would keep well within reach of the Omani trading settlements that for centuries had been sited at every convenient river mouth and sheltered bay and lagoon along this coast. From these bases Zayn would be able to revictual his ships with fresh water and supplies.
Batula fretted away these long, uneventful days. In the first light of each dawn he climbed to the main truck of the Revenge and stared into the dispersing darkness for the first sight of Tasuz's felucca. He was never
disappointed. Even in the worst weather when all the other small craft had been driven to seek shelter, Tasuz was doggedly holding his position. Although his ship seemed at times to be buried under the grey, breaking swells of the Mozambique current, his dirty lateen sail always reappeared out of the gloom.
This morning the wind had dropped to a gentle zephyr. A bank of sea fret covered the horizon, and the current had settled into long swells that marched down from the north. Batula searched anxiously for his first sight of the felucca, but he was unprepared when the ghostly outline of the lateen sail appeared out of the mist less than a sea mile dead ahead. 'She is flying the blue!' he exclaimed, with excitement. The long blue banner at her masthead writhed like a flying serpent in the gentle airs. It was the sky blue of al-Salil's colours. 'It is the signal. Tasuz has discovered the approach of the enemy fleet.'
He was aware at once of the danger. The sea mist would disperse as soon as the sun rose, and it would be a day of bright sunshine with visibility stretching to the horizon. He could not be certain how far behind the felucca was the enemy fleet.
He slid down the shrouds so rapidly that the rope scorched his palms, and as his feet hit the deck he shouted his orders to bring the ship about and head her southwards. Tasuz followed in his wake, but rapidly the speed of the felucca narrowed the gap. Within the hour the two ships were close together, and Tasuz shouted his report across to Batula: 'There are at least five large ships coming straight down the channel. There may be others following them. I cannot tell for certain, but I thought I glimpsed beyond them the peaks of other sails just showing over the horizon.'
'When did you last have sight of them?' Batula shouted back.
'At last light yesterday evening.'
'Did they hail you or try to intercept?'
They paid me no heed. I think they took me for a coastal trader or a fisherman. I did not alter course until darkness hid me from them.'
Tasuz was a good man. Without arousing the suspicions of the enemy, he had been able to slip away from them and warn the two larger ships.
'The mist is beginning to lift, effendi,' the lookout called down to the deck, and Batula saw that it was thinning and breaking up. He seized his telescope and clambered back to the main truck. He had hardly settled himself there before the mist rolled aside like a translucent curtain and the morning sun burst through.
Swiftly he swept his lens across the northern horizon. Beyond the elucca the channel seemed deserted, a wide blue expanse of water. Madagascar was out of sight to the east. Africa was an ethereal blue
shadow in the west, and outlined against it he picked out the top sails of the Sprite holding her station. They were the only two ships in sight.
'We have run clear away from the enemy during the night.' His heart sang with relief. Then he turned his eye northwards again with more attention and studied the sharp line of the horizon.
'Ah!' he grunted, and then, 'Ah, yes!' He saw the tiny specks of white flash momentarily in the lens like the wings of a gull, then disappear. The leading ships of Zayn's fleet were there, hull down, showing only the very tops of their sails.
He hailed the felucca again. 'Tasuz, go across to the Sprite with all speed and recall her. Fire a gun to catch her attention--' He broke off and stared across at the distant schooner. 'No! You need not do it. Kumrah has already seen what we are about. He hastens to join us.'
Perhaps Kumrah had already seen the enemy sails to the north or he might have been alerted by the Revenge's unusual behaviour. Whatever the reason, he had come about and was heading southwards with all sail set.
During the rest of that day the kaskazi wind increased in strength until, once more, it was blowing with its customary vigour and the ships were flying on course for Nativity Bay. By noon there was no longer any sight of Zayn's ships on the empty sea they left behind them. By late afternoon Kumrah had steered across on a converging course and the two schooners were in close company, but Tasuz in the felucca was almost out of sight ahead.
Batula watched his lateen sail grow tiny and disappear at last in the dusk. He stooped once more over his chart and made his calculations. 'With this wind Tasuz should reach Nativity Bay in seven more days. It will take us ten, and Zayn will be three or four behind us. We will be able to bring al-Salil fair warning.'
