42 CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 
Since the commencement of the rains every additional 
precaution was taken to guard against the effects of the 
damp sultry weather on the people; they were never 
exposed to the rain when it could be avoided, and when 
unavoidably wetted, they were obliged to put on dry clothes 
as soon as possible, occasionally receiving a small glass of 
spirits when shifted. The humidity of the air between 
decks was dried up by frequent fires, and the bedding often 
aired. ‘The large quantity of water I had shipped in 
the river enabled me to aftord a proportion for washing the 
people’s clothes twice a week, until now, when the rain 
water saved by the awnings was put by for the purpose. 
From the very commencement of the voyage, [ had much 
difficulty in forcing the observance of general regulations for 
cleanliness, and the consequent preservation of health on the 
transport’s crew ; for the master and mates, like the genera- 
lity of merchant seamen, considering all such regulations as. 
useless, took no steps to enforce them, nor could I even get 
the hammocks brought on deck after our arrival in the 
warm latitudes, until I had recourse to coercion, and the 
punishment at the gangway of one of the most refractory 
of the crew, which effectually broke up the confederacy 
that seemed to have been formed to resist all my orders on ~ 
this subject. 
