CHAPTER X 



SOME HARBOUR FISHES 



" We shall sight Diego Garcia by three o'clock this 

 afternoon," said Captain Ruthven, of the Orient 

 liner Chimborazo. 



We were in the Indian Ocean, about lat. 5 S. 

 and long. 75 E., and as the hour indicated 

 approached, none of the passengers, though armed 

 with powerful field-glasses, could detect the least 

 sign of land. The bright sunrise had degenerated 

 into a dull, hazy forenoon, and when at 2.45 p.m. 

 the look-out man sang out " Land ahead ! " we 

 could see nothing but a row of tree-tops springing 

 apparently from the water, which was dashing 

 furiously against some invisible barrier. When 

 close up we were able to trace the outlines of the 

 atoll. We carefully steamed through the solitary 

 narrow opening into perfectly smooth water, and 

 dropped anchor alongside the coaling hulk. 



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