Page:Central African Mission.djvu/28

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24
Central African Mission.

have been accelerated by haste and unnecessary exposure to the sun while on his journey into Usambara, and no doubt Mr. Pennell's health suffered severely during that journey. The deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Drayton are not easily accounted for; no doubt the dysentery of which he died was aggravated by his grief for her, but the fatal termination in both cases may fairly be attributed to the climate. The sicknesses from which our men have suffered have given way to a change of climate, such as a year's leave of absence would suffice for.

It seems thus to follow, not that Zanzibar should be abandoned as hopelessly unhealthy, but that very special care should be taken to avoid any known danger to health, and that frequent leave of absence should be given.

The existence of any really healthy site on the mainland of Africa is exceedingly doubtful. Healthy highlands in the interior are often spoken of, as though their position were well known, but this is only because the geography of this part of Africa is very little understood. The centre of the continent is, as we now know, nothing but a huge swamp. From the coast the land rises very gently to the watershed, and then drops very gradually to the great swampy central basin. Groups and ridges of mountains are scattered about without any distinct connection with the general rise of the land. There is nothing analogous to the terraces described as existing in Natal, nor is there any