CALCUTTA. 
1 75 7., is now used as a custom-house; and that spot, which could 
then hold our trade, our military stores, and a great part of the 
inhabitants, is now too small for the convenience of our revenue 
officers. The Black Hole is now part of a godown, or warehouse : 
it was filled with goods, and I could not see it. A monument is 
erected facing the gate, to the memory of the unfortunate persons 
who there perished. It also records the infamy of those, who, by 
removing their ships from the vicinity of the fort, left so many brave 
men at the mercy of a madman. 
The air of Calcutta is much affected by the closeness of the jungle 
around it. The natives have formed a complete belt, which com- 
mences near the town, and extends in every direction full four miles 
deep. This is planted with fruit-trees, and is completely impervi- 
ous to the air. The country is a perfect flat, every where intersected 
by nullahs, and here and there a small lake, rendering the planta- 
tions more insalubrious. Lord Wellesley has made one or two 
wide roads through the middle, which, I am informed, has sensibly 
improved the atmosphere. More ought to be made, and, if possible, 
the marshes should be drained: this would improve the roads, 
which, in general, are very bad, impeding the conveyance of pro- 
visions to market. The place is certainly less unhealthy than 
formerly, which advantage is attributed to the filling up of the 
tanks in the streets, and the clearing more and more of the jungle ; 
but in my opinion it is much more owing to an improved know- 
ledge of the diseases of the country, and of the precautions to be 
taken against them ; and likewise to greater temperance in the use 
of spirituous liquors; and a superior construction of the houses. 
Consumptions are very frequent among the ladies, which I attribute 
