LAGOS. 351 



40,000 inhabitants. It is wretchedly situated on a 

 small island or bank, about three miles in length 

 by one in breadth, which apparently has been 

 formed by sand thrown up by the sea, the overflow 

 of the Crado lagoon, and the alluvial deposits 

 carried down the Ossa river. During the rains, for 

 days together, I have seen numberless floating 

 islands, some of which were above an acre in 

 extent, and apparently covered with verdure, 

 carried down the river and taken over the bar out 

 to sea, so that the formation of an island in these 

 parts is easily accounted for. As no site on the 

 Island of Lagos is six feet above high water level, 

 and a great portion is considerably below it, 

 effectual drainage is impossible; besides, which, 

 stagnant water constantly accumulates, forming 

 putrid marshes, which generate pestilential efflu- 

 vium in the highest degree injurious to human 

 life. 



Without doubt, this settlement is the most un- 

 healthy on all this malarious region, as for hundreds 

 of miles the whole line of the adjacent coast is one 

 continuous mangrove swamp, intersected by la- 



