"Harpy it might have been, but _happy_ it was not," he answered with a groan. "I only wish that you two had been there; you wouldn't be so fond of talking about it as you seem to be now." As the boatswain had supposed, a dhow had been made out by the party which had landed on the larger island, and as soon as steam could be got up, the ship had gone in chase of her. She had managed, however, to run up a somewhat narrow creek, into which the boats had been sent to bring her out, and had succeeded in doing so; though all the slaves had been taken out of her, with the exception of two who had been found in her hold in an almost dying state. The Arab crew had escaped; the examination of the poor slaves the next morning left no doubt of her character. She was accordingly scuttled, and being then set on fire, went to the bottom. CHAPTER ELEVEN. THE LOOK-OUT PARTY ON THE ISLAND--A SLAVE CARAVAN--UNWELCOME VISITORS-- THREE DHOWS CHASED--WRECK OF THE DHOWS--RESCUING THE SLAVES--DANGEROUS POSITION OF THE PARTY ON SHORE--THE KROOMEN CROSS THE SURF WITH SUPPLIES--TENDERNESS OF THE SAILORS TO THE SLAVES--"WASHING A BLACKAMOOR WHITE." As Jack was not perfectly satisfied with the anchorage near Harpy Island, he proceeded farther north, to a spot which answered all his requirements, off a lofty headland with a deep bay. On the northern side of it lay a rocky island of considerable height, with trees covering the larger portion. Here a line-of-battle ship might have remained concealed from any vessels coming from the southward, till they were within range of the ship's guns; so that she might, if necessary, compel them to strike, without even getting under way. Farther north the island assumed the low and barren appearance of that part of the African coast, a region as inhospitable and unattractive as could well be conceived. Within the bay was a smooth beach; farther on, the coast was lined for some miles with threatening rocks, against which should any unfortunate vessel be driven, she must quickly be dashed to pieces. The _Gauntlet_, carefully feeling her way, came to an anchorage in the bay. The second lieutenant was at once sent on shore, with a party of men, to climb to the summit of the peak; no very easy task, as it turned out. However, they got up at last, and the lieutenant on his return reported that from the summit of the headland he had enjoyed a view over fully thirty miles out to sea, and up and down the coast, so that in the daytime no vessel could pass within that distance without being sighted.