168 THE ARCTURUS ADVENTURE 



plainly seen as they lay on their sides in the fash- 

 ion peculiar to this species. We had seen them 

 before by the half-dozen close about the small boats 

 along shore, but there were hundreds in this group, 

 drifting like bright petals in the clear deep water 

 of the sheltered haven. Beyond the natural break- 

 water a round dark object seemed to be a rock, just 

 awash, until two flippers shot out to propel it for- 

 ward and turn it into a huge turtle. A school of 

 large carangids drove swiftly past hke a cloud 

 shadow, and the sharp fins of three sharks cruised 

 aimlessly to and fro above the long, submerged 

 bodies. Across the strait between Our Island and 

 Hood came thirteen great bat shapes, — rays swim- 

 ming with graceful undulations of their wing- 

 like fins, and holding their places in accurate battle- 

 squadron formation. 



From our height the water seemed a medium 

 scarcely thicker than air. Now and then a booby 

 launched himself from his observation post, soared 

 rapidly and fell like a stone in a breath-taking dive. 

 A slight splash, the bird disappeared while you 

 could count three, and then popped out like a seed 

 squeezed from an orange. A few steps further on 

 we reached the best place of all. Behind the jetty 

 stood a rock pinnacle, broad at the base, flattened 

 on both sides, with razor edges, and tapering to a 

 point that was almost as high as our cliff. It was 

 a gigantic arrow-head, standing in the surf, and 

 connected with the island by a tiny causeway far 

 down at its foot. The waves boiled in a narrow 

 tunnel they had worn completely through the base 



