SEA-SHELLS. DEPARTURE. 383 



canoa short into the very middle of it. In passing 

 through he struck upon a sunken rock, lost one man 

 overboard, caught him by the light of another flash, 

 and in a moment w^as in still water. The cove 

 was imbosomed among noble trees. The water 

 was twenty feet deep, and so clear that the bottom 

 was distinctly visible ; and from one end ran a creek, 

 which the patron said was navigable for canoes into 

 the centre of the island, where it expanded into a 

 lake. Sails, luggage. Doctor Cabot's birds, and my 

 copy of Cogolludo, were spread out to dry, and, af- 

 ter dining upon turtles' eggs laid a few minutes on 

 the coals, I set out on my return, gathering on the 

 way an unusual harvest of shells. Ever since we 

 came upon the coast our idle moments had been 

 employed in this pleasant occupation, but nowhere 

 with the same success as on this island. Regular- 

 ly, after stripping the shore, we returned in a few 

 hours, and found others thrown up, pure and fresh 

 from the sea. I was seldom more fatigued than 

 when I reached the hut. 



On the third day, at twelve o'clock, the canoa 

 again hove in sight, working her way round the 

 point, and in a short time was at her old anchor- 

 age ground. The wind was still so high that the 

 patron was afraid to remain ; we filled our water 

 casks, in an hour were on board, and left, solitary 

 as we found it, the once populous island of Cozu- 

 mel. A hawk mourning over its mate, which we 

 carried away, was the only living thing that looked 



