n
transporting lumber, brick, and cotton. We soon took in a cargo of
lumber and returned to New Orleans, where we discharged it; when I
entered on board of another schooner and made a trip to Mobile, which I
found a very handsome city. The houses are built in modern style, the
place has in it a number of large elegant hotels and stores, and many
handsome streets. I was much annoyed with musquittoes while we remained
in port, but soon left for New Orleans, where we landed after a passage
of two days. In a short time I started for another trip across the
lake. On my return I was taken sick. Finding that my small means would
not support me long at a boarding house, and also pay the doctor's
bills, I applied to the collector of the port, who gave me an order to
go to the Marine Hospital, supposing I had a just claim to go there
after paying hospital money to support such institutions over thirty
years. During my stay in the hospital I found it was a private
institution; that the collector and the keeper of it were kinsmen, and
that the collector paid the keeper seventy-five cents per day for the
board of every seaman he sent there. The daily rations allowed each man
were about eight or ten ounces of bread, and five or six ounces of fresh
meat, with the accompaniment of a small bowl of tea. The whole would not
cost per day over twelve cents per man.

A number of seamen remain here a long time after they are restored to
health, without receiving a discharge from the doctor, who is making
fifty cents per day, or more, for their board. These men leave the
hospital in the morning in pursuit of work, which they generally find,
purchase their dinners at eating houses, and return to the hospital at
night, where they receive their small rations and lodgings, the keeper
pocketing his seventy-five cents per day from government during their
stay here. They are left to decide for themselves when it is best to be
well. In consequence of this, many of the sick in the hospital are
crowded out of comfortable lodgings.

It will easily be seen that the greatest part of the tax collected from
the hard earnings of seamen is used to enrich political favorites. I
remained in this establishment about sixty days, during that time the
yellow fever raged there violently, causing a number of deaths in the
house. Many patients were brought there who were unable to walk or stand
on their feet, and were most of them soon cured.

After I left the hospi