e: To sea in sambuks.]

"The Turkish Government placed at our disposal two 'sambuks' (sailing
ships) of about twenty-five tons, fifteen meters long and four meters
wide. But in fear of English spies, we sailed from Jebaua, ten miles
north of Hodeida. That was on March 14. At first we sailed at a
considerable distance apart, so that we would not both go to pot if an
English gunboat caught us. Therefore, we always had to sail in coastal
water. That is full of coral reefs, however."

[Sidenote: One sambuk runs on a reef.]

"The Commander," Lieutenant Gerdts said, "had charge of the first
sambuk; I of the second, which was the larger of the two, for we had
four sick men aboard. At first everything went nicely for three days.
For the most part I could see the sails of the first ship ahead of me.
On the third day I received orders to draw nearer and to remain in the
vicinity of the first boat, because its pilot was sailing less
skillfully than mine. Suddenly, in the twilight, I felt a shock, then
another, and still another. The water poured in rapidly. I had run upon
the reef of a small island, where the smaller sambuk was able barely to
pass because it had a foot less draught than mine. Soon my ship was
quite full, listed over, and all of us--twenty-eight men--had to sit on
the uptilted edge of the boat. The little island lies at Jesirat Marka,
200 miles north of Jebaua. To be sure, an Arab boat lay near by, but
they did not know us. Nobody could help us. If the Commander had not
changed the order a few hours before and asked us to sail up closer, we
would probably have drowned on this coral reef--certainly would have
died of thirst. Moreover, the waters thereabouts are full of sharks, and
the evening was so squally that our stranded boat was raised and banged
with every wave. We could scarcely move, and the other boat was nowhere
in sight. And now it grew dark. At this stage I began to build a raft of
spars and old pieces of wood, that might at all events keep us afloat.

[Sidenote: The crew finally rescued.]

[Sidenote: Machine guns brought up.]

"But soon the first boat came into sight again. The commander turned
about and sent over his little canoe; in this and in our own canoe, in
which two men could sit at each trip, we first transferred the sick. Now
the Arabs began to help us. But just then the tropical helmet of our
doctor suddenly appeared above the water in which he was standing up to
his ears. Thereupon the