At this moment Morris and Felix rushed forward to announce the change in the course of the Fatimé; but they were too late, and the captain sent them back.
Captain Scott proceeded to explain his plan. Near the shore the water was shallow on the coast of Africa, as it is on most others when not more than a cable's length distant from the dry land. The Almirante Rocks are off the point; and though there was depth enough for the Maud, yet the pilot of the Fatimé would not risk his vessel on them. Three miles beyond the rocks was the Cana Coja Reef, extending about two miles, and reaching about the same distance out from the land.
"How deep is the water off here?" asked Louis.
"In some places it is only from three to twelve feet deep," replied Scott, who had kept his eyes fixed on the chart half the time.
"Three feet!" exclaimed the deck-hand. "The Maud would certainly stick her keel into that bottom."
"But I don't intend to put her through any such water as that," protested the captain. "Just where we are the depth is not more than a fathom and a half a cable's length from the shore; but we shall keep outside of that place."
"A cable's length seems to me to be a rather indefinite measure," suggested Louis.
"Not at all; it is as definite as a two-foot rule. It is just the tenth of a mile, for it takes ten of them to make a mile."
"I did not know that it had a particular extent, but supposed it was used in a sort of general way, like a great many other expressions of sailors."
"Not at all; but I think it would be well for Morris to heave the lead in this locality, though I am confident we shall go through all right," added Captain Scott. "You may pass the word for him to do so."