“This town is enclosed by mountains, as you see, from three to seven thousand feet high, on all sides except the seaward. It is sheltered from all the bad winds,” said Dr. Winstock.
“But this is April; and we can’t tell how it feels in the winter,” suggested Dr. Phelps, who had joined his professional friend.
“But I have been here in the winter: the glass never falls below fifty, nor gets above eighty-two. It is the most uniform climate in the world,” replied Dr. Winstock with enthusiasm.
“But you mention thirty-two degrees variation.”
“You have over a hundred variation in the Northern States. But I mentioned the rarest extremes. No average for a month is below sixty-two, or above seventy-two. An invalid may sleep all the year round with his windows open; and fires are never needed.”
The two physicians talked over this to them interesting subject; and the students walked about the fields and the town. It was as near paradise as any thing on earth can be.
After remaining at this place for a couple of days, the fleet went to Santa Cruz de Palma for a day, and then sailed for Funchal on the 29th of the month.
CHAPTER XX.
“A YANKEE SHIP AND A YANKEE CREW.”
MR. FRISBONE and his wife and Miss Rodwood were none the worse for the benevolent service they had rendered on board of the Castle William. The small-pox patients, as stated before, had been separated by the mate from the rest of the people in the forward part of the vessel. The sanitary measures devised by Mrs. Frisbone, and carried out by her husband, had wrought a wonderful change on board; and, when the vessel arrived at Portsmouth, the condition of the sick had greatly improved. The quarantine regulations were relaxed as much as possible in favor of the devoted nurses; but the ladies, who had been more exposed than the Prince, were not permitted to leave the limits of the hospital for a few days.
As soon as the Ville d’Angers anchored in the harbor of Portsmouth, Gregory sent a message by the steward, that he wished to see the captain. As soon as O’Hara had leisure to attend to the matter, he requested Shakings to bring his prisoners into the cabin, hoping they had repented of the folly which had induced them to “stand out,” as they expressed it. The boatswain promptly produced the mutineers, and, touching his cap, was about to retire; but O’Hara desired him to remain.