172 



COAST OF MEXICO. 



CO 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 

 departure to spread the wealth of the Western 

 over the Eastern world. It is celebrated also in 

 Anson^s delightful Voyage, and occupies a con- 

 spicuous place in the very interesting accounts of 

 the Buccaneers : to a sailor, therefore, it is classic 

 ground in every sense. I cannot express the 

 universal professional 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 Portsmouth dock-yard. From the interior of 

 the harbour the sea cannot be discovered ; and a 

 stranger coming to the spot by land would ima- 

 gine 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 row- 

 ed away again, in great haste, to communicate 



