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to await our coming for another removal. The more easily-startled scythe-billed curlew, or rainbow-feathered wood-duck, sprang quickly from their repast among the sedges at the first sound of the measured dip of the oar, and flew toward the lily-covered, sheltered lagooon. High overhead was heard the chattering of a flock of parrots we had disturbed from a colloquy on a withered tree, and seemed to fling back from the sky in unintelligible words their threats of anger at our interruption. Anon a stately deer looked at us from out his large sleepy eyes over the top of some leafy thicket; then, fearing the vicinity of that universallydreaded creature, man, turned quickly round and darted away into the depths of the primeval forest. Truly, such a scene of dreamy beauty never do I expect to see again; and at the moment I would fain have been alone, for the idea of companionship did not at all harmonize with the surpassing sweetness of the hour.

It was not what might be called a scene of grandeur, though far in the interior, to the southward, the snowy crest of Peroté loomed misty and dim in the distance, circled by many smaller heights of the same chain of mountains, over which its lordly peak reigns high above his fellows, and flings an envious look toward the loftier, crater-crowned Orizaba. The scenery in the immediate vicinity of the lower part of the river would be better characterized by the term tranquil, as the country is of a more level nature and covered with a beautiful, luxuriant growth of forest and flower. Here and there rich savannahs, like a verdant carpet, stretch far away on either side, sometimes bordered on the banks by the whitethorned chapperal, as if to defend them from all approach, often sloping down gradually to the very margin of the river, that seems to kiss the rich velvet sward, and gives the flowers on its borders lovelier hues in gratitude for its condescension. Again the forest trees spread out their rich foliage over the stream, and dip their branches into the babbling waters, as if they too desired to rest in the embrace of the liquid element that murmurs untranslated secrets as it flows past them, and hangs in glee round the intruder clusters of pearly oysters.

We, immediately on shoving off from the schooner, began to make preparations for the survey, which being rather singular, I think it might be well to explain them.

Each boat is provided with sextant, watch, and a red flag, beside pencil, book, etc., for noting the observations.

One boat pulls ahead, and planting its flag in the bank, at a convenient distance, crosses over to the other side of the river, the second boat remaining still at the starting-point. A right-angled triangle is thus constructed, the first boat forming the right angle, and the second boat and flag the other two angles. Observations are then taken with the sextants, from each boat to the flag, whereby the length of two of the sides of the triangle is obtained; and thus, from the well-known rule, two sides of the triangle with the angle included being known, the other is ascertained. The whole river is surveyed in like manner, by forming one triangle after another. From each of the boats at every station, guns are also fired, and the length of time being noted by a well-regulated watch, from the seeing the flash to hearing the report, the distance in a straight line is also very accurately found out, as the speed at which sound travels is

well known; so that the number of seconds elapsing between the flash and report denote the number of feet from one object to the other.

But the mere surveying part is in itself rather dry sport, so I have passed over it as rapidly as possible.

About one o'clock our interior monitors reminded us that as there was not much chance of our having any regular dinner, we had better see what apology might be made for the omission; so signalling the other boat to come alongside, we ran our bows in toward the shore, and making our boats' painters fast to a tree that stood hard by, we began to inspect our hampers, with a view to the consumption of their contents; after having first ordered the crews to take their dinners, which they had brought along with them.

Billy and I, who were mess-mates, pulled out a liberal supply of hard tack, salt pork, and ship's pickles, with a pocket-pistol, which I had deposited in one of my monkey-jacket pockets, of course in case of sickness; for to tell the truth the steerage mess was often rather hard up on board the good ship M—, and sometimes the members of it were obliged to submit to rather indifferent commons. From the appearance of the other boat's store, the ward-room was not in much better condition. 'Nil desperandum!' The captain's steward, José, noble fellow, was able to make up for all deficiencies; and the captain's invitation for all to join our forces together received what would be called in Congress a unanimous vote in the affirmative.

One by one, from José's magic basket, which seemed to have no bottom, so bountifully was it filled, appeared in succession, first a splendid Westphalia, then two bottles of fine old London dock, next a pair of roast chickens, and two more bottles of Gordon sherry; now a boiled tongue, now an enormous loaf of soft tack, and numerous smaller packages of crackers and butter, cheese and anchovy-paste; and then, last but not least, (forgive me, ye friends of the Temperance Society, for making your mouths water,) lay in the depths of the wicker receptacle, side by side, in loving union, a half-dozen of Barclay and Perkins X X X, with six more of sparkling Heidsick.

