SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC. 149 



We saw before us apparently a large sheet of 

 water, in which mountains, trees, horses, and 

 cattle were plainly reflected. On a nearer 

 approach the scene changed, and nothing 

 remained but a dry plain of mud, cracked by 

 the heat of the sun, and over which a gaseous 

 vapour floated. Driving on, the effect was 

 repeated, the animals, the trees, and the moun- 

 tains really existed, but not the water. At last, 

 after many disappointments, we came to a pool 

 of brackish water, where all the birds in the 

 country seemed to have collected. We got at 

 this one spot nearly fifty head of duck, snipe, 

 and various kinds of waders, which, added to 

 our bag of the morning, made up a very good 

 score. 



On the 19th February, 1873, we sailed from 

 Mazatlan, bound to Panama and intermediate 

 ports. We had already overstayed our time on 

 the coast, owing to the disturbed state of the 

 country, but there was no longer any need of 

 our services. A pleasant sail of three days, 

 with fair winds and smooth water, brought us 



