Page:Here and there in Yucatan - miscellanies (IA herethereinyucat00lepl 0).djvu/80

 around is in possession of hostile Indians; though they do not often go there, even to cut the excellent logwood that grows so abundantly. Some years ago much ambergris was also found in the bay; the largest piece discovered there weighed eight pounds two ounces. It was sold for $270 in the city of Valladolid, Yucatan.

Behind the reefs, about a mile from the entrance of the bay, there is a good anchorage where large vessels can safely anchor in from eighteen to twenty-three feet of water.

On the third day out we reached the Island of Ambergris, and stopped at San Pedro, a picturesque fishing village, surrounded by groves of cocoanut palms.

Here, our suspicions of there being contraband on board were verified, for at dusk about 20,000 cigars were slyly put into a small dory, and taken ashore with many precautions, to be afterwards conveyed to Belize on fishermen's boats.

There was no lodging for us in the village; we therefore passed a horrible night on deck, lying on coiled ropes and sails, a thick mist falling upon usus. [sic]

Soon after sunrise we started, but were almost becalmed for several hours, so did not sight the city of Belize, thirty-five miles from San Pedro, till four