ITS UNHEALTHINESS. 137 



had now shewn itself in an unequivocal manner 5 

 every one had suffered from repeated attacks of 

 intermittent fever^ and another fever of a more 

 deadly character had occasionally made its appear- 

 ance, and, operating" upon previously debiUtated 

 constitutions, frequently proved fatal. 



There can, I think, be little doubt that much of 

 the unhealthiness of the garrison depended upon 

 local influences. The situation of Victoria, at the 

 distance of sixteen miles from the open sea on the 

 shores of an almost land-locked harbour, was 

 unfavourable for salubrity, although in other re- 

 spects judiciously chosen. Occasionally for days 

 together the sea breeze has not reached as far up as 

 the settlement, and the heat has been almost stifling ; 

 usually however the sea breeze set in during- the 

 forenoon, and after blowing- for some hours was 

 succeeded by a calm, often interrupted by a gentle 



Died 



"Were invalided 

 Were taken away'j 

 by Moeander i 



I may remark that, although it would obviously be unjust to 

 suppose that all the cases of death and invaliding are to be at- 

 tributed to the effects of the climate, yet the loss of the services 

 of twenty-seven men out of fifty-eight in five years by these means, 

 clearly proves the unhealthiness of the place. Another may be 

 added to the list, for Captain Macarthur was shortly afterwards 

 invalided in Sydney, a victim to the cUmate of Port Essington. 



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