23 



gers of the sea did not disturb our enjoyments ^ 

 but the germe of a malignant fever discovered 

 itself as we drew near the antilles. Between 

 decks the ship was excessively hot, and very 

 much encumbered. From the time we passed 

 the tropic, the .thermometer was at thirty-four 

 or thirty-six degrees. Two sailors, several pas- 

 sengers, and, what is remarkable enough, two 

 negroes from the coast of Guinea, and a mulatto 

 child, were attacked with a disorder which ap- 

 peared epidemic. The symptoms were not 

 equally alarming in them all ; nevertheless, se- 

 veral persons, and especially the most robust, 

 fell into a delirium after the second day, and felt 

 a total prostration of their strength. The indif- 

 ference which prevails on board packet boats, 

 for every thing that does not regard the working 

 of the ship, and the quickness of the passage, 

 prevented the captain from employing the ordi- 

 nary means of diminishing the danger which 

 threatened us. No fumigation was made. A 

 Gallician surgeon, ignorant and phlegmatic, or- 

 dered bleedings, because he attributed the fever 

 to what he called heat and corruption of the 

 blood. There was not an ounce of bark on 

 board ; we had forgot to take any with us, be- 

 cause, being more occupied with our instruments 

 than our health, we thought too carelessly, that 

 this salutary production of Peru could not fail to 

 be fopnd on board a Spanish vessel. 



