Coatzacoalcos, and when, even at El
Salto, there were forty cases, there were none here. The town is hot,
and during the two days we spent there, our chief effort was to keep
cool. The steamer, Mexico, appeared upon the 6th, planning to leave the
same day. A norther came, however, and rendered the bar impassable. In
the morning, Easter Sunday, the wind had fallen somewhat. We saw the
little celebration at the church, and, learning that the boat was likely
to leave at noon, went aboard. At one we started. Sailing down the
river, we soon found ourselves between the piers, and the moment of
test had come. At the first thump of the keel upon the sand, we doubted
whether we should pass the bar; still we kept along with steam full on
and the bow headed seaward; nine times we struck the sandy bottom, but
then found ourselves in deeper water, and were again upon the Gulf. The
Mexico was just as dirty, the food was just as bad, and the crew just as
unaccommodating, as in 1896, when we had our first experience of her.
Rather than lie in the stuffy cabin, I took my blanket out on deck, and
rolled up there for the night. Room was plenty, as there were only a
score of passengers. When we woke, the boat was standing in the harbor
of Coatzacoalcos, and we landed to eat a breakfast at the hotel. Through
the day, we wandered about town, but were again upon the vessel at four
o'clock. We now numbered about a hundred passengers, and everything was
crowded. In the company was a comic theatre troupe. The day before,
a number of the passengers had been seasick; on this occasion,
three-fourths were suffering, and the decks were a disgusting spectacle.
Still, fresh air was there, and again I made my bed on deck. In the
middle of the night, having moved slightly, I felt a sharp and sudden
pain in my right temple, exactly as if I had rolled upon a sharp, hot
tack. I had my jacket for a pillow, and thought at first that there
really was a tack in one of the pockets, and sought, but in vain, to
find it. Lying down to sleep again, I presently moved my hand over the
blanket on the deck, and suddenly, again, I felt the sharp, burning
prick, this time in my thumb. Certain that it could not be a tack this
time, I brought my hand down forcibly, and, rising, saw by the moonlight
that I had killed a large, black scorpion. For two hours the stings felt
like fire, but by morning had ceased to pain me; then I found two or
three of the other passengers sufferin