Note 96 — Chapter XVIII · Departure from Uxmal.—Indian officials at Abalá.—Indian Ceremonies.—Worship of demons.—Baptismal customs.—Laws of the Emperor Charles V. for the government of the natives in Yucatan.—Superstitions.—An Indian Well.—Halt at night.—Merida.—Convent of the Conceptionistas.—Sisal.—The Basque brig Aguinaga.—Departure for Cuba and Florida.—Tampa.—Cedar Keys.—Buccaneers.—Shell Mounds.—Ancient Burial Mounds.—Florida Indians.
Reading edition
As the little Aguinaga was timidly seeking for an anchorage, I remembered a far different scene in which I had taken part in 1853, seventeen years earlier.
The Vestal, a twenty-six gun frigate in which I was then serving, had captured three slavers off the north coast of Cuba. One of them was a fast sailing vessel called the Venus. She had become notorious for her success in evading our cruisers and landing large cargoes of slaves.
When we arrived off the mouth of the port of Havannah we formed our fleet of prizes into line and passed between the castles in triumph: our movements being watched by thousands of the Spanish inhabitants as we took up our anchorage in the centre of the harbour.