With regard to the healthinefs of climate, I do not confider
it as neceffafy to the ' prefent fubjeit to give copies of the regular
returns of deaths in the feveral regiments that, for the laft (even
years, have been Rationed at the Cape of Good Hope. Such
dry details furniih very little of the ufeful and lefs of the agree.
Ablfe. They might, indeed, ferve to ihew, on a comparifon with
other returns fent in from different foreign Rations, how very
trifling has been the mortality of troops in this fettlement. It
will be fufficient, however, for my purpofe to obferve, that Lord
Macartney, in order to fave a vaft and unneceflary expence to
the piiblic, found it expedient to break up the hofpital ftaff,
which, in fad, was become perfe&ly ufelefs, there being at that
time no fick whatfoever in the general hofpital, and fo few as
fcarcely worth the noticing in the regimental hofpitals; and the
furgeons of the regiments acknowledged that thofe few under
their care were the victims o f intemperance and irregularity.
At this time the ftrength of the garrifon confifted of more than
five thoufand men.
Shortly after the capture, it is true, a confiderable fiekfiefs
preVailed ariiong the Britifh troops, and great numbers died, a
circumflance that was noticed, and at the fame time fully explained,
by General Sir James Craig in his letter to Mr. Dundas,
about th r e e months after the ceffion of the colony. He obferve.,
that the foldiers of the Dutch Eaft India Company were
obliged to furniih their own bedding and blankets, as well as
the ndceffary garrifon and camp furniture; fo that, when the
Dutch entered into the capitulation j not a fingie article of garrifon
furniture could be claimed; and the fbops, at that time, fur-
r nilhing
niihing no Tuch materials, the men were obliged .to fleep on
thè bare fiag-ftones in'the great' barrack, until a fupply of
blankets and camp utenftls of every kind could be fent out from
England. - ’dene (Job Lai :
Invalids from India recover very quickly at the Cape. The
fervants of the Eaft India Company are allowed to proceed thus
far on leave of abfence without prejudice to their rank ; and
here they generally-experience a fpeedy'recovery. The two
Boy regiments, whom 1 have already! mentioned to baye fuf—
fered feverely on the paflage from England in fhips navigated
by Lafcars, and who landed in fait on the height of a malignant
and contagious diféafe, rapidly recovered.} and, in the.
courfe of two years, from being a parcel of weakly hoys,, unable
to carry a mufquet, became two very fine regiments, fit
for fervice in any part of the world. When the orders, indeed^
for the final evacuation of the Cape were countermanded,, the.
34th regiment, which twO;years before had excited the pity o f
every one who faw them,, enfeebled as they were by .diieafe,.
and unfit, from their tender years, jfor ; the fatigues of foldieran
was now a very eflential part of the ftrength of the garrifon.. y ,
It may, therefore, I think, he fafely concluded, that the clir-
mate of the Cape-is not only.falubrious,. but that itispartlcu-.
Iarly favourable for forming young and raw recruits into,
foldiers. And it would appear, moreover, that tlse fàlutary ef-
feifts of this climate are not metely locali, but that thieir
efficacy is extended beyond thè hemifphcre-of Souttoern Afilli»,t
and qualifies, in a very.