100 



CASK FILLING. 



religious reasons, to ship water from the wells 

 near the town. Also, cask-filling was carried 

 on at low tide, to prevent the supply of the 

 Mto-ni heing brackish, and the exhalations of the 

 black mud were of course extra-dangerous. It 

 is no wonder that dysentery and fever resulted 

 from the use of such a 6 necessary.' The French 

 frigate Le Berceau, after watering here, was 

 visited by the local pest, and lost 90 men on her 

 way home. Even in January, the most whole- 

 some month, Lieut. Christopher had 16 deaths 

 amongst his scanty crew. In this case, however, 

 the lancet, so fatal near the Line, and the deadly 

 Zerambo, or toddy-brandy, were partly to blame. 

 As early as 1824 Captain Owen condemned the 

 supply of Zanzibar, as liable to cause dysentery. 

 It has this effect during and after heavy rains, 

 unless allowed to deposit its animal and ve- 

 getable matter. During the second visit of 

 H. M. S. Andromache, in August, 1824, Com- 

 mander Nourse and several of his officers spent 

 one night in a country house, after which the 

 former and the greater number of the latter 

 died. The water, as well as the air, doubtless 

 tended to cause the catastrophe. In the dry 

 season the element sometimes produces, accord- 

 ing to natives and strangers, obstinate costive- 



