light lasted, let the weather be what it might.
So when one morning I went to the wheel, to find the course N.N.E.
instead of E. by N., it may be taken for granted that the change was
a considerable relief to me. It was now manifest that we were bound up
into the Indian Ocean, although of course I knew nothing of the position
of the districts where whales were to be looked for. Gradually we crept
northward, the weather improving every day as we left the "roaring
forties" astern. While thus making northing we had several fine catches
of porpoises, and saw many rorquals, but sperm whales appeared to have
left the locality. However, the "old man" evidently knew what he was
about, as we were not now cruising, but making a direct passage for some
definite place.

At last we sighted land, which, from the course which we had been
steering, might have been somewhere on the east coast of Africa, but
for the fact that it was right ahead, while we were pointing at the
time about N.N.W. By-and-by I came to the conclusion that it must be
the southern extremity of Madagascar, Cape St. Mary, and, by dint of the
closest, attention to every word I heard uttered while at the wheel by
the officers, found that my surmise was correct. We skirted this point
pretty closely, heading to the westward, and, when well clear of it,
bore up to the northward, again for the Mozambique Channel. Another
surprise. The very idea of WHALING in the Mozambique Channel seemed
too ridiculous to mention; yet here we were, guided by a commander
who, whatever his faults, was certainly most keen in his attention to
business, and the unlikeliest man imaginable to take the ship anywhere
unless he anticipated a profitable return for his visit.

CHAPTER X. A VISIT TO SOME STRANGE PLACES

We had now entered upon what promised to be the most interesting part of
our voyage. As a commercial speculation, I have to admit that the voyage
was to me a matter of absolute indifference. Never, from the first week
of my being on board, had I cherished any illusions upon that score, for
it was most forcibly impressed on my mind that, whatever might be the
measure of success attending our operations, no one of the crew forward
could hope to benefit by it. The share of profits was so small, and the
time taken to earn it so long, such a number of clothes were worn out
and destroyed by us, only to be replaced from the ship's slop-chest at
high prices, that I had quite resigne