360 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



We had time for a bath, and while preparing to 

 take it saw two large sharks moving along the shore 

 in water four or five feet deep, and so clear that their 

 ugly eyes were visible. We hesitated, but, from the 

 heat and confinement of the canoa, we were in real 

 need ; and stationing Albino on the prow to keep a 

 look out, we accomplished our purpose. Afterward 

 we rambled along the shore to pick, up shells ; but 

 toward dark we were all hurrying back, flying be- 

 fore the natives, swarms of moschetoes, which pur- 

 sued us with the same bloodthirsty spirit that ani- 

 mated the Indians along this coast when they pursu- 

 ed the Spaniards. We heaved upon our cable, 

 hauled up our big stone, and dropped off to some 

 distance from the shore, with horrible apprehensions 

 for the night, but, fortunately, we escaped. 



At daylight the next morning we were again un- 

 der way, and, with a strong and favourable wind, 

 steered from the coast for the island of Cozumel. 

 Very soon, in the comparatively open sea, we felt 

 the discomfort and even insecurity of our little ves- 

 sel. The waves broke over us, wetting our luggage 

 and ourselves, and interfering materially with Ber- 

 naldo's cooking. At about four o'clock in the af- 

 ternoon we were upon the coast of Cozumel, and 

 here for the first time we made a discovery, at the 

 moment sufficiently annoying, viz., that our patron 

 was not famihar with the coast of this island; it 

 was bound with reefs; there were only certain 



