Allan Quatermain

Okay, so I am going to describe the character and his actions:
Shall I start with the description he does of himself at the Book? Okay, he says he is 55 years old now; he was born in England, as a gentleman, and has worked since he was so young. He likes money, but he is not a rich man; he has earned his living as a trader, hunter and miner in the Old Colony. He also says he is a timid man, a man who dislikes violence, but who also has killed many men in his life; weird thing, dont you think? Oh, I forgot, he says he has killed only in self defense. He also says that he is sick of adventure, but Indiana Jones would envy Allan Quatermain´s way of living.
He is not a literary man, but he is writing this book for his son, Harry, a former doctor at the London Hospital.
He possess an ancient map of the King Solomon´s legendary diamonds Mines; during a journey by ship, up from the east coast of Africa, he meets Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good, and agrees to join their search for Curti´s younger brother, missing, believed dead, in the interior of Africa. He has shown us, the readers, his proficiency on planning and leading this journey, so far.

About slavery...

Slavery Today 

This year the United Nations is commemorating the abolition of the slave trade. But as this new series Slavery Today uncovers, slavery continues in different forms in almost every country in the world.

Public perception of modern slavery is often confused with reports of workers in low-wage jobs or inhumane working conditions. However, modern-day slaves differ from these workers because they are forced to work under the threat of extreme violence.

Slavery Today explores some of the places where slavery is still common and takes a look at the fastest growing problem in modern slavery: trafficking people into the West.

"They seize numbers of our free or freed black subjects, and even nobles, sons of nobles, even the members of our own family."
Excerpt from letter from Affonso, King of Congo, to King of Portugal João III, 18 October 1526.

Within the space of four hundred years millions of people were forcibly taken from Africa as slaves. The majority of them went to the Americas, although many were taken to the Middle East and North Africa.

Slavery had been practised all over the world for thousands of years, but never before had so many people from one continent been transported to another against their will.

It is hard to be precise, but around 15 million Africans in total were forcibly taken from the continent into slavery. Large scale slave trading in Africa ceased towards the end of the 19th century, but its legacy of suffering continues today.

The Roots of Slavery The term slave has its origins in the word slav. The slavs, who inhabited a large part of Eastern Europe, were taken as slaves by the Muslims of Spain during the ninth century AD. Slavery can broadly be described as the ownership, buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of forced and unpaid labour. It is an ancient practice, mentioned in both the Bible and the Koran. As for those of your slaves which wish to buy their liberty, free them if you find in them any promise and bestow on them a part of the riches which God has given you. Koran, Chapter 24, Verse 32. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Old Testament, Ephesians 6, Chapter 6, Verse 8. Indeed, the main religious texts of Judaism, Islam and Christianity all recognise slaves as a separate class of people in society. Going back further in time the Mayans and Aztecs kept slaves in the Americas, as did the Sumerians and Babylonians in the Near East. The Egyptians employed huge numbers of slaves, including the Jews, Europeans and Ethiopians. The Greeks and Romans kept slaves as soldiers, servants, labourers and even civil servants. The Romans captured slaves from what is now Britain, France and Germany. Slave armies were kept by the Ottomans and Egyptians. In Imperial Russia in the first half of the 19th century one third of the population were serfs, who like slaves in the Americas, had the status of chattels and could be bought and sold. They were finally freed in 1861 by Emperor Alexander II. Four years later slavery was abolished in the southern states of America following southern defeat in the American Civil War. In Africa there were a number of societies and kingdoms which kept slaves, before there was any regular commercial contact with Europeans, including the Asanti, the Kings of Bonny and Dahomey.

