CXviii AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



we must perform a quarantine of twenty days, 

 because we had no bill of health to show. Now 

 these Solons knew full well that the Monjibello 

 had left their own harbour, in due form, only 

 the evening before ; and they were told that 

 the people whom the Monjibello had received 

 on board, had equally left Civita Vecchia in 

 due form ; but that these people could not 

 possibly produce a bill of health, because that 

 ' bill of health was unfortunately at the bottom 

 of the sea in the foundered Pollux. Still the 

 collected wisdom of Leghorn insisted on the 

 performance of quarantine. The law ordained 

 it, and the dead letter of the law was to be 

 their only guide. 



Prince Canino pleaded our cause with un- 

 common fervour. He informed them that we 

 had had nothing to eat that morning, as the 

 Monjibello had only taken provisions on board 

 to last fill she reached Civita Vecchia. He 

 described the absolute state of nudity to which 

 many of the sufferers had been reduced, 

 he urged the total loss of our property, and 

 he described in feeling terms the bruises and 

 wounds which had been received at the col- 

 lision. In fine, he entreated his auditors to 



