noon
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 .