It Is Almost Needless To Say
That Kilimane Is Very Unhealthy.
A man of plethoric temperament
is sure to get fever, and concerning a stout person one may hear the remark,
"Ah!
He will not live long; he is sure to die."
A Hamburgh vessel was lost near the bar before we came down.
The men were much more regular in their habits than English sailors,
so I had an opportunity of observing the fever acting as a slow poison.
They felt "out of sorts" only, but gradually became pale,
bloodless, and emaciated, then weaker and weaker, till at last
they sank more like oxen bitten by tsetse than any disease I ever saw.
The captain, a strong, robust young man, remained in perfect health
for about three months, but was at last knocked down suddenly
and made as helpless as a child by this terrible disease. He had imbibed
a foolish prejudice against quinine, our sheet-anchor in the complaint.
This is rather a professional subject, but I introduce it here
in order to protest against the prejudice as almost entirely unfounded.
Quinine is invaluable in fever, and never produces any unpleasant effects
in any stage of the disease, IF EXHIBITED IN COMBINATION WITH AN APERIENT.
The captain was saved by it, without his knowledge, and I was thankful
that the mode of treatment, so efficacious among natives,
promised so fair among Europeans.
After waiting about six weeks at this unhealthy spot, in which, however,
by the kind attentions of Colonel Nunes and his nephew, I partially recovered
from my tertian, H. M. brig "Frolic" arrived off Kilimane.
As the village is twelve miles from the bar, and the weather was rough,
she was at anchor ten days before we knew of her presence about seven miles
from the entrance to the port. She brought abundant supplies for all my need,
and 150 Pounds to pay my passage home, from my kind friend Mr. Thompson,
the Society's agent at the Cape. The admiral at the Cape kindly sent
an offer of a passage to the Mauritius, which I thankfully accepted.
Sekwebu and one attendant alone remained with me now.
He was very intelligent, and had been of the greatest service to me; indeed,
but for his good sense, tact, and command of the language of the tribes
through which we passed, I believe we should scarcely have succeeded
in reaching the coast. I naturally felt grateful to him;
and as his chief wished ALL my companions to go to England with me,
and would probably be disappointed if none went, I thought
it would be beneficial for him to see the effects of civilization,
and report them to his countrymen; I wished also to make some return
for his very important services. Others had petitioned to come,
but I explained the danger of a change of climate and food,
and with difficulty restrained them. The only one who now remained
begged so hard to come on board ship that I greatly regretted
that the expense prevented my acceding to his wish to visit England.
I said to him, "You will die if you go to such a cold country as mine."
"That is nothing," he reiterated; "let me die at your feet."
When we parted from our friends at Kilimane, the sea on the bar was frightful
even to the seamen.
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