120 



furprizing bulk. When once eftablifhed, It is 

 extremely difficult to remove, and for the more 

 part proves to be incurable. It affe&s the ge- 

 neral health, lefs than might be expe&ed, and 

 frequently exifts for many years without feem- 

 ing materially to impair the conftitution ; of- 

 ten, indeed, the perfon attacked with it bears it 

 about throughout the remainder of a long life. 

 It is moftly feen among the negroes, but it is 

 too common alfo among the Creole whites, 

 and even fuffers not the Europeans to efcape. 

 Although fo frequent in Barbadoes, as to be 

 held in a great degree peculiar or endemial, it 

 is not wholly confined to this country : fome 

 inftances of being feen in the neighbouring 

 iflands. 



It would feem not to have been fo preva- 

 lent as it now is from any very diflant period 

 of time; for (about the year 1760 died at 

 Barbadoes a man named Francis Briggs, more 

 commonly known by the fictitious appellation 

 of Chriftopher Columbus, who, from the 

 uncommon and monftrous appearance of his 

 legs, had' been reprefented as the bug-bear or 

 object of terror for the purpofe of frightening 

 children. 



