merchantmen to be watched, but a bright look-out had to be kept
for strange sails, especially for any daring privateers, who, tempted
with the prospect of obtaining a rich booty, might pounce down on some
unfortunate trader during a dark night and carry her off. This had
actually been done on several occasions, and Captain Moubray endeavoured
to impress upon the masters of the vessels under his charge the
importance of sailing in due order together, and keeping a strict watch
at night. The convoy hove to off Saint Helena, to obtain fresh
provisions and water. The line was passed without any enemy having been
encountered, when, falling in with the south-east trade wind, they got
well to the southward, after which with a fair breeze they stood to the
eastward on their passage round the Cape of Good Hope. It was
considered advisable not to put into Table Bay, to avoid the risk of
information being given to the enemy of their whereabouts. Unusually
fine weather had hitherto been enjoyed, and the ships keeping well
together at length entered the Indian Ocean.

Although the masters of the merchantmen generally strictly obeyed
orders, there were one or two who caused more trouble than all the
others put together, by sometimes carrying too much sail and getting
ahead of the convoy, sometimes too little and lagging astern, knowing
that they could always regain their position. This occurred especially
at night, when the skippers, wishing to save their crews the trouble of
making sail, would wait until daylight to do so.

One evening a strange sail had been seen to the northward, and Captain
Moubray had ordered the _Ione_ to go in chase and ascertain her
character, while he shortened sail so as to bring the _Wolf_ on the
weather quarter of most of the ships. At dark the _Ione_ had not
returned, though Captain Moubray ordered a look-out to be kept for her,
expecting every moment to see her signal. At the same time, of course,
a constant watch was kept on the various vessels of the convoy, which
could be seen like so many dark shadows gliding over the ocean to
leeward, each carrying a light to show its position.

It was blowing a fresh breeze from the north-west, but there was not
much sea on. The captain frequently came on deck, inquiring whether the
_Ione_ had yet shown her number. The same answer had been returned that
no light had been seen to windward. He was pacing the quarter-deck with
his night-glass in his hand