THE COW-POX. 



39 



sun. In the evening I sat and smoked in the 

 open air, and if it was at the time of spring tides, 

 I had a fire made to windward, on account of 

 the mosquitos, and of a very diminutive species 

 of black fly, which is called marohn, and of 

 which the bite is as painful as that of the mos- 

 quito : this last species of insect is there called 

 morisoca. The maroim is usually to be seen 

 near to mangroves. If these tormentors were 

 too troublesome to be endured, or if I was so 

 inclined, I would close my door and window, 

 and read or write until ten or eleven o'clock, 

 and then go to bed ; but frequently I would lie 

 down in my hammock, and rest in it uninten- 

 tionally during the greater part of the night. 



My time passed less pleasantly during the 

 months of June and July, owing to the rain, 

 and to the removal of the vicar to Recife during 

 that period. 



Through his persuasion, and from the gradual 

 general disposition of the feelings of the people 

 in favour of the measure, two boys, resident at 

 Conception, were sent to Recife for the purpose 

 of being inoculated with the cow-pox ; as soon 

 as they returned, the surgeon of Iguaracu, a 

 young man of considerable merit who had been 

 educated at Lisbon, came over to the island to 

 inoculate any persons who might be inclined 

 to undergo the operation. Among the children 

 it was almost general. Their parents and friends 



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