the health of Troops in Arracan. 197 



more striking. The seasons in Arracan may, in a general way, 

 be divided into the dry and the wet, as the dry season can 

 scarcely be divided into the hot and the cold ; for the cold 

 weather is seldom of more than six weeks' duration. 



Rain seldom falls in any quantity between May and 

 October, the first and last months of the wet season. The 

 average quantity of rain throughout the year may be stated at 

 200 inches, which fall chiefly in June, July, August, and 

 September, especially in the two first months. 



In the cold, and in the early part of the hot season, very 

 heavy dews fall at night, and dense fogs are common in the 

 morning, often not clearing away till 9 a. m. 



The thermometer seldom rises above 90° in the hot or 

 above 75° in the cold weather. During the rains the daily 

 average of the thermometer is about 75°, and in the cold wea- 

 ther 56° is about the lowest point to which it sinks. 



At almost all times of the year, and even during the incessant 

 rains of the wet season, the sea breeze during the day is very 

 refreshing. The monsoons are much the same as in the other 

 parts of the Bay of Bengal. 



The Mughs, the inhabitants of the country, are a stout mus- 

 cular people, of Mongolian race, resembling 

 the Burmese in all essentials, but said to be 

 commonly shorter men. They always raise their huts several 

 feet above the ground. Their diet is multifarious enough, 

 but fish and rice are its chief articles. They appear on the 

 whole to be a healthy race, though cholera and small- 

 pox,* have of late years committed fearful ravages among 

 them. Fevers, enlargements of the spleen, and dysentery, ap- 

 pear to be their most common complaints. 



Yet if we are to judge of the healthiness of the natives 

 Arracan Local Bat- by tne Local Battalion, we shall not be 



tahon - inclined to form a very favourable opinion 



of it for on examining table No. I. it will be found, that (even 



* Mr. Andrews, Civil Surgeon of Ramree, was for some years very active 

 and successful in inducing the people of his district to be vaccinated. 



