282 ON THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY 



sive than Point au Pitre ; but at Fort Fleur d'Epee, the far- 

 thest out-post, at the extremity of the marshes, where they 

 approach to the state of Terra Firma, where little or no water 

 is to be seen on the surface, and no smell exists, there cannot 

 be supposed a more deadly quarter, and all white troops con- 

 sidered their being sent there, as equivalent to a sentence of 

 death. It ought to be noted, that the marshes of all these 

 three posts are overgrown with the thickest underwoods, and 

 rankest aquatic vegetation of every kind. A fact of the same 

 kind has been observed in the Island of Tobago. The princi- 

 pal fort and barrack of the colony, has been placed immediate- 

 ly to leeward of the Bacolette swamp, within the distance of 

 less than half a mile, and the strong ammoniacal stench of 

 its exhalations, even at that distance, often pollutes the 

 barracks; but these are so far from producing fever at all 

 times, that when I visited the white garrison there, they had 

 been more remarkably exempt from that form of disease, for 

 several years, than any other troops in the West Indies. I 

 shall not multiply facts and illustrations of the same kind, to 

 prove that putrefaction, and the matter of disease, are altoge- 

 ther distinct and independent elements ; that the one tra- 

 vels beyond the other, without producing the smallest bad ef- 

 fect ; and that, however frequently they may be found in com- 

 pany, they have no necessary connection ; but proceed to no- 

 tice other qualities of the marsh poison, which, until under- 

 stood, prove extremely puzzling to the observer. 



In selecting situations for posts and barracks, it had been 

 observed with surprise, that the border, and even the centre 

 of the marsh, proved a less dangerous quarter than the neigh- 

 bouring heights of the purest soil, and healthiest temperature ; 



and 



