20 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Ralph Stock 



AT ANCHOR OFF ONE OF THF, WEST INDIES 



Clo.se to this same group a sailing ves- 

 sel has been known to have her insurance 

 paid before she reached port. The calms 

 run in belts of varying widths, and unless 

 a ship can be towed or kedged to one 

 side or the other, there is nothing to pre- 

 vent her remaining in the same spot for 

 six months. 



Our water would not last half that 

 time, and there is little on any of the 

 islands except Cristobal. 



We began to think. We continued to 

 think for four mortal daws, until the 

 fitful southeast ''trade" revived, as by a 

 miracle, and we were bowling along at a 



seven-knot clip. What a relief was the 

 blessed motion of air ! W T e hardly dared 

 breathe lest it should drop. 



It held, and we made w r hat we took to 

 be Cristobal. The dinghy was lowered, 

 the ship cleared up for port, and we be- 

 gan to discuss the possibilities of fresh 

 milk, egg's, and bread. 



But it was not Cristobal Island. Neither 

 were three others that we visited, all as 

 alike as peas — a chain of ash-heaps, an 

 iron bound coast of volcanic rock, broken 

 here and there by a dazzling, powdered 

 coral beach. 



I admit that to the professional sea- 



