The Cape Verde Islands is an archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean, consisting of 15 volcanic islands across the middle of the Atlantic, including Sant Antang, San Nicola and Sal, 354 miles (about 570 kilometers) from the coastline of West Africa. Before the arrival of the Portuguese in 1456, the Cape Verde Islands were uninhabited.

Later, the Cape Verde Islands became part of Portugal, and "Cape Verde" means "green corner" in Portuguese. Because the archipelago is located off the coast of Africa, it is a key point in the transportation between Europe and South America and South Africa. This made it an important port and an important center for the slave trade.

According to the route laid out by the navigator Cassiano Avigliana, if you want to sail from the Canary Islands to the Guinean coast in West Africa, you must pass through the Portuguese-controlled colony of Cape Verde. As the second largest island of the Cape Verde archipelago, Sant Antão Island in the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean and at the northwest tip of the Windward Islands was the closest slave trading center to the Canary Islands.

Under the command of Isabel, the small Galen armed merchant ship "Nemesis" followed Captain Hawkins with three armed merchant ships quietly left the port of Galachico in the Spanish-controlled Canary Islands, carrying expensive goods looted from the plantation owner's plantation to the Cape Verde Islands, the next destination.

Previously, Captain Hawkins, in order to stall for time, had told the navigator that the fleet would set sail again after dinner. However, when Isabel and her attendants returned to their merchant ship with a large amount of belongings, they immediately told Captain Hawkins in flag, "The fleet needs to set sail immediately." "Captain Hawkins, after receiving the flag from Isabel, could not wait to lead the fleet out of the port of Galachico.

After a voyage of about 100 nautical miles (about 185.2 kilometers) from port, the fleet anchored in the sea between the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands by means of flag communication. When the Nemesis docked with Captain Hawkins' merchant ship, several sailors put a long plank on the side of both ships.

Isabel stepped on the plank and turned around, glancing happily at the crew on the open deck, "Alright, sailors, it's dinner time. Remember, you have to eat some vegetables and fruits. ”

Boatswain Brady Hawkins stretched out his right arm into the air and looked at his female captain with a grin, "Captain, since we left Plymouth, you haven't told us why you eat these plants that grow in the fields. Now, can you tell us? ”

Isabel held the hilt of her saber in her left hand, and glanced at everyone with her right hand crossed her waist, "Boatswain, do you know why people lose their teeth and their hair becomes like hay after a long time at sea?" ”

The 11-year-old boatswain only knew that this phenomenon was happening, and it was impossible to know why. Glaring at the two eyes, he shook his head, "Captain, is this the devil attacking us?" ”

"Boatswain, it's because there's something missing in our bodies. After that, the devil in the ocean will find us and enter our body and let us die slowly. ”

"It's... It's weird. Captain, is it true that if we eat these vegetables and fruits, the devil will not come to attack our bodies? ”

"Boatswain, you're right."

At the end of the last century, when the Portuguese aristocratic navigator and explorer Vasco da Gama opened a new route between Europe and Asia, 100 of his crew died of septicaemia on the way back from India. And Fernando Magellan, who came from a family of broken knights in Portugal, also died of septicemia while sailing around the world, reaching more than 70 people.

This is a profound lesson that Isabel learned from the Naval Academy's maritime medical course. This painful lesson taught her that when sailing at sea, meat can be eaten less, but green vegetables and fruits are the two foods that must be guaranteed. Vegetables can replenish the vitamin C needed by the body in a timely manner, while fruits contain glucose that can be supplied directly to the brain.

In addition, she also learned from the instructor of the maritime medical officer that there was a famous sea voyage in the Ming Empire in the East in the 15th century. The commander-in-chief of the court, who was called "He", who led the voyage, ordered all his crew to load large quantities of vegetables on board and grow them on board for consumption. It's a good example of sailing, and now she's going to experiment with it on the Nemesis.

After glancing at the crew, he looked at her young boatswain, "Boatswain, where's the cook?" ”

Brady thought for a moment, then replied, "Captain, he's probably preparing dinner on the lower deck. ”

"Well, go get him."

"Yes, Captain."

Soon, Boatswain Brady led the fat cook from the lower deck to the open deck. The fat cook came up to Isabelle, who was standing on the pedals, and nodded respectfully, "Good day, captain." ”

"Captain, Captain Hawkins told you to come over immediately." At this moment, Isabel heard a roar behind her, turned to look at the man who spoke loudly to her, nodded, and then looked at the cook on her ship, "Cook, tell me, how the vegetables and fruits that are supplied to the ship after leaving the ports of Plymouth and Galachico are placed?" ”

The cook blinked, raised his head slightly and looked at her, "Captain, as you commanded, all the vegetables are to be taken out of the basket as soon as they are on board, and placed with the roots facing down and the leaves facing upwards as they grow in the ground. Then, cover the vegetables and fruits with a clean linen cloth to keep them moist and keep them as they grow. ”

Isabel nodded in satisfaction, "How do you get the vegetables every time?" ”

The cook immediately replied, "I still follow your instructions, start with the outermost leaves, and finally eat the choy sum." ”

"How have the crew eaten lunch and dinner since leaving Plymouth? Does everyone eat vegetables and fruits? Isabel stared at the cook's expression with her hands behind her back.

"Well, Captain, every day every crew member eats some fruit, just... It's just—" The cook spoke, and from time to time he looked at the Navigator and the Boatswain.

"Don't be afraid, speak up."

"Captain, some people think that vegetables are what grows in the field, and that only the poorest people eat."

By this time, Isabel had understood the names of those whom the cook did not dare to say. Observing his expression, he followed his eyes to the Navigator and the Boatswain. After thinking about it, he came up with a solution, and then turned his gaze to the navigator, "John Hawkins, from now on, if you don't eat vegetables every day, you will be deducted 6p a day, do you understand?" ”