A
carpet was spread out upon the deck, and two large dishes, one
containing boiled fowls, and the other pillau, placed upon it; the
company used their hands for knives and forks.
28th October. We still were in sight of the fine dark mountain
ranges of Ceylon. Now and then, too, some huge detached groups of
rocks would be visible towering above the waves.
29th October. Saw no land. A few whales betrayed their presence by
the showers of spray they spouted up, and immense swarms of flying
fish were startled by the noise of our engines.
On the morning of the 30th of October we came in sight of the Indian
continent. We soon approached near enough to the shore to
distinguish that it was particularly remarkable for its beauty,
being flat and partly covered with yellow sand; in the back-ground
were chains of low hills.
At 1 o'clock, P.M., we anchored at a considerable distance (six
miles) from Madras. The anchoring place here is the most dangerous
in the world, the ground-swell being so strong that at no time can
large vessels approach near the town, and many weeks often pass
without even a boat being able to do so.
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