416 ARRIVAL AT BOMBAY. CHAP. XV. 



patience ; and the near approach of that period, " the break 

 of the monsoon," in which it was believed no boat could 

 live, made ns sometimes think our epitaph would be " Left 

 Zanzibar on 30th April, 1864, and never more heard of." 

 At last, in the beginning of June, the chronometers showed 

 that we were near the Indian coast. The black men 

 believed it was true because we told them it was so, but 

 only began to dance with joy when they saw sea- weed and 

 serpents floating past. These serpents are peculiar to these 

 parts, and are mentioned as poisonous in the sailing direc- 

 tions. We ventured to predict that we should see land 

 next morning, and at midday the high coast hove in sight, 

 wonderfully like Africa before the rains begin. Then a 

 haze covered all the land, and a heavy swell beat towards 

 it. A rock was seen, and a latitude showed it to be the 

 Choule rock. Making that a fresh starting-point, we soon 

 found the light-ship, and then the forest of masts loomed 

 through the haze in Bombay harbour. We had sailed over 

 2500 miles. 



THE END. 



LONDON : PRINTED BT WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET 

 AND CHARING CROSS. 



