enburg, or in any other port in Sweden, yet it was the
universal belief among medical men that both diseases were contagious,
and could be imported in ships from the Mediterranean and the West
Indies. Therefore, an elaborate code of sanitary regulations was
established, and precautions of the most useless, yet annoying character
to persons engaged in commerce, were taken to prevent the introduction
of diseases, which could not exist an hour in that northern climate.

The health officer, a grave and dignified personage, with a formidable
posse, was rowed alongside the brig in an eight-oared barge. He asked
the question, "Are you all well on board?"

"Yes."

The crew were summoned to the side of the vessel, and their phizzes
critically examined by the doctor. We were then ordered up the rigging
as high as the tops, to exhibit our activity, and prove that our muscles
were in good working condition.

"Where is your roll of equipage?" asked the doctor.

This document, containing a list of the crew as shipped in Havana, and
certified at the custom house, after having undergone an unpleasant
process of purification, was passed to the health officer, by the aid of
a pair of tongs with legs of extraordinary length.

On counting heads, and comparing the actual number of those who were
anxiously looking over the gunwale with the list of the ship's company,
that vigilant functionary shook his head. One of the number was missing!
An explanation was demanded. Captain Allen was embarrassed. He trumped
up a clumsy story about a bad cold, ill health of long standing,
consumption, etc., but whispered not a syllable of yellow fever. He was
a poor hand at deception; but he might as well have stated the whole
truth, for as in all places abroad where strict quarantine laws are
established, if one or more of the crew is missing, it matters not
whether he died of accident or disease, the health officers take it for
granted, and insist upon it in spite of evidence to the contrary, that
he died of plague if the vessel is from the Mediterranean, or of yellow
fever if from a southern American port or the West Indies.

Greatly to the mortification of Captain Allen, and to the loudly
expressed dissatisfaction of the crew, the brig was ordered to remain
TEN DAYS IN QUARANTINE.

Nor was this all the trouble and annoyance consequent on the deficiency
in the "roll of equipage." Fumigations in the cabin and the forecastle,
of a character stronge