The Journey: The Middle Passage HOW MANY WENT WHERE At the height of the slave trade in the 18th century an estimated six million Africans were forced to make a journey across the Atlantic often totalling over 4,000 miles. Over 54,000 voyages were made in the course of three hundred years between the 16th and 19th centuries. The large proportion of slaves ended up in the Caribbean, approximately 42%. Around 38% went to Brazil, and much fewer, about 5%, went to North America. The journey from Africa to North America was the longest. The journey could take as little as 35 days, just over a month (going from Angola to Brazil). But normally British and French ships took two to three months. INSIDE A SHIP Ships carried anything from 250 to 600 slaves. They were generally very overcrowded. In many ships they were packed like spoons, with no room even to turn, although in some ships a slave could have a space about five feet three inches high and four feet four inches wide. The slaves were kept between the hold and the deck in appalling conditions. Olaudah Equiano gave the first eyewitness account of life on a ship from a slave's point of view. Interior of Slave Ship "I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything. I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me; but soon, to my grief, two of the white men offered me eatables; and on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands and laid me across I think the windlass, and tied my feet, while the other flogged me severely. I had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruelty; and this not only shewn towards us blacks, but also some of the white themselves. One white man in particular I saw, when we were permitted to be on deck, flogged so unmercifully with a large rope near the foremast, that he died in consequence of it." Listen hereHear a BBC dramatisation of Olaudah Equiano's account of his experiences If sea was rough portholes had to be closed. This often left them gasping for breath and prone to disease. "...the excessive heat was not the only thing that rendered their situation intolerable. The deck, that is the floor of their rooms, was so covered with the blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughterhouse." Alexander Falconbridge, a surgeon aboard slave ships and later the governor of a British colony for freed slaves in Sierra Leone. Women and men were kept separately. Men were chained together. In some ships there was a place in the bilges for defecating and urinating over the edge of the ship, in others there were brimming buckets. It was very difficult to get to the right place at the right time manacled to other slaves, especially if a slave had diarrhea. After forty or fifty days at sea, the slave ship would stink of urine, faeces, and vomit. As it came into port people could smell it almost before they could see it. WOMEN Women were allowed more freedom than men, being considered less of a threat, and often went out on deck and helped with the cooking. But they paid a price for this in some ships by being the object of constant sexual harassment and even rape, either at the hands of the crew or the captain. FOOD Food was plentiful although not always of good quality. Daily rations might include yam, biscuits, rice, beans, plantain, and occasionally meat, but the way it was served - one bucket among ten men - induced quarrels and infection. Water was part of daily rations but could be in short supply and unpleasant to drink. The records of one Liverpool slave ship show it carried rather generously a massive 34,000 gallons of water for crew and slaves. TREATMENT Unless slaves proved rebellious the captain and crew were at pains not to ill treat them. This was not out of kindness but for commercial reasons. If a slave died, money was lost. However, some captains were notoriously brutal to slaves and crew alike. A ship's surgeon was employed to oversee eating and exercise. Male slaves might be allowed out twice a week on deck and dancing and drumming was encouraged sometimes with words, sometimes with a whip. "Exercise being deemed necessary for the preservation of their health they are sometimes obliged to dance when the weather will permit their coming on deck. If they go about it reluctantly or do not move with agility, they are flogged; a person standing by them all the time with a cat- o'- nine- tails in his hands for the purpose." Taken from Alexander Falconbridge, An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa. There are accounts of rebellious slaves being tortured by having hands, arms and legs cut off, on order of the captain as a lesson to the rest of the slaves, and of women being attacked and disfigured. CAUSES OF DEATH The chief causes of death on ship were dysentery, followed by small pox. A third cause was sheer misery; sometimes slaves willed themselves to die out of sheer depression and hopelessness. They would refuse to eat, and the crew would resort to force feeding, or they would jump over the edge and drown in the sea. Losses were recorded but most of these documents have disappeared. It's estimated that an average of twenty percent of slaves were lost in transit, and as many as half the slaves have been known to die in one journey. The worst moment for crew and slaves alike was leaving the African coast. "From the moment that the slaves are embarked, one must put the sails up. The reason is that these slaves have so great a love for their country that they despair when they see that they are leaving it for ever; that makes them die of grief, and I have heard merchants…say that they died more often before leaving the port than during the voyage. Some throw themselves into the sea, others hit their heads against the ship, others hold their breath to try and smother themselves, others still try to die of hunger from not eating." Jacques Savary, businessman, writing at the end of the 18th century.

Wormold´s worst nightmare at the Bahia Club.(DIALOGUE)

That night, Mr. Wormold arrived there, trying to find a place where he could finally be alone, a place without any interference from the outside. Surprisingly, he saw Captains Segura and… He couldn´t believe what he was seeing. That woman…  that woman kissing Segura. She was Milly, his Milly!!! His Milly, kissing Segura? He couldn´t believe it! He thought that, maybe, this was a joke;  he surely was joked up.

W: For Christ sake, Milly, what are you doing here? And, why on earth were you kissing Segura?

Segura and Milly hadn´t noticed his presence still. They turned back, with their eyes wide open, full with surprise.

Milly mumbled to Segura: Oh, dear, I think he caught us. I think we won´t be able to keep this under wraps, anymore. He caught us red handed.

Segura: What a funny surprise. Look, Milly, mamita, look who is here.

