The sun lay low on the water, and its level beams
glowed upon the scarlet and gold of fourteen great caracks, each
flying the cross of Saint George, and towering high above the
cluster of English ships which, with brave waving of flags and
blaring of music, were moving slowly towards the Kentish coast.
XVIII. HOW BLACK SIMON CLAIMED FORFEIT FROM THE KING OF SARK
For a day and a half the small fleet made good progress, but on
the second morning, after sighting Cape de la Hague, there came a
brisk land wind which blew them out to sea. It grew into a squall
with rain and fog so that they were two more days beating back.
Next morning they found themselves in a dangerous rock studded sea
with a small island upon their starboard quarter. It was girdled
with high granite cliffs of a reddish hue, and slopes of bright
green grassland lay above them. A second smaller island lay
beside it. Dennis the shipman shook his head as he looked.
"That is Brechou," said he, "and the larger one is the Island of
Sark. If ever I be cast away, I pray the saints that I may not be
upon yonder coast!"
Knolles gazed across at it. "You say well, master-shipman," said
he. "It does appear to be a rocky and perilous spot."
"Nay, it is the rocky hearts of those who dwell upon it that I had
in my mind," the old sailor answered. "We are well safe in three
goodly vessels, but had we been here in a small craft I make no
doubt that they would have already had their boats out against
us.
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