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Updated: May 31, 2025
What is to prevent our going to this Barcos Channel, seeing everything that is to be seen there, and then making our way to Port Royal the difficulty as to that will be no greater then than it is now and reporting the whole affair to the admiral, who will doubtless send an expedition on his own account, and send us with it as a reward for our "
It so happens that we are not the captain- general's deputies, but two British midshipmen, and we want to go, not to the Barcos Channel, but to Port Royal. How are we to get to the latter place?" "That is a question which will demand our most serious consideration; but we need not worry about it for a few days," I replied.
I reminded him of the fact that the water in Cardenas Bay was deep enough to float the schooner everywhere about the track over which we should have to pass, and that that track was, moreover, so nearly straight that, with a good breeze, we could traverse it in an hour, thus materially lessening our chance of discovery; but it was all of no avail, he would have his own way; so I was perforce compelled with, I must confess, somewhat serious misgivings to return to the deck and give the necessary orders for running in through the Barcos Channel as soon as the sea-breeze should spring up.
The Pinta, from her exceedingly light draught, might, with careful management, have made a tolerably straight run of it from the inner extremity of the Barcos Channel to the entrance to the lagoons; but this of course would not do for us; a deeper, though very intricate passage to the last-named point existed, and it was of the utmost importance to us to have it pointed out to us; it was, in fact, supposed to be the chief object of our journey with Carera.
This was much the best way, and accordingly he and the captain went on shore by themselves, and having made such a bargain as they found for their turn, came away again in two hours' time, and bringing only a butt of wine and five casks of brandy with them, we all went on board again. The next morning two barcos longos came off to us, deeply laden, with five Spaniards on board them, for traffic.
This I, at the time, thought reasonable enough; but I soon had cause to regret that he had imposed any such condition upon me. Daybreak next morning found us some eight miles off the mouth of the Barcos Channel, and in such a position that we should be dead to windward of it upon the springing up of the sea-breeze. We were, consequently, as well placed for the run down to it as heart could wish.
Now I should say that, with the wind on her quarter, this little hooker may be expected to run about ten knots per hour, which, for forty-eight hours, gives a run of four hundred and eighty miles, at which distance, there or thereabouts, from Cape Maysi, I imagine the Barcos Channel to be. That, then, seems to indicate approximately the locality of the spot to which we are bound.
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