OiithreaJc and terrific Ravages of Small- Pox. ^^^ 



Harbour, with one of her crew ill with sniall-pox. The white 

 settlers then on tlie island, who were well acquainted with 

 the virulence of the disease, implored the native chief to 

 forbid the captain's remaining, and insist on his putting to 

 sea forthwith. The latter, however, seemed determined 

 to leave the patient on the island. When he learned the 

 hostile feeling of the population to himself and the crew, 

 and found that they would neither take his sick man off 

 his hands, nor supply himself and ship's company with 

 provisions, he availed himself of the silence and obscurity 

 of night to dejDosit the sick man on the shore with all his 

 property, and at daybreak made off under full sail. Next 

 morning the natives found the unfortunate wretch stretched 

 suffering and utterly helpless on the strand, while the 

 barque was no longer in sight. Hostility to the captain 

 was now converted into sympathy with, and active com- 

 passion for, the sick man ; a couch was prepared in an ad- 

 jacent hut, and as much attention lavished on him as was 

 possible under the cii'cumstances ; but his effects, consisting 

 chiefly of linen and upper clothing, were sjoeedily ajDpro- 

 priated by the tliievish natives. A few weeks later the 

 small-pox broke out with frightful violence, and raged five 

 months with undiminished severity all over the island. 

 Almost every one of the natives was attacked, and of 5000 

 inhabitants 3000 succumbed to the virulence of the epi- 

 demic. The sailor, however, with whom first originated 

 this terrible fatality, completely recovered. His clothing 



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