i6 



Travels and Adventures 



situation. Be that as it may, as the little Phantom 

 steamed gaily through one of the small openings 

 between the islands the most unenthusiastic could not 

 fail to be moved to admiration at the magnificent si^ht 



THE BOCAS. 



presented by the tremendous precipices rising to a 

 thousand feet, almost perpendicularly. At not more 

 than half a mile from the ship on each side were 

 rugged peaks, ornamented at the top with straggling 

 vegetation and tenanted by myriads of screaming 

 sea-birds, while the lower part was riddled by enor- 

 mous subterranean caverns — once, perhaps, affording 



