( ) 
But I take this for certain, fidce ! have had it from 
good Hands, that at Whiddah, which is one of the moft 
unhealthy Places in Gmney^ but 'tis not upon the Gold- 
coaft, hs that opens the Ground, though it be but to 
dig a Grave, runs the hazard of his Life : So mifchie- 
vous are the Steams from thence arifmg. ItV poffible 
there may be fome fuch Steams here, only not fo violent ; 
though in England ^ I think, a Gravel or a Sand (which 
here are always uppermoft for as much as I have fcen) 
are efteem'd very wholefom Soils ; under them is a kind 
of whitilh Marie almoft like Fullers Earth. 
For the Air, except what I have faid before, I do not 
know what Fault it has ; 'tis extream hot, 'tis al(b fub- 
tile and piercing, and 1 believe enters a Man's Body eafi- 
er than that in England. It has been clearer than that 
ufes to be one Day with another, even this laft Year, 
which has been the weiteft and moft cloudy which has 
happened a longtime,- I think to give you an Account 
of toe Weather in it,as foon as I have time totranfcribe. 
For the Age of the Inhabitants, 'tis very uncertain, 
becaufe none of them keep an account of it; there are 
fome of them very Grey, but if the Country be to them 
unhealthy, Grey Hairs may come early : I think there 
be many more Funerals here than at Oxford, though 
that be a much larger Place, efpecially in the Rain times, 
which to us are always healthful. 
I think that much of the Mortality (not all) that hap- 
pens among Strangers, is the Effed: of their ill Diet 
and ill Government of themfelves,- for they eat but lit- 
tle, having neither Stomach nor Money to buy what 
they want* but they drink exceffivcly , being for 
that more readily trufted, and of Liquors very hot and 
Spirituous,* and if any chufe the cold rather, his Stomach 
is chil'd and he is in danger of a Flux or an extream 
Loofenefs, and that immediately. 
There 
