319 

 CHAPTER I. 



V^OYAGE FROM CRONSTADT TO TENERIFFK. 

 CATARRHS AND RHEUMATISM. 



Slight catarrhal fevers, diarrhoea, and rheumatic 

 attacks, first manifested themselves in the North 

 Sea. A sailor, who might have passed for a model 

 of a scrophulous habit, had pimples in many parts 

 of his body. In England his whole back w^as co- 

 vered with small ulcers, and, on our departure from 

 that country, tliey extended to all the joints of his 

 riglit arm. His cure was easy and rapid: I merely 

 applied emplast. gum. amnion, and found that it 

 was better to let the plaster lie on two days, than to 

 change it every day ; for in this time, almost the 

 whole rash was converted into a large blister, filled 

 with serum, which, if it had not broken of itself, 

 needed only a small incision, to let out the serum. 

 The application of a salve removed the skin that 

 formed the bhster, and the red basis of the ulcers 

 vanished. 



When we were leaving Plymouth, we observed, 

 with displeasure, that our smith was quite hoarse, 

 without having put himself on the sick list, or 

 given me any notice of it. During our stay at 

 Plymouth, he had set up his forge on shore, and 

 spent most of his time there, by which he escaped 

 our attention. On questio»ing him closely, I 



