"This kind of sugarcane is really sweeter than Brazilian sugarcane, and it is not a little sweeter." Liu Fubo said vaguely, chewing sugarcane bagasse in his mouth.

Zhang Jinhua took a peeled sugarcane from him and put it in his mouth to chew it. Indeed, it was much sweeter than the Malta sugarcane introduced by Brazil, but the sweetness was not as good as the varieties that had been improved many times in later generations. If this sugarcane was introduced to New Huaxia Island, it should have a great future. Whether it is climate, precipitation or light, it is very suitable for the growth of this extremely economically valuable tropical crop. Later French navigator Bougainville accidentally discovered this high-yield and high-sugar sugarcane variety on Tahiti Island, and then introduced it to Mauritius, and finally spread to the Caribbean, which was popular in the entire tropical region. It can be said that almost all the sugarcane varieties remaining in later generations have the blood of Tahitian sugarcane, which shows its value.

"When we return, we will also find some to take it away, and then introduce it to New China Island. This will surely make our sugar production industry reach a new peak again. Brazilian sugarcane, haha, we will be beaten to pieces in the future." Zhang Jinhua said with a proud smile: "Let's be me, take it back. You can look carefully on the island to see if there are other good things. I remember there is a kind of vanilla here. Forget it, don't be too greedy, you can do your best. Anyway, we have found high-yield and high-sugar sugarcane, and our mission has been successfully completed. What we can harvest next depends on luck, and we cannot force it."

Everyone nodded, and then Liu Fubo spit the sugarcane bagasse in his mouth on the ground, pointed at the native Tahitians and said, "Captain, what should they do? We met them in the wild. Everyone was very restrained and exchanged gifts with each other. Their attitude seemed quite friendly. He loved the glass bottles, magnifying glasses and other gadgets we handed over. Unfortunately, they were all poor people, so they could exchange some coconuts, sugarcane and other things with us."

"Um..." Zhang Jinhua pondered for a moment when he heard this. Everyone was waiting for him to make a decision. The fate of the natives on Tahiti Island was completely decided by him at this moment. Sergeant Brown had even quietly opened the cowhide holster at his waist. He also held the handle of the flintlock pistol in his hand, and a strange atmosphere filled the air around him.

"Let's date them friendly first." Zhang Jinhua said slowly as if he didn't notice the strangeness of the people around him: "We can't wait here for too long. We will leave and return to Australia at the latest in July, and then continue to explore the route to Chile. After the 'Exploration' leaves, I will leave a group of people on this island. It is necessary to maintain a good relationship with the local people at this time."

When everyone heard Zhang Jinhua say this, they nodded and said they wanted to raise some livestock (2 cows, 2 pigs, and 6 goats, currently placed on the shore) here. At the same time, there are some corn, rice, and seeds of vegetables on the boat, which can also be planted on the plains by the sea. If everyone arrives here again in the future, there will be fresh food and vegetables to replenish.

Zhang Jinhua saw everyone talking nonstop, but looked at the local people in "strange costumes" on the side. The local people seemed to feel that he was the person here, so they immediately opened their mouths and smiled at him. Zhang Jinhua looked at them with a smile. After everyone around them finished speaking, he said, "Let's do this, you can communicate more with these local people in the next few days and contact each other. There must be many local people on this island, and most of them are based on villages as natural units and there is no unified regime. Then we will collect more information from the local people we are in contact with now, and at the same time maintain a good relationship. When we arrive next time, there may be more than one boat. After several boats transport thousands of immigrants and gain a foothold, the numerical advantage of these local people will be nothing. How should we control them at that time? It's not a matter of one sentence? Just do it!"

Everyone responded with a loud blow. Then soon a special person started to guess and make a guess with the natives. Zhang Jinhua was not interested in communicating with these natives, but walked aside to observe the direction of the wind. At this time, the power of the southeast trade wind was getting stronger and stronger. The flags on the masts of the ship were whirling, and it seemed that returning to Australia from Tahiti would be very smooth. The wind and water were smooth, and there was nothing more comfortable than this. Of course, it might be heading south from the east coast of Australia, but it didn't matter. At this time, it was downstream, and steam power assisted navigation, so there was no problem maintaining a speed of about five knots.

