178 



VOYAGE TO PANAMA. 



Slough of Despond. We made the land first on 

 the main^ in the Gulf of Panama to leeward of 

 the Pearls, which the next day we approached 

 early in the morning, steering for the settlement 

 on the largest of them, called Isla del Rey. 

 We sent on shore to get information about the 

 means of accomplishing my expedition of fifty 

 miles further to the city of Panama, and I 

 prepared myself to take leave of the Crawford, 

 and go on shore among the negro pearl-divers. 

 The vessel was insured only for a direct voyage 

 to Mazatlan, and could not safely deviate 

 further from her course, therefore the captain 

 positively refused to take me a mile beyond the 

 Pearls. On the return, however, of the boat 

 sent ashore, a native boatman came off in her, 

 who said that no boat was ready to start that 

 day from the island, and that I might pro- 

 bably be two days on the voyage from the 

 Pearls to Panama in an island boat. I felt 



