SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 295 



commanded the troops, being quite disgusted, tendered his re- 

 signation to the governor, which his excellency declined ac- 

 cepting. 



The inhabitants continued very healthy, and unaffected with 

 the contagion which had spread amongst the soldiers ; the 

 deaths, for the first two or three weeks, used to be announced in 

 the colony gazette, but from motives of prudence were after- 

 wards repressed. From good authority I know they ex- 

 ceeded five hundred within three months after their arrival, 

 when the governor found the necessity of giving them a 

 change of air. Accordingly they were dispatched to different 

 parts of the colonies in small detachments, which probably 

 saved the lives of many, but not of all ; for on the colonics 

 capitulating to the British in September, 1803, a deficiency 

 of nearly three hundred of the troops was perceptible, which 

 number must have died in the country. One hundred and 

 eighty poor miserable objects were delivered over to the British, 

 on their taking possession of the colony, and immediately 

 placed under the care of an able English physician. Dr. 

 Allanby. They almost all recovered, and were so much 

 pleased with their rations, manner of treatment, and allowance, 

 which was so different from what they had been accustomed 

 to, that they one and all entered into the British service at 

 Barbadoes. 



