e walls built on this mud bank gradually subside; pieces
are sometimes sawn off the doors below, because the walls in which they
are fixed have descended into the ground, so as to leave the floors
higher than the bottom of the doors. 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 shou