Narrative of Bahama Expedition. 135 



dock with her passengers unanimously of the opinion that Dr. 

 Murray and his associates had put the expedition under great 

 obHgation b_\' their attention not only to the comfort and 

 heahh. but also to the pleasure of the entire party. For once, 

 at least, in the history of the Dry Tortugas, people left the 

 domain of the yellow flag with genuine regret. 



The vessel remained at anchor that night within the harbor, 

 or rather channel, off Garden Key. A heavy gale ble^^ from 

 the S. S. W. all night, raising a sea that sent the waves dash- 

 ing high over the sea-wall against the old fort. Not wishing 

 to leave our safe anchorage in such a gale, we busied our- 

 selves in doing odd jobs about the vessel and in reading. 

 The next day a high sea was still running outside, and we 

 concluded to try a few hauls of the trawl and tangles across 

 the channel. The bottom must have been actually paved 

 with a species of Astropccten, as the tangles were fairh' 

 crowded full of them. The trawl could be used to advantaire 

 on this smooth sandy, bottom, and we thus secured quite a 

 number of small fish that would otherwise have been missed. 



On the morning of Friday, June i6th, we finally bade good- 

 bye to the Dry Tortugas, but were glad to see Dr. Murra\- 

 on board to accompany us to Key West. This gentleman has 

 probably had more experience with yellow fever than an\' 

 other American physician, and we were greatly interested in 

 the tales of the pestilence which he could so graphicalh- 

 relate. His opinion was that the disease is not nearly so ter- 

 rible as generally supposed, and that with proper treatment 

 there is no necessity for a mortality greater than two per cent. 

 The doctor was evidentl}^ skeptical concerning the existence 

 of the yellow fever bacillus. 



