monotonous though it
was. "I'm quite ready, sir."

Thereupon, going back to the boatswain's cabin, where he was provided by
Tim with the lead-line and a broad canvas belt, he proceeded to climb
over the bulwarks into the fore-chains, fastening himself to the rigging
by placing the belt round his waist and hooking it on to the lower part
of the shrouds--this arrangement holding him against the side of the
vessel securely and at the same time enabling him to have his arms free
to use for any other purpose.

Adam's next operation was to swing the lead-line with the weight
attached backwards and forwards, like a pendulum, until it had gained
sufficient momentum, when he slung it as far forwards as he could,
letting the coil of the line which he had over his arm run out until the
way of the ship brought it perpendicularly under him; when, hauling it
up quickly, and noticing how many fathoms had run out before the lead
touched the bottom, he called out in a deep sort of sepulchral chant,
"And a half-five!"

"Ha!" exclaimed Mr Mackay, "I thought we were shoaling. Keep it going,
Adams."

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the other, swinging the lead as before when he
had coiled up the slack and preparing for another throw; adding
presently as he had gauged the depth again, "By the mark seven!"

"That's better," cried Mr Mackay; calling out at the same time to the
helmsman as we nearly ran over a small native boat crossing our track,
"starboard--hard a starboard!"

Adams, however, went on sounding mechanically, not minding the movements
of the ship, his sing-song chant varying almost at every throw; and, "By
the deep nine" being succeeded by, "And a quarter ten," until the full
length of the lead-line, twenty fathoms, was let out without finding
bottom.

"That will do now, you can come in," cried Mr Mackay on learning
this--"we're now all right and out of danger. Aft, there, steer east-
nor'-east and keep a steady helm, we're now in open water and all's
plain sailing!"

It took us three days to pilot up to the Natuna Islands, only some three
hundred and fifty miles north of Banca, the south-westerly wind which we
had with us generally falling slack in the middle of the day, and the
land breeze of a night giving us the greater help; but, still, all the
while, the suspicious proa never deserted us, following in our track
like a sleuth-hound--keeping off at a good distance though when the sun
was shining and only creeping up c