number four), who has a towel hanging
beside him, a small instrument in his hand, and a basin of disinfectants
behind him. You have little time for wonder or dread. With a deft motion
he applies the instrument to your eye and turns up the lid, quickly
shutting it down again, then repeats the operation upon the other eye.
He is looking for the dreaded contagious trachoma or for purulent
ophthalmia; also for disease of any kind, or any defect that would make
it lawful and wise to send you back whence you came. You have now been
twice examined, and passed as to soundness of body, freedom from
lameness or defect, general healthfulness, and absence of eye disease or
pulmonary weakness.

[Sidenote: Detention Room]

[Sidenote: The Wicket Gate]

As you move along to the inclosed space of your group E, you note that
the lame man and the woman who were chalk-marked are sent into another
railed-off space, known as the "detention pen," where they must await a
more rigid medical examination. One other inspector you have faced--a
woman, whose sharp eyes seem to read the characters of the women as they
come up to her "wicket gate;" for it is her duty to stop the suspicious
and immoral characters and send them to the detention rooms or special
inquiry boards. Thus you have passed five government officers since
landing on the Island. They have been courteous and kindly, but impress
you as knowing their business so well that they can readily see through
fraud and deception.

[Sidenote: Entrance Examination]

The entrance ordeal is not quite over, but for a little while you rest
on the wooden bench in your E compartment, waiting until the group is
assembled, all save those sent away for detention. Suddenly you are told
to come on, and in single file E group marches along the narrow railed
alley that leads to officer number six, or the inspector who holds E
sheet in his hand. When it comes your turn, your manifest is produced
and you are asked a lot of questions. A combined interpreter and
registry clerk is at hand to assist. The interpreter pleases you greatly
by speaking in your own language, which he rightly guesses, and notes
whether your answers agree with those on the manifest.

[Sidenote: The Ticket System]

As you have the good fortune to be honest, and have sufficient money to
escape being halted as likely to become a public charge, you are
ticketed "O. K." with an "R" which means that you are bound for a
railroad station