Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/191

the Castle. In the mean time a constant communication was kept up between the Thetis and the town, by the Mocambo road; Mr. Hervey and General Victoria exchanged visits, and on the 14th the whole Commission dined, at the General's house, which, in the evening, presented a curious scene; for although there was not a woman in Veracruz, we had the music of all the regiments playing in the Patio, while the soldiers danced the Jărāvĕ, and other national dances, until a very late hour. A violent North-west wind came on about eight o'clock, which rendered it impossible for us to return on board to sleep, but General Victoria provided us all with beds, and during the night the gale abated sufficiently to enable us to reach the Thetis after breakfast the next morning. We there made our final preparations for landing, and got the last of our baggage on shore, in the hope of being able to commence our journey early on the 16th; but the long expected mules did not arrive till late, and when they did come, such was the confusion which ensued amongst the muleteers in parcelling out boxes and packages, very few of which were intended for the back of a mule, that although we were at work from six in the morning, it was four in the afternoon before we succeeded in getting fairly into marching order. I was at one time very much inclined to throw up the task of superintendence in despair, for with fifty baggage mules, and three English carriages, each drawn by seven wretched animals, to