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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.

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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.