g WHITE'sJOURNALOFA 
to them, and thereby defeat the intention of Govern- 
ment. 
The return of the poft brought me an anfwer ; and like- 
wife an order to the contrador for fupplying the marines 
and convids daily with frefh beef and vegetables, while in 
port. A fimilar order I found had been given long before 
my arrival; but, by fome flrange miftake or other, had not 
been complied with. The falutary effed: of this change of 
diet, with the addition of fome wine and other neceifaries 
ordered for the Hck, through the humanity of Lord Sydney, 
manifefled itfelf fo fuddenly, that in the fpace of a fort- 
night, on comparing my lift of fick with that of a furgeon 
belonging to one of the guardfhips, allowing for the difpro^ 
portion of numbers, mine did not exceed his. And yet, not- 
withRanding this, which is a well known fad, the report of a 
moft malignant difeafe ftill prevailed: and fo induftrioufly was 
the report promulgated and kept alive by fome evil-minded 
people, who either wifhed to throw an odium on the humane 
promoters of the plan, or to give uneafinefs to the friends 
and relations of thofe engaged in the expedition, that letters 
from all quarters were pouring in upon us, commiferating 
our flate. The newfpapers were daily filled with alarming 
accounts 
