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signments of portable fish…tanks were taken aboard。 Always half a dozen men were left behind。 Canoes approaching the island were warned off by a watchman； at the base of the steps in the cliff； who fished all day from a narrow jetty alongside which the Secatur on her visits moored with two anchors out； well sheltered from the prevailing north…easterly winds。
No one succeeded in landing on the island by daylight and； after two tragic attempts； nobody tried to gain access by night。
The first attempt was made by a local fisherman spurred on by the rumours of buried treasure that no talk of tropical fish could suppress。 He had swum out one dark night and his body had been washed back over the reef next day。 Sharks and barracuda had left nothing but the trunk and the remains of a thigh。
At about the time he should have reached the island the whole village of Shark Bay was awakened by the most horrible drumming noise。 It seemed to e from inside the island。 It was recognized as the beating of Voodoo drums。 It started softly and rose slowly to a thunderous crescendo。 Then it died down again and stopped。 It lasted about five minutes。 j
From that moment the island was ju…ju； or obeah； as it is called hi Jamaica； and even in daylight canoes kept at a safe distance。
By this time Strangways was interested and he made a full report to London。 Since 1950 Jamaica had bee an important strategic target； thanks to the development by Reynolds Metal and the Kaiser Corporation of huge bauxite deposits found on the island。 So far as Strangways was concerned； the activities on Surprise might easily be the erection of a base for one…man submarines in the event of war； particularly since Shark Bay was within range of the route followed by the Reynolds ships to the new bauxite harbour at Ocho Rios； a few miles down the coast。
London followed the report up with Washington and it came to light that the New York syndicate that had purchased the island was wholly owned by Mr。 Big。
This was three months ago。 Strangways was ordered to penetrate the island at all costs and find out what was going on。 He mounted quite an operation。 He rented a property on the western arm of Shark Bay called Beau Desert。 It contained the ruins of one of the famous Jamaican Great Houses of the early nineteenth century and also a modern beach…house directly across from the Secatur's anchorage up against Surprise。
He brought down two very fine swimmers from the naval base at Bermuda and set up a permanent watch on the island through day… and night…glasses。 Nothing of a suspicious nature was seen and on a dark calm night he sent out the two swimmers with instructions to make an underwater survey of the foundations of the island。
Strangways described his horror when； an hour after they had left to swim across the three hundred yards of water； the terrible drumming had started up somewhere inside the cliffs of the island。
That night the two men did not return。
On the next day they were both washed up at different parts of the bay。 Or rather； the remains left by the shark and barracuda。
At this point in Strangeways's narrative； Bond interrupted him。
'Just a minute；' he said。 'What's all this about shark and barracuda？ They're not generally savage in these waters。 There aren't very many of them round Jamaica and they don't often feed at night。 Anyway； I don't believe either of them attack humans unless there's blood in the water。 Occasionally they might snap at a white foot out of curiosity。 Have they ever behaved like this round Jamaica before？'
'Never been a case since a girl got a foot bitten off in Kingston harbour in 1942；' said Strangways。 'She was being towed by a speedboat； flipping her feet up and down。 The white feet must have looked particularly appetising。 Travelling at just the right speed too。 Everyone agrees with your theory。 And my men had harpoons and knives。 I thought I'd done everything to protect them。 Dreadful business。 You can imagine how I felt about it。 Since then we've done nothing except try to get legitimate access to the island via the Colonial Office and Washington。 You see； it belongs to an American now。 Damn slow business； particularly as there's nothing against these people。 They seem to have pretty good protection in Washington and some smart international lawyers。 We're absolutely stuck。 London told me to hang on until you came。' Strangways took a pull at his whisky and looked expectantly at Bond。
'What are the Secatur's movements ？' asked Bond。
'Still in Cuba。 Sailing in about a week； according to the CIA。'
