406 



Scarcely any part of the coast has so burn- 

 ing a climate as the environs of Cape Blanco. 

 We suffered much by the heat, augmented by 

 the reverberation of a barren and dusty soil ; 

 but without feeling any bad consequences from 

 the effects of insolation. The powerful action 

 of the Sun on the cerebral functions is extremely 

 dreaded at La Guayra, especially at the period 

 when the yellow fever begins to be felt. Being 

 one day on the terrace of the house, to observe 

 at noon the difference of the thermometer in 

 the sun and in the shade, I saw a man ap- 

 proaching behind me, who conjured me to 

 swallow a potion, which he held prepared in 

 his hand. He was a physician, who had ob- 

 served me from his window, during half an 

 hour, bareheaded, and exposed to the rays of 

 the Sun. He assured me, that, born in a very 

 northern climate, I should infallibly, after the 

 imprudence I had committed, feel symptoms of 

 the yellow fever that very evening, if I obstin- 

 ately refused to take the preservative against it. 

 I was not alarmed at this prediction, however 

 serious, believing myself to have been long sea- 

 soned ; but how could I avoid yielding to en- 

 treaties, that had so benevolent a motive ? I 

 swallowed the dose; and the physician per- 

 haps reckoned me among the number of the 

 sick, whom he had saved in the course of the 

 year. 



