158 SICKNESS ON BOARD THE QUORRA. 



sale. The women who sold them were loud in 

 the praises of their goods, and emulous of the 

 patronage of the white men, who, I imagine, are 

 made to pay about four times the market-price 

 for everything which they buy. 



As usual after any exertion, we had a much 

 more violent attack of the intermittent on our 

 return than usual. The daily return of the 

 ague had weakened me, and reduced me so 

 much, that I feared if it lasted much longer 

 my mind would suffer. Dr. Briggs was much 

 better, and had only occasional attacks ; but I 

 had scarcely escaped a day for the last three 

 weeks. Harvey was the only seaman on duty, 

 and he had become a scarecrow. As for the 

 rest, they were sunk into a deplorable state of 

 despondency. But this was not to be wondered 

 at, as the poor fellows had no kind of resources 

 within themselves, and the ennui of their situa- 

 tion, combined with the lassitude produced by 

 the climate, gave rise to anything but a pleasant 

 state of mind. 



I had been busily employed during the last 

 few days in building a hut on an island distant 

 about half a mile from the vessel, which I in- 

 tended to open as a shop on a sort of debateable 



