M. De Bougainville, With The Politeness Of A Well-Bred Man, Doubts Whether The Disease Existed At Otaheite Previous To His Arrival Or Not; The English Seaman Asserts His Opinion As Facts In Positive Terms.

We heard, however, of another disease of a different nature, whilst we stayed upon the island; and which they

Called o-pay-no-Peppe, (the sore of Peppe), adding that it was brought by the ship which they designed by that name, and which, according to different accounts, had either been two, three, or four months before us at Otaheite. By the account of the symptoms, it seemed to be a kind of leprosy. Nothing is more easy than to imagine, how the strangers (Spaniards) who visited Otaheite in that ship, might be erroneously charged with introducing that disease. In order to give rise to a general error of this sort, it is sufficient that it broke out nearly about the time of their arrival, and that some distant connections between them and the persons affected could be traced. This is the more probable, as it is certain, that there are several sorts of leprous complaints existing among the inhabitants, such as the elephantiasis, which resembles the yaws; also an eruption over the whole skin, and, lastly, a monstrous rotting ulcer, of a most loathsome appearance. However, all these very seldom occur, and especially the last; for the excellence of their climate, and the simplicity of their vegetable food, which cannot be too much extolled, prevent not only these, but almost all dangerous and deadly disorders." - G.F.

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