APPENDIX. 
539 
Upon our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope there were twelve cases 
of intermittent fever on the sick-hst, which were produced by the cold 
and wet weather during our passage, most of them having had the disease 
the last autumn in the United States ; they were soon reheved after our 
arrival at the Cape, where intermittent fevers are of rare oocurrence. 
The climate at the Cape of Good Hope is very good ; the average tem- 
perature tliroughout the year is 68°, and there are many instances of lon- 
gevity among the natives and foreign residents. The bills of mortality 
kept at the Cape, exhibit all the diseases to be met with in the same lati- 
tude north ; while the maUgnant diseases of the tropics are unknown. 
Invalids from British India frequently resort to this place for the restora- 
tion of health, and many are benefited. 
The southeast winds prevail here, and frequently blow with great vio- 
lence, when they are accompanied with a remarkable phenomenon — a small 
stationary cloud hangs over Table Bay. This is produced by the cold air 
that comes charged with humidity in its passage across the Indian ocean, 
coming in contact with the highly heated air on the north side of Table 
Mountain ; the humidity is condensed, and produces the cloud ; but as it 
obtains the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere it again disap- 
pears, so that there is a constant generation and destruction of the cloud 
in question. The Hottentots, at present, are said not to exceed seven thou- 
sand, whereas one century ago they were estimated at twenty thousand. 
Wlrile the Potomac remained in port, the thermometer ranged at 68°. 
On the 12th of December sailed from the Cape of Good Hope, between 
which and the Island of St. Paul's we encountered rough, cold weather, 
. with strong westerly winds. Several cases of pleurisy occurred, and 
many had catarrhs and colds, which, however, did not disable them from 
attending to duty. After passing the Island of St. Paul's, our course was 
northeast to the west coast of Sumatra ; we met with the southeast trade- 
winds, which continued with much regularity. The equator was crossed 
on the 27th of January. During our passage the crew was formed into 
divisions, and exercised almost daily in the use of fire-arms and cutlass, to 
prepare them for the landing at Quallah-Battoo ; and such was the state 
of excitement on the subject, and the great anxiety of all to participate in 
the affair, that our sick-list was smaller during this passage than at any 
other period during the cruise. The proportion on the sick-hst was ten ; 
which was made up of intermittents, catarrhs, and slight injuries ; and 
upon our arrival at Quallah-Battoo, on the 5th of February, 1832, after a 
passage of fifty-one days, there were but three on the sick-list. 
On the morning of the 6th the attack was made, by which we had eleven 
of our crew wounded and two killed. In one of the wounded the ball passed 
through the right lung, entering a little to the right of the sternum, at the 
sixth rib, and passing out under the scapula, having carried with it pieces 
of his beh, cloth jacket, and shirt. He expectorated blood copiously, 
and after much suffering has recovered, with a collapse of the lung and 
an abscess on the right side. The wounded recovered remarkably well : 
a circumstance to be attributed to the uniformity of temperature, and their 
comfortable condition on the gun-deck of the frigate. We remained 
twelve days at Quallah-Battoo, during which time the thermometer ranged 
at 83°, with alternate land and seabreezes; The crew were carefully 
