tasteach

“The day Buchanan was proposing a commission, 29 May, Dr. Douglas visited Cliff Island and found out that the tents could not be erected because the place was too rocky. He again informed the authorities that there would not be adequate space on Grosse-Île for the healthy passengers, and that few tents would be left for them after providing for the sick. It would be a choice between two evils, he said, keeping the healthy on board ship instead of bringing them to Cliff Island, “poor emaciated wretches (as the majority of the are), weakened by long fasting and privation, on the rocks, without covering, and destitute as many are of everything but the rags that cover them…” He again asked that the order be reviewed as he expected to have 20,000 people in quarantine by the end of the week, the population of a city. If he were allowed to bend the law he was of the opinion that there would be no need for the detachment of troops.”