Six A.M.
As for the place itself , it appeared to my eyes one large hospital , inhabited by patients in the yellow fever . During the whole of the following day , there was still no appearance of the frigate , and I had in consequence now to execute the ulterior part of my orders , which were , that if I did not find her at anchor when I arrived , or if she did not make her appearance within forty eight hours thereafter , I was myself to leave the Wave in Porto -- Bello , and proceed overland across the isthmus to Panama , and to deliver , on board of H. M. S. Bandera , into the Captain 's own hands , a large packet with despatches from the Government at home , as I understood , of great importance , touching the conduct of our squadron , with reference to the vagaries of some of the mushroom American Republics on the Pacific . But if I fell in with the frigate , then I was to deliver the said packet to the Captain , and return immediately in the Wave to Port Royal . Having , therefore , obtained letters from the Governor of Porto -- Bello to the Commandant at Chagres , I chartered a canoe with four stout canoemen and a steersman , or patron , as he is called , to convey me to Cruzes ; and having laid in a good stock of eatables and drinkables , and selected the black pilot , Peter Mangrove , to go as my servant , accompanied by his never-failing companion , Sneezer , and taking my hammock and double barrelled gun , and a brace of pistols with me , we shoved off at Six A.M. on the morning of the 14th . It was a rum sort of conveyance this said canoe of mine . In the first place , it was near forty feet long , and only five broad at the broadest , being hollowed out of one single wild cotton-tree ; how this was to be pulled through the sea on the coast , by four men , I could not divine . However , I was assured by the old thief who chartered it to me , that it would be all right ; whereas , had my innocence not been imposed on , I might , in a caiuco , or smaller canoe , have made the passage in one half the time it took me .