150 SMALL-POX. 



the subject of this chapter. Several old men 

 were marked by it ; and I understand that 

 during the time it prevailed among the abori- 

 gines at Wellington Valley, they did not re- 

 gard it as of foreign introduction ; they con- 

 sidered it contagious, and when one party 

 was attacked by this formidable disease, the 

 others deserted them, to avoid being infected. 

 None of the soldier's children stationed at Wel- 

 lington Valley took the disorder, although the 

 blacks about the settlement were suffering from 

 it ; the children never had had the small-pox, 

 but I could not be informed whether they had 

 been vaccinated. 



This disease excited so much attention during 

 the time it prevailed,* that the government were 

 induced to send a medical gentleman into the 

 interior to report upon, and give his opinion re- 

 garding, its nature. Dr. Mair, assistant-surgeon 



* In February, 1833, the ship " Prince Regent" arrived 

 at Port Jackson, from England, with emigrants and a general 

 cargo ; she was immediately placed mider quarantine, on ac- 

 count of the small-pox having occurred at two distinct 

 periods on board the vessel during the passage. The vessel 

 was not released from her unpleasant situation until the 

 commencement of March, having been, previous to her re- 

 lease, thoroughly fumigated, and the clothes of all the in- 

 fected persons burnt and washed at the quarantine station, 

 before being admitted into the cove of Sydney. 



