of ratan, which, though strong,
could easily, I suspected, be cut by rocks.

We found, on seeing Macco, that the vessel had made but little progress
during the night, having anchored near a reef in order not to pass the
spot where the wreck was supposed to have occurred. Little notice of us
was taken by the chief or his men: they all seemed eagerly looking out
for the expected wreck. We also kept our eyes about us in every
direction, earnestly hoping that she might appear; but not a sign of her
was visible. I thought I saw a sail in the far distance. I pointed it
out to Oliver. He was of the same opinion; so was Macco: but whether
the natives saw it or not, we could not tell.

We continued our course, the breeze being light. After a time the prow
was steered first to the right, then to the left. Then she made a
traverse to the south as near to the wind as she could lay (which,
by-the-by, was not very near, even with the aid of her oars); but though
several reefs were seen, on one of which probably the ship had struck,
she was nowhere to be discovered. We saw, however, pieces of timber and
various articles floating about. At length we caught sight of a long
object in the water. We steered towards it. Yes; it was the very mast
to which we had clung! So it seemed to me, and so Oliver thought. If
so, what had become of our unfortunate companions? Shortly afterwards
another mast was seen. A human form was entangled in the rigging. We
eagerly looked down on it as we passed. The dark skin showed that it
was the body of one of the Lascars. The mast was undoubtedly the
foremast to which they had clung. A light boat was launched from the
deck of the prow, and three hands went into it to the mast. I saw that
they were taking off the girdle of the dead man. As they lifted him up
I distinguished the features--so I thought--of Ali Tomba, who had been
the cause of the destruction of the _Bussorah Merchant_. Leaving the
body, the men returned with the sash and clothes. They were examined,
and found to contain a considerable number of coins, at which the
natives gazed with eager eyes.

Their whole conduct now changed towards us. The chief had seated
himself in his usual place on the deck, when we were dragged up to him,
and he made signs to us to empty our pockets. Oliver and Macco had, of
course, but a few small coins: I had rather more, but no great sum, in
Dutch money, which Captain Davenport had given me t