56 
so healthy and blooming as those em¬ 
ployed in cultivating the ground. 
During our stay here in both 1806 and 
1807, I was asked to visit different sick 
patients, and found a private infirmary 
almost in every house. To some of 
these I hope I gave useful medicines ; 
to others I gave only some simples to 
satisfy them, as I found they were fast 
hastening to that “ bourn whence no 
traveller returns.” 
Medical advice and drugs are at a very 
exorbitant price here; and such cor¬ 
dials as wine, &c. cannot be procured for 
love or money. As the Captain was so 
charitable as to allow me to give medi¬ 
cines gratis to such as were really ob¬ 
jects of compassion, I took nothing for 
my trouble in preparing them, or visiting 
the sick; knowing, that if God should be 
pleased to make me an instrument in 
relieving the distressed, I would be more 
than amply repaid. 
