8o REMINISCENCES OF 



perhaps not superior to that which may now be had 

 everywhere for one eighth of a dollar. 



Before the revolution and some time afterwards 

 the people of St. Stephen's enjoyed a greater share 

 of health than they have since experienced. A few 

 facts will establish this. Whilst this portion of the 

 State was held by the British, military posts were 

 established at Fairlawn, Monck's Corner, Lifeland, 

 and other places, some on the very edge of the 

 swamp, and others on spots which have subse- 

 quently been found to be equally unhealthful. 

 The garrisons of these posts, consisting of Eng- 

 lish, Scotch, Irish, and German troops, all enjoyed 

 a reasonable degree of health. Three or four weeks 

 before the battle of Eutaw, three regiments of Irish 

 troops, just landed in Charleston, were marched into 

 the country and were engaged in that battle. These 

 facts are derived not from our fathers alone, who 

 knew the truth, but from Dr. Jackson, author of the 

 '' Diseases of Tropical Climates," who was in that 

 army. It was then a common practice with some fam- 

 ilies in Charleston to choose the fruit season, /. e., 

 July and August, to visit their friends on the river, 

 and spend weeks there without any apprehension of 

 danger. Nay, I have been assured by those who 

 have been actors in these scenes, that parties would 

 come up from Charleston in midsummer to enjoy 

 bream and trout fishing on the Santee. They would, 

 after an early breakfast, be on the river or lake by 



