Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/72

 CHAPTER IV.

of importance occurred during our passage of fifteen days, when we dropped anchor close in under  the island of San Lorenzo, Bay of Callao. Here we found all the missing squadron, except the Sea Gull. The island of San Lorenzo is of volcanic origin. There is a legend that an old Peruvian was fishing in his boat,  when suddenly he missed the weight of his sinker. Thinking some ravenous sea monster had stolen both his bait and sinker, he commenced hauling in his line. On looking over the gunwale of his boat into the water, he saw the bottom of the sea coming up. The island is said to have sprung forth at this time, and was named  for him, San Lorenzo. This happened in the year 1740, and was caused by an earthquake which destroyed  the whole city of old Callao. San Lorenzo is nothing but a range of tremendously high sand-hills. Nigh abreast of where our ship lay is a small valley between  two mountains, where poor Jack finds a resting-place  after the toils and troubles of this life are o’er. Many a sailor, cut off in the bloom of youth and prime of life,  has been laid to rest here peacefully and undisturbed;  and many a rough board, ay, and rougher inscription,  testifies to the kind regard of their former shipmates,