488 
GUAYMAS TO 
not, at the farthest, be detained many days. To take a 
sailing vessel direct for San Diego or San Francisco, 
would require a voyage at this season, when north- 
westerly winds prevail, of thirty or forty days. I there- 
fore determined to make the long voyage of some six 
hundred miles directly out of my way, as the quickest 
route to my place of destination, and at once inquired 
for a vessel. Fortunately for me, there was one to 
leave in the evening, and I lost no time in securing 
a passage. 
Early in the evening I went to the place of embarka- 
tion on the beach ; from which, as the tide was low, each 
passenger had to be taken in the arms of the Mexican 
boatmen, some forty or fifty yards to the boat. The 
vessel was more than a mile from the shore, and we 
were not a little puzzled how to find her among the 
number that lay in the offing. After much inquiry, 
however, we succeeded. Her name was the Miguel ; 
and, though sailing under the Mexican flag, she was 
commanded by Captain Nye, a very clever navigator, 
hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts. 
Knowing the thievish propensities of the lower class 
of Mexicans, I directed my servant to keep a sharp 
look out for my baggage, while I stepped to the cabin 
to secure a berth. Soon after he was ordered to bring 
me my desk ; and though absent less than a minute, 
he found on his return, that the boat which had brought 
us had pushed off, and a portion of my baggage was 
gone. The moment my servant had left them, they 
took what they could lay their hands on, jumped into 
their boat, and disappeared in the dark. Pursuit was 
useless. The articles lost were not of much value ; but 
