OUT OF THE DEPTHS 117 



and half-a-dozen boats are soon launched behind 

 them, those of the crew who are not rowing, 

 splashing with long green boughs and shouting. 

 How low the cattle swim in the water ! there is 

 nothing visible but a forest of horns. Every now 

 and then one attempts to turn, and the excite- 

 ment is renewed; but as they get farther from 

 the island these attempts to break back become 

 less and less frequent, although the herd still 

 requires guiding, and the pace becomes slower 

 and slower. When the opposite shore is sighted, 

 the course at once becomes straight and the pace 

 improves, and soon I can see, with a glass, first 

 one and then another land and shake himself dry 

 upon the shore, till all are safe on terra Jirma. 

 All the time they are crossing they make a 

 strange blowing sound, like that of a porpoise, 

 and they are evidently frightened at first, as on 

 landing they gallop away from the collies into 

 such rough ground that the dogs are called off 

 and a man sent round to drive them carefully and 

 cautiously into the pass ; soon, however, they are 

 going across the hill out of our sight, at a quiet 

 jog-trot pace, and we may resume our dredging. 



This time, when the dredge comes up, there is 

 more mud in it, and fewer shells, although it is 

 easy to see by the writhing motion that there is 

 plenty of life in the grey, sticky deposit. A good 

 deal is allowed to be washed away before it comes 

 on board, but slowly and cautiously, as if we 



