354 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. ^ 



At eleven o'clock the breeze set in. At twelve 

 the patron asked if he should run ashore for us to 

 dine, and at half past one the breeze was so strong 

 against us that we were obliged to come to anchor 

 under the lee of Point Moscheto. This was an isl- 

 and about two leagues distant from Yalahao, with 

 a projecting point, which we had to double. We 

 could have walked round it in an hour, but, after 

 the experience of a few hours' navigation in El Sol, 

 it seemed to stand out like Cape Horn. Our bark 

 had no keel, and could do nothing against the wind. 

 We went ashore on a barren, sandy beach, bathed, 

 shot, and picked up shells. Toward evening the 

 wind fell, and we crawled round the point, when we 

 came to anchor again, for it was now dark, and El 

 Sol could not travel at night. The patron made all 

 secure ; we had a big stone for anchor, and rode in 

 water knee deep. In due time we turned in for 

 sleep ; and it might have been consoling to distant 

 friends to know that, exposed as we were on this 

 desolate coast, we made so tight a fit in the canoa 

 that if the bottom had fallen out we could hardly 

 have gone througjh. 



The next morning, with the rising of her great 

 namesake. El Sol was under way. The prevalent 

 wind along the coast w^as southeast, adverse for us ; 

 but, as the captain said, on our return it would be in 

 our favour. At one o'clock another bold point in- 

 tercepted us. It was a great object to get round it, 

 for the wind w^ould then be fair. El Sol made a 



