nd pounds on this service. Depots
have to be established at distant ports, and the coal costs more than
three pounds a ton.

The _Mongolia_ had still sixteen hundred and fifty miles to run before
she could reach Bombay, and she was therefore obliged to remain four
hours at Steamer Point to complete her coaling. But this delay was not
at all detrimental to the plans of Phileas Fogg. It had been foreseen.
Besides, the _Mongolia_, instead of reaching Aden on the 15th, had
made that port on the evening of the 14th, so there was a gain of
about fifteen hours.

Mr. Fogg and his servant went ashore. The former wished to have his
passport _vised_. Fix followed him unnoticed. The formality of the
_vise_ having been accomplished, Phileas Fogg returned on board to his
game of whist.

Passe-partout, as usual, lounged about amongst the mixed races which
make up the inhabitants of Aden. He admired the fortifications of this
eastern Gibraltar, and the splendid tanks at which the British
engineers were still at work, two thousand years after Solomon's
craftsmen.

"Very curious, very curious indeed," thought Passe-partout, as he
returned on board. "It is worth travelling if one can see something
new each time."

At six p.m. the _Mongolia_ weighed anchor, and made her way across the
Indian Ocean. She had now one hundred and sixty-eight hours in which
to make the passage to Bombay. The weather was good, with a pleasant
nor'-west wind; so the sails were hoisted to aid the screw.

The ship being thus steadied, the lady passengers took the opportunity
to reappear in fresh toilettes, and dancing and singing were again
indulged in. The voyage continued under most favourable conditions.
Passe-partout was delighted that he had such a pleasant companion as
Fix.

On Sunday, the 20th of October, about mid-day, they sighted the coast
of Hindostan. Two hours later the pilot came on board. A long range of
hills cut the sky-line, and soon palm-trees began to show themselves.
The mail steamer ran into the roadstead formed between the islands of
Salsette, Colaba, Elephanta, and Butcher, and at half-past four
o'clock the vessel came alongside the quay.

Phileas Fogg was just finishing his thirty-third rubber for that day.
His partner and he had succeeded in scoring a "treble," and thus
terminated the voyage with a stroke of luck.

The _Mongolia_ was not due at Bombay until the 22nd of October; she
had actually arrived on the 20th; so Mr. Fogg