Page 328 - The Tigris Expedition

CHAPTER 10

From Asia to Africa;
from Meluhha to Punt

Departure from Asia. A cold wind from the north blew through
the fissures in the cane wall as I woke up at early dawn and checked
that everybody had come on board during the night. This wind was
good. The men were all there, back from the last shore leave
probably for a long time. How long, nobody knew.
There was never a dead moment in Karachi harbour. Ships
everywhere, and small boats moving between them all night. At
dawn Pakistani fishermen passed us in small dhows and saluted
with broad smiles. They were amazed at our ship. Soon the harbour
authorities came on board with the necessary port clearance papers.
‘Next port of call?’
‘Unknown.’
‘We have to know.’
‘Then put down Bombay.’
A family of emigrants from the Shah’s Iran, owners of the
shipping agency Cowasjee & Sons, arrived with friends in a small
yacht and threw us a line. They had volunteered to tow us out of
port. As we started to move, the smell of rotten eggs came up
through the two open slots in our bottom. The same thing had
happened as we rowed out of Muscat. Modern harbours are
incredibly polluted. We were afraid of the effect on ropes and reeds.
Perhaps some of the outer berdi was fermenting. Fortunately we
knew from our departure from Muscat that this horrible stench
would disappear as soon as the reeds were washed clean by salt
ocean waves.
We counted thirty-eight ships at anchor at the mouth of the
harbour. Jason was one of them, and Captain Hansen was on the
bridge. With his loudhailer he wished us bon voyage, and told us he
had come back the day before from another mission to the swampy
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