‘Ukufaka Umsonto Enalitini’

NGUMBHALI KAVUKANI! EOSTRELIYA

NGOWE-1798, abahloli bamazwe baseBritani bachulumanca ngeyona ndlela bakufumana iBass Strait. Ukunqumla kulo mjelokazi uphakathi kweTasmania neOstreliya ngenqanawa kwawunciphisa ngeekhilomitha ezili-1 100, umgama ophakathi kweNgilani neSydney.

Noko ke, iBass Strait yeyona ndawo kuyingozi ukuhamba kuyo ngenqanawa ehlabathini lonke. Into ebangela oko kukuba le ndawo ithandwa yimimoya enezaqhwithi evela ngasentshona nemisinga enamandla yaye lo mjelo usisidibi esiziimitha ezingama-50-70 kuphela ubunzulu. Kuphinde kubekho neKing Island enoqoqo olungamaxethuka, ekwicala elingasentshona.

Kule mihla, akukho nzima ukuhamba ngenqanawa kwiBass Strait. Kodwa kudala, kwakunzima kuba kwakuhanjwa ngeenqanawa zakudala ezazingenazo izixhobo ezisetyenziswa kule mihla. Ukuhamba ngenqanawa kwicala elingasentshona kwakungumgudu, kungenxa yoko lento kufaniswa ‘nokufaka umsonto enalitini.’

Ukubetha Ngegreat Circle

Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-19, umgama weekhilomitha ezili-19 000 wokusuka eNgilani uye kwimpuma yeOstreliya ngenqanawa, wawuthabatha iinyanga ezintlanu yaye olo hambo lwalusiba namagingxigingxi! Kuthiwa, kwezi nqanawa kwakukhwela amakhulukhulu abantu—inkoliso yabo yayivela kwamanye amazwe yaye abanye babengamabanjwa—ababexinaniswa kumgangatho ongaphantsi apho imeko yayihlasimlis’ umzimba. Abanye babeguliswa lulwandle, kukungondleki, zizifo, nezinambuzane eziyingozi zazingabaphanga thuba. Abantu babedla ngokufela apho.a Sekunjalo, abantu abaninzi babenyamezela kuba benethemba lokuba baya kufika baphile bhetele kwindawo abaya kuyo.

Izinto zaqala ukuba bhetele ngowe-1852, emva kokuba uMqhubi wenqanawa uJames (Bully) Forbes efumene indlela enqumlayo. Kunokuba ahambe nge-39th parallel, indlela eya eOstreliya eyayinqumla kuLwandlekazi lweIndiya, neyayibonakala iyeyona imfutshane, lo kaForbes wabetha ngendlela enqumlayo igreat circle esuka eNgilani iye ngakumzantsi-mpuma weOstreliya, eyaya kumfaka ngakwiAntarctica. Nakuba yayihamba idibana neengqimba ezinkulu zomkhenkce namaza amakhulu, le nqanawa kaForbes eyayibizwa ngokuba yiMarco Polo, eyayithwele abantu abangama-701, yagaleleka eMerlbourne, eVictoria emva nje kweentsuku ezingama-68, okuthetha ukuthi wathabatha ixesha elimalunga nesiqingatha sexesha eliqhelekileyo. Le ndlela inqumlayo yafumaneka ngexesha elifanelekileyo kuba ngelo xesha abantu babethontelana eVictoria befuna igolide. Emva kokuva ukuba kukho indlela enqumlayo, abantu abangamawakawaka ababefuna ukuya kumba igolide, baba nomdla wokuya eOstreliya.

Iinqanawa ezisuka eNgilani zazifika zime eCape Otway, izibuko elalimalunga ne-16 000 leekhilomitha ukusuka apho. Abantu ababehamba ngenqanawa babesebenzisa isixhobo sokubala umgama, izicangca newotshi esenqanaweni ebala ngokweGreenwich Mean Time ukuze bakwazi ukubala ixesha nokubona indawo abakuyo. Ngokuqhelekileyo ixesha lalibalwa ngokujonga ilanga. Xa iGreenwich iphambili ngeyure kwixesha elithatyathwe elangeni, umgama wawuvuleka nge-15°. Oku kwakumnceda umqhubi wenqanawa ukuba akwazi ukubala kakuhle.

