第59部分(第2/7 頁)

inutes。　We　fell　into　the　trap；　paid　an　expensive　fare；　and　steamed　off　in　that　dreadful　ship。　During　the　night　we　sighted　the　American　liner　with　our　wives　on　board；　making　straight　for　Frontera！　To　municate　with　her　was　impossible；　indeed；　once　he　had　us　safe　at　sea　the　captain　laughed　at　the　idea。　On　the　following　morning　the　ladies　arrived　at　Frontera；　where　they　expected　to　meet　us；　but　were　told　by　the　consummate　villain　of　an　agent　who　had　shipped　us　off　in　his　own　boat　on　the　previous　day；　that　no　Englishmen　answering　to　our　description　had　been　even　heard　of　at　Frontera。　So　they　were　forced　to　proceed　upon　their　journey　in　a　state　of　some　anxiety。

We　also　had　anxieties；　for　the　machinery　of　our　tub　broke　down。　There　for　one　whole　night　we　rolled　about　off　the　coast　of　Mexico；　sleeping；　or　rather　sitting；　on　the　coils　of　rope　upon　the　deck　and　waiting　for　the　promised　“norther”　which　now　showed　every　sign　of　arrival。　Fortunately；　however；　it　did　not　develop　until　later；　for；　had　it　done　so；　our　ship　in　its　disabled　condition　would　in　all　probability　have　gone　to　the　bottom。　By　the　following　morning　the　engines　were　more　or　less　patched　up；　and　we　crept　into　Vera　Cruz　with　no　baggage　except　the　travel…stained　garments　in　which　we　stood　and　the　sack　of　fern　roots　whereof　I　have　spoken；　for　such　spare　clothes　as　we　possessed　had　been　left　behind。

The　end　of　it　was　that　we　journeyed　back　to　the　City　of　Mexico；　a　place　that　I　had　hoped　never　to　see　again；　where　we　bought　a　few　necessaries　and　took　the　train　to　New　York。

After　five　days　of　arduous　travel；　during　which　I　suffered　much　from　headache；　we　reached　that　city　to　find　that　our　womenkind　had　also　arrived　there　safely。　Two　or　three　things　remain　impressed　upon　my　mind　in　connection　with　this