M: Papito, daddy, what are you doing here? Weren´t you supposed to be at the E.T.A.,  performing your presentation?

W: I am not the one who has to give an explanation here. Milly, listen to me, I asked you a question: what are you doing here with this man? Start answering, or I will have to… don´t you dare lie to me!

M: Oh, come on, daddy, you know that Captain Segura and I are very close friends. Furthermore, we are something else…Gatico, said Milly pointing at Segura, I think we should tell my daddy, here, the truth. We can´t hide anymore.

W: Hide what, Milly? Hide what? Tell me, tell me the whole truth, I have the right to know. And, be straight on me, this time; don´t bend it for me. What have you done?

S: don´t be mad, papito. Shall I call you papito? Or do you prefer that I call you Daddy? Know that we are becoming family?

W: What are you, talking about, you bastard? What is he talking about? Milly, have some pitty on me, why don´t you just tell me what is happening here?

S: Tell, him, mamita rica. You should tell your daddy that you love me; you should tell him that we love each other; and, why not, you should tell him that he is going to be a grandpa.

W: Milly, tell me that he is bullshitting me, tell me that he just wants to deceive me.

M: Daddy, he is telling you the truth. Daddy, we are in love; we love each other, that´s for sure. He wants to marry me, he asked me to.

W: For God´s sake Milly! Do you really believe him? He is a liar. He is a spy, didn´t you know that, Milly? This is the way he is using to spread his web of sin. He is using you to catch me; he is using you to seal a deal. When he gives me, he will get rid of you.

The price of knowing about nuclear technology.

Most of the people don´t really know what is the correct meaning for this issue. Therefore, they don´t care about what is happening around the world; because, when you don´t understand about something, somebody is taking decisions behind you; somebody is ruling and saying what to do when you are not there. This is the price of ignorance.

Nuclear technology is technology that involves the reactions of atomic nuclei.  It has been found applications from smoke detectors to nuclear reactors and from gun sights to nuclear weapons. It was developed in the 20 century from the understanding of radioactivity and the nuclear reactions like fission and fusion.

The civilian uses of nuclear technology are: nuclear power (propulsion, heat and generation of electricity), medical applications (diagnostics and radiation treatment), oil and gas exploration, and food processing and agriculture. These are good uses that could lead into benefits and developments for many countries in the world. Unfortunately, this is not a right for all. This is the right of a minority.

Moreover, the force that derives from nuclear reactions also can be used to generate explosive devices like nuclear weapons. Rich countries really know how to use this power; they are using it to create fear in people and also, to generate the need of being protected by someone, no matter what it takes. They invent small and big wars every time and every where they want, lying to keep us controlled and quiet, but feeling safe.

The truth is, maybe we are no more ignorant about nuclear technology. Despite this, we can´t reach crucial decisions still, neither express our disagreements in liberty. This is the price of knowing that we are being ruled by the governments we trust. This is the path we decided to walk, and others are really walking for us.

Do we know something about Nuclear Technology?

Nuclear Technology. Most of the people don´t really know what is the concrete meaning of this issue. Therefore, they don´t care about what is happening around the world; because, when you don´t understand about something, somebody is taking decissions behind you; somebody is ruling when you are not there. This is the price of ignorance.

Part five, chapters 1 and 2.

This part was confussing. However, I will try to do my best to do the summary.
Wormold and Segura met at the Havana Club. I don´t know why, but they seem to know what each of them are doing. They are playing checkers and, meanwhile, talking about their activities in Havana. Captain Segura is asking Mr. Wormold about his trips to other cities, and Wormold tells him that he was visiting his retailers. All the conversation flows between them trying to convince each other about things that they don´t really do, or, do they?: about the agents that Mr. Wormold has recruited, the kind of tortures in wich Captain Segura is an expert, the people who deserve to be tortured, etc.
When they left the club, Wormold met Beatrice and told her that Segura is one of them, and that he is really helping them; Segura is making a list of the foreign agents in Havana, the "wild ducks", that is what Segura calls them. Wormold also convinced Beatrice that he has another secret agent: the blind beggar who sits on the steps outside the Cathedral. He told Beatrice that the agent is not really blind, that his name is Miguel, and that he watches everything that is going on, specially when Wormold mets Segura, as a precaution.
When they got home, Wormold found an invitation for him to make a speech at the European Trader´s Association; he tells Milly that he doesn´t know what he is going to say on that speech.  When he went to his bedroom, he deciphered the cable form the agency, where they told him to flight to Kingston to have a meeting with Hawthorne.
Wormold traveled to Kingston. Hawthorne told Wormold that he asked  him to come because there was something of trouble with the "constructions", and with the photographs that he should have taken and delivered to the agency. They don´t wan´t only the drawings that he sent, because they are a "bit confusing".
Hawthorne also told Mr.Wormold about a conspiracy to kill him by poissoning, at the European Trader´s Association. Hawthorne encourages Wormold to go to the lunch unless he wants "the others" to start misstrusting.
During the flight back to Havana, Wormold met William Carter, a vacuum cleaner´s salesman, who gave him his card. He works at Nucleaners Ltd. At the Customs in Havana, there was Beatrice, waiting for him. She asked Wormold about the meeting in Kinston, and he said that they seemed pleased with him at the agency. He told Beatrice that Hawthorne wanted him to go to the lunch at the E.T.A. to protect his source.
I haven´t noticed, but, when I wrote down the initials in order to not having to write the hall name of the European...There were this!!! E.T.A., what are they trying to tell us? let´s wait and see in the next chapters...