Kodwa kwakuye kuvele ingxaki. Ilanga lalinokusithwa ngamafu kangangeentsuku ezininzi. Iiwotshi zamandulo zazingasoloko zichanile. Ukuba iwotshi yayinokuba semva okanye ibe phambili ngomzuzwana omnye yonke imihla kangangeenyanga ezintathu inqanawa yayinokuphambuka endleleni kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-50. Xa kusina imvula, kukho inkungu okanye kumnyama, inqanawa ephambukileyo endleleni yayinokungayifumani indlela yokungena kwiBass Strait ize iye kuntlitheka ematyeni, eVictoria okanye eKing Island. Ngokuqinisekileyo, abantu abaninzi abahamba ngenqanawa babevakalelwa njengomnye umqhubi wenqanawa owadandulukayo xa ebona iCape Otway ikude kufuphi, wathi: “Siyabulela Thixo kuba singalahlekanga!” Kuyabonakala ukuba oomatiloshe abaninzi benkulungwane ye-19 babencedwa bubuchule babo ukuze bakwazi ukuphumelela kolo hambo lwalufana ‘nokufaka umsonto enalitini.’ Noko ke, zikho ezinye iinqanawa ezingazanga zifike apho zazisiya khona.

Iindawo Ekwazika Kuzo Iinqanawa

NgoJuni 1, 1878, ngaphambi kokuba kuthi qheke ukusa isikhephe esasibizwa ngokuba nguLoch Ard sahamba kwinkungu emnyama sisiya ngakunxweme lwaseVictoria. Loo nkungu yayikho kwakusuku olungaphambili nto leyo yabangela ukuba umqhubi wenqanawa angakwazi ukubona kakuhle ukuba undawoni. Ngenxa yoko, kwathi kanti ukufuphi kakhulu eOstreliya kunokuba ecinga. Ngesiquphe loo nkungu yatyhila yaye bathi gqi kwilitye eliziimitha ezingama-90 ukuphakama, elalikumgama weekhilomitha ezi-2. Oomatiloshe babhuduzela bezama ukujika inqanawa, kodwa ngenxa yomoya namaza abazange bakwazi. Kungaphelanga neyure, iLoch Ard yaya kuntlaleka kwelo lityekazi yaye emva kwemizuzu eli-15 yazika.

Kubantu abangama-54 ababekhwele apho, kwasinda ababini kuphela—uTom Pearce owayesaqeqeshelwa ukuba ngumatiloshe noEva Carmichael, yaye bobabini babengekafiki nakuma-20 eminyaka ubudala. Kwaqengqeleka iiyure uTom ekuloo manzi abandayo, ebambelele nkqi kwiphenyane lokuhlangula elalibhukuqekile. Ekugqibeleni, amanzi amtyekezela kumwonyo owawuphakathi kwezo ngxondorha zamatye. Wathi akubona ubugoxo beentsimbi zenqanawa entlithekileyo wadada ukuze asuke kuloo ndawo. UEva wayengakwazi ukudada, ngoko wabambelela enqanaweni kangangeeyure ezine yaye naye amanzi amthabatha aya kumlahla phakathi kwezo ngxondorha. Wathi akubona uTom, wakhwaza ecela uncedo. UTom waziphosa kuloo maza yaye emva kokuzama kangangeyure, wakwazi ukutsala uEva owayengasekho zingqondweni kakuhle ngelo xesha. UEva wathi: “Wandisa komnye umqolomba owoyikekayo owawukumgama weemitha ezingama-50 ukusuka elunxwemeni waza wafumana ibhokisi yebranti, wavula yanye wandiseza amathamo ambalwa ndaza ndabuyela ezingqondweni. Wathatha ingca namahlahla waza wandlala ukuze ndilale kuzo. Emva koko zacima izibane kum kwakhona yaye kumele ukuba kwaqengqeleka iiyure ndingekho zingqondweni.” Ngelo xesha uTom wenyuka kwezo ngxondorha waza wahlab’ umkhosi. UTom noEva bathatyathwa basiwa kwindlu eyayikufuphi kungaphelanga neeyure ezingama-24 iLoch Ard izikile. Abazali bakaEva nabantwana bakokwabo abahlanu—abantakwabo abathathu noodadewabo ababini—bafela kuloo nqanawa.

