Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

76 RETURN TO BAHIA DEATHS. May out of the port during a fresh sea-breeze, unless the flood-tide should be running in strongly. On this passage one of our seamen died of a fever, contracted when absent from the Beagle with several of her officers, on an excursion to the interio]- part of the extensive harbour of Rio de Janeiro. One of the ship's boys, who was in the same party, lay dangerously ill, and young Musters seemed destined to be another victim to this deadly fever. It was while tlie interior of the Beagle was being painted, and no duty going on except at the little observatory on Ville- gagnon Island, that those officers who could be spared made this excursion to various parts of the harbour. Among other places they were in the river Macacu, and passed a night there. No effect was visible at the time ; the party returned in apparent health, and in high spirits ; but two days had not elapsed when the seaman, named IVIorgan, complained of headach and fever. The boy Jones and Mr. Musters were taken ill, soon after- wards, in a similar manner ; but no serious consequences were then apprehended, and it was thought that a change of air would restore them to health. Vain idea ! they gradually be- came worse ; the boy died the day after our arrival in Bahia and, on the 19th of May, my poor little friend Charles Musters, who had been entrusted by his father to my care, and was a favourite with every one, ended his short career. My chief object in now mentioning these melancholy facts is to warn the few who are not more experienced than I was at that time, how very dangerous the vicinity of rivers may be in hot climates. Upon making more inquiry respecting tliose streams which run into the great basin of Rio de Janeiro, I found that the Macacu was notorious among the natives as being often the site of pestilential malaria, fatal even to themselves. How the rest of our party escaped, I know not ; for they were eleven or twelve in number, and occupied a day and night in the river. When they left the ship it was not intended that they should go up any river ; the object of their excursion being to visit some of the beautiful islets which stud the har- bour. None of us were aware, hoAvever, that there was so