VI. CHAP. withstanding it lies 150 miles up the river Congo, or Zaire, and within fix degrees of the equator; yet, from it's being situated on a hill, and the neighbouring country being cleared of the natural woods and thickets, it's inhabitants breathe a temperate and pure air, and are in a great meafure, exempted from all the plagues of an unhealthy climate*** Trade pre ferred to health. 77. Thus we see, that the Europeans have their own conduct, more than the climate, to blame for their unhealthiness in Africa. If the intelligent reader ask, why their factories and forts have been fo abfurdly placed? I can only answer, that the speedy acquifition of gain seems hitherto to have been the fole object of the European visitors of Africa, who, intending only a temporary residence, have not been very nice as to their accommodation. To trade (as before hinted) every confideration of health and utility has been foolishly facrificed: and, provided they could place advantageously their factories, for carrying it on, and their forts for protecting it, the falubrity of the fituation was regarded as a matter of fmall moment, and fometimes not regarded at all. So univerfally has trade been preferred to health, that I believe it would be difficult to name a single fort or factory on the coaft, in the fettlement of which, the convenience of trade was not the ruling confideration. In establishing so many settlements it could not but happen, that some situations, proper for trade, would also be not unfavourable to health; but that this was at best only a secondary object, is evident from the little pains which have been taken to cut down the woods, drain the marshes, * Id. p. 51.—I have often heard St. Salvadore mentioned as the moft healthful spot on the globe, except the Ifland of Ceylon. and VI. and cultivate the land, in the vicinity of the forts and facto- CHA P. ries on the coaft. But why do I mention the cultivation of land, as if I did not know it to be fo perfectly contrary to the views and habits of the European factors, that even the preservation of their own lives cannot incite them to use such obvious, pleasant and certain means of improving the climate? 78. When, to the effluvia of marshes, woods, and the flimy beds of rivers, we add bad lodgings, bad cloathing, unwholesome, and scanty food, naftiness, both personal and domeftic, intoxication with very bad fpirits, exposure to damps, rains, and dews, and other fimilar causes of disease, we can no longer wonder at the mortality of foldiers in garrison, and other whites, on shore. As to feamen, the wonder is not that so many die, but that any furvive, the operation of the causes of mortality which are infeparable from the flave-trade. For, befides the evils they fuffer in common with foldiers, &c. on fhore, but generally in a much greater degree, they are often, in collecting flaves by 66 boating," exposed to the weather up the rivers, for days and nights together, as well as to exceffive fatigues in wooding and watering. And, as if these hardships were not sufficient to destroy their conftitutions, very many of the poor men are barbarously treated by the flave-captains, who, to account for the enormous mortality which enfues, falfely attribute to the climate a malignity which more properly belongs to their own difpofitions. I am the more confident in asserting these facts, as they have been proved, before the British legiflature, by the most respectable evidence. Two other important facts are also established by the fame evidence, namely, that the wood-veffels which trade, chiefly for produce, to the fame parts of the coaft, do not lofe nearly H Causes of mortality of foldiers and feamen. Ships of war, ed from that mortality. &c. exempt VI. CHA P. nearly fo many men as the flave-ships; and that ships of war make their voyages to that pretendedly fatal fhore, with as little mortality as to the West Indian Islands, and with far less than takes place in the East Indies *. Comparative falubrity of different places. 79. It is not pretended, however, that the climate of Africa is perfectly congenial to the conftitutions of all European strangers. There, as in other hot countries, new-comers must, in general, expect what is called a feafoning. All I would be understood to attempt, is to vindicate the climate of Africa fom any peculiar malignity, never before experienced in other tropical regions, in the like unimproved ftate. 80. It is the general opinion, that the climates of Senegal and Whidah are the worft on the whole western coast of Africa. The neighbourhood of the mouth of the River Gambia, however, lately much frequented, has been found to be equally unfavourable to health. But the country becomes more falubrious as we advance up that river. From Elephant's Island to Yanimaroo, the climate is tolerable, and above this last place, it may be pronounced healthful. The climates of Sierra Leona, Cape Verd, Cape Mount, and above all Cape Mefurado, are comparatively falubrious. The Ifles de Los, the Islands of Bananas, Cape Verd, Goree, and Bulama, one of the Biffao Islands, may be faid to enjoy a climate inferior to few or none within the tropics. I was affured by a French physician of Senegal, that the mortality at the Island of Goree does not exceed that of * See the Privy Council's Report, and Minutes of Evidence before a select Committee of the House of Commons, particularly the Evidences of the Reverend Mr. Clarkson and the Reverend Mr. Newton; alfo thofe of the feven following captains in the navy, viz. Sir George Young, and Captains Hall, Smith, Thompfon, Scott, Hills and Wilfon. VI. Paris. In general, it may be observed, that in Africa, as CHAP. every where else, low and marshy tracts are unfavourable to health; that elevated, dry and ventilated fituations are to be selected as places of refidence; and that, cæteris paribus, islands are always to be preferred to continents. To this I may add, that, in most parts of Africa, the interior country is more healthful than the coast, as I have been assured by many perfons, whites as well as blacks, who have refided in, or visited the inland parts, particularly by M. Biorn, governor general of the Danish fettlements, in Africa*. I can account for this fact, no otherwife than from the land continually rifing as you recede from the coaft. 81. Having mentioned the climates of Sierra Leona and Bulama, it is but justice to state, that the mortality of the first colonists which took place at the former, and the misfortunes which happened at the latter, were not owing to the climate, but to very different causes, as will hereafter appear. 82. I now beg leave to offer a few hints to such of my readers, as may hereafter have occafion to frequent, or to reside in, the tropical parts of Africa. Being the fruits of the happy experience of my fellow travellers, myself, and many others, I need make no apology for recommending them as excellent prefervatives of health; especially as I know that they are generally approved by the faculty. But, as it would be highly presumptuous in one who has not regularly ftudied the healing art, to trespass too far on the province of it's profeffors, I confine my remarks entirely to the preservation of health. When disease is unhappily formed, the patient cannot too speedily have re * See alfo Dr. Ifert's Letters to his father, printed at Copenhagen, in 1788. Hints re fpecting health. VI. CHA P. courfe to medical affiftance. Even medical gentlemen themselves cannot be too cautious, when at the commencement of their practice, within the tropics, they are called upon to prescribe for diseases with which nothing short of actual experience can be supposed to make them acquainted. I need not inform them of the merit of Dr. Lind's work on this fubject. He has indeed, with fingular ability, pointed out the causes of the diseases of hot climates, and the means of preventing and curing them. But in this, as in most other arts, there is yet great room for improvement. It is to be lamented that but few men of extenfive medical knowledge have visited the coast of Africa, or at least have refided there long enough to become acquainted with the proper treatment of diseases in that climate*. Much however may now be expected from the genius and diligence of Dr. Winterbottom, the present able and successful physician at Sierra Leona, the choice of whom does infinite credit to the difcernment of the directors. Their elevation from the ground, &c. HOUSE S. 83. On arriving in Africa, the first, as being the most important thing fettlers ought to think of, is the erection of houses, capable of affording a healthful and secure refuge from the ardour of the meridian heat, the sudden change to coolness in the evening, the damps and dews of the night, and the heavy and penetrating rains of the wet season; from all which it is abfolutely neceffary for new-comers to be effectually protected. 84. The entire conftruction of houses immediately on ar * See Plan of a Settlement to be made near Sierra Leona, &c. by Dr. Smeathman, p. 11. riving, |