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from Africa, it would be equally common in the 

 other iflands; and not being infectious, would 

 not be feen among the white Creoles, or the 

 Europeans. It is undoubtedly the indigenous 

 offspring of the ifland, and poffibly is connect- 

 ed with a peculiarly arid ftate of the atmof- 

 phere; for in the iflands fliadowed with thick 

 forefts andvegetation,it isftillunknown, and has 

 only grown common at Barbadoes, in propor- 

 tion as its woods have been removed, and the 

 furface of the ifland left unfheltered. 



Except on its early attack, or at the peri- 

 ods of acute relapfe, the difeafe is attended 

 with little or no pain, and the enlargement 

 fometimes proceeds fo gradually, as for the 

 perfon himfelf to be in a degree infenfible 

 of it. He walks about as ufual, and ap- 

 pears to fuffer but little inconvenience, either 

 from the additional bulk, or the great increafe 

 of weight. Hence it is often lefs afflicting 

 to the individual, than ofFenfive to others. It 

 is extremely repugnant to the fight ; and as 

 the negroes go about the ftreets with thefe dif- 

 eafed limbs expofed to every eye, Europeans, 

 VOL. II. k 



