The east side of the gulf is fringed with islands, some solitary, others in groups.  On the blue background of the high coast they seem to float on silvery patches of calm water, arid and grey, or dark green and rounded like clumps of evergreen bushes, with the larger ones, a mile or two long, showing the outlines of ridges, ribs of grey rock under the dank mantle of matted leafage.  Unknown to trade, to travel, almost to geography, the manner of life they harbour is an unsolved secret.  There must be villages—­settlements of fishermen at least—­on the largest of them, and some communication with the world is probably kept up by native craft.  But all that forenoon, as we headed for them, fanned along by the faintest of breezes, I saw no sign of man or canoe in the field of the telescope I kept on pointing at the scattered group.

At noon I gave no orders for a change of course, and the mate’s whiskers became much concerned and seemed to be offering themselves unduly to my notice.  At last I said: 

“I am going to stand right in.  Quite in—­as far as I can take her.”

The stare of extreme surprise imparted an air of ferocity also to his eyes, and he looked truly terrific for a moment.

“We’re not doing well in the middle of the gulf,” I continued, casually.  “I am going to look for the land breezes to-night.”

“Bless my soul!  Do you mean, sir, in the dark amongst the lot of all them islands and reefs and shoals?”

“Well—­if there are any regular land breezes at all on this coast one must get close inshore to find them, mustn’t one?”

“Bless my soul!” he exclaimed again under his breath.  All that afternoon he wore a dreamy, contemplative appearance which in him was a mark of perplexity.  After dinner I went into my stateroom as if I meant to take some rest.  There we two bent our dark heads over a half-unrolled chart lying on my bed.

“There,” I said.  “It’s got to be Koh-ring.  I’ve been looking at it ever since sunrise.  It has got two hills and a low point.  It must be inhabited.  And on the coast opposite there is what looks like the mouth of a biggish river—­with some town, no doubt, not far up.  It’s the best chance for you that I can see.”

“Anything.  Koh-ring let it be.”

He looked thoughtfully at the chart as if surveying chances and distances from a lofty height—­and following with his eyes his own figure wandering on the blank land of Cochin-China, and then passing off that piece of paper clean out of sight into uncharted regions.  And it was as if the ship had two captains to plan her course for her.  I had been so worried and restless running up and down that I had not had the patience to dress that day.  I had remained in my sleeping-suit, with straw slippers and a soft floppy hat.  The closeness of the heat in the gulf had been most oppressive, and the crew were used to see me wandering in that airy attire.