THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
477 
Of the two who had been ill of fevers, one, after being 1780. 
feized with violent convullions, on the 12th of February, 
which made us defpair of his life, was relieved by the ap¬ 
plication of blifters, and was foon after out of danger. 
The other recovered, but more llowly. On board the Re- 
folution, helides the obftinate coughs and fevers under 
which they very generally laboured, a great many were 
affh6ted with fluxes, the number of whom, contrary to 
our expectations, continued increafing till our arrival at 
the Cape. 
Captain Gore attributed this difference in part, and pro¬ 
bably with fome reafon, to the Difcovery having her fire¬ 
place between decks; the heat and fmoke of which, he 
conceived, might help to mitigate the bad effects of the 
damp night air. But I am rather inclined to believe, that 
we efcaped the flux by the precautions that were taken 
to prevent our catching it from others. For if fome kinds 
of fluxes be, as I apprehend there is no doubt they are, 
contagious, it is not improbable, that the Refolution caught 
this diforder from the Dutch fhips at Cracatoa. In order 
to avoid this danger, when Mr. Williamfon was fent to 
the Indiaman in the entrance of the Strait of Sunda, he 
had the ftricfteft orders not to fuffer any of our people, 
on any account whatever, to go on board; and when¬ 
ever we had afterward occafion to have any communica¬ 
tion with the Refolution, the fame caution was conflantly 
obferved. 
We were no fooner clear of Prince’s Illand, than we had 
a gentle breeze from the Weft North Weft; but this did 
not laft long; for the following day the wind became again Sunday 20. 
variable, and continued fo till the noon of the 25th, when 
it grew fqually, and blew frefh from the North. 
On 
