huit kilomètres as nearly as possible = 5 miles

, , 25. Alacranes : the Alacran reefs are nortli of the peninsula of Yucatan. Alacràn is a Spanish word meaning 'scorpion.'

42. 2. se douter du danger : distinguish between douter, ' to

doubt,' and se douter de, 'to hâve a notion of ' ; e.g. je doute que vous ayez raison, il ne semble pas se douter du danger.

,, 15. faillit coûter cher: faillir, ' to fail,' with a plain infinitive is generally rendered by 'very nearly' ; e.g. il a failli tomber du toit, ' he very nearly fell oif the roof. ' In certain expressions adjectives are used adverbially in Franc j ; e.g.

parler bas, parler haut, coûter cher, chanter faux, etc.

,, 30. au gouvernement de Juarez : Benito Juarez was président of Mexico, and lived from 1806-1872.