92 BAUL AND SAN FERNANDO. 



yard, came to a low, dirty room, black with soot and blind- 

 ing with smoke, where we beheld a lai-ge, swarthy negro, 

 with coat off and sleeves rolled up, engaged in the culi- 

 nary operations of the kitchen. To this gentleman we 

 were introduced as the official in qiiestion. He proved 

 eminently successful in inditing a grandiloquent recom- 

 mendation. 



Having hastily secured our supplies for the voyage, we 

 were at the landing by 5 p. m., the hour designated for 

 starting, and found the two bongos just pushing off; but 

 our own crew were nowhere to be found. Waiting until 

 dark, without any signs of their appearing, vre started 

 upon a hunt for them through the town, returning, after 

 an liour or more of fruitless search, to find one of the 

 rascals, the best part of whom was Indian, sitting with 

 great complacency upon his haunches, on the beach, 

 smoking his evening regalia. In course of another hour 

 the patron, a great shambling son of Afric, made his ap- 

 pearance, and, doubling his lower extremities under him, 

 also squatted very coolly upon the ground to discuss " the 

 situation." We brought the conference to a hasty close^ 

 when they vei-y deliberately collected the provisions, 

 kettles, and luggage, into the canoe, and stationing them- 

 selves, one in the stern to steer, and the other at the bow 

 to paddle, we were finally moving along, more by the force 

 of the current than by any exertions of our boatmen. 



