wieldy monsters,[1] wantonly sporting in the deep like playful dolphins.
On the 23d of August, at three in the afternoon, we made the Angoxa Islands, and found Mafamede very correctly laid down by Captain Huddart, in the Oriental Pilot. In the course of the day we saw several waterspouts, which luckily did not approach near enough to produce any great alarm. One of them continued steadily in the same position, for several minutes, and afforded me an opportunity of making a sketch of it.
On approaching the shore the following day, after standing off during the night, we found ourselves abreast of Bluff Point, of which we had got a sight the evening before, and we then kept along shore in search of the town of Mosambique, in the manner directed by the Indian Pilot, which very concisely tells you to "go on till you see the town;" however, this day, neither town nor any thing like it could be seen. In consequence, we again stood off during the night.
On the 25th, at day-break, we hauled in for the coast, and could soon plainly distinguish the flat table land referred to in the directory as a mark for making Mosambique harbour, but it is somewhat strange that no bearing of it is given by which we could ascertain whether Mosambique lay to the north or south of it. Running in for the shore, we got into a bay skirted by moderately steep light-coloured cliffs, curiously interspersed with patches of black, and occasional inlets having a sandy beach. As we saw several natives on the shore, and thought we could distinguish canoes, Captain Fisher sent his boat to procure a pilot, and some information respecting the site of the town. The coast in this part must be very steep, for at the distance of only one mile and a half we could get no soundings.
At one, P.M. after we had ascertained our latitude, Mr. Green returned with a native pilot, and we learned that we were a few miles to the northward of Mosambique. This circumstance, of overshooting the harbour,
- ↑ This species is the Balæna physalus, which, from its fierceness and the small quantity of oil which it yields, is seldom sought after by the fishermen.
