I explained that this was the wrong way to use it; and inviting him to come to the door of the tent, I put it to my own eye to show him how it was to be used. As I did so, turning it eastward, what was my surprise to observe a sail standing towards the shore.
“Thank Heaven! here comes a vessel which may rescue us,” I exclaimed.
“Let me look at her,” said Halliday, taking the glass from me.
“Look again, Charlie,” he said, returning it to me. “I am afraid that it is only a small boat.”
“You are right,” I answered; “or rather, it is no boat at all, but a raft!” Indeed, by this time we could distinguish the raft with our naked eyes.
“What is all this about?” asked the sheikh, observing our agitation. I gave him the glass, but he could not fix it on the object. He saw the raft, however, without it.
“Allah be praised! yonder vessel will certainly be thrown on our shore, and we shall obtain a rich booty,” he exclaimed.
I did not undeceive him.
“Can that be the large raft, I wonder?” asked Halliday. “If so, some of the poor wretches have escaped death after all.”
I examined it attentively, and saw that it was very much smaller than the large raft, and could not support more than two or three people. I also now observed that a reef of rocks ran parallel with the coast for some distance, the sea breaking heavily upon it.