284 ON THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY 



of a mile in extent *. The two hills jut right out on the same 

 line into the sea, by which they are on three sides encompas- 

 sed. The inner hill, of a slender pyramidal form, rises from a 

 narrow base nearly perpendicular, above and across the marsh, 

 from sea to sea, to the height of 400 feet, so as completely to 

 shut it out from the post. The outer hill is a round-backed 

 bluff promontory, which breaks off abruptly, in the manner of 

 a precipice, above the sea. Between the two hills runs a very 

 narrow clean valley, where all the establishments of the garri- 

 son were originally placed ; the whole space within the penin- 

 sula being the driest, the cleanest, and the healthiest surface 

 conceivable. It was speedily found that the barracks in the 

 valley were very unhealthy, and to remedy this fault, advan- 

 tage was taken of a recess or platform near the top of tUg in- 

 ner hill, to construct a barrack, which was completely conceal- 

 ed by the crest of the hill from the view of the marsh on the 

 outside, and at least 300 feet above it ; but it proved to be pes- 

 tiferous beyond belief, and infinitely more dangerous than the 

 quarters in the valley, within half musket-shot below. In fact 

 no white man could possibly live there, and it was obliged to 

 be abandoned. At the time this was going on* it was disco- 

 vered, that a quarter which had been built on the outer hill, 

 on nearly the same line of elevation, and exactly 500 yards 

 further removed from the swamp, was perfectly healthy, not a 

 single case of fever having occurred on it from the time it was 

 built. These facts were so curious, that I procured the Sur- 

 veyor-General of the island to measure the elevations and dis- 

 tances, and I have given them here from his report. 



In 



* The superficies of the base of the peninsula is exactly 1210 yards in length, 

 by 850 in breadth, exclusive of the isthmus. 



