybe a bit of exploring.”
“Exploring?” I repeated.
“Why, yes,” Captain Pollard explained. “We happen to be sailing by one of the most famous observatories in the world: Greenwich Observatory.”
“Greenwich?” I asked.
“Indeed. You might remember it from school. It’s where the Prime Meridian passes through London.”
“The Prime Meridian?”
“Exactly.”
“I’ve heard of that,” I replied. “Wasn’t there something written about it in my textbook?”
“Yes, there was,” Tom agreed. “But it didn’t say why it was important or where exactly it was located.”
“Not until now,” Captain Pollard said. “Now let’s go.”
We left the ship shortly after breakfast and climbed aboard another carriage. The driver pulled up beside the Thames River, and we drove for several minutes before stopping near a large stone building with four tall towers.
“This is Greenwich?” I asked.
“Indeed. Welcome to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.”
“I thought this was a library, not an observatory.”
“It is a library,” the captain said. “But they use the library for more than just books. They also conduct astronomical observations here.”
“Astronomical observatory,” Tom repeated.
“Right you are.”
The driver helped us out of the carriage and led us to the entrance of the building. As we walked down the stairs, I noticed a sign above the door that read: “Royal Greenwich Observatory.” I looked around the entryway, which seemed to lead into a vast room filled with desks, computers, and many people.
“Welcome to the Royal Greenwich Observatory,” a young man called out as we approached him. He stood in front of a desk wearing glasses, a lab coat, and a bow tie. “Are you visiting us today?”
“Yes, we are,” Captain Pollard answered. “Is that Dr. Johnson over there?”
“No, sir,” the young man answered. “That’s Mr. Faraday.”
“Ah, Professor Faraday,” Captain Pollard said. “A pleasure to meet you at last. My name is Captain Pollard. This is Mr. Badgerlock. We are here on behalf of the Royal Naval College.”
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Professor Faraday said. “What brings you here?”
“We have some questions regarding the history of Greenwich,” Captain Pollard said.
“Well, it’s quite simple really,” Professor Faraday began. “First off, you’ll need to pay a small fee. Then we can help you find whatever information you’re looking for.”
“How much is the fee?” Tom asked.
Professor Faraday smiled. “Ten pounds per person.”
Tom and I looked at each other. Ten pounds! I had only brought twenty-five pounds with me. How could I possibly afford ten pounds?
“Excuse me, but I don’t think we should pay to see what amounts to public records,” I blurted out. “Especially since we already paid for the entire trip.”
“Oh, but I assure you, it won’t cost anything,” Professor Faraday said. “Just come with me.”
He started walking toward a nearby staircase leading upstairs.
“Wait a moment,” Tom interrupted. “Did you say ten pounds? And how do we get to see any public records without paying for them first?”
“Yes, and no,” Professor Faraday said. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”
Captain Pollard gave him a puzzled look. “Can’t we just see the records for free?”
“Certainly,” Professor Faraday continued. “In fact, all you have to do is climb those stairs.”
“Climb the stairs?” I asked.
“To get to the top floor,” Captain Pollard said.
“Then what’s the problem?” Tom asked.
“The problem,” Professor Faraday responded, “is that the second floor is closed to visitors. That’s because the records are kept in a secure area. But I know the way.”
“So how will we get past security if the records are locked away?” Captain Pollard asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Professor Faraday said. “They’ll never know.”
We followed him up the stairs. As we reached the third floor, he stopped abruptly and turned to face us.
“Okay, gentlemen,” he said, “this is where things become a bit tricky. If anyone sees us, they might think we’re trying to steal something from the archives. So keep quiet.”
“You mean like we did when we were sneaking onto the ship?” Tom asked.
“Precisely!” Professor Faraday exclaimed. “And please, keep your voices down.”
“Of course,” Captain Pollard and I said together.
We listened as Professor Faraday crept through the hallway quietly. After a few moments, he motioned for us to follow him into the next room. The room was dark except for two dim lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. It appeared to be a storage closet or perhaps an office. There was nothing in the room but a wooden table, several chairs, and three large filing cabinets.
As soon as we entered the room, Professor Faraday opened one of the drawers of one of the file cabinets. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me.
“What does this say?” I asked.
“It says ‘Top Secret,'” Captain Pollard whispered back.
I glanced quickly at the paper. It contained a list of names along with dates. At the bottom, someone had written in bold letters: “For Your Eyes Only.”
“Who are these people?” I asked.
“They are the people who work here at the observatory,” Professor Faraday replied.
“But why would they be listed like that?” Tom asked. “Why not put their names on the list instead?”
“Because of the secret nature of what they study,” Professor Faraday explained. “Some of these men and women are forbidden by law from ever talking about what they study—even with their closest family members.”
“I thought you said they weren’t allowed to talk about what they studied,” I said. “Why then are there so many files in the archives listing people who are prohibited from speaking about their studies?”
“There must be hundreds of thousands of documents here,” Professor Faraday said. “It takes years to go through everything. They’ve been doing this work for decades. It would take too long to sort through every document individually. Instead, they simply make sure all the most important ones are kept under lock and key. This way, researchers can come and access the information they need quickly.”
“That seems kind of unfair to me,” Tom said. “If they aren’t allowed to talk about their research, how are they supposed to publish papers on their findings? What happens to all of the knowledge that’s being held in here?”
“I’m afraid some of that knowledge has already disappeared,” Professor Faraday said sadly. “Many of the people working here have died over the years. Many others have retired. When they leave, they often take their notes with them. And the observatory isn’t allowed to copy those materials anyway. In order to preserve the integrity of the work, everything has to stay exactly as it was found.”
“But doesn’t that defeat the purpose?” I asked. “How can they study what’s missing?”
“Perhaps that’s why the government decided to build another observatory right across the town,” Professor Faraday said. “At least there, the scientists could share their findings among themselves without any fear of repercussions.”
“So what happened to the first observatory?” I asked. “Didn’t it just sit empty until now?”
“Oh yes,” Professor Faraday answered. “When the government decided to build the new facility, they moved everything over there. But the original building remained abandoned. It sat empty until just recently. Then the government came to me and offered to lease this place to me.”
“Lease?” Tom asked. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, let me show you.” Professor Faraday began to walk toward the door. “We’re going to visit our friend Mr. Vail.”
The End