'How many trips has she done？'
'About twenty。'
Bond multiplied one hundred and fifty thousand dollars by twenty。 If his guess was right； Mr。 Big had already taken a million pounds in gold out of the island。
'I've made some provisional arrangements for you；' said Strangways。 'There's the house at Beau Desert。 I've got you a car； Sunbeam Talbot coupe。 New tyres。 Fast。 Right car for these roads。 I've got a good man to act as your factotum。 A Cayman Islander called Quarrel。 Best swimmer and fisherman in the Caribbean。 Terribly keen。 Nice chap。 And I've borrowed the West Indian Citrus pany's rest…house at Manatee Bay。 It's the other end of the island。 You could rest up there for a week and get in a bit of training until the Secatur es in。 You'll need to be fit if you're going to try to get over to Surprise； and I honestly believe that's the only answer。 Anything else I can do？ I'll be about； of course； but I'll have to stay around Kingston to keep up munications with London and Washington。 They'll want to know everything we do。 Anything else you'd like me to fix up？'
Bond had been making up his mind。
'Yes；' he said。 'You might ask London to get the Admiralty to lend us one of their frogmen suits plete with pressed…air bottles。 Plenty of spares。 And a couple of good underwater harpoon guns。 The French ones called ''Champion〃 are the best。 Good underwater torch。 A mando dagger。 All the dope they can get from the Natural History Museum on barracuda and shark。 And some of that shark…repellent stuff the Americans used in the Pacific。 Ask B o A c to fly it all out on their direct service。'
Bond paused。 'Oh yes；' he said。 'And one of those things our saboteurs used against ships in the war。 Limpet mine； with assorted fuses。'
CHAPTER XVII
THE UNDERTAKER'S WIND
PAW…PAW with a slice of green lime； a dish piled with red bananas； purple star…apples and tangerines； scrambled eggs and bacon； Blue Mountain coffee … the most delicious in the world … Jamaican marmalade； almost black； and guava jelly。
As Bond； wearing shorts and sandals； had his breakfast on the veranda and gazed down on the sunlit panorama of Kingston and Port Royal； he thought how lucky he was and what wonderful moments of consolation there were for the darkness and danger of his profession。
Bond knew Jamaica well。 He had been there on a long assignment just after the war when the munist headquarters in Cuba was trying to infiltrate the Jamaican labour unions。 It had been an untidy and inconclusive job but he had grown to love the great green island and its staunch； humorous people。 Now he was glad to be back and to have a whole week of respite before the grim work began again。
After breakfast； Strangways appeared on the veranda with a tall brown…skinned man in a faded blue shirt and old brown twill trousers。
This was Quarrel； the Cayman Islander； and Bond liked him immediately。 There was the blood of Cromwellian soldiers and buccaneers in him and his face was strong and angular and his mouth was almost severe。 His eyes were grey。 It was only the spatulate nose and the pale palms of his hands that were negroid。
Bond shook him by the hand。
'Good morning； Captain；' said Quarrel。 ing from the most famous race of seamen in the world； this was the highest title he knew。 But there was no desire to please； or humility； in his voice。 He was speaking as mate of the ship and his manner was straightforward and candid。
That moment defined their relationship。 It remained that of a Scots laird with his head stalker； authority was unspoken and there was no room for servility。
After discussing their plans； Bond took the wheel of the little car Quarrel had brought up from Kingston and they started on up the Junction Road； leaving Strangways to busy himself with Bond's requirements。
They had got off before nine and it was still cool as they crossed the mountains that run along Jamaica's back like the central ridges of a crocodile's armour。 The road wound down towards the northern plains through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world； the tropical vegetation changing with the altitude。 The green flanks of the uplands； all feathered with bamboo interspersed with the dark； glinting green of breadfruit and the sudden Bengal fire of Flame of the Forest； gave way to the lower forests of ebony； mahogany； mahoe and logwood。 And when they reached the plains of Agualta Vale the green sea of sugar…cane and bananas stretched away to where the distant fringe of glittering shrapnel bursts marked the palm…groves along the north coast。
Quarrel was a good panion on the drive and a wonderful guide。 He talked about the trap…door