Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/442

422 de Va are still in the country. Don Bo Ha, and his family, accompanied us to the ship in the government falua. General Bustamante, with his young aid-de-camp, together with Señor de Gutierrez Estrada, and various other gentlemen, hearing of our sudden departure, came out in boats to take leave of us. Alas! those leave-takings!. . ..

We had the agreeable surprise of finding that we were acquainted with all our fellow-passengers. There are our particular friends the Es, the Padre Fn and Mr. Gs, all from Mexico; M. Ds de Ms, who was attached to the French legation in Mexico, and is now returning from a mission to California; Mr. and Miss of Boston, &c. We came on board on the evening of the twentieth, but did not leave the harbor till the morning of the twenty-first. The day was beautiful, and as we passed out, we could distinguish the waving of many handkerchiefs from the balconies. In this floating palace, with large, airy berths, a beautiful cabin, an agreeable society, books, a band of music, ices, &c.; not to mention that important point, an excellent and good-hearted captain, we have passed our time as pleasantly as if we were in the most splendid hotel.

On the twenty-third we went out in a little boat, in the middle of the night, to Nassau, in New Providence, to buy some of those beautiful specimens of shell-flowers, for which that place is celebrated. We set off again at three in the morning of the twenty-fourth, on which day, being Sunday, we had prayers on board. The weather was beautiful, and even