MARGARiTA. 6l 



and jumped into a little dug-out. Two smart Spanish boys 

 pulled rapidly for the sloop which was dancing on the 

 water with the fresh breeze and shewing plenty of her 

 copper sheathing. She was all but under weigh, the cap- 

 tain gave me a hand on board and after a little persuasion 

 agreed to wait a quarter of an hour, so the boys pulled 

 roe ashore again and we soon returned with my baggage 

 and departed with the sanguine expeftation of reaching 

 our destination early in the evening. 



Dinner was served on the hatchway and it deserves 

 a passing word. Something worse than nightmare 

 or dyspepsia was threatened here, colic, tormina or 

 convulsions must surely be the upshot of this ! Red 

 beans stewed with papellon, cloves and garlic, con- 

 creted slabs of rice and maize flour boiled together, and 

 cold corned fish with chopped raw onions were on the 

 table, but it is fair to say that it was followed by excellent 

 corre6lives in the shape of fine black coffee and old rum. 

 The shades of evening set in, the breeze died away, the 

 lights of Carupano being still in full view, alas 1 So there 

 was nothing for it but to make a night of it, with the 

 compass box for a pillow and our legs hanging over the 

 bulwarks. I tried to make the best of it, gazing at the 

 stars and listening to the groaning and creaking of the 

 mast and cordage, and the flapping of the main sail, 

 until the rain came down, and then it was a case of 

 sitting it out with waterproofs etc. 



At dawn Margarita was fairly in sight ; the mountains, 

 casting off their shadows, were gradually illumined by the 

 rising sun, exquisitely gilded and tinted in every variety of 

 colour. Surely unless it is the old story " that distance 

 lends enchantment to the view" this must be a brighter 



