206 



THE CRUISE OF TEE 'GUBAGOA: 



during the other eight months, which are not unhealthy, 

 provided some precautions be taken. Since European 

 weapons and diseases have been introduced, there has been 

 a sensible decrease of tlie population. The infant mortality 

 is considerable ; deaths, too, occur from sunstrokes, and 



NATIVES OF TAKNA. 



poisonings attributed to the flesh of certain fish. But the 

 o-reater part of the adults are slain in war, or massacred by 

 the kilHng stone. Small pox has visited the island, and 

 carried off a considerable number of the inhabitants. In 

 1861 measles destroyed about one-third of them. The sick 

 are well cared for ; local bleeding is made use of in almost 



