A first frustrating (and hot) day in NYC

Monday, August 4th, 1823 [his first proper day in the USA] - This day presented nothing but bustle; every person seemed anxious to get on shore. I was permitted to go on shore at midday for two hours, and returned to the vessel again.

August 5th, 1823 - On application to the Medical Officer at quarantine ground as to my going to the city, I was informed that I could not possibly go with any of my clothing which was on board the vessel, which induced me to purchase clothing and go up, but had to return down in the evening. I called on Dr Hosack but unfortunately I did not see him. I then made my way through the town again and by steamboat got to Staten Island. I felt the heat very oppressive. Thermometer in the shade 96 deg Fahrenheit.

These two Journal entries show Douglas bursting with impatience to get on with the task, frustrated at only having limited freedom to escape the ship on which he has already spent 58 days on the Atlantic. He can't take the clothes he has so he buys more. He is anxious to make early contact with Hosack, founder of the Elgin Botanical Garden and someone who would be DD's mentor on this trip. Who gave him the introduction to Hosack? Almost certainly we can see the hand of Hooker here as Hosack had studied botany in Edinburgh. And how did Douglas get about in New York? On foot, I guess. Were there street maps? Unlikely perhaps. Certainly he was able to get across the harbour on a steamboat.

New York at last, and straight into quarantine

August 3rd, 1823 [58 days after leaving Liverpool] - Four o'clock am saw more of the New World. Every face seemed to feel glad, and at 7am took a pilot on board; at 10 passed the floating light lately erected [how does he know it's lately erected? He's never been here before], the Captain of which came on board the Ann Maria; 4 o’clock passed the ….other forts on right and left;  half-past 4 [pm] cast anchor and considered ourselves at land. 5'o'clock boarded by the Health Officer, who signified that fourteen days of quarantine was requisite in consequence of smallpox. At 6 o'clock went on shore on Staten [Island]; returned to the vessel at 7.

Well, he's made it to the USA after 58 days on the North Atlantic. At least the midsummer weather was mostly clement.

But what about the quarantine?  “For six decades (1799 – 1858) New York State and New York City operated a quarantine and hospitals on the north-east shore of Staten Island, near the present-day Staten Island ferry terminal in St. George. The Quarantine was New York’s defense against infectious diseases associated with the movement of people. Diseases appeared to arrive at New York Bay in waves on merchant and immigrant ships. Although quarantine officials and doctors could not agree on the causes of disease New York State adopted the strategy of quarantine. 

The New York quarantine and marine hospitals were a critical and effective line of defense against infectious and contagious diseases.”  The Quarantine Ground was accessible primarily by steamboat, and was fortified by six-foot-tall brick walls on all sides.

http://blogs.shu.edu/mvdh/the-watering-place/

The Health Officer states at 5 o’clock that 14 days of quarantine is necessary “in consequence of smallpox” but only an hour later Douglas has left the ship and set foot on Staten Island.  That doesn’t seem much like quarantine.  Perhaps he has only been allowed into the Quarantine Grounds?  Yet by August 5^th, two days later, he is in NYC proper, albeit with new clothing.  The fourteen days quarantine, which should surely last until August 17^th, is only being enforced very laxly.  NYC has been very prone to outbreaks of highly contagious Yellow Fever at this time but even then the quarantine arrangements seem very lax, by our standards at least.  Indeed Maggie Blanck tells us that “By 1846 all vessels coming into the harbor were subject to quarantine inspection. Incoming ships were anchored near Staten Island. Passengers were examined and if found sick were sent to the quarantine hospital on Staten Island. If there were sick passengers onboard, the ship had to remain in quarantine for 30 days. It wasn't the most effective quarantine system in the world as two days a week visitors were allowed, and hundreds came by ferry from the city to Staten Island to visit.” http://www.maggieblanck.com/Quarantine.html