Namhlanje, iinqanana ezinkulu nezincinane zihamba ngokukhululekileyo nyaka ngamnye ukuya kwiBass Strait. Endleleni, zidlula kumakhulukhulu ezinye iinqanawa ezazikayo. Ezinye iindawo ezineenqanawa ezazikayo, njengeLoch Ard Gorge esePort Campbell National Park, eVictoria, zithanda ukutyelelwa ngabakhenkethi. Xa sibona iindawo ezilolu hlobo sicinga ngamakhalipha enkulungwane ye-19 awahamba imigama emide emanzini—ada aya kufikelela nakuloo ‘ntunja yenaliti’—efuna ukuphila ubomi obubhetele.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]

UTOM NOEVA BAPHELELA PHI?

UTom Pearce noEva Carmichael, ekuphela kwabantu abasindayo kwingozi yenqanawa iLoch Ard, baba ngundaba-mlonyeni kulo lonke elaseOstreliya. Incwadi ethi Cape Otway—Coast Secrets ithi: “Amaphephandaba ayethetha ngoku kuntlitheka kwenqanawa encoma uTom Pearce njengegorha, yena uEva Carmichael wayechazwa njengembelukazi eyayibonakala ingakuchasanga nokutshata neli gorha.” Nangona uTom wazibikayo, uEva akazange avume ukutshata naye yaye emva kweenyanga ezintathu uEva wabuyela eIreland. Akufika apho watshata wazala nabantwana. Wafa ngowe-1934 eneminyaka engama-73 ubudala. UTom waqhubeka engumatiloshe yaye kungadlulanga thuba lide waphinda wantlitheka nenqanawa. Wasinda nangesi sihlandlo. Wafa ngowe-1909 eneminyaka engama-50 ubudala, emva kokuchitha iminyaka emininzi engumphathi woomatiloshe.

[Inkcazelo]

Both photos: Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool

[Umzobo/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

UForbes wahamba nge-“Marco Polo” (engasentla) ebetha ngendlela enqumlayo neyayikhawuleza, esuka eNgilani esiya eOstreliya

[Umzobo]

THE OLD ROUTE

39th parallel

THE GREAT CIRCLE ROUTE

Antarctic Circle

[Imaphu]

ATLANTIC OCEAN

INDIAN OCEAN

ANTARCTICA

[Inkcazelo]

From the newspaper The Illustrated London News, February 19, 1853

[Umzobo/Imaphu ekwiphepha 16, 17]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Ukungena kwicala elingasentshona xa usiya kwiBass Strait kwakufaniswa ‘nokufaka umsonto enalitini’

[Imaphu]

AUSTRALIA

VICTORIA

MELBOURNE

Port Campbell National Park

Cape Otway

Bass Strait

King Island

TASMANIA

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Emva kokuntlitheka elityeni, i“Loch Ard” yazika kungaphelanga nemizuzu eli-15

[Inkcazelo]

La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

IPort Campbell National Park, umfanekiso (1) ubonisa apho i“Loch Ard” yantlitheka khona elityeni (2) kulapho ukhoyo umqolomba kaTom Pearce

[Inkcazelo]

Photography Scancolor Australia