308 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. 
[March, 
vious, and have already been alluded to ; but the more remote 
moral and political causes must be sought for in that mistaken 
policy of the colonial government, which, in order to maintain its 
commercial monopoly, kept the European population confined 
within the narrow walls of this unhealthy city — where they were 
compelled to reside as prisoners in a pesthouse. But from the 
moment that a more liberal and humane policy was introduced 
under the administration of Governor Daendels, when the walls 
of the city were demolished, the drawbridges let down, and free 
egress and ingress to and from the country permitted, the popula- 
tion began to migrate to a more healthy spot ; and they had not 
to go above one or two miles beyond the precincts before they 
found themselves in a different climate. 
Since the date of these changes and the clearing of the coun- 
try in the vicinity, together with the draining off the surrounding 
stagnant waters, Batavia has been, and still is, a comparatively 
healthy city ; completely so in the daytime, and all persons of 
respectability get through their business and retire to their villas 
in the neighbourhood before the heavy dews of evening begin to 
descend, and meet and mingle with the rising vapours of the 
city's marshy foundation. Few places in the east, or between the 
tropics in any part of the world, are more healthy and beautiful 
than the neighbouring villas and country-seats. Had the Dutch 
adopted this plan in season, how many thousands of human lives 
had been preserved or prolonged ! But we will dismiss this sub- 
ject with a few words respecting Governor Daendels. 
WiUiam Herman Daendels was born in the year seventeen 
hundred and sixty-two, at Hattem, a town of Holland, in Guelder- 
land, seated on the Issel, four miles southwest of Zwoll. At the 
age of twenty-five, he took an active and important part in the 
troubles which began in Holland in seventeen hundred and eighty- 
seven, on the side of the patriots, with a number of whom he was 
compelled to take refuge in France. In seventeen hundred and 
ninety-three, he was appointed to the new legion of volunteers, 
and was of great service to Dumourier, in- his expedition against 
Holland. He rendered still greater service to Pichegru, in the 
campaign of seventeen hundred and ninety-four, which made the 
French commander master of all Holland. He now became 
lieutenant-general in the service of the new Batavian republic,, 
