IN THE PACIFIC. 239 



the mud with his tail, and I half expected to be 

 laid hold of by the leg the next moment. Need- 

 less to say, I lost no time in placing myself on 

 terra-firma. 



Our guide proved most useful in retrieving 

 ducks, although he had a wholesome horror of 

 alligators ; it was a most ridiculous sight to see 

 him with his thin bare legs in the water, boom- 

 ing off an alligator with his machete, and shout- 

 ing out " Caiman ! Caiman ! Caramba ! " &c. 



Owing to the presence of these beasts, old 

 " Rose " was not allowed into the water, but 

 was given in charge of my coxswain, who kept 

 her out of danger. 



Notwithstanding these drawbacks to our 

 shooting, we made a very pretty bag, amount- 

 ing to twenty-five brace of ducks and teal, with 

 which we tramped back to the boat, and 

 returned on board, and the next day rejoined 

 the flag- ship at Taboga. 



On the 9th April we sailed from Panama, 

 bound to the coast of Mexico, a part of the 

 station we were already too familiar with. A 





