562 J A M A I G A. 



has degenerated into vice; many being fo fond of it, that they do* 

 nothing the whole day but Hacer las once. Perfons of diftindion- 

 ufe Spanifli brandy, but the lower fort a kind of rum diftilled from 

 the fugar-cane. 



Jobfon remarks, that the common people in Guiney eat only once 

 a day, which is after fun-fet. They hold, that eating feldom, and 

 in the cooler part of the day, is a good prefervative of health. He 

 adds, that the natural moifture being drawn outwards to refresh the 

 external parts when parched by the fun's heat, the ftomach is then 

 cold, and fitter to receive a dram than to digeft folid food ; in proof 

 of which opinion, he aflerts to have found by experience, that he 

 and his men could drink as much brandy in the middle of the day, 

 at a time, as in England would have burnt out their very hearts; that 

 is his expreffion. 



The fweating, which happens in confequence of overmuch re- 

 laxation in fome hot climates,, feems to be of the colliquative kind, 

 refembling that which accompanies putrid diftempers in their ad- 

 vanced ftage, when there is an utter proftration of flirength, and 

 when the blood is haftening into a total diffolution j a moderate 

 dram of fome fpirituous liquor, at fuch times, operates by its bracing 

 or aflringent quality, and fupprefles the immoderate flow of perfpi- 

 ration -, hence thofe perfons v/ho drink this liquor moderately, when 

 they are almoft overcome with the debilitation of heat and moifture, 

 perceive a fenfation of coolnefs, and ceafe to fweat fo profufely. 

 But the wholefomer v/ay of ufing it Vv^ould probably be with a due 

 mixture of water, like the reapers of Pennfylvania, mentioned by 

 Mr. Franklin, in this way likewife admiral Vernon, when he was 

 at Jamaica, caufed the crews of his fquadron to be ferved,. and it 

 caufed a wonderful change in their health ; for with this caution 

 they became lefs fubjecl to bad fevers, and were able to go througli 

 the fatigues of their duty without inconvenience. 



The moft wholefome proportion of rum to water, in this cli- 

 mate, is as I to 16, or half a pint of rum to a gallon of water, and. 

 the allowance to foldiers, feamen, and white fervants, fliould rarely 

 or ever exceed it, for their ordinary beverage; the price of half a 

 •pint of rum is feldom above i%d. Jamaica currency,, or i\d. 

 ikrling; the navy allawance of beer is one gallon to each common 



I. feaman 



