The bite or sting of the scorpion is said to prove fatal many times in two hours; their bite in the spring and summer months are said, by Pike, to be much more suddenly fatal. He also says, in speaking of them as found in other portions of Mexico: "remove them three leagues and they become perfectly harmless and lose all their venomous qualities." As a preventive we took three bottles of spirits, (old rum) and put a scorpion in one, a centipede in another, reserving the third for the snake; they were put in alive and allowed to die in the spirits. These to be used by applying the spirits of the respective bottles to the wounds of the different species. Fortunately for us but one was bitten, which was cured by immediate application of the spirits. A disturbance arose to our quiet one day between the captain and one of the crew, which resulted in throwing the sailor on shore, one hundred miles nearly from a habitation of any kind, except temporary ones erected by the natives who came from Acapulco, 100 miles distant, to cut and deliver the wood to ships. Seeing a shipmate thus turned off, without clothes except those[202] worn off, with no particular means of subsistence, was more than I could endure, and I resolved to assist him. The next morning I went to the long boat as usual, taking with me two shirts and a pound of tobacco rolled up as compactly as possible. Getting to the boat I jumped over and swam as far as I could, then caught hold of the hawser for the surf or swells to pass me; dropping into the smooth sea I exerted every nerve to reach the shore before the next sea; this I was unable to do. Soon the next swell was upon me, and by its impetus I was thrown high upon the sand insensible. The natives took me up and rubbed me for a long time before I could be brought to a state of consciousness, when they gave me some spirits to drink, and in a few hours I was enabled to walk out. At night the ship's boat was sent to take me off; the surf running so high rendered it impossible to do so, only by rowing above about five miles to a small cove. Going on board I met the captain at the gangway, who said: "Well, boy, how is that old pelt of yours? have you got it scorched any?" "No, sir" said I; "I have had too much experience in that business, to have the sun effect me any more than it does an alligator!" Having finished our cargo we weighed anchor, double reefed our top-sails, set our course and stood off. Our vessel being a fast sailer, and the wind blowing a half gale from the west, soon brought us abreast of Panama. Being in want of ship stores, we put into the bay of the same name, and came to anchor. Sent a boat on shore and procured a supply of water, which was of the finest[203] quality, and necessary stores, and were again ready for sea.