But, sad the tale, pride must have a fall; and poor José, drawing out. his head from the hamper, in which for some time past he had been almost entirely concealed, exclaimed, with a doleful face, almost crying with vexation, 'Dio mio! we have got no knives and forks;' and on farther inspection but one tumbler was to be found, and that, like the Irish woman's tub, was no tumber at all, for it was all broken to pieces. 'Mais n'importe;' what with borrowing some tin cups and sheath-knives from the men, as also taking advantage of the old adage that fingers were made before forks, we got along swimmingly. What a merry party we made of it, all seated round on the gunwale of the boat, a large cracker in one hand for plate, on which was a piece of ham, chicken, or whatever else might be desired at the moment.

We had of course left our quarter-deck etiquette with our uniform coats on board ship, and were here hail fellows well met,' as much with the captain as each other. 'Mr. W, will you have another piece of chicken?' holding out the fowl by one leg. Thank you,' taking hold of it by the other, and jointing it with the sheath-knife. José, another

bottle of champagne.' Pop! went a salvo of Bacchus' own artillery, scaring away a wise-looking crane that had been inspecting us hard by. 'Mr. P- -, you are nearest; I'll trouble you for another slice of that ham.' 'I say, Billy, if there are any guerillas around, I hope they'll have the kindness to stay away till we finish our dinner.' 'Here, José, pass these two bottles forward to the men.' Thus we went on laughing and joking. It was really one of the best dinners I ever eat; at least I thought so at the time.

'Gentlemen,' at last said the captain, 'may I have the honor of offering a sentiment?'

Certainly, certainly! hear, hear!' and all, bottle in hand, 'intentique ora tenebant.'

'Absent friends.'

Ah! what means this rising of the heart almost in the throat? this tear on the eye-lid? I looked round among the others, as they drank the toast in silence, and on more than one weather-beaten cheek was a shining drop. It was not rain, for the heavens were blue overhead; no, it was the voiceless, yet speaking tribute of the sailor to the remembrance of the far-away home and the loved ones there. Rich drop, priceless offering! and since that time I have paid the same to more than one of those who were with me then, now absent indeed, on a long, long journey, from which will they ever come back? A whispering spirit answers, Never, never! You may go to them, but they cannot return to you.'

6

We spent an hour or so at our dinner; then casting off from the shore, proceeded with our surveying. We had thus gone over about five miles, when, on looking at the watch, we found that it was some time past five o'clock; so holding a council of war, we determined to leave the rest of the work for the next day, and proceed up to a little island, abreast of the town, which is nine miles from the mouth of the river.

We had determined on encamping here, deeming it imprudent to pass the night in the town, as we were not very confident of the good-will of the inhabitants, and as also the men would most likely get scattered, perhaps intoxicated, in which case it was more than probable a quarrel would ensue. Our plans having been made, we turned our bows up stream, along which we had been advancing in a zig-zag, Virginia-fence kind of fashion before.

Side by side, we pulled slowly against the current, having an hour or two of day-light yet left, and not caring to fatigue the men more than necessary, as they had had rather a hard day's work of it.

The sun was just setting behind the tall bluff which rises on the bank of the stream, where it takes a sharp turn to the right, on the opposite shore, a little below the town, and gilded the jagged outline of the little, dilapidated fort that crowns its summit. This fort, when the American forces attacked the place, was in a fortified condition and garrisoned with Mexican troops, who, on the first appearance of the vessels, fired one harmless salvo, which went far over the mast-heads, as if to salute their unwelcome visitors; then, without waiting for the return of the courtesy, turned their backs and ran away into the country as fast as their legs could carry them: whereas, if they had bravely defended their post, which from its position was of great strength, commanding a very long reach in the river, the Americans might have had a very different tale to

tell; and when at last victorious, as no doubt they would have been in the end, under any circumstances, many a mother would have mourned the son who fell at the capture of Tuxpan.

The windows of the town were just beginning to show lights from within when we landed at the island, which, from appearances, had been in former times of some extent, but, being gradually worn away by the rapid current, was now nothing save a little knoll, about one hundred yards in circumference, covered in part with tall, reedy grass; but at the lower end was a square spot of green turf, as if formed expressly for the purpose to which we intended to put it. Here we hauled our boats to the shore, the depth of water alongside the island at this part being so great as to allow them to float with their bows touching the bank; and driving into the ground two boarding-pikes, of which we had a supply, we fastened our craft securely for the night. Some of the men set about spreading the awnings over the boats, to keep off the dew, so that those who wished might sleep under them; others built a fire alongside the fallen stump of a tree, which must have grown there formerly and been of immense size, but now lay with one end in the river, which no doubt had been the cause of its overthrow, by undermining it, and not content with the victory already obtained, had torn from the parent stem, one by one, all the green branches that adorned it, then left it a shattered, shapeless trunk, to mourn in vain the loss of its former beauty; the other end, with the huge roots projecting in all directions, like knotted snakes, lay on the island, and looked like some huge monster, the guardian genius of the spot.