The following days passed in such a monotonous and boring situation. Zhang Jinhua even went fishing in the near-shore lagoon for this. However, his boredom does not mean that the people under him are also bored. With the help of some natives, these people crossed mountains and hills to find various plants unique to the island. Of course, some sailors who were so tired of paying for some gadgets on their hands had some relationships that everyone understood with the indigenous women who were exposed in their clothes.

When we arrived at the end of June, a group of sailors who were rowing boats to explore elsewhere on the island came back with a shout. They brought back a few natives, and then the leader excitedly handed over a dozen black beads to Zhang Jinhua's hands.

"This is..." Zhang Jinhua carefully looked at the round and smooth object in his hand and emitted light, and then hesitated after a while: "Is this a black pearl?"

"Yes, captain, this is the black pearl." An expedition member said excitedly. "We are rich. These natives have stocked up a lot of black pearls in their hands. We can exchange them with our 'white pearls' (i.e., glass balls). Haha, this is really a great business."

"Is this the origin of the black pearl?" Zhang Jinhua couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"Yes, captain, these natives have obtained the shells of some shellfish mollusks offshore. The species is everywhere in the offshore lagoon. Although the chance of producing single beads is not high, it is because of the huge base. After so many years of accumulation, it is not surprising that some natives on the island have a large number of black pearls in their hands." The expedition team continued to explain excitedly, "It seems that the environment nearby must be very suitable for the breeding of shellfish animals that can produce black pearls. Captain, this may be an amazing treasure. We can even adopt the artificial breeding method proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture to artificially perform nuclear transplantation on these shellfish animals to stimulate their production of black pearls."

In fact, this expedition member was right. Tahiti is the main production area of ​​black pearls in later generations, accounting for more than 95% of the global output. The sea water temperature here (24-29c) is very suitable for the growth and reproduction of black-lipped mother bells. Later Tahiti people obtained a large number of pearls through artificial breeding - placing seedlings on the seabed to capture seedlings -. These pearls are available in various shapes such as round, semicircular, oval, button-shaped and even ring-shaped. The diameter is generally between 8-16 mm, and the color is not all black. There are also various colors such as peacock green, purple, brown, light gray.

In the 19th century, this pearl was fished in large quantities by Chileans and Americans, and then exported to East Asia and Europe, making quite amazing huge profits. In Europe, this was originally used as a button on clothes, while in China, it was used as part of jewelry and was called the Nanyang black pearl, which was very expensive.

Expensive things will naturally attract the extreme covetment of outsiders. Therefore, by the 1960s, the black pearl resources in the entire French Polynesian archipelago had almost completely exhausted. As a last resort, the locals began to cultivate pearls through artificial breeding, that is, by implanting the bead nucleus in the body of the black-lip mother-of-law, it stimulates the secretion of the pearly layer of the shell coat membrane to form pearls.

Of course, people from the East Coast can do this, and there is no unsolvable technical obstacle. As long as you explore more and experiment more, you will always find a set of methods for artificially cultivating black pearls.

"Let's find a way to trade all the black pearls in the hands of the natives, and everyone also makes some extra money as compensation for this trip to the sea." Zhang Jinhua looked at everyone and said happily, "We will completely occupy this island in the future! We will grow sugarcane, lemons, pineapples, bananas, and vanilla here. We will also breed black pearls here. This island will definitely become the richest place in the entire East Coast Republic of China in the future, and there is no doubt about this!"

On July 10, 1648, seeing that it had been delayed for a month on Tahiti and almost all the things they should have found, Zhang Jinhua ordered everyone to board the ship and return to Australia to rest. After they arrived in Australia, they would notify Jinshan Port to start sending a group of people and equipment to the island as soon as possible. The island has great value, both economic and strategic value (in the southeast trade wind belt and a key link in the South Pacific circulation route) and it was very huge. It was a pity to give up. In later generations, for the ownership of this island, several great powers fought for it, and finally the French mastered this crucial South Pacific island.

It was precisely for this consideration that Zhang Jinhua did not withdraw everyone. He left 16 expedition members and 16 strong sailors on the island, and at the same time left them weapons, supplies, livestock and all seeds, so that they could wait in the existing camp for several months. At that time, ships coming from Australia would send people to replace them.

After all this was arranged, the "Exploration" expedition ship brought a large amount of preserved sugarcane and came to the lemon plant, slowly left the lagoon, then sailed into the ocean, and sailed towards Australia. (To be continued)
Chapter completed!