"They mean the same locality. Go on, Mr. Scott," added the captain.

"'And the vicinity of the bay of Kuriyan Muriyan, where the winds and
weather are more boisterous and variable than on any other part of the
coast,'" continued Scott.

"Where is that bay?" asked the commander.

"It is between the two points mentioned before; but it is Kuria Muria on
the chart;" and the captain had the point of his pencil on it by this time.

"We are within three hours' sail of the longitude of that bay, but a
hundred and fifty miles south of it," said the commander. "The information
in the book is quite correct. Is there anything more about it?"

"Yes, sir; a few lines more, and I will read them: 'Respecting Kuriyan
Muriyan Bay, Captain S.B. Haines, I.N., remarks that the sudden change of
winds, termed by the Arabs _Belat_, and which blow with great violence
for several days, are much dreaded; but what surprised me more than these
land winds were the frequent and heavy gales from the S.S.W. during
February and March, blowing for six days together.'"

"This gale, for such it appears to be, instead of a mere squall, as I
supposed it was at first, has come before it was due by a few days; but it
proves that what you have read is entirely correct," said the commander.
"My two voyages in the Arabian Sea took me twenty degrees east of this
point, and therefore I had nothing but quiet water. But, Mr. Scott, you
have put an old navigator into the shade, and I commend you for the care
and skill with which you had prepared yourself for the voyage of the Maud
to Bengal."