Zayn al-Din sat cross-legged on a bed of cushions and silk prayer mats, which were piled on the lee deck of his flagship under a canvas screen, spread to shelter him from the sun and from the wind and spray that blew back every time the Sufi thrust her shoulder into the green swells. The name of the flagship signified the mysticism central to fundamental Islamic thought. She was a ship of force, the most formidable in the entire Omani fleet. Rahmad, the captain who commanded her, had been selected by the Caliph himself for this venture.
Rahmad prostrated himself. 'Majesty, the whaleback that guards the bay in which lies the stronghold of the traitor is in sight,'
Zayn nodded with satisfaction and dismissed him, then turned to Sir Guy Courtney, who sat opposite. 'If Rahmad has brought us directly to our destination without sight of land for twenty days, he has done well. Let us see if it is truly so.' The two stood up and crossed to the weather rail. Rahmad and Laleh bowed respectfully as they approached.
'What do you make of the landfall?' Zayn demanded of Laleh. 'Is this the same bay in which you discovered the ships of al-Salil?'
'Great one, it is the same. This is indeed the lair of al-Salil. From the height of that very headland I looked down upon the bay where he has built his fort and where he anchors his ships.'
With a deep bow, Rahmad handed Zayn his brass telescope. Zayn al Din balanced easily against the ship's motion. Over the past months his sea4 cgs had grown strong. He levelled the telescope and studied the distant shore. Then he closed the glass with a snap and smiled. 'We can be certain that our arrival has struck fear into the heart of your traitorous brother and mine. We have not been forced to grope around within sight of the shore to take our bearings. We have given him no warning of our presence and will appear suddenly before him, in all our multitudes and power. By now he must know in his heart that at last retribution has found him out.'
'He has had no time to hide his stolen booty,' Sir Guy agreed happily. 'His ships will still be at anchor in the bay, and this wind will hold them landlocked until we attack.'
'What the English effendi says is right. The wind is steady out of the east, mighty Caliph.' Rahmad looked up to the huge sail. 'It will bear us in on this single tack. We will be able to enter the mouth of the lagoon before noon.'
'Where is this river Umgeni in which the main force of Pasha Koots will disembark and go ashore?'
'Majesty, it is not plain to see from this distance. There, slightly to the north of the entrance to the bay.' Abruptly Rahmad broke off, and his expression changed. There is a ship!' He pointed. It took Zayn a few moments to pick out the fleck of canvas against the background of the land.
'What ship is it?'
I cannot be certain. A felucca, perhaps. It is small, but that type is fast on the wind. See! It is coming up and escaping out to sea.' Can you send one of our ships to capture it?' Zayn asked. Rahmad looked dubious. 'Majesty, we have no vessel in the fleet fast
enough to catch her in a stern chase. She has a lead of many miles. She will be over the horizon in an hour.'
Zayn thought for a moment, and then shook his head. 'It can do us no harm. The lookouts on the bluff must already have given the alarm to the enemy, and the felucca can pose no additional threat even to the smallest of our vessels. Let her go.'
Zayn turned away and looked back at his own ships. 'Make the signal to Muri Kadem ibn Abubaker,' he ordered.
Zayn had divided the fleet into two divisions. He had taken personal command of the first. This comprised the five largest war-dhows, all armed with heavy batteries of cannon.
At every opportunity since leaving Oman, Kadem ibn Abubaker and Koots had come on board the Sufi to attend his war councils. Zayn had been able to adjust his plans to take into account every new detail of intelligence they had gathered at all their ports of call along the way. Now, on the eve of battle, there was no need for Zayn to summon his commanders for another meeting. Every man knew in perfect detail what Zayn required of him. Like most good plans it was simple.
Zayn's first division would sail directly into Nativity Bay, and fall upon the enemy ships they found anchored there. With their superior numbers and firepower, and the advantage of surprise, they would engage them at close range and overpower them swiftly. Then all their guns would be turned upon the fort. In the meantime Kadem would land the infantry in the river mouth and Koots would march them swiftly round to attack the fort from the rear. As soon as Koots launched his attack, Sir Guy would lead a second landing party from the
