ding to the surmise of the pilot, was found in a
certain bay on the coast wind bound. "Here," says Bernal Dias, "several
of our companions went on shore, and found in the town hard by, four
temples, the idols in which represented human female figures of large
size, for which reason we named this place _Punta_ de las Mugeres," or
the Point of the Women. Gomarra speaks of a _Cape_ Mugeres, and says,
"At this place there were towers covered with wood and straw, in which,
in the best order, were put many idols, that appeared to be
representations of women." No mention is made by any of the old
historians of the _island_ of Mugeres, but there is no point or cape on
the mainland; and, considering the ignorance of the coast which must
have existed in the early voyages, it is not impossible to believe that
the Spaniards gave to the promontory on which these buildings stand the
name of point or cape, in which case the building presented in the
engraving may be one of the temples or towers referred to by Bernal
Dias and Gomarra.

We returned to the hut ready to embark, and at twelve o'clock we took
leave of the fishermen, and were again on board our canoa.

The wind was fair and strong, and very soon we reached the point of the
island. Toward dark we doubled Catoche, and, for the first time
coasting all night, day broke upon us in the harbour of Yalahao. After
the desolate regions we had been visiting, the old pirates' haunt
seemed a metropolis. We anchored on a mud-bank leg deep, and now
discovered that our patron, hired only for the occasion, intended to
leave us, and substitute another. Afraid of the men following, and
subjecting us to detention, we forwarded a threatening message to the
agent, and remained on board.

At seven o'clock we were again under way, with the wind directly
astern, and as much as we could carry, the canoa rolling so that we
were compelled to take in the mainsail. The coast was low, barren, and
monotonous. At three o'clock we passed an ancient mound, towering above
the huts that constituted the port of El Cuyo, a landmark for sailors,
visible at sea three leagues distant; but our patron told us that there
were no buildings or vestiges of ruins.

At four o'clock we saw an old acquaintance in misfortune. It was the
brig which had arrived at Sisal a few hours after we did, lying a wreck
on the beach, with foremast and bowsprit broken, sails stripped, but
the hull still entire; probably long before this