io8 Natural History Bulletin. 



our absolute isolation in that scene which seemed almost met- 

 ropolitan after our recent experiences. Our vessel was as 

 completely shunned as if it were the royal barge of ''Yellow 

 Jack" himself. Not even a fisherman's boat or a banana-man 

 came within hailing distance. Two of our party had been so 

 persistently seasick that they longed to leave the schooner and 

 go overland to their home, but the doctor, backed by the 

 majesty of the United States law, said "No." The situation, 

 although regarded good-humoredly by most of our party, was 

 a source of bitter trial to others, to whom the mail brought sad 

 news of death and sickness at home, and the utter inability to 

 fly to the afflicted loved ones added cruel suffering to that 

 necessarily caused by the sorrowful tidings. 



At half past two p. m. the anchor was shipped and the 

 '• Emilv E. Johnson" retraced her course without a pilots 

 passed out beyond Sand Key Light, and bore awa}^ for the 

 Tortugas with a good sailing breeze astern, the vessel swing- 

 ing along with the lazy roll and gentle swish of waters under 

 the bows, indicating that one sail is boomed out to starboard 

 and the other to port, or that she is sailing '■ wing and wing." 

 By six o'clock the next morning, June 6th, we were anchored 

 safely between the yellow buoys under the guns of Fort Jef- 

 ferson at the Dry Tortugas, the " Land's End " of the Gulf 

 coast, given over now to the government's unfortunate "Yel- 

 low Jack" patients and suspects. 



The old fort looked srim enouo-h from the outside, with its 

 row of big guns on the parapet and double row of ports below. 

 We little thought, as we gazed upon the huge structure, how 

 much of comfort and pleasure was stored up there for us, but 

 simply waited to see what the officials were going to do with 

 us next. 



After waiting some time, a little sail-boat rounded an angle 

 of the fort and sped across the green water, bearing a gentle- 

 man in a somewhat faded uniform, who it seemed, was left in 

 charge of the quarantine station in the absence of the regular 

 surgeon. Having examined our papers and glanced with 

 something of consternation at the motley company on board. 



