e had struck the Portuguese coast a little sooner than we had expected.
What was our surprise to see the scene which was revealed to us at break
of day! As far as we could look on either side was one long line of
surf, great, green billows rolling in and breaking into a cloud of foam.
But behind the surf what was there! Not the green banks nor the
high cliffs of the shores of Portugal, but a great sandy waste which
stretched away and away until it blended with the skyline. To right and
left, look where you would, there was nothing but yellow sand, heaped
in some places into fantastic mounds, some of them several hundred feet
high, while in other parts were long stretches as level apparently as a
billiard board. Harton and I, who had come on deck together, looked
at each other in astonishment, and Harton burst out laughing. Hyson
is exceedingly mortified at the occurrence, and protests that the
instruments have been tampered with. There is no doubt that this is the
mainland of Africa, and that it was really the Peak of Teneriffe which
we saw some days ago upon the northern horizon. At the time when we saw
the land birds we must have been passing some of the Canary Islands. If
we continued on the same course, we are now to the north of Cape Blanco,
near the unexplored country which skirts the great Sahara. All we can
do is to rectify our instruments as far as possible and start afresh for
our destination.

8.30 P.M.--Have been lying in a calm all day. The coast is now about a
mile and a half from us. Hyson has examined the instruments, but cannot
find any reason for their extraordinary deviation.

This is the end of my private journal, and I must make the remainder of
my statement from memory. There is little chance of my being mistaken
about facts which have seared themselves into my recollection. That very
night the storm which had been brewing so long burst over us, and I came
to learn whither all those little incidents were tending which I had
recorded so aimlessly. Blind fool that I was not to have seen it sooner!
I shall tell what occurred as precisely as I can.

I had gone into my cabin about half-past eleven, and was preparing to go
to bed, when a tap came at my door. On opening it I saw Goring's little
black page, who told me that his master would like to have a word with
me on deck. I was rather surprised that he should want me at such a late
hour, but I went up without hesitation. I had hardly put my foot on t