42 -_—«UNHEALTHINESS OF KOO-LUNG-SOO. [Cuar. III. 
by the English, was taken, although the rock still 
stands as before. 
The island, particularly on the north-eastern and 
eastern sides, is very unhealthy: fever and cholera 
prevail to a great extent during the south-west 
monsoon, and are most fatal. Our troops suffered 
far more from the climate, when they had posses- 
sion of the place, than from the guns of the 
Chinese at the taking of Amoy. In the autumn of 
1843, the sickness amongst the officers and men of 
the 18th Royal Irish was almost unprecedented: 
dismay was painted in every countenance, for 
every one had lost his comrade or his friend. It 
was dismal indeed. I have known many who were 
healthy and well one day, and on the morrow at 
sunset their remains were carried to their last 
resting-place. The little English burial-place was 
already nearly full, and the earth was red and 
fresh with recent interments, scarcely a day pass- 
ing without two or three being added to the 
number of the dead. And yet what was rather 
strange, a detachment of the 41st M. N. I. com- 
manded by Captain Hall, were, officers and men, 
all perfectly healthy; they were, however, on a 
different part of the island. 
I fear that the more we know of China the more 
will be dispelled the notions of its being a healthy 
country, which we had formed from the experience 
of those who lived in their shaded airy houses at 
Macao and Canton. During my rambles on Koo- 
lung-soo I stumbled on the tombstones of some 
