Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/431

Rh quite given him over ever since the death of his boy, whom I well knew he sincerely loved, though he used to find much fault with him during his lifetime.

12th. Dr. Solander, who had not yet entirely taken to his bed, returned from an airing this evening extremely ill. He went to bed immediately. I sat by him, and soon observed symptoms which alarmed me very much. I sent immediately for our physician, Dr. Jaggi, who applied sinapisms to his feet, and blisters to the calves of his legs, but at the same time gave me little or no hopes of even the possibility of his living till morning. Weak as I was I sat by him till morning, when he changed very visibly for the better. I then slept a little, and on waking found him still better than I had any reason to hope.

13th. As Dr. Jaggi had all along insisted on the country air being necessary for our recovery, I at once agreed with my landlord, Van Heys, for his country house, which he immediately furnished for us; agreeing to supply us with provisions, and give us the use of five slaves who were there, as well as three we were to take with us, for a dollar a day (4s.), more than our common agreement. This country house, though small and very bad, was situated about two miles out of the town, in a situation that prepossessed me much in its favour, being upon the banks of a briskly running river, and well open to the sea breeze, two circumstances which must much contribute to promote circulation of the air, a thing of the utmost consequence in a country perfectly resembling the low part of my native Lincolnshire. Accordingly, Dr. Solander being much better, and in the doctor's opinion not too bad to be removed, we carried him to it this day, and also received from the ship Mr. Sporing (our writer), a seaman, and the captain's own servant, whom he had sent on hearing of our melancholy situation, so that we were now sufficiently well attended, having ten Malays and two whites, besides Mr. Sporing. This night, however, Dr. Solander was extremely ill, so much so that fresh blisters were applied to the inside of his thighs, which he seemed not at all sensible of; nevertheless in the