The Garrison at F'ort Charter. 203 



over sixty men at Fort Charter, Avitli many sick, 

 never saw a doctor. Also, for a long time, 

 throughout the country there was a total absence 

 of medicines or medical comforts. Surgeon 

 Rayner, whose brother died of fever at Fort 

 Charter last January while serving in the police, 

 made an exhaustive investigation into this matter. 

 He came to the conclusion that the medical 

 arrangements made by the Company for the 

 occupying force were most unsatisfactory, indeed, 

 scandalously defective, and that even at the time 

 of his inquiry they were open to grave criticism. 

 It is said that the Company will abandon Fort 

 Charter. The usefulness of the position is not 

 obvious. Situated some miles from the main road 

 in a sandy plain, where no one is ever likely to 

 settle, it commands nothing and offers no protec- 

 tion. The altitude of the fort is 4700 feet above 

 the level of the sea ; nevertheless, fever in the rainy 

 season is common and serious. 



From Fort Charter to Fort Salisbury is a dis- 

 tance of upwards of sixty miles. Leaving the 

 former j)lace on the evening of the 13th August, 

 we reached the Upper Umfuli on the morning of 

 the 15th. The same heavy sandy road, the same 

 wide tracts of l^urnt grass Avhich impeded our pro- 

 gress to Fort Charter marked the road to the 

 Umfuli. Here two of the mules gave out, and had 

 to be led alongside of the span for the remainder 

 of the journey. Stories of lions and of their 

 audacity in attacking cattle outspanned at night 

 were common along the road. Every waggon 