"Our man in Havana"; the story so far.

Reading the fourth part of the book, was really rough, this week. I can tell that it has been difficult for me from the beginning, also. It can be true, and moreover real, that studying english this term hasn´t been easy for me. I have too much work at school, and less time and energy to do homework. Despite all this, I am trying to do my best, even when it is friday and I couldn´t be able to finish the reading nor updating my blog.
Other thing that has been given me a hard time is the fact that this story is always flowing between fantasy and reallity; it has been hard for me to know when something is false or real.
However, all the things that I just mentioned, were good for me for one reason: "The greater the struggle, the better the result". Sometimes, one needs difficulties, to be capable, to get stronger.
Okay, no more thoughts.
I will try to do a summary of the fouth part, of what I have understand.
Beatrice and Mr. Wormold were out; they went for a walk. When they came back, Milly told them about something that happened out on the street, something like a revolution: someone had tried to assasinate someone, but she really couldn´t know whose were involved. Milly thinks that Dr. Cifuentes is the one who has been killed, and, even though she doesn´t know him, she feels pity for him. It is late at night, and Mr. Wormold sends Milly to sleep, so Beatrice and him can do some work.
Beatrice thinks that this assassination is a warning for them about the roughness of "them", "the others"; she really believes that there are other Wormold´s agents, and that they have to warn Professor Sanchez and Teresa, and also to tell them to hide for a while, until it is safe.
They go to the Shangai, a streaptease show, because Beatrice wants to meet Teresa, the nude dancer. Mr, Wormold has to do an extra effort to convince Beatrice that Teresa is not there; but, there appears one girl called Teresa, by coincidence; therefore, they try to convince her about the danger situation, that her life is under risk. They finnally convince her to go to Cienfuegos with them.
They get to Vedado, a very luxurious place, with white houses owned by millionaire people. There, they are going to find professor Sanchez´s house. They enter the professor house and find him with his mistress; the woman thinks that they are spies; she believes that Maria, the professors wife, has send Beatrice and Mr Wormold to sneak on them. But professor Sanchez thinks that they only came to make trouble, so he calls the police. Thus here arises captain Segura responding the call from professor Sanchez "about a man who had broken into his house with vague threats"; they think that this is an intruder who has come to steel the valuable pictures that professor Sanchez owns.
After the investigation, captain Segura realizes that everything is in order and warns Mr. Wormold about professor Sanchez´s wife, and tells him not to get mixed up with her, and to stay away from naked women.
Captain Segura invites Mr. Wormold to play checkers, and using the movements on the board, he notifies Mr. Wormold that he knows everything about Dr. Hasselbacher, and their friendship. Furthermore, that he doesn´t trust Dr. Hasselbacher.
Mr. Wormold got to Dr. Hasselbacher´s appartment, and found him dressed up with an ancient uniform. Dr Hasselbacher tells that he only wears that uniform when he feels guilty about a man´s death,  Raul´s death. Mr. Wormold reminds him that everything and everyone, the platforms and the agents, had been invented, as a trick to convince the MI6 that he is a good spy, and that he is doing his work in Havana.
Meanwhile, in London, the chief and his guests are talking about a double agent; somebody they have inside the police office in Havana, someone who is using a game called checkers as an excuse to contact with "each other". Would they be talking about Captain Segura and Mr. Wormold? We'll have to wait and see what happens next week...