l not describe another gale which came on, and drove us away to the
southward and westward for several days, the wind shifting about so much
that we scarcely knew where we had got to. At length, when it had
moderated, so that an observation could be taken, we found that we were
on the coast of Mexico, not far from the harbour of Mazatlan, near the
entrance of the Gulf of California. The ship had been so battered about
during the gale, that the captain was glad of an opportunity of running
into harbour to repair damages, before proceeding to San Francisco,
where he could not expect to find workmen, and where, if he remained
long, his own crew might be tempted to desert. As we stood in for the
shore, a few barren rocks or small islands appeared in sight, and
running through, we found ourselves before a pretty little town, part of
it standing on the foot of a steep promontory, and partly on a sandy
bank which encircles a wide lagoon. This was Mazatlan. It is inhabited
by Mexican Spaniards. The first mate, Mr Renshaw, had not been on
shore during the voyage, so the captain insisted on his going with the
doctor and Jerry and me. We first went to an inn--a _meson_, as it was
called. It consisted of a quadrangular building, with a court-yard in
the centre, and a corridor running round it. All the rooms opened into
this corridor, and had no communication with each other. The corridor
was the general lounging-place; and at night many of the guests who
preferred air to privacy, slung their hammocks in it. Round the walls,
or on the pillars, they also hung up their saddles and other riding
gear. As to furniture, there is something like a bedstead, a wooden
elevation which keeps the sleeper from the floor; but chairs and tables
are luxuries seldom met with, while washhand-stands are things unheard
of--washing being but little in vogue among the travelling population.
We were fortunate in falling in with two Englishmen--that is to say,
one, Captain Driscoll, was an Irishman, who had been in the Mexican
service; and the other, Dr Dwyer, was a merchant. They knew the
country well, and were travelling towards Durango, the largest town in
the neighbourhood. They had with them two young men, sons of
_rancheroes_, as the Mexican cattle-farmers are called. They both lived
some way up the country, and as they also were bound to Durango, and had
speedily to return, it was arranged that we should all travel together.
With the add