This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
82 [[underline]] Gulf of Tehuantepec [[\underline]] [[left margin]] Dec'r 14th [[/left margin]] Weather continuing very sultry but today there is a fine breeze & considerable sea. At 8 1/2 P.M. 12th we entered Acapulco harbor but only remained a few hours for water &c. No-one allowed to go ashore. Large white Gannets with black wings have lately followed us and yesterday a new bird black above & white below like a Tern in the flight &c - catching flying fish. Finback whales are quite common. Passed a whaler last evening. [[left margin]] 18th [[/left margin]] Nothing of note has occurred since last date. Weather still hot - south winds prevailing & last night it rained we being near land which was out of sight till yesterday morning. Few birds have been seen lately, the Petrels & Gannets the only kinds. In the afternoon rounded the point north of the Bay of Panama & continued up this to the anchorage which we reached about midnight. The water here is as smooth as a lake now the breeze light & off the land, making it very sultry. We have made 15 miles an hour for the last 30. Passed Str. J.L. [[?Stephan]] at 11 P.M. and about midnight came to anchor. [[end page]] [[start page]] 83 [[underline]] Panama [[\underline]] [[left margin]] Dec'r 19th [[/left margin]] This morning about 9 AM went ashore in a small steamboat, the [[?case]] leaving immediately after. I went to the city & tried to get some shells but scarcely any are to be had for money or [[?Oypre]] & [[?Music]] Region being the principal. Then walked out & collected about 20 species chiefly small univalves. The ground is now quite dry but vegetation is very luxuriant. Observe abundance of Lizards, but no snakes as yet. [[left margin]] 20th [[/left margin]] After spending some hours this morning in a vain search for baskets I walked about a mile along the Western shore & picked up a few shells - then entered the woods & searched a long time for land shells of which I could find no traces - not even dead specimens. After dinner again sought for them through a marshy thicket, but in vain. Obtained some birds & skinned three but most were too much damaged. A Totanus is common resembling T.Mac. The Agelaius seems very near A.[[?Grabem]]. The Cuculus? resembles Geococcyx but I do not know its habits. See scarcely any birds as they are very shy - keeping in the thickets. Day warm & mostly clear - sea breeze.