yo ACAPULCO. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Departure from San Francisco — At Sea — Arrival at Acapnlco — 

 Acapulco — Its Population — Department of Guerrero — Principal 

 Rivers — Pearl Fisheries — Chilpancingo — Ruins of Xochicalco — 

 Quetzalcoatl — Expeditions of Cortez — General Alvarez — Pintos — 

 Mineral Wealth. 



^N the 1 8th of August, 1852, I embarked on the ship 

 Heva, Captain Magne, bound for San Juan del Sur. 

 At first, we had very bad weather and contrary winds, and 

 made little progress. After that, we had some calms, w^hich 

 were very trying, although fish was very abundant. We 

 caught doradoes, bonitas and another called black-fish, or 

 Sea Perch. These fishes were in such plenty that we caught 

 over two hundred of them in a few hours. It was a welcome 

 addition to our diet, which was very limited, and consisted 

 chiefly of preserves, salt meat and pork. 



Although its flesh is rather tough, we liked it, and we ate 

 them fried, boiled in bouillabaise, and in matelotes. 



Every day it rained at certain hours, and in such abund- 

 ance that it was scarcelv credible. 



When in the latitude of Acapulco, and very near that 

 port, where we had to call in order to renew our provisions, 

 the wind abated suddenly, and for eight days we experienced, 

 in a certain way, the torment of Tantalus, that of seeing the 

 harbour without being able to effect an entrance. There are 

 only two channels to effect an entrance in the harbour, one 

 wide, but very dangerous on account of the many rocks wdth 

 which it is strewed ; the other safe, but so narrow that scarcely 

 two ships can pass at a time. 



Every day we came close to that pass but could not get 

 in, and we were obliged to go at large again. 



After eight days of these manoeuvres we were at last 

 successful, and entered the bay of Acapulco on the loth of 

 October. This bay is very fine, and about six miles in 

 circumference. It is sheltered from all sides, which makes it 

 very safe, but very warm. It looks more like a lake than 



