place and keeps it, a white man, his neighbor, assuming everybody's place but his own; one man with no appetite, another creating a famine in his immediate neighborhood; five crazy men, fifty invalids, a penurious doctor, two mates-Tate and Barry-noblemen of nature's own make, and a captain who was made afterwards. In one thing only were we unanimous, which was the condemnation of sailing vessels in general, and the "Everett" in particular, including her captain. 11th. We discover something near the horizon resembling a capsized whale-boat. This causes a great sensation; the first mate mans the quarter-boat and pulls off for the object. The passengers watch most intently, the little craft as it rises upon the crest of a mountain-wave, and now disappearing, again rises to our view, still nearing the object in the distance. As they approach still nearer, through the ship's glass, we see fowls rising from it, and now the mate, standing in the bow, elevates the harpoon, as if to strike. A large sea-fowl still clings to the ob ject; as they approach still nearer, it flies. The mate throws the harpoon and soon they are returning to the ship. They pronounced the object a pine-log. They have a Dolphin and sev eral small fish; a cry of shark, and a large one passes along the weather side, four are following astern, accompanied by their pilots. We use the harpoon, but without success. 12th. 4 A.M., cry of "land ho!" I dress and go on deck; we are in sight of Points Mala and Puerco, at the entrance to the gulf of Panama, 100 miles from the city. A steamer is just pas sing the point into the gulf; a strong wind is blowing off the land, and west and in, running close on the wind. We beat all night, and in the morning find ourselves in the same position. 13th. Wind still dead ahead; after standing in and nearing the South American coast, we put about on the other tack; the wind soon "hauls," and we stand directly for the point and soon enter the mouth of the gulf. At 4 P.M., mate cries out from mast-head, "sail ho!" "How does she bear?" "Two points off leeward bow, sir." Delightful sunset; a school of porpoises are tumbling about in ecstasies. 14th. Pleasant morning; we are just off the inner point. A fine breeze blows off, our ship bows to the impulse, and we stand along under the lee of the land. Cry of dolphin, captain strikes OUR SAILS AND SPARS CARRIED AWAY. 183 one with the harpoon, it struggles with the instrument, disengages itself, and disappears in the direction of the bottom; he strikes another, it is hauled safely on board and served up for dinner. A whale passes, but not sufficiently near to receive our salutation. 4 P.M., it blows a gale, captain cries out, "clue up the top-gallantsail," "aye, aye, sir." During the night we have a terrific gale; it carries away our jib, foretop-sail, foretop-gallantsail, maintop-staysail, and maintop-gallantsail. 15th. The gale still continues; we are driven out of sight of land, but arrive in sight of the South American coast at 3 P.M., the Andes towering up, hiding themselves in the clouds. 16. Strong winds; we are about sixty miles from Panama, running close in shore. At evening, the kind-hearted inhabitants light beacons upon the side of the mountain, to guide us during the night. At nine we put about on the other tack, and at four in the morning were within ten minutes run of being aground. Chapter Thirty-first. BAY OF PANAMA-ITS BEAUTIES-TROPICAL FRUITS-THE CITY IN SIGHT-EXCITEMENT ON BOARD-APPEARANCE OF THE CITY; HER RUINS-PREPARATIONS TO DROP ANCHOR "STAND BY "-" LET GO THE ANCHOR"-FAREWELL TO THE SICK-A PERILOUS RIDE ON THE BACK OF AN INDIVIDUAL-ON SHORE-FIRST DINNER-NOTHING LEFT-AN INDIVIDUAL FEELING COMFORTABLE-PANAMA AMERICANIZED-A MOONLIGHT SCENE VIEWED FROM A BRASS "FIFTY-SIX "—A DILAPIDATED CONVENT, AS SEEN AT NIGHT -CHURCH BELLS-BURNING THE DEAD-EXPOSURE OF THE DESECRATED REMAINS-SICKENING AND DISGUSTING SIGHT-INFANTS CAST INTO PITS-THE RESCUE OF THEIR SOULS REQUIRING A GIGANTIC EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH-A HETACOMB" ETERNAL LIGHT"-IGNORANCE OF THE MASS-PEERLESS CHARACTERISTICS. 18th. We are surrounded by islands; is there another bay that will compare with this? Certainly I never imagined anything so like a fairy scene. We are in the midst of twenty islands, all covered with tropical fruits of spontaneous growth; the orange, lime, fig, and cocoa-nut trees, interlaced with the grape, forming shelter for the inhabitants, and presenting them with food. We were in a condition to appreciate, most fully, the surrounding scene. Our voyage, which had now lasted fifty-one days, was commenced under adverse circumstances; five of the passengers had already died, and several were still confined to their berths with scurvy, some of them destined to breathe their last on board. 4 P.M. As we emerge from behind a small island, we are in full view of Panama, the towers of her cathedral looming up, and her dilapidated wall extending along the water line; all are now in a phrensy of excitement; the passengers are climbing into the rigging, gazing with astonishment upon the surrounding scene. The wind blows fresh from the land, and we are obliged to beat up directly in its eye; we passed near Tobago in the evening, and in the morning were near our anchorage. We run up the stars and stripes, and prepare to drop anchor; our trunks are in readiness, and we expect soon to be transferred to the shore. |