bout a mile in
circumference. At the head of this bay a creek made up several
rods into the mangroves, which served as a harbour for a small
fishing vessel of about twelve tons, decked over, in which they
carried their fish to Matanzas and elsewhere about the Island of
Cuba. East of the beach was a COVE that extended about a quarter
of a mile into the bushes, forming a kind of basin at its head,
which was as still as a millpond. This basin was surrounded by
thick mangroves, and completely concealed from every thing
without by the jutting out of a point at its entrance. A more
lonely place I never saw. Around its borders a "solitary guest,"
you might see the _Flamingo_[B] strutting in all the pride of its
crimson plumage, as erect and nearly as high as a British
soldier. The bottom of this Cove was like that of the bay.

[Footnote B: The Flamingo, it is said, builds its nest on the
Bahama Keys. It is a superb bird, covered, the third year, with
bright crimson feathers, except the tip of its wings, which are
black. This appearance, added to its erect posture, which brings
its head nearly as high as that of a man's, has given it among
the natives the appellation of the "British soldier."]

The mangroves are very thick,--their trunks covered with
oyster-shells that adhere to them like barnacles to a vessel's
bottom, which annoy those who attempt to pass among them, by
tearing their clothes and wounding the flesh as high up as the
hips.

Among the bushes were concealed two clinker-built boats,
remarkably well constructed for rowing, with their bottoms
greased or soaped; in one of which I found a handkerchief filled
with limes: I took one and brought it into the house;--this
displeased the fishermen, who afterwards told Manuel that the
boats and limes belonged to some people at a small distance, who
would return in a few days. There were also two yawls moored in
front of the huts, that appeared to have belonged to American
vessels.

When I returned to the hut, my shipmates were yet asleep, and we
did not awake them until supper was prepared, which was much the
same with our breakfast, except the addition of plantain. After
supper we all set around the table devising means to get to
Matanzas. Through Manuel, Capt. Hilton offered the master
fisherman our long-boat and forty dollars in cash, on our arrival
at Matanzas, which was accepted, and we were to sail in their
small schooner as soon as the weather would permit. Ab