i64 TRAVELS IN 
With regard to the healthinefs of climate, I do not confider 
it as neceflary to the prefent fabjeS: to give copies of the regular 
returns of deaths in the feveral regiments that, for the laft feven 
years, have been ftationed at the Cupe oi Good Hope. Such 
dry details furnifli very little of the ufeful and lefs of the agree- 
able. They might, indeed, ferve to fhew, on a comparifon with 
other returns fent in from different foreign ftations, how very 
tr'Hing his been the mortality of troops in this fettlement. It 
Will be friKcient, however, for my purpofe to obferve, that Lord 
Macartney, in order to fave a vaft and unnecelTary expence to 
the public, found it expedient to break up the hofpitai ftafF, 
which, in fadt, was become perfectly ufelefs, there being at that 
time no fick whatfoever in the general hofpitai, and fo few as 
fcaicely worth the noticing in the regimental hofpitals ; and the 
furgeons of the regiments acknowledged that thofe few under 
their care were the vidims of intemperance and irregularity. 
At this time the ftrength of the garrifon confided of more than 
five thoufand men. 
Shortly after the capture, it is true, a confiderable ficknefs 
prevailed among the Britifh troops, and great numbers died, a 
cjrcumilance that was noticed, and at the fame time fully ex- 
plained, by General Sir James Craig in his letter to Mr. Dundas, 
about three months after the cefhon of the colony. He ob- 
ferves that the foldiers of the Dutch Eafl India Company were 
obliged to furnifh their own bedding and blankets, as well as 
the neccfTary garrifon and camp furniture ; fo that, when the 
Dutch entered into the capitulation, not a fmgle article of garrifon 
furniture could be claimed ; and the fhops, at that time, fur- 
I nifhing 
