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of stones battered to pieces and scorched by lightning
with the sleepy； clear glimmer of water in every breach。
The noise of their continuous and violent screaming
filled the air。
This great noise would meet the Sofala coming up from
Batu Beru； it would meet her on quiet evenings； a piti…
less and savage clamor enfeebled by distance； the
clamor of seabirds settling to rest； and struggling for
a footing at the end of the day。 No one noticed it
especially on board； it was the voice of their ship's un…
erring landfall； ending the steady stretch of a hundred
miles。 She had made good her course； she had run her
distance till the punctual islets began to emerge one by
one； the points of rocks； the hummocks of earth 。 。 。
and the cloud of birds hoveredthe restless cloud emit…
ting a strident and cruel uproar； the sound of the fa…
miliar scene； the living part of the broken land beneath；
of the outspread sea； and of the high sky without a
flaw。
But when the Sofala happened to close with the land
after sunset she would find everything very still there
under the mantle of the night。 All would be still； dumb；
almost invisiblebut for the blotting out of the low
constellations occulted in turns behind the vague masses
of the islets whose true outlines eluded the eye amongst
the dark spaces of the heaven： and the ship's three lights；
resembling three starsthe red and the green with the
white aboveher three lights； like three companion
stars wandering on the earth； held their unswerving
course for the passage at the southern end of the group。
Sometimes there were human eyes open to watch them
come nearer； traveling smoothly in the somber void； the
eyes of a naked fisherman in his canoe floating over a
reef。 He thought drowsily： 〃Ha！ The fire…ship that
once in every moon goes in and comes out of Pangu
bay。〃 More he did not know of her。 And just as he
had detected the faint rhythm of the propeller beating
the calm water a mile and a half away； the time would
come for the Sofala to alter her course； the lights would
swing off him their triple beamand disappear。
A few miserable； half…naked families； a sort of outcast
tribe of long…haired； lean； and wild…eyed people； strove
for their living in this lonely wilderness of islets； lying
like an abandoned outwork of the land at the gates of
the bay。 Within the knots and loops of the rocks the
water rested more transparent than crystal under their
crooked and leaky canoes； scooped out of the trunk of
a tree： the forms of the bottom undulated slightly to
the dip of a paddle； and the men seemed to hang in the
air； they seemed to hang inclosed within the fibers of a
dark； sodden log； fishing patiently in a strange； un…
steady； pellucid； green air above the shoals。
Their bodies stalked brown and emaciated as if dried
up in the sunshine； their lives ran out silently； the
homes where they were born； went to rest； and died
flimsy sheds of rushes and coarse grass eked out with
a few ragged matswere hidden out of sight from the
open sea。 No glow of their household fires ever kindled
for a seaman a red spark upon the blind night of the
group： and the calms of the coast； the flaming long
calms of the equator； the unbreathing； concentrated
calms like the deep introspection of a passionate nature；
brooded awfully for days and weeks together over the
unchangeable inheritance of their children； till at last
the stones； hot like live embers； scorched the naked sole；
till the water clung warm； and sickly； and as if thick…
ened； about the legs of lean men with girded loins； wad…
ing thigh…deep in the pale blaze of the shallows。 And
it would happen now and then that the Sofala； through
some delay in one of the ports of call； would heave in
sight making for Pangu bay as late as noonday。
Only a blurring cloud at first； the thin mist of her
smoke would arise mysteriously from an empty point on
the clear line of sea and sky。 The taciturn fishermen
within the reefs would extend their lean arms towards
the offing； and the brown figures stooping on the tiny
beaches； the brown figures of men； women； and children
grubbing in the sand in search of turtles' eggs； would
rise up； crooked elbow aloft and hand over the eyes； to
watch this monthly apparition glide straight on； swerve
offand go by。 Their ears caught the panting of that
ship； their eyes followed her till she passed between the
two capes of the mainland going at full speed as though
she hoped to make her way unchecked into the very
bosom of the earth。
On such days the luminous sea would give no sign of
the dangers lurking on both sides of her path。 Every…
thing remained still； crushed by the overwhelming power
of the light； and the whole group； opaque in the sun…
shine；the rocks resembling pinnacles； the rocks resem…
bling spires； the rocks resembling ruins； the forms of
islets resembling beehives； resembling mole…hills； the
islets recalling the shapes of haystacks； the contours of
ivy…clad towers；would stand reflected together upside
down in the unwrinkled water； like carved toys of ebony
disposed on the silvered plate…glass of a mirror。
The first touch of blowing weather would envelop the
whole at once in the spume of the windward breakers；
as if in a sudden cloudlike burst of steam； and the clear
water seemed fairly to boil in all the passages。 The
provoked sea outlined exactly in a design of angry foam
the wide base of the group； the submerged level of
broken waste and refuse left over from the building of
the coast near by； projecting its dangerous spurs； all
awash； far into the channel； and bristling with wicked
long spits often a mile long： with deadly spits made of
froth and stones。
And even nothing more than a brisk breezeas on
that morning； the voyage before； when the Sofala left
Pangu bay early； and Mr。 Sterne's discovery was to
blossom out like a flower of incredible and evil aspect
from the tiny seed of instinctive suspicion；even such
a breeze had enough strength to tear the placid mask
from the face of the sea。 To Sterne； gazing with indif…
ference； it had been like a revelation to behold for the
first time the dangers marked by the hissing livid
patches on the water as distinctly as on the engraved
paper of a chart。 It came into his mind that this was
the sort of day most favorable for a stranger attempt…
ing the passage： a clear day； just windy enough for