Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

88 DHOW-CHASING.
between a roar and a rattle, wliicli
must liave
been utterly unintelligible to the Portuguese
Captain, who nevertheless appeared perfectly
satisfied, if one may judge by the " Oh !
very
well," he responded with.
If the Commodore were disappointed, none of
us were less so, the difference being that he
could give vent to his feelings, which had he
not afterw^ards given us an opportunity we never
could have done.
"Make sail and keep her away!" was the
order.
Now, with 113 men en the sick-list, fifty in a
tender, and half the remainder, nearly,
away in
boats, this was not likely to be done quickly, and
certainly not quick enough for our chief, whose
next order was, ''Shift top-sails!" but before
the men were aloft this w^as
countermanded by
the order, "Beat to quarters, man the port
guns, and fire four rounds of blank cartridge !"
Now, it so happened, that this was the s^de on
which the schooner was nearly becalmed a
couple of hundred yards off. The first four or
five guns were fired nearly together, and their