122 DAHLAK 



from us at every yard. The manta must be doing double our 

 speed. Still we followed bent double to reduce resistance. 



At 12.30 we were floating immobile on an immobile sea. 

 The petrol had given out and the little life-belt had dis- 

 appeared over the horizon. 



We rowed to the small island of Medecheri, and climbed 

 up to the rocky summit over spikes and fossil shells which 

 made our bare feet bleed. From the summit, about 120 feet 

 above sea level, we scanned in detail the sea around the 

 island. It was swarming with beasts. Multitudes of silver 

 cefaloni and black mantas covered the surface and filled the 

 depths. A great stretch of the sea around the island appeared 

 to be regurgitating thousands of maddened fish. Further 

 away, the sea returned quite clearly to a flat normal calm. 

 What was happening ? What was the reason for the association 

 of these two species of fish ? 



Suddenly, at about 1.30 p.m., we caught sight of the float. 

 It was a minute speck and too small for our eyes, good as 

 they were. It came and went with the metallic movement of 

 the sea, appearing and disappearing on this great aluminium 

 plate under the sun. Then it disappeared for good. 



After rowing for an hour and a half against the current, 

 one of the worst one and a half hours we had ever experi- 

 enced in our lives, under a sun which dried up every drop of 

 liquid inside us — saliva, the tears of blinded eyes, blood — to 

 make into dripping sweat, after this atrocious hour and a 

 half we reached Nasi's house. It was 3 p.m. We anchored 

 the boat near the beach, and sat down in the water worn out, 

 to eat a ship's biscuit and half a tin of meat each. Small fish 

 came around picking up the crumbs near our legs, our lips 

 and armpits, nipping our skin. We were sweating even in the 

 water and it was useless to stay there. We filled up the petrol 

 tank and took on all the reserves; we modified the spear-gun 



