This, of course, was
dignified by the title of Presidio. A sentinel was stationed at the
chapel, another at the governor's house, and a few soldiers armed with
bayonets, looking rather ragged, with shoes out at the toes, were
strolling about among the houses, or waiting at the landing place
for our boat to come ashore.
The mountains were high, but not so overhanging as they appeared
to be by starlight. They seemed to bear off towards the centre of
the island, and were green and well wooded, with some large, and, I am
told, exceedingly fertile valleys, with mule-tracks leading to
different parts of the island.
I cannot here forget how my friend S--- and myself got the laugh
of the crew upon us by our eagerness to get on shore. The captain
having ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both sprang down
into the forecastle, filled our jacket pockets with tobacco to
barter with the people ashore, and when the officer called for "four
hands in the boat," nearly broke our necks in our haste to be first
over the side, and had the pleasure of pulling ahead of the brig
with a tow-line for a half an hour, and coming on board again to be
laughed at by the crew, who had seen our manoeuvre.
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