It had been arranged that we should make the voyage to Madeira in company with the Caroline, but an unexpected incident prevented it. The small-pox[9] made its appearance on board, and although in a mild form and in but a few cases, yet it was sufficiently alarming to interrupt, as a matter of precaution, all communication, and to postpone indefinitely her departure, as a great part of the crew might be overtaken with the disease whilst at sea, exposed to sudden changes of temperature, thereby causing the most serious consequences. Such is not the case with diseases which are in some degree localized, as cholera, yellow fever, dysentery, &c., when it is even prudent to set sail, notwithstanding the presence of the malady, as a change of place and climate is frequently accompanied with beneficial results.
[9] As there has lately been some difference amongst the medical men of Europe as to the utility of vaccination, the following observations from the report of Dr. Wawra, the principal physician on board the Caroline, regarding the appearance and the course of this epidemic, may not be out of place:—"A day before our departure from Trieste a man complained of a slight fever and headache, and his skin was covered with spots which were judged at once to be indications of an approaching eruption of small-pox. The man was immediately sent on shore as a matter of precaution; but, nevertheless, eight days after our departure we had a second, and ten days after that a third case: the epidemic was on board, and though in a mild form, yet serious consequences were apprehended. The re-vaccination of the men was therefore decided upon, and carried out, as far as the virus on board would admit. Only five individuals of the whole had not been vaccinated at all; some had undergone the operation in their childhood, a great part of them, however, had been vaccinated on board other vessels, from two to five years before. Only fourteen cases occurred. Most remarkable, and evidently in favour of those who advocate re-vaccination, is the fact, that amongst most of those who had been vaccinated in their childhood, the disorder was more severe than among those who had been re-vaccinated on board the ship. Among those who had never undergone the operation before, the vaccination on board was most successful; not one of them caught the disorder. Among the re-vaccinated only four cases occurred, with slighter symptoms than among those who had been once only operated upon. We met with several instances of the kind at other places where we touched. At Buenos Ayres, where the vaccination laws are stricter than anywhere else, the small-pox is extremely rare. Among the Brazilians, who entertain an absolute prejudice against vaccination, the variola is one of the most common and most frightful diseases. It prevails still worse amongst the negro slaves, among whom, from the ignorance and prejudice of their masters, vaccination is neglected. The white marks of the disease are particularly visible in the black skin, and are evident proofs how virulently it has raged amongst them."
After we had got through our duties at Gibraltar, an attempt was made, with the first favourable wind, to set sail and reach the Atlantic; the Caroline remaining behind for the benefit of the sick on board. She was to follow only when the health of the crew no longer excited any apprehension.
On the 30th May the wind changed to south, and as the current in the harbour was also favourable, we weighed anchor in the hope that in the Straits we might meet with an easterly wind. The Novara passed the Caroline, which saluted with a round of cheers, when we tacked to clear the roads, after which all sail was hoisted to beat out against the western current in the Straits. The sea was covered with a mucous substance, which generally indicates that there is scarcely a chance of a fresh breeze; however, even the little we had, would have sufficed to carry us through the Straits, but towards 6 p. m. a perfect calm overtook us, and notwithstanding the press of sail, we were carried back towards the East, and about midnight found ourselves again in the Mediterranean, which did not seem disposed to part with us. There was no improvement next day, and at sunset we were exactly twenty-five miles east from the point we had occupied the preceding day. The clouds passed from West to East across the moon, and in the night from the 31st of May to the 1st of June the westerly wind became so fresh that we had even to reef the sails.
Current, wind, sea, everything was against us; even tacking was of no service, as we lost ground visibly with each tack. When at last all hope of making the West had disappeared, we anchored, like many others of our companions in sorrow, on the 1st June, at 6 p. m., in the Bay of Frangerola, fifteen miles north of Malaga.
Here were anchored nearly sixty merchantmen, all wind-bound. Behind the Punta Molinos, near Malaga, there must have been quite as many more. Fresh additions were constantly being made to the already considerable fleet, which had involuntarily collected together, whilst those merchantmen which with fruitless obstinacy kept on tacking about us, were getting more and more out of their course, as with every successive hour their position was changed for the worse.
INHABITANT OF FRANGOLA.
In the hope of a favourable wind we were all a-taunto on the 2nd June, perfectly prepared for a start. Under these circumstances no one could go on shore, but an officer was despatched in a boat to make inquiries as to whether there were any sanitary board in the neighbouring village. A relative of the President of the Junta de la Sanidad came on board, and stated that, though as a rule only vessels clearing from Spanish harbours were permitted to have intercourse with the shore, an exception should be made in favour of ourselves. This Andalusian was very communicative, and amongst other things told us that the inhabitants were supported almost entirely by fishing. Many ships had now been waiting several weeks for a favourable wind to pass the Straits. Some had thrice attempted to sail towards the West, but in every case were driven back by wind and current. In 1847, a year of scarcity, Louis Philippe had caused several French steamers to be stationed in the Straits in order to take in tow ships coming from the Black Sea laden with grain, and thereby to facilitate their passage between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. In the afternoon we had a visit from about thirty inhabitants of Frangerola, who came on board in fishing-boats to view the ship. None of these people had ever seen so large a man-of-war, and they all therefore regarded the ship with great curiosity. The ship's band greatly delighted them, but the signal-gun at sunset seemed to terrify them and to hasten their departure.