5IO JAMAICA. 



colle6led, by inverting a bow], or glafs tumbler, and placinjr it on a 

 ftick, with the mouth about half an inch from the furfnce of the ground. 

 After fixing it thus at funfet, if it be examined about midiiight, it 

 will be found entirely covered within with watry globules, like the 

 cover of a boiling kettle, while the outfide perhaps is barely moilL But 

 if fuffered to remain the whole night in this poiition, the com'enied 

 vapour of the earth precipitating towards morning, in the ccol hours 

 before fun- rife, will cover the outfide alfo with the like appearance. 

 I have frequently obferved, that, in KingfVon, there isfomctitnes no 

 dew at all perceptible in the morning ; at other times, after heavy fhowers 

 in the Liguanea mountains, and a brilklaiid wind, it has been very co- 

 pious. In the former cafe, which happened in dry weather, there either 

 was no reek or perfpiration from the earth of the flreets,or the atmofphere 

 above continued in too warm a flate during the night to condenfe any 

 vapours which might afcend. In general, I think it may be concluded, that 

 it is not wholefome to be much abroad in this climate after dark, at 

 leafl without due precaution of putting on additional cloathing. 



The befl prefervative againft the mifchievous impreflions of a pu- 

 trid fog, a fwampy or marfliy exhalation, is a clofe, (heltered, and 

 covered place, fuch as the lower apartments in a fhip, or a houfe which 

 has no doors nor windows facing the fwamp. If, in fuch place, a fire 

 be kept either at the doors or other inlets, as is praftifed in fome un- 

 healthy countries during their rainy or noifome foggy feafon, thefe 

 fires, together with the fmoak, prove an excellent fafeguard to thofe 

 within, againft the injuries of a vitiated atmofphere. 



The cuflom of the Negroes in this refpeft, perhaps, may conduce as 

 much as any thing to their enjoying health in fuch marfhy foils, when 

 white perfbns are affected by the malignant effluvia, and contradt 

 licknefs; few of their huts have any other floor than the bare earth, 

 which might poflibly tranfmit noxious exhalations in the night, if they 

 did not keep up a conflant fire in the center of their principal room 

 or hall ; the fmoak of which, though intended todifperle the mufkeetos, 

 has another good effeft, the correcting the night air, and dilarming 

 it of its damp and chill, which might be prejudicial to their healths [(^]. 



In 



[i] Doftor Trapham fpeaks to the fame efFeA : " Though water is a moft nece/Hiry conveni- 

 " ency, and its plenty and goodnefs a great accommodation to thefe fettlements ; yet, as the air 

 " itfelf is very moifl, we ought to covet as dry a living as may be, and therefore not to lodge 



" ourfelvcs 



