by East Island, which was quite covered
with fine trees--of what kind I do not know, but they presented a
beautiful sight. Myriads of birds hovered about, busy fishing from the
countless schools that rippled the placid sea. Beneath us, at twenty
fathoms, the wonderful architecture of the coral was plainly visible
through the brilliantly-clear sea, while, wherever the tiny builders had
raised their fairy domain near the surface, an occasional roller would
crown it with a snowy garland of foam--a dazzling patch of white against
the sapphire sea. Altogether, such a panorama was spread out at our
feet, as we stood gazing from the lofty crow's-nest, as was worth a year
or two of city life to witness. I could not help pitying my companion,
one of the Portuguese harpooners, who stolidly munched his quid with no
eyes for any of these glorious pictures, no thought of anything but a
possible whale in sight.

My silent rhapsodies were rudely interrupted by something far away on
the horizon. Hardly daring to breathe, I strained my eyes, and--yes,
it was--"Ah blow-w-w-w!" I bellowed at the top of my lung-power, never
before had I had the opportunity of thus distinguishing myself, and I
felt a bit sore about it.

There was a little obliquity about the direction of the spout that made
me hopeful, for the cachalot alone sends his spout diagonally upward,
all the others spout vertically. It was but a school of kogia, or
"short-headed" cachalots; but as we secured five of them, averaging
seven barrels each, with scarcely any trouble, I felt quite pleased with
myself. We had quite an exciting bit of sport with them, they were so
lively; but as for danger--well, they only seemed like big "black fish"
to us now, and we quite enjoyed the fun. They were, in all respects,
miniature sperm whales, except that the head was much shorter and
smaller in proportion to the body than their big relations.

CHAPTER XI. ROUND THE COCOS AND SEYCHELLES

Hitherto, with the exception of a couple of gales in the North and
South Atlantic, we had been singularly fortunate in our weather. It does
happen so sometimes.

I remember once making a round voyage from Cardiff to Hong Kong and the
Philippines, back to London, in ten months, and during the whole of that
time we did not have a downright gale. The worst weather we encountered
was between Beachy Head and Portland, going round from London to
Cardiff.

And I once spoke the barque LUTTERWORTH, a