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carries almost all the local passenger traffic, came forward with the most
valuable help and advice. The steamers arrived at more or less fixed
times, and the passengers landed at certain Bunders. The only
difficulty in regard to their inspection, therefore, was the provision
of the staff. This was done partly by the engagement of local medical
practitioners and partly by the employment of medical students from
the Grant and Ahmedabad Colleges.
Native Craft
The examination of the native craft presented many obstacles.
Arriving at all times of the night and day, landing their passengers
anywhere, and owned and sailed by men who were in full sympathy
with those of their passengers who wish to evade inspection, special
measures had to be adopted to prevent cases of plague being smug-
gled into Bombay by them.
In the earlier stages of the epidemic there was no record kept
of the numbers of persons who came or went by these craft.
But Mr. Shepherd estimated that over 8,000 people left Bombay by
them in the month of January, and it is more than probable that, if a
man had any suspicion about his health, he would prefer to go by
a native vessel, where no questions would be asked to risking the
chance of being rejected by one of the Steamer lines. The same would
apply to the returning stream of people in the months of April and May.
For Customs purposes there is at all times a regular patrol of the whole
harbour from Middle Colaba as far as Sewri, and the officials of the
Customs are always on the watch to prevent persons from landing in
any but the regular places. The first step, therefore, was to ask
the Collector of Customs to refuse to allow any one to land who
had not obtained a pass certifying that he was free from plague.
All native craft were ordered to bring up at one of the following
anchorages :-
Tucker's Beacon.
Free anchorage.
Dutiable anchorage.
At each of these places there was a barge stationed with a Medical
Staff, detailed from ten Medical Students placed on this duty. As soon
as a craft came to anchor she was boarded, and the passengers examined
by a Medical Officer, who gave a certificate of health if the result of
his inspection was satisfactory.
This work was extremely arduous from the number of the boats
and also from the fact that most of these boats carry vegetables, &c.,
for the Bombay Market, They arrive at about midnight, and if their
men were not allowed to go ashore the first thing in the morning, great
inconvenience would be felt by the whole city for want of fresh
vegetables, &c. The work of inspection had, therefore, to be carried on
mainly in the night, and great credit is due to the staff, who worked
so cheerfully under these uncomfortable conditions.