PORT ESSINGTON. 389 



expected to pursue their occupation with far greater 

 advantage to themselves. Originally hopes were 

 entertained that a very large population of Malays, 

 and even Chinese would speedily collect at Port 

 Essington : hut from some defect in the colonial re- 

 gulations their immigration was for a time checked. 

 At length, however, a remedy has been applied, 

 and facility given for the introduction of settlers 

 from the Indian Archipelago and the Celestial 

 Empire. 



The great difficulty that this small settlement 

 has had to contend with from the beginning, is the 

 climate ; which, though not absolutely pernicious in 

 itself, is unsuited to European constitutions. The 

 settlers have been attacked at various times by 

 fever, and have experienced a large comparative 

 mortality; but hopes are entertained that by proper 

 regulations, especially if temperate habits could be 

 introduced, this may be avoided. 



The capabilities of the soil, though it has by some 

 been pronounced totally unfit for agricultural pur- 

 poses, are still supposed by others to be great, and 

 it is believed that if colonists, capable of woi-king 

 in the climate, could be induced to repair to Port 

 Essington, rice, cotton, indigo, &c. might be raised, 

 of the finest quality, and in great abundance. 



The live stock at the settlements, consisted, by 

 the last accounts, of an English cow and a bull, 

 two Indian heifers and two cows, above fifty goats, 

 six working oxen, thirty buffaloes, six pigs, a 