Night was now advancing apace, and the twinkling stars, one by one, shone out in the blue ether above us. The men, supper over, were now, some in the boats and others lying around the fire in picturesque attitudes, sleeping after the fatigue of the day; and as the flames shot up into the sky, they threw out in bold relief the reclining figures of the tired sailors reposing on the cold ground, with their arms under their heads for pillows and monkey-jackets for covering, calmly, as if rocking in their pendant hammocks on board ship, sung to sleep by old Ocean's lullaby. The captain and Lieutenant D had brought their beds along with them, which had been spread in the stern sheets of the boats, and they were now there courting the embrace of the drowsy god. Billy and I, however, preferred remaining on shore; and a little apart from the rest, but near enough to enjoy the warmth of the fire, we lay, with our coats under us, and a large Mackintosh boat-cloak, which the captain had lent to us for the purpose, spread over to protect us from the falling dews. Not being inclined to sleep, we conversed of home and friends, and many a tale was told of happy hours passed among far-distant loved ones, who perhaps were even then sending up to heaven the earnest prayer for the welfare of the wanderers. It was truly fit time and place for opening the secrets of the soul to the sympathizing ear of a cherished companion. The slow tramp of the watch, as he paced round the narrow island, was all that disturbed the tranquillity of the scene, and even this harmonized with it, for, with a little stretch of the imagination, an unseen looker-on might have supposed us some band of exiled patriots reposing with our weapons beside us, in expectation of the sudden attack of the pursuing

enemy.

We were just composing ourselves to sleep, when one of the most beautiful sights that I ever beheld burst on our astonished view. As I before mentioned, the fire had been built beside an old fallen trunk of a tree, overgrown with a parasitical plant, which, from the lapse of years, had circled it a foot thick all round, and, twining in and out, hung down from the pendant ends of the spreading roots like a curtain of fairy webwork. The heat of the fire had by degrees dried all the moisture from the leaves, and now, some stray spark catching them, in an instant the whole was one mass of flame, which continued to burn brightly for some time, taking fantastic shapes as one by one the charred fragments fell off; and at last it shone far into the interior, under the roots, and formed a bower of fire, fit mansion for the spirits that held watch and ward over the romantic isle. While this was still burning brightly, the gentle Somnus gradually claimed our unwilling allegiance.

The pleasure of our expedition came very near meeting an unfortunate termination; for during the night Billy woke up, and finding the fire burning rather dimly, he got up, determining to put some more wood on it, and seeing a log lying nearly in the fire, he took a boarding-pike which had been used for a poker, and made a thrust, in order to push it into the fire. He happily missed the log, and was horrified to see it move, then sit up, and rubbing its eyes, ask him what the devil he was about! Upon inspection, he found it to be P, the lieutenant of marines, who was notorious for having a hard head, and who, feeling cold, had crept up to the fire and gone to sleep with his head nearly in the flames. He immediately turned over and went to sleep again. I had been aroused by Billy's getting out from under the cloak, and we both enjoyed a hearty laugh over what might have been a rather serious affair.

With day-light we all turned out, and made our ablutions in nature's own hand-basin; then, having seen that every thing was right in the boats, we started for the town.

It had been determined to get our breakfast there, and while that was preparing, go up to a look-out which stood on a hill near by, and commanded a view of the river as far as the ocean. By the time that we got alongside the little wooden wharf that jutted out into the stream, the inhabitants were all on the qui vive, and a number of them stood round to watch our landing. This was effected in martial style, by taking one half of each boat's crew, with musket on shoulder, and pistols and cutlass at side, and ranging them in double file on the wharf; then the captain, with us composing his staff, also armed, giving the word, we marched into the square, and grounded arms alongside the little jail and court-house, which was a small, one-story-and-a-half building, with three or four rooms on the lower floor, opening directly on the street. In one of these apartments was a cross-barred door, which was all that confined twenty or thirty prisoners, of all ages, from the old white-haired hombre of sixty to the young rascally-visaged muchacho of sixteen, all villanously clad, and some with chain-balls attached to their legs, who on our arrival peered out at us from between the bars, and begged 'los Americanos, por el amor de Jesu y todos santos, to give them something to buy 'aguardiente, de beber á la salud de los caballeros.'

The remaining part of the crews had been left in the boats, with orders

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