DISEASES. CLIMATE. 129 



The British, born and bred on this island, 

 have a robust, healthy appearance, and are ge- 

 nerally well-educated. The ladies may compete 

 for the palm of beauty with those of their mo- 

 ther-land, and are accomplished to a degree, 

 far beyond that which might be expected from 

 their secluded position, but which is chiefly 

 attributable to a spirit of emulation that is 

 strong amongst them. 



Diseases are rare amongst every class of the 

 population. There are none strictly endemic ; 

 and although epidemics, as influenza, measles, 

 hooping-cough, and small-pox have prevailed 

 here, in spite of a very rigorous enforcement of 

 quarantine laws, they were blown off the island, 

 (to use an expression apparently metaphorical, 

 but probably literally correct,) very soon after 

 their invasion, and have never again appeared. 

 Both the soil and climate are peculiarly salu- 

 brious. The sterile and rocky lowlands, as at 

 James' Valley, attract the sun's rays and are 

 oppressively sultry, unless refreshed by the pe- 

 rennial S. E. breeze, blowing in gusts from the 

 mountains ; but the ascent of the higher lands 

 conducts to many lower grades of temperature, 

 and even to those which are unpleasantly cold 

 when the sun is absent or obscured. Tran- 

 sient rains are frequent, though there is, 



VOL. II. K 



