168 THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 



too, should stand upon the shore of time, would there 

 not a being as unlike, and superior, stand upon that 

 shore to receive me? "With these thoughts I turned 

 away, and espied near by an alligator, and as Hooked 

 at him he opened his mouth as though he was under 

 the impression that I was good to eat ; but picking up 

 a large pebble, I luckily tossed it down his throat, 

 w T hich he evidently considered a sample of the hard- 

 ness of my heart, and altered his mind, and made way 

 for the Mincle river, which was near at hand. * * 



When that dark speck appeared away out where 

 the horizon meets the sea, and grew more and more 

 distinct, I wondered if it were possible that it would 

 bear me home. And as I watched it still, I became 

 convinced of what I could not realize, for it was the 

 Ohio, riding proudly by to her moorings at Chagres. 

 When once more, and for the last time, I looked 

 back from the Gorgona upon Manzanilla and her 

 beautiful harbor, I thought that I would love again, 

 at some distant day, to view this scene and mark 

 the change that time and enterprise will soon make 

 there. That time is not far hence when the readers 

 of this will view the scene I have attempted to 

 describe, though I may not. When once more my 

 footsteps were upon the deck of the good ship Ohio, 

 I felt that familiar things were about me, and they 

 reminded me more vividly of home — and my 

 thoughts went homeward. 



