plant of the trawler.
– Means, it is not absolutely a broadcast? – with some disappointment Azores asked.
– And even at all not a broadcast – answered, grinning, Ginzburg.
– Why?
– Because water strongly absorbs radio beams. The radio wave bearing the image dies away, without having reached the surface of the sea. We assume to lower our TV on depth of two hundred-three hundred meters, at most four hundred. At such distance it is easy to manage also wires. It is more reliable and simpler.
At last all preparations were finished. The heavy sphere was carefully fastened to the crane of the steam winch and began to be lowered in water.
– Now it is better to observe not here, and on the TV screen – Ginzburg told the Spaniard.
Azores hurried to the captain’s cabin.
Ginzburg placed the screen in a deep box which so protected it from light that it was possible to watch the screen, without turning off the electric light. Thanks to it the captain could watch both a compass, and the card, and the TV screen.
– However where screen? – Azores was surprised.
It was comprehended by new disappointment when the captain showed it a box, a little more match.
– There’s nothing to be done – the captain told – Ginzburg produced the device by a handicraft method. It is the trial TV. If it equals hopes, then our central radio laboratory will manufacture fine devices. If only… we saw something.
Azores looked in a box, but saw nothing.
– Means, there is no fish – the captain consoled him.
– And it is possible, your underwater eye does not see fish? – Azores asked.
– Perhaps – the captain answered. – But Ginzburg assures that he already saw something on this primitive screen.
Painful, long minutes passed. Azores kept the eyes glued from the screen. Suddenly he exclaimed:
– Look! The screen comes to life!
Makovsky looked and saw the inexpressive, blurring spots on a reddish-yellow background of the screen. They moved diversely and dropped out of sight, again appeared. One of them were allocated on the screen dark, others with lighter frame.
– This is fish – Makovsky quietly told.
Azores stared hard at a magic box.
– Well? – the entered Ginzburg asked.
– Look itself – the captain answered.
That only looked and cheerfully told:
– Is.
– But why it is so vague? – Azores asked.
– Because fish it is far from the TV. We, obviously, about contour borders.
Azores already heard the term “jamb okonturivaniye”. When Ginzburg turned away to give the order by phone to the assistants, Azores looked at the screen again and screamed, joyfully surprised. He saw expressive outlines of the fish who flashed sideways and disappeared in the left corner of the screen. After the first the second appeared, then the third image of fish, more and more…
– To lower a trawl!
From the deck the excited voices, noise, a winch roar were distributed. Sailors developed the huge trawl hanging on a mast and lowered it in water. It lasted several minutes. Trawling fishing by means of the TV began.
In forty five minutes the trawl was lifted. He was full of fish and nearly broke from weight. Azores and Ginzburg ran away down, on the deck. Seamen shouted “hurrah” to the inventor.
– To swing, swing! – they shouted. Then seized Motya and threw.
– Devils! Already swings. Still overboard drop! – the happy inventor shouted.
The captain stopped this game, but did not make the prevention for misconduct. He understood mood of crew and itself was glad not less sailors.
MESSENGER OF ACCIDENT
Fishing went perfectly. The underwater eye faultlessly performed the work. Sometimes the screen suddenly grew stiff, a game of spots stopped – means, the trawler left a jamb. New searches were started, then the screen over again came to life. The skilled captain quickly defined “contour” of a jamb and now could conduct fishing until holds are filled to the full.
Trawlers left on trade for long time and wandered by the sea for months. Now the “able to see” trawler could perform a task for several days. What economy!
People, having forgotten about fatigue, about a sharp north, caught fish, filling holds. Fish was undressed and salted here, on the trawler – it was the real floating plant.
On the way back, as hurried, Ginzburg asked the captain to reduce the course to lower once again the TV in shallow water and to look at a bottom. The captain agreed, and the TV was lowered. Ginzburg watching the screen screamed and turned pale.
– What is? – the captain with alarm asked.
– We, apparently, found one of our dead of trawlers – Motya said.
– Backing!
The captain looked at the screen. Yes, there the stern of the trawler lying upside down accurately was seen.
Iron acquired small seaweed as if a moss. Everywhere five-pointed starfishes, crabs were seen, the fishes attracted with searchlight fire flashed… The inscription “Peak…” flashed.
– It is “Haddock” – the captain told. – The diesel trawler, it died together with “Perch” during a storm under December thirtieth, 1931. And so where “Haddock” died! And the last signals were accepted almost from Medvedki’s width.
– Could carry “haddock” on the South already overturned – Ginzburg stated a guess.
– A sad find – the captain sighed. He nearly died during that awful storm. – But for you, Ginzburg, of course, and suitable… Well, well, do not wave a hand. We understand each other. We found the trawler, and it lies superficially. Epronovtsa will lift him. At the bottom of the Barents Sea many trawlers – and ours, both German, and Norwegian, and English are buried. By means of your eye we will find and we will lift them.
News of the found “Haddock” scattered on the trawler. Seamen remembered the died companions, storm, storms. But unless all life not fight?
Cleared up. However, by the sea huge waves still went, but wind calmed down, clouds disappeared, in the sky the moon shone. Silvery reflections of moonlight danced on waves.
Azores approached a board and, rocking in a step to the steamship, stared in one point.
– What you look narrowly at? –
