Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/124

100 a Spanish gentleman comnig on deck, cried out, 'Land! land!' Our frail bark was fast nearing the rocky shore, which was not more than 50 or 75 rods distant. Fortunately, the fog, which had enveloped it, was now rising. The helmsman had just time to wear ship, and save being dashed upon the rocks. A similar occurrence happened on the 10th. In the evening, returning from a trip to or near the bay of Campeche, while the captain was in one of his stupefactions, we heard the breakers roar and could see their foaming crests. They were close by on the lee bow. The mate wears about and goes to sea. The captain, who was in his berth, being informed, raised himself partly up and said, 'I can't help it.'

"On the 11th [of May] the schooner entered the bay of Vera Cruz, and anchored under the guns of Fort St. Juan de Ulloa. I now left the captain, but he was not quite ready to leave me, nor to leave the object of wasting my property. . . ."