10 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



experienced traveller and personal friend, who had 

 passed more than ten years of his life in diligently 

 studying the antiquities of the Old World ; and whom, . 

 as one familiar with the remains of ancient architec- 

 tural greatness, I engaged, immediately on receiving 

 my appointment, to accompany me in exploring the 

 ruins of Central America. 



Hurried on by a strong northeaster, on the ninth 

 we were within the region of the trade-winds, on 

 the tenth within the tropics, and on the eleventh, 

 with the thermometer at 80°, but a refreshing breeze, 

 we Were moving gently between Cuba and St. Domin- 

 go, with both in full sight. For the rest, after eigh- 

 teen days of boisterous weather, drenched with tropi- 

 cal rains, on the twenty-ninth we were driven inside 

 the Lighthouse reef, and, avoiding altogether the reg- 

 ular pilot-ground, at midnight reached St. George's 

 Bay, about twenty miles from Balize. A large brig, 

 loaded with mahogany, was lying at anchor, with a 

 pilot on board, waiting for favourable weather to put 

 to sea. The pilot had with him his son, a lad about 

 sixteen, cradled on the water, whom Captain Hampton 

 knew, and determined to take on board. 



It was full moonlight when the boy mounted the 

 deck and gave us the pilot's welcome. I could not 

 distinguish his features, but I could see that he was not 

 white ; and his voice was as soft as a woman's. He 

 took his place at the wheel, and, loading the brig with 

 canvass, told us of the severe gales on the coast, of 

 the fears entertained for our safety, of disasters and 

 shipwrecks, and of a pilot who, on a night which we 

 well remembered, had driven his vessel over a sunken 

 reef. 



At seven o'clock the next morning we saw Balize, 



