Sitting in the top of that palm I saw the _Maria_ working out from under the lee of the island.

Also, far away, I noted a streak of smoke, and watching it through the glasses, made out what looked to me uncommonly like a man-of-war steaming slowly along the coast.

In fact, I am sure it was, and English too.

Then the mist came up and I lost sight of them." "My word!" I said, "that will be the _Crocodile_.

What I told our host, Hassan, was not altogether bunkum.