THE INDIAN OCEAN. 67 



and efficient agents had already taken charge of 

 our affairs, so we had only to wait idly by the 

 rail until summoned. Then we jostled our way 

 down the long gangway, passed and repassed by 

 natives carrying baggage or returning for more 

 baggage, stepped briskly aboard a very bobby 

 little craft, clambered over a huge pile of bag- 

 gage, and stowed ourselves as best we could. 

 A figure in a long white robe sat astern, tiller 

 ropes in hand; two half -naked blacks far up to- 

 wards the prow manipulated a pair of tremendous 

 sweeps. With a vast heaving, jabbering, and 

 shouting, our boat disengaged itself from the 

 swarm of other craft. We floated around the 

 stern of our ship, and were immediately sus- 

 pended in blackness dotted with the stars and 

 their reflections, and with various twinkling 

 scattered lights. To one of these we steered, 

 and presently touched at a stone quay with 

 steps. At last we set foot on the land to which 

 so long we had journeyed and towards which 

 our expectations had grown so great. We ex- 

 perienced " the pleasure that touches the souls 

 of men landing on strange shores." 



