on  diry  &c.  215 
in  Africa,  the  Eaft  and  Weft  Indies,  the  inhabitants  are 
at  fuch  times  healthy.  But  when  the  wet  feafons  begin, 
the  fcene  is  reverfed;  the  air  immediately  becomes 
vitiated,  polluted,  and  deftru£tive;  putrid  fevers  arife, 
and  fpread  deftrudtion  over  the  country.  The  ingenious 
Mr.  ives  gives  a dreadful  inftance  of  this,  and  of  the 
diabolical  revenge  of  the  Arabs,  when  they  think  them- 
felves  injured  by  the  Turks  at  Baflora : they,  by  breaking 
down  the  banks  of  the  river  near  that  city,  lay  all  its  en- 
virons under  water.  After  the  water  is  nearly  evaporated, 
the  mud  and  other  impurities  corrupting,  pollute  the. 
air  to.  fuch  a degree  as  to  caufe  a moft  mortal  fever  in 
that  populous  city.  This  was  the  cafe  when  Mr.  ives 
was  there:  of  this  fever  fourteen  thoufand  fouls  pe- 
rifhed;  and  of  the  Europeans  fettled  there  only  three 
efcaped  with  life:  a moft  horrid  mode  of  revenge,  and 
a dreadful  example  of  the  deadly  effects  of  marfhes  and 
ftagnant  waters  in  hot  climates.  Let  us  fee  if  we.can. 
prove  this  by  actual  experiments. 
exp.  xxin.  To  the  fame  powdered  mud  ufed  in  the 
laft  experiment,  was  added  as  much  water  as  was  re- 
quired to  bring  it  to  the  fame  confiftency  with  that  in  the 
twenty-firft  experiment.  This  being  inclofed  with  fix 
ounces  of  air  as  before,  ftood  twenty-four  hours. 
The 
