"It was during the rainy season, the preceding year, that the settlement was visited with the most sickness; and we naturally looked for its approach with no small share of concern. But the troops possessed better health through that season than at any former part of the year.
"The present season is very healthy; the atmosphere is agreeably warm during the day, and cold in the night, and early part of the morning. The troops occupy themselves in active exercise, and very little illness is to be observed among them. No deaths occurred within the year.
"The temperature of the climate is not liable to quick transitions; and although, in the summer months, the atmosphere is very hot, and at times oppressive, few cases of fever, or other acute disease, at that period prevail, even among those men who are obliged to be much exposed to the sun's influence[1]."
In further corroboration of this opinion regarding the healthiness of the climate, I shall here introduce the observations of that experienced officer Captain Laws, which also afford much other valuable information concerning the settlements on the north coast of New Holland.
"I found both the settlements at Raffles Bay and Melville Island amply supplied with fresh provisions, and perfectly healthy. At the former there were three in hospital, one soldier and two convicts; at the latter, they had not had a man on the sick list for two months before, or during our stay; and neither establishment had had an instance of death since the present officers arrived, which was in April last (1828).
"At Raffles Bay there have been only three deaths since the formation of the settlement, the first of which was the surgeon. This circumstance left them without medical assistance for nearly seven
- ↑ Annual Medical Report, from June 21st, 1828, to June 20th, 1829, by R. M. Davis, M.D.
