Page 308 - A Knight of the White Cross

rough imitations of human figures, one with the Arab dress and another
with the bernouse, and had placed them against the bulwarks, so that at a

short distance it would appear that there were three men on board. Feeling
confident that the deception would not be noticed, he kept his course

without swerving, and passed some of the fishing boats within hailing
distance, waving his hand and shouting the usual Arab salutation to their
crews.

During the day he contented himself with eating some dates and an oatmeal

cake or two; but at sunset he added to this two or three fish that he had split
open and hung up to dry in the sun and wind. There was charcoal on board,
and a flat stone served as a hearth in the bottom of the boat, but he had no

means of lighting a fire, for this the fishermen would have brought off
when they came on board in the morning. After he had finished his meal

and taken his place again at the tiller he altered his course. Hitherto he had
been steering to the south of east, following the line of coast, but he now
saw before him the projecting promontory of Cape Mezurata, which marks

the western entrance of the great Gulf of Sydra; and he now directed his
course two points north of east, so as to strike the opposite promontory,

known as Grenna, more than a hundred miles away. The wind fell much
lighter, and he shook out the sail to its full extent. All night he kept at his
post, but finding the wind perfectly steady he lashed the tiller so as to keep

the boat's head in the direction in which he was steering, and dozed for
some hours, waking up occasionally to assure himself that she was keeping

her course.

At sunrise he indulged in a wash in sea water, and felt freshened and

revived. He now kept a sharp lookout for distant sails, for he was out of the
ordinary course a coaster would take, and would have attracted the attention

of any corsair coming out from the land; the sea, however, remained clear
of ships. All day the felucca made rapid progress, for although the wind
freshened, Gervaise did not lessen sail as before, being now accustomed to

the boat and confident of her powers. As soon as the wind died away again
after sunset, he lay down for a good sleep, feeling this was an absolute

necessity, and knowing that before morning he should be obliged to keep a
sharp lookout for land. He slept longer than he had intended, for the day