LIBERTY. 211 



to ask the captain for a run ashore during our 

 Btay. Hereupon he made us a ] ittle address, stating 

 that he was quite willing to grant the required 

 liberty, but telling us at the same time that while 

 those who returned on board before sunset would 

 run no risk of catching the fever, so surely would 

 those die who remained on shore over night, that 

 he should refuse to receive them on board the fol- 

 lowing morning, considering them as certainly 

 dead. 



This sounded like humbug to some of the crew. 

 But I had been warned against going ashore in 

 this place, by the carpenter of the Betsy Ann, 

 which vessel had lost here three of her men at one 

 visit. I detailed the information I had received, 

 to the rest, after we had retired to the forecastle, 

 and convinced them, as I thought, that the cap- 

 tain's words were at least founded on fact. 



I could hardly blame the disbelief of some, for 

 the shores past which we had been sailing during 

 the day, were so beautiful, and everything ap- 

 peared to our rain -accustomed eyes so resplendent 

 in the genial sunlight, whose like we had not felt 

 for two months, that it was hard to believe grim 

 death to lurk in every glade and hummock of the 

 shore. Yet so it is. St. Mary's is unhealthy even 

 to the natives, and I was informed that the Euro- 

 pean portion of the garrison, notwithstanding th 

 greatest precaution and skill, is annually decimated 

 by the deadly coast fever. 



To seamen, used to take but iittle care, and 



