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"I only hope there may be no Arab fort up the river, or we may find it a difficult job to cut out the slaver after all," observed Charley. "An Arab fort! What made you think of that, youngster?" exclaimed Rhymer, looking somewhat blank. "If there is we shall have more fighting than we bargained for, but it will never do to go back without attempting to secure the dhow."
"Good heavens!" cried Tom; "what's happening to the other dhow?" He had turned his glass but for a minute to look at the first, when, on again glancing at the latter, her bows had disappeared, and her high stern was just sinking beneath the surface. The boat was there, but it was impossible to see who was on board.
I did not think of sharks, or of the distance I had to swim; but, hunting about, I found some pieces of light wood. These I fastened on each side of me, and secured another piece under my breast; and then in I plunged and struck out for the dhow. It was a long way to swim, and I couldn't help fearing that before I reached her a breeze would spring up.
The second lieutenant, who had been carefully taking the range, obeyed the order. The shot was seen to touch the water twice before it disappeared, but whether it struck the dhow seemed doubtful. Again the gun was got ready, but this time was aimed at the next vessel ahead, which almost immediately lowered her sails, the one astern following her example.
Their bodies would, no doubt, have been put over the side when the dhow was out of sight, and their rifles sold inland at a fancy price. When I first joined the patrol we were not allowed to bombard or land at any point between the mouth of the Gulf of Akaba and the Hejaz southern border.
As I had come so far, I thought we might go ashore and look at the town, which was found greatly improved since I last saw it, by the addition of several coralline houses and a dockyard. The natives were building a dhow with Lindi and Madagascar timber.
The shot wounded the yard, for he could see the splinters fly from it, but it still remained standing; at any moment, however, it might go. The Arabs seemed to think so likewise, for the dhow was now steered directly for the little bay.
I now took leave of my generous host; and, bidding adieu to Kasenge, soon arrived and spent the day at Kabizia, mourning in my mind that I had induced Captain Burton to discharge Ramji's slaves, for Bombay said they were all sailors, and would have handled the dhow in first-rate style. 23d. We crossed over to Kivira, and pitched the tent in our former harbour.
The wind howled, the waters roared, and the poor wretches below cried out and shrieked in concert. "After some hours of this terrible work I felt a tremendous shock: I was thrown down flat on my face. Another sea came up and washed every soul off the deck. The dhow was on the rocks.
The dhow flew on with her huge sail stretched to the utmost, and already heeling over fearfully. It seemed that the water must be rushing into her hold. "There is a narrow opening between the rocks," exclaimed Higson; "the dhow has been making for that." Scarcely had he spoken when she was in the midst of the breakers.
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