Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

242 DnOW-CHASING.
be appreciated by those who know what it is to
be cruising off the East Coast of Africa for any
length of time.
Our orders were to steer for Bombay again,
where I expected to meet my successor, Commander
Douglas.
On our way north, I was anxious to extend
the survey that we had commenced during the
preceding year, of Fernando Veloso Bay, thirtyfive
miles north of Mozambique harbour, and
which we had found to be at least twice as
large as it was represented on the chart ; with
this intention, we anchored in the snug harbour
at the head of that bay, and, after having briefly
examined the coast of the inlet, proceeded in
the boats to the mouth of the river Fernando
Veloso.
The entrance of this river at Sandy Point, is
not more than a few yards across, with twenty
fathoms of water in the centre, but shoaling
rapidly on each side to eight fathoms, with
such a rush of water, and a whirlpool at the
narrow mouth, that except it were a small
gun-boat, it would not be safe for any vessel