CO129-007 - Sir John Davis - 1844 — Page 56

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

continânce such as I have never seen. Australasia, Africa, or any other part of the world. The clouds pour down upon the Island, one vast sheet of water washing hills and valleys, furrowing with deep ravines, and saturating the soft, porous, putréfying strata to the extent of many feet with daily renewed moisture. In the intervals of rain the tropical sun acts with an intense evaporating power and a noxious steam or vapour rises from the fetid soil, yielding a gas of a most sickly and deleterious nature exactly as experienced on the coast of Africa in 1824 when I was seized with a "fever" while there. Many of my brother-Officers perished. I with great difficulty recovered but was left back.

This Miasmic Gas does not arise from vegetable or animal decomposition of any extent on the island, but from decomposed mineral substances which yield an aeriform poison—under some circumstances, of a more deadly malignant nature than either of the other kingdoms of Nature. This gas does not rise more than a few feet from the earth; it slowly mingles with the surrounding atmosphere, and when not causing immediate illness produces a depressing effect on the mind and body which undermines and destroys the strongest constitutions. Military and Naval Officers who have served in Africa and in India have experienced the effects of the sun in Hong Kong in a manner before unknown to them, even at Madras, only forty miles west of Canton. Sepoys who walk about the whole day in the month of July when to do so at Hong Kong would be attended with almost certain death. Neither Chinese nor Europeans can endure the climate even so well as...

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continânce such as I have never seen. Australasia, Africa, or any other part of the world. The clouds pour down upon the Island, one vast sheet of water washing hills and valleys, furrowing with deep ravines, and saturating the soft, porous, putréfying strata to the extent of many feet with daily renewed moisture. In the intervals of rain the tropical sun acts with an intense evaporating power and a noxious steam or vapour rises from the fetid soil, yielding a gas of a most sickly and deleterious nature exactly as experienced on the coast of Africa in 1824 when I was seized with a "fever" while there. Many of my brother-Officers perished. I with great difficulty recovered but was left back. This Miasmic Gas does not arise from vegetable or animal decomposition of any extent on the island, but from decomposed mineral substances which yield an aeriform poison—under some circumstances, of a more deadly malignant nature than either of the other kingdoms of Nature. This gas does not rise more than a few feet from the earth; it slowly mingles with the surrounding atmosphere, and when not causing immediate illness produces a depressing effect on the mind and body which undermines and destroys the strongest constitutions. Military and Naval Officers who have served in Africa and in India have experienced the effects of the sun in Hong Kong in a manner before unknown to them, even at Madras, only forty miles west of Canton. Sepoys who walk about the whole day in the month of July when to do so at Hong Kong would be attended with almost certain death. Neither Chinese nor Europeans can endure the climate even so well as...
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& 10 continânce such as I have never seen. Australasia- lendia, Afried - or any other- on part of the world. The Elouds pour down. DAVOL the Island. one vast sheet of water washing. hills and recht), furrowing with deep ravines, and saturating. the soft, porous, putréseaut strata to the extent of many feet with daily raud. renewed moisture, In the intervals of rain the rustical pou acts- with an intense evaporating power au a mexions steam or ixpour rises fina the fetid soil-yielding a gas of a most- sickly and deleterious native exocetly Jexperienced. the coast of in 1824 whow I was seized_ Arcely a Africa terit aw " fever" while i is M. Me Endle fever Sevice from the effects of which I witte pout difficulty recovered but of back. brother-Officus perished. most of my This Mumbific Gas does not arise, rigitable from- or ducimal decomposition there the island of any extent but. but decomposed mineral, substances yield Dit aeriform pason-under some cucumstances, of a 54 Datore a deadly maline than either of the other kingdoms of Nature, This & gad does not rise more. than a four feet from the Enish; it slowly surrounding. singles with the surround atmosphere, and when not cause immediate illness produces or depressing effect on mind. and. lody which undermined and destroys the diriges : Constitutions, Military and Naval . hawe served in Africa and in feel the effectit of the sun in -Kong in a mamen experienced; jeb reve who India. in Morge before even at hracas, only Perspexus forty miles west of stong thong, walk about the whole day may the mouth of July when to do so at ht khong trong Jepoys would attended. with almost certain death, Deither Chinese can endure the oys nor climate even so well as Europeaut whose...
2026-05-16 16:01:15 · Baseline
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&

10

continânce such as I have never seen.

Australasia- lendia, Afried -

or any

other-

on

part of the world. The Elouds pour down.

DAVOL

the Island.

one vast sheet of water washing. hills and recht), furrowing with deep ravines, and saturating.

the soft, porous, putréseaut strata to the extent of many feet with daily

raud.

renewed moisture, In the intervals of rain the rustical pou acts- with an intense evaporating power au a mexions steam or ixpour rises fina the fetid soil-yielding a gas of a most- sickly and deleterious native exocetly Jexperienced. the coast of in 1824 whow I was seized_

Arcely a

Africa

terit aw

" fever" while i is M. Me

Endle fever

Sevice from the effects of which I witte pout difficulty recovered but of back. brother-Officus perished.

most of my

This Mumbific Gas does not arise, rigitable

from-

or ducimal decomposition there

the island of any extent

but.

but decomposed mineral, substances

yield

Dit

aeriform pason-under some

cucumstances, of a

54

Datore

a deadly maline

than either of the other kingdoms of

Nature,

This

& gad

does not rise more.

than

a four feet from the Enish; it slowly

surrounding.

singles with the surround atmosphere, and when not cause

immediate illness produces or depressing

effect on mind.

and.

lody which undermined and destroys the diriges : Constitutions,

Military and Naval . hawe served in Africa and in feel the effectit of the sun in -Kong in a mamen

experienced; jeb

reve

who

India.

in Morge

before

even at hracas, only

Perspexus

forty miles west of stong thong,

walk about the whole day

may

the mouth of July when to do so

at ht

khong trong

Jepoys

would

attended.

with almost certain death, Deither Chinese can endure the

oys nor

climate even so well as Europeaut

whose...

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