rd of the
_Wolf's_ expedition.

We cruised about again after the _Wolf_ had left us for a couple of
days, and on the 17th were stationary all day. Several sharks were seen
around the ship, and the German sailors caught two or three fairly large
ones during the day and got them on board. One particularly ravenous
shark made off with the bait three times, and was dragged halfway up the
ship's side on each occasion. So greedy was he that he returned to the
charge for the fourth time, seized the bait, and was this time
successfully hauled on board. On the 18th the sea was rough, and we were
gently steaming to keep the ship's head to the seas, and on the
following day we again changed our course many times. Saturday morning,
October 20th, again saw the _Wolf_ in sight at 6.30. She was still
alone, and we proceeded on parallel courses, passing about midday a few
white reefs with breakers sweeping over them. Shortly after, we came in
sight of many other reefs, most of which were quite bare, but there were
a few trees and a little vegetation on the largest of them, and at 2
p.m. we anchored, and the _Wolf_ tied up alongside us at a snug and
sheltered spot. We were almost surrounded by large and small coral
reefs, against which we could see and hear the breakers dashing. It was
a beautiful anchorage, and the waters were evidently well known to the
Germans. Some of the seafaring men amongst us told us we were in the
Cargados Carajos Reef, south-east of the Seychelles, and that we were
anchored near the Nazareth Bank.

CHAPTER IV

THE GERMANS SINK THEIR PRIZE

So confident did the Germans feel of their security that they stayed in
this neighbourhood from October 20th to November 7th, only once--on
October 28th--moving a few hundred yards away from their original
anchorage, and although a most vigilant lookout was kept from the crow's
nest on the _Wolf_, the seaplane was not sent up once to scout during
the whole of that time. Coal, cargo, and stores were transferred from
the _Hitachi_ to the _Wolf_, and the work went on day and night with
just as much prospect of interference as there would have been if the
_Wolf_ had been loading cargo from a wharf in Hamburg in peace-time. The
coolness and impudence of the whole thing amazed us.

But one day, October 22nd, was observed as a holiday. It was Lieutenant
Rose's birthday, and, incidentally, the Kaiserin's also. So no loading
or coaling was done, but the band on the _Wol