river. With the greatest difficulty we got on board the different ships; for the sea was extremely rough, owing to a great ground swell and a bore which was setting in.
On returning, I remarked to the two negroes who were rowing, that the little pitpan would certainly have been swamped: they both agreed, with the utmost indifference, that it would, but they added with a smile of intellectual satisfaction, "Massa know to swim!" I replied that if I did, it might be of little use owing to the number of sharks, for the bay was full of them,—was it not? "O yes, yes, massa, plenty shark;" with another grin, was their reply.
The American captain was a civil man, and wanted me much to proceed with him, as also did a young merchant who had come from Boston to Belize with a cargo of dried fish and other articles, intending to sell a portion of them at Jamaica, but he had now renounced all intention of proceeding thither, for fear of the fever. They both admitted the probability of being attacked