appear here on business, and their appearance is more savage than 1 can describe. I cannot help telling you the ceremony of burying their dead; all the relations paint their faces black, and twice a day make a most wretched lamentation over the grave; the time of the mourning consists with the continuation of the black face, which is never washed, out of respect for the dead. The corpse is placed upright on a set, and his gun, bow, arrows and money, buried with him, to furnish him with shooting implements in the next world, where they believe is more game than in America and that the delightful country lies westward. They have priests among them, called Pawaws, who, if it is possible, make these wretches more ignorant than nature intended them to be.

My stay, tho' very short here, has been attended with a most disagreeable circumstance. When about three leagues from the ship, the boat's crew (consisting of ten men) rose on me, bound me hand and foot and run the boat on shore, where I might have perished had not two returned and unbound me, which two I brought to the ship again. They confessed that they had attempted to throw me overboard (which I never perceived), but something always prevented. Had they perpetrated their villainy, I should have died by the mouths of some thousands of sharks as I was at that time fishing on a bank where nothing could be more numerous. This is so striking an act of Providence, that had it happened to an atheistical person, it might have been the happy means of converting him. From hence we are bound to the West Indies, which is a secret which never transpired till the day of our departure. I am a little chagrined at the circumstance, not being provided for so long a voyage.

To H. M., Esq.

I am, &c.,

EDWARD THOMPSON.

P. S. We have 150 people ill in fluxes, scurvies and fevers.

THE CHOLERA IN NEW YORK IN 1849.

We have finally the report of the Sanitary Committee of the Board of Health in relation to the cholera as it prevailed in this city during the past Summer. The committee, in opening their report, observe that its issue has been considered essential not only as a record for future reference but as a justification of some of the measures which they have felt themselves obliged to take in opposition to the remonstrances of many of their most respected and valued fellow citizens. The Sanitary Committee were appointed by the Board of Health on the 16th of May last, and invested with full powers of the Board. Their first business was to associate with them sundry medical counsel. The first case of cholera was announced on the 14th of May, at the Five Points, where several succeeding cases occurred. The condition of that den of filth and iniquity at this time was quite sufficient to breed any epidemic of the most virulent character— much more to imbibe the seeds of infection when once prevalent in the atmosphere. To separate the sick from this lazar house was then of course the primary concern. For this purpose, accordingly, a small two-story building at 127 Anthony street was occupied as a temporary hospital, and Dr. W. P. Buel appointed the attending physician. To this place seven patients were conveyed, and the question of hospital accommodations generally immediately came up. It was found that medical men of the highest eminence differed on this subject, and that not merely theoretical opinions, but facts were arrayed in favor of the opposing doctrines. The question of contagion was thoroughly canvassed, yet, as a general rule, the disease did not appear to the interested parties to be propagated in this way, however certain isolated facts might seem to favor the doctrine-but that the cause of the disease appeared to exist in the atmosphere, and that its spread was entirely independent of any communication between the well and the sick. The committee having arrived at their conclusions, the large three-story building known as Monroe Hal!, at the corner of Pearl and Centre streets, was

obtained and occupied on the 18th of May. This building was in the neighborhood of the Five Points, but contained the advantages of air and elevation. The two upper stories, consisting of large halls, were well calculated for the wards of a hospital. The building has since been known as the "Centre Street Hospital.” Here all the patients were immediately transferred from the temporary house in Anthony street and the whole placed unde the care of Dr. Buel.

On the 21st of May the Sanitary Committee, in company with the Mayor and others, made a personal visit to the Five Points, and made no concealment of the truth. Hence their report of it was bad enough. The place itself is incapable of proper purification, and will continue to remain so until it is razed to the ground, filled up and suitably rebuilt. General measures were now at once acted upon to meet the impending danger. And in doing this, the Committee found several important facts which appeared to be well established, and which served as guides in their future course. These were: 1st. That the general cause of the disease appears to exist in the atmosphere. 2d. That in attacking individuals the disease generally gives notice of its approach by some preliminary symptoms. 3d. That these symptoms are ordinarily under the control of medicine, and, being arrested, the further development of the disease is checked. 4th. That the agency of various exciting causes is generally necessary to develop the malady. Among these the principal are the existence of filth and imperfect ventilation, irregularities and imprudences in the mode of living, and mental disturbance. With these facts and the purposes in view which were thence suggested, the committee commenced and continued their labors throughout the whole course of the cholera. They established hospitals in such succession and in such parts of the city as the spread of the disease required, until the whole number amounted to five. They commenced and accomplished a thorough purification of the city, such a one as it probably never had before. Through repeated publications in the daily journals and otherwise, they kept the community constantly alive to the important fact that the progress of the disease depended in a great measure upon their own discretion in the manner of living. They endeavored to wake

up an extra amount of moral courage, as one of the best preventives against disease, and finally supplied the city with such an abundance of medical attendance that every person was secured the benefit of immediate attention. The names of the different ward cholera physicians (two for each ward) appointed under these arrangements have already been given to the public. As it soon became evident that, should the cholera continue to increase, a number of hospitals would be required in different parts of the city, a sub-committee was appointed to report upon the subject; who, after a long investigation, suggested the propriety of continuing the appropriation of the edifices of the public schools, where needed, to the temporary purpose of hospitals. The friends of education, however, made still more strenuous opposition. Public meetings were held to protest against the measure, and a considerable degree of excitement was manifested for a time. After a full deliberation, the Sanitary Committee determined that everything should give way to the public goodand such of the public schools as were deemed necessary were successively occupied as cholera hospitals. The first schoolhouse selected for this purpose was No. 1, in William street-opened on the 9th of June, and placed under the professional charge of Dr. Alexander F. Vaché. The second was that in Thirteenth street, under the care of Dr. Ovid P. Wells. The third in Stanton street, under the control of Dr. Isaac Green; and the fourth in Thirtyfifth street, under the care of Dr. Buel, who was transferred from the Centre Street Hospital on the closing of that institution-which was subsequently reopened under the direction of Dr. Vaché, and continued for the reception of patients until the disappearance of the epidemic in the city.

The latter part of August, while the disease raged with unabated violence in the upper wards, it was rapidly declining in most of the lower wards of the city. The culminating point of the epidemic was reached about the 21st of July, after which period it manifestly declined with rapidity, both in the number and virulence of the cases. On the 6th of September it was thought advisable to discontinue the daily reports to the public. As a precautionary measure, however, the Thirteenth Street Hospital remained open to the 11th of September, the Stanton Street till the 17th and the

Totals.....

Centre Street till the 9th of October. The duration of the disease, with the exception of isolated cases introduced into the city from emigrant vessels, was from May 10 to October 1-making a total of one hundred and forty-three days. The number of persons admitted into the five hospitals was 1,901. Of these 985 were males and 916 females. The deaths were 1,021. Cured, 880. The percentage of cures, accordingly, was 46.29-deaths, 53.71. The following tabular statement exhibits the actual mortality in the city during the prevalence of the epidemic-a period of 22 weeks:

15,219 5,017 901 226 615 949 344 34 8,064

The aggregate mortality in the corresponding period of the preceding year (1848) was but 6,362, and from bowel complaints 1,565 -while in 1849 the increase will be observed to have been much more than double these amounts.

TRIBUNE, November, 1849.

bowel complaint.