578 ON CORAL REEFS AS A CAUSE OF THE FEVER 
of greater virulence, and more fatal in its results, than that of any 
recorded spot. 
Having shewn the singular unhealthiness of this locality, my 
next object will be to point out the cause, or causes, of such un- 
healthiness. The reader must bear in mind the locality, that it 
is a flat piece of ground about 200 yards in length, 20 yards in 
depth, at each extremity, and 80 in the centre, that a hill of 308 
feet rises abruptly behind, while in front there is the beach and a 
low shelving coral reef, on the southern extremity of the small bay 
there is a promontory of sand, partially covered with mangrove trees. 
The height and abruptness of the hill and the proximity of the 
houses to its base, prevent the south west monsoon from being felt 
by the inhabitants ; the same causes also prevent any malarious 
influence being brought from the greater part of the island, which 
lies under the influence of the south west monsoon. The winds 
during the N.W. monsoon are those only, that can from a distance 
bring any malarious influence, and they blow over the sea, Singa¬ 
pore island, and the island of Pulo Brani. Singapore island is most 
healthy, and therefore from it nothing of a malarious nature can be 
obtained. The island of Pulo Brani of small size is composed of 
dry iron clay stone witli deep water close to the beach m the gi eater 
part of its circumference, and is without a foot of fresh water marsh, 
and little or no mangrove, besides the inhabitants are comparatively 
healthy, occasionally subject to epidemic fever, but decidedly having 
no endemic, ^the reason of this epidemic will be explained hereaf¬ 
ter.) This fever locality being land-locked and prevented from re¬ 
ceiving exterior influences towards the S.W. and nothing presenting* 
itself in appearance in the N.E. to account for the disease, the lo¬ 
cality itself must be searched for a cause. Its inhabitants differ in 
no respect from those of other islands, they are as I have said, Bu- 
gis and of that tribe known as the Bugis of Wadju.* They are 
# As a race they are much superior to the Malays, their features are re¬ 
gular and open, their face more inclined to an oval, their eyes are large and 
dark, their nose more elevated. The women have generally oval faces, 
noses inclined to a Grecian mould. The alac by no means separated, and 
distended as with the Malays. Their eyes are large, dark, and lustrous j 
their expressions are soft, and gentle ; and their figures are in many instances 
perfect, even to a critical eye. One great blemish, is however invariably 
seen, which to the lover of European beauty, wolud destroy every other 
charm, and that is their teeth, which, when the females arrive at the age of 
womanhood, are filed close to the gums, and the small part of the crown of 
the looLh that remains is constantly kept in a reddish-black state by chew¬ 
ing the siri, betel and chunam dire, The w omen have seldom more than 
