34 



ACAPULCO. 



been dismasted. At length we got things put in 

 proper trim to withstand the storm, which lasted 

 with unabated violence for two days. During the 

 greater part of the gale the wind was fair, but 

 blowing so hard, and with so mountainous a sea, 

 that we could make no use of it, nor show even 

 the smallest stitch of sail, without its being in- 

 stantly blown to rags. 



The place where we were thus taken by surprise 

 was near the top of the Gulf of Tecoantepec, which 

 lies opposite to that part of the Gulf of Mexico, 

 between Vera Cruz and Campeachy, nearly abreast 

 of the narrowest part of the land, and about three 

 hundred miles to the eastward of Acapulco. 



CHAPTER XLII. 



"Western Coast of Mexico.— Arrival at Acapulco.— Beau- 

 tiful Harbour. — Account of the Inhabitants. — Wretched 

 State of the Town. — Earthquake. — Description of the 

 Method of navigating along the Coast. — Land and Sea 

 Breezes described. — Arrival at San Bias. 



On the 8th of March, we anchored in Acapulco 

 harbour, a name familiar to the memory of most 

 people, from its being the port whence the rich 

 Spanish galleons, of former days, took their de- 

 parture, to spread the wealth of the Western over 

 the Eastern world. It is celebrated also in Anson's 

 delightful Voyage, and occupies a conspicuous 

 place in the very interesting accounts of the 

 Buccaneers ; to a sailor, therefore, it is classic 

 ground ; and I cannot express the universal pro- 

 fessional admiration excited by a sight of this 

 celebrated port, which is, moreover, the very 

 beau-ideal of a harbour. It is easy of access ; very 

 capacious ; the water not too deep ; the holding- 

 ground good ; quite free from hidden dangers ; 

 and as secure as the basin in the centre of Ports- 

 mouth dock-yard. From the interior of the har- 

 bour the sea cannot be discovered ; and a stranger 

 coming to the spot by land, would imagine he was 

 looking over a sequestered mountain lake. 



When we had reached about half way up the 

 harbour a boat came off to us, but as soon as the 

 officer discovered who and what we were, he rowed 

 away again in great haste, to communicate the 

 news. We had scarcely anchored when a barge 

 came alongside with the governor of the town, 

 accompanied by all the officers at the head of the 

 different departments. As soon as the governor 

 and his suite had severally embraced me, he made 

 a set speech, in which he said we had long and 

 anxiously been looked for ; and that, as the Conway 

 was the first of his Britannic Majesty's ships that 

 had honoured the harbour of Acapulco with her 

 presence, he considered it his duty, no less than 

 his inclination, to waive the usual etiquette, and 

 conic on hoard in person to welcome our arrival. 

 I replied in the best Castilian I could muster, to 

 this remarkable compliment; after which he for- 

 mally communicated a message he had lately 

 received from his Serene Highness Generalissimo 

 Don Augustin [turbide, then at the head of the 

 government, inviting me and all my officers to 

 naif the capital, and placing horses and every 

 means of travelling at our command. This was 

 a most tempting occasion, indeed, to see the conn- 

 try ; but it was impossible to avail ourselves of it, 



and we reluctantly declined the honour. The 

 governor, after a long and cheerful visit, took his 

 leave, assuring us, that we should be assisted by 

 all the means the local government possessed, to 

 complete our supplies, and to render our stay, 

 which he entreated might be long, as agreeable as 

 possible. 



Next morning, I returned the visit of last even- 

 ing, accompanied by all the officers, in imitation 

 of the governor. We were received with the 

 greatest attention and kindness ; and indeed 

 during our whole stay, nothing could exceed 

 the active hospitality of these people, the most 

 civil and obliging of any we met with during the 

 voyage. 



After the audience at Government-house was 

 over, I proceeded with the purser to inquire about 

 supplies. On the way we fell in with a young 

 Spaniard whom I had met at Canton, in China, 

 some years before, who at once, with the promp- 

 titude of renewed friendship, took charge of us, 

 carried us to his house, and made us at home in a 

 moment. Such meetings with persons one never 

 expects to see again, and in places so remote from 

 each other, are peculiarly interesting ; and, per- 

 haps, as much as anything else, characteristic of a 

 naval life. This gentleman and I had parted in 

 China four years before ; he had gone first to 

 Manilla, and thence sailed eastward till he reached 

 the shores of Mexico : I had, in the mean time, 

 proceeded round the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 eventually to the westward by Cape Horn, till, on 

 reaching the same spot, we came together again, 

 after having by our united voyages circumnavi- 

 gated the globe. 



The appearance of the country people at Aca- 

 pulco differs from that of the South Americans. 

 Their features and colour partake somewhat of 

 the Malay character ; their foreheads are broad 

 and square ; their eyes small, and not deep-seated ; 

 their cheek-bones prominent ; and their heads 

 covered with black straight hair ; their stature 

 about the medium standard ; their frame compact 

 and well made. These are the country people who 

 come to market with poultry, fruit, and vegetables, 

 and are generally seen seated in the shade under 

 the verandahs of the houses, or in their own ran- 

 chas ; which are sheds made of mats loosely pinned 

 together. 



We took notice of another class, less savage in 

 appearance than that just described, and rather 

 more interesting ; they are the labourers and car- 

 riers of burdens employed about the town :- a tall, 

 bold-looking, strong race of men ; they wear a hat, 

 the crown of which is raised not more than three 

 inches above a rim of such unusual width, that 

 it serves as an umbrella to shade the whole body. 

 Round their neck is suspended a large flap of stiff 

 yellow leather, reaching below the middle, and 

 nearly meeting a pair of greaves of the same mate- 

 rial which envelop the thigh ; the calves of the 

 leg are in like manner wrapped round with pieces 

 of leather tied carelessly on with a thong ; over 

 the foot is drawn a sort of wide, unlaced half-boot, 

 which is left to float out like a wing from the ankle. 

 These figures are striking, and highly picturesque. 

 Their colour is a bright copper, and they probably 

 have some intermixture of Spanish blood in their 

 veins. 



Tin- negroes form a third class at Acapulco. ■ 



