MALARIA EXPEDITION TO THE GAMBIA 
9 
being 25', while in January, February, March, April, and May the variation in 
temperature is not less than 40° ; it would appear, then, as pointed out by Dr. R. M. 
Forde in his Medical Report, that the liability to infection occurs soon after the rains 
are established, lasting up to the end of November. 
Cape St. Mary 
About seven miles from Bathurst, on the mainland at the mouth of the 
River Gambia, is a promontory known as Cape St. Mary, or simply the Cape. The 
road from Bathurst leads directly to it, and is perfectly level until a distance of about 
three hundred yards from the Cape is reached ; the ground then rises rather suddenly 
to the summit of the promontory about one hundred feet. Cape St. Mary is the 
termination of the low cliffs of volcanic and sandstone rock which skirt the sea border 
to the south of the River Gambia. I had an opportunity of staying there two ciays 
in the Government House, which is built on the edge of a cliff facing the sea, and is 
now used principally as a convalescent station. Besides Government House, a few 
traders and others have built bungalows here and there along the cliffs. On either 
side of the road leading to Government House, and extending from right to left, is a 
large Mandingo town, and at the foot of the hill itself is an extensive swamp in which 
the natives grow their rice. There is no doubt that the climate at the Cape is very 
bracing and very beneficial to convalescents after fever. It is extremely unfortunate 
that Government House is situated so near the native village, in which endemic 
malaria and other diseases are very prevalent, and also that the rice swamp is so close 
at hand, breeding millions of mosquitoes, which not only cause much annoyance but 
are a real danger to the residents in the house. This swamp had not completely 
dried up on December 27, when I examined it, although there had been no rain for 
two months previously. Many mosquitoes were still breeding in the puddles ; it 
would appear that even during the dry season mosquitoes infest the district, and in 
fact I had no difficulty in obtaining them for examination. The natives collected 
very many for me from their huts, and these for the most part belonged to the 
Anopheles genus. About a mile away from the Cape, on the Coast, is another pro- 
montory jutting out into the sea. This presents an ideal site for a Sanatorium, as 
the land at the back is high and level for a considerable distance stretching into the 
interior, and also no native huts appear within a radius of a mile. 
I took the opportunity of travelling with Lieutenant Young to see some of 
the stations up the river. Unfortunately only a short time was at my disposal, so 
that no detail work could be done. We travelled up river in December, when the 
dry season was fully established. At McCarthy Island, one hundred and fifty-three 
miles up, is the most important station ; here there is a Government House and 
a few traders' factories. The island is very low-lying and swampy ; a rice swamp, at 
this time dried up, lies bv the edge of the river. Close to the principal native 
b 
