Narrative of Bahama Expedition. 107 



West, which agreed to charge us one full rate and then allow 

 us to run in and out without charge for the remainder of our 

 stay in that region, a courtesy for which we were indeed 

 thankful. 



The run into the harbor was delightful, the day being 

 bright, the waters exquisitely tinted over the shoals, and the 

 city, guarded by grim old Fort Taylor, appearing to best 

 advantage in contrast with the desolation of Bahia Honda. 

 But our reception here was even worse than at the Cuban 

 port. The quarantine officer came aboard, surveyed with 

 evident surprise the disreputable looking company, ascer- 

 tained that we had cleared last from Havana, and then indig- 

 nantly demanded why we came to Key West. We endeavored 

 to prove our respectability, apparently with questionable suc- 

 cess; but the doctor said that there was nothing for him to do 

 but put us in quarantine for fifteen days, according to the law 

 enforced after June ist against vessels coming from Havana- 

 After further consideration, he concluded to send us direct to 

 the Dry Tortugas to be fumigated, after which we would be 

 detained five days and then discharged from quarantine, 

 provided no sickness occurred on the vessel in the meantime. 

 It must be confessed that our party was not particularly dis- 

 mayed by this decision, having been informed b}' the United 

 States Examining Physician at Havana that the Tortugas 

 w^ould probably be our fate upon reporting at Key West. 

 Knowing that these islands, so bleak and repellent to most 

 people, would prove an excellent station for the study of 

 marine biology, we were rather pleased than otherwise at the 

 prospect of a few days' visit in that region, under the protec- 

 tion of the United States government. The doctor was evi- 

 dently astonished at the equanimity with which we accepted 

 the situation, being doubtless accustomed to loud lamentations, 

 or worse, from those whom duty compelled him to send to the 

 fumigating station. 



We remained between the yellow buoys in Key West Har- 

 bor until our mail could be brought aboard by the doctor's 

 man. A grewsome feeling came over us at the thought of 



