150 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



to Manzanillo, a pretty little port and a good 

 harbour, but where we remained only a few 

 hours, as the place is very unhealthy, especially 

 in the summer months, when some large 

 lagoons at the back of the town are almost 

 dry. At night the land breeze wafts off an 

 odoriferous bouquet from these swamps, which 

 is neither wholesome nor agreeable. The day 

 before we arrived an attempt had been made to 

 purify one of these lagoons by connecting it 

 with the sea, and allowing the tide free access 

 to it; but the only immediate result had been 

 to drive out a quantity of alligators, fish, and 

 lumber into the sea, amongst which was a 

 valuable lot of cedar cut in baulks ready for 

 shipping. One of these pieces, weighing some 

 three tons, we hoisted in and secured. 



Manzanillo is the seaport of Colima, from 

 which it is distant ninety miles, and a consider- 

 able trade is carried on between the two places. 

 From thence we ran down the coast to 

 Acapulco, where we anchored two days after- 

 wards. The harbour of Acapulco is the finest 



