94 ACAPULCO. 



in my ear that I had better not. So I went on 

 deck, and chewing the cud of passion with the end 

 of my cigar, wished that really pretty women would 

 remain single till I met them. That night our 

 intimacy terminated, for until we reached port she 

 never left her state-room. The tyrant husband 

 meanwhile continued to gamble and to drink 

 the latter far from moderately. My old acquaint- 

 ance was invariably his adversary. I fear I was 

 grateful when I recalled to memory that Boyle was 

 up to every ruse that ever gambler practised to 

 pluck pigeons. 



' At length the intermediate port of Acapulco 

 was reached, and all longed to go on shore, as much 

 as caged birds do to try their wings. Half an hour 

 after the hawser had run out to the prescribed 

 length the ship was deserted by her passengers, 

 and I among the number was diving into the old 

 streets, and searching through the intricacies of this 

 diminutive, though not unattractive Mexican town. 



* Acapulco, like all semi-tropical places, is far more 

 attractive at a distance than it is within its pre- 

 cincts. The glaring white colour of the houses is 

 then mellowed, the verandahs appear like perfect 

 lounging-places, and the roofs composed of palm- 

 leaves, so disorderly when closely inspected, recalls 

 the comfortable shingled cottages of New England. 

 But the bay is pretty, the waters being placid and 

 blue. The shore-boats, though rather uncouth, are 

 not altogether ungraceful ; while the costumes of the 



