HEAT AND SICKNESS. 77 



by the oppressive and overpowering heat which we 

 have experienced for the last few days, and the 

 general effects of which seem more distressing to 

 the ship's company than is often experienced under 

 a higher range of the thermometer ; the deprivation 

 of all power, or energy, is one of its most unpleasant 

 consequences. I am inclined to think that one 

 reason for its great and wearying effect upon most of 

 us, — indeed, more or less, all are suffering from it, — 

 is that there is hardly any variation in temperature 

 durini^ the whole twentv-four hours : it sometimes 

 does not amount to more than two or three degrees. 

 Captain Wickham and the surgeon visited an inlet 

 near the ship to-day, which had indeed been looked 

 into, but not explored before. They proceeded to the 

 south-west for about three miles, through a very 

 tortuous channel, dry in many parts at low water, 

 thickly studded with mangrove bushes, over and 

 through which the tide made its way at high water, 

 giving to that part of the country the appearance of 

 an extensive morass. A slightly elevated table- 

 topped range of land was seen from time to time, 

 some eight or nine miles to the south-east, but in 

 its highest elevation did not reach 200 feet. The 

 apparent width of the inlet in no way diminished so 

 far as the exploring party examined it ; and this 

 fact, coupled with the general character of the 

 country hereabouts, induces me to suppose that the 

 periodical return of the spring-tide, floods the 

 greater part of the coast between the sea shore and 



