ITS UNHEALTHINESS. 137 



had now shewn itself m an unequivocal manner* 

 every one had suffered from repeated attacks of 

 intermittent fever^ and another fever of a more 

 deadly character had occasionally made its appear- 

 ance^ and^ operating' upon previously debilitated 

 constitutions^ frequently proved fatal. 



There can^ I think^ be little doubt that much of 

 the unhealthiness of the g^arrison depended upon 

 local influences. The situation of Victoria^ at the 

 distance of sixteen miles from the open sea on the 

 shores of an almost land-locked harbour^ was 

 unfavourable for salubrity^ althoug'h in other re- 

 spects judiciously chosen. Occasionally for days 

 tog'ether the sea breeze has not reached as far up as 

 the settlement^ and the heat has been almost stifling- ; 

 usually however the sea breeze set in during* the 

 forenoon^ and after blowing* for some hours was 

 succeeded by a calm^ often interrupted by a g'entle 



Died . 1 officer 1 2 men 



Were invalided 1 do, 13 do. 



Were taken away") , , «^ , ^t ^^ , 



, ,^ 1(4 do. 33 do. Nov. 30th, 1849. 

 by Moeander j 



6 58 



I may remark that, although it would obviously be unjust to 

 suppose that all the cases of death and invaliding are to be at- 

 tributed to the effects of the climate, yet the loss of the services 

 of twenty-seven men out of fifty-eight in five years by these means, 

 clearly proves the unhealthiness of the place. Another may be 

 added to the list, for Captain Macarthur was shortly afterwards 

 invalided in Sydney, a victim to the climate of Port Essington. 



