HEALTHINESS OP CANTON. 289 



more than Tisually heavy, in consequence of the supervision of the labors in connexion with the 

 accnmuLated results of the expedition, and large correspondence that became necessary from the 

 apprehensions of tlie danger entertained by the American merchants as likely to result from the 

 disturbed state of China, was finally prostrated and suffered from an attack of illness. Notwith- 

 standing, however, the work of the expedition was not allowed any remission. The surveying 

 officers continued their hydrographical labors and siicceeded in preparing fair copies of the 

 charts which had been constructed during the late cruise. The artists and draughtsmen were 

 constantly engaged in making and completing their sketches and drawings, of wliich more than 

 two hundred were finished. The several apparatus of the magnetic telegraph, the Daguerre- 

 otype, and the Talbotype were arranged and put in full operation. 



Macao had always hitherto been considered a remarkably salubrious place, and chosen as the 

 usual summer resort of families from Canton and Hong Kong ; but the epidemic which prevailed 

 in 1853 proved that it was not always to be exempt from those destructive visitations of disease 

 to which the cities and towns of the east are so much exposed. During the time that so much 

 sickness prevailed at Macao, Canton was comparatively exempt. In fact, this latter city is 

 looked upon, and justly so, as a healthful place when compared with other cities in the neighbor- 

 hood ; and this seems more remarkable when it is considered that the inhabitants are constanly 

 breathing the miasmatic atmosjihere arising from the luxuriant and marshy fields of rice and 

 other grains which surround Canton. Many parts of the town itself, in fact, are periodically 

 overflowed by the rising of the river, which makes the circumstance of its comparative 

 healthfulness still more extraordinary. While there was so much sickness at Macao, the public 

 garden of the Factories at Canton was covered with water which approached to the very doors 

 of the merchants, and this too at a season when, in all inter-tropical latitudes, local fevers are 

 to be expected. And notwithstanding all these exciting causes of disease, the officers and crew 

 of the Supply, at anchor ofi" the city, and within the direct influence of them, remained 

 perfectly healthy, while those on board the other ships suffered more or less from the prevailing 

 epidemic. 



Various speculations have been advanced to account for the singular exemption of the 

 inhabitants of Canton fi-om the eifects of malaria. Some have ascribed it to the vast amount 

 of smoke produced by the burning of wood for domestic purposes, while others have attributed 

 it to the abstemiousness of the people. These reasons seem, however, insufficient to account 

 for it ; for if smoke only be effective to dispel the ill influences of malaria, New Orleans should 

 be free from them, f..'' more fuel is certainly burned there than at Canton. As for the 

 abstemiousness of the pecple, which certainly exists, but from necessity, not choice, it is hardly 

 reasonable to suppose that th ,t would counteract the other habits of their lives, which certainly 

 would appear to be highly u ifa- orible to health. If narrow, filthy streets, ill-ventilated and 

 crowded houses, and uncleanliness o^ person, can produce di.sease, then it would appear that the 

 people of Canton should be sorely afflicted. But yet all these predisposing causes seem to have 

 no effect either upon the myriads who live and die in crowded boats upon the river, or upon 

 those who throng the land, and years pass away without any serious epidemic. 



In regard to the abstemiousness of the Chinese, this, as has been remarked, is altogether a 

 virtue of necessity, as they seem to be fond enough of flesh and of all sorts of food, however 

 gross, when they can get it. They are certainly the most inordinate feeders in the world, when 

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