CHAPTER II.
HAVANA TO VERA CRUZ--VERA CRUZ TO MEXICO.
On the 8th of March, we went on board the "Mejico" steamer, American-built, and retaining her American engineers, but in other respects converted into a Spanish vessel, and now lying in the harbour of Havana bound for Vera Cruz, touching at Sisal in Yucatan.

At eight o'clock we weighed anchor, and were piloted through the narrow passage which leads out of the harbour past the castle of El Morro and the fort of Cabanas, the view of whose ramparts and batteries caused quite a flourish of trumpets among our Spanish fellow-passengers, who firmly believe in their impregnability.
Among our fellow-passengers were a company of fifth-rate comedians, going to Merida by way of Sisal.

There was nothing interesting to us about them.

Theatrical people and green-room slang vary but little over the whole civilized world.

There were two or three Spanish and French tradesmen going back to Mexico.