APPENDIX  TO  REPORT  PROM  SELECT  COMMITTEE

Appendix,  No.  8.

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3.  Our  stay  at  the  island  of  Hallania,  as  well  as  at  Muscat,  was  too  short  to  enable  me
to  torm  a  reliable  opinion  on  the  climate  of  the  two  places.  The  temperature  of  Hallania
was  similar  to  that  which  generally  prevails  at  Aden  at  the  same  period;  the  excessive
he^  being  tempered  by  light  breezes  from  the  south-west.  Two  or  more  of  the  telegraph
st^  had  been  suifering  from  slight  fevers  of  the  intermittent  type,  but  the  use  of  quinine
sumced  to  remove  the  disease.  Their  isolation  on  this  barren  island,  the  total  want  of
recreation,  and,  perhaps,  the  superadded  impression  of  insecurity  from  attack  by  the
Arabs  of  the  mainland,  form  together  a  sufficient  cause  why  the  Europeans  and  Indo-Britons
  of  the  telegraph  station  are  not  as  healthy  as  they  might  otherwise  be.  The
few  resident  natives  who  are  very  poor,  living  mostly  in  caves,  and  migrating  to  different
parts  of  the  island,  as  the  seasons  change,  for  fishing  purposes,  fish  beino*  their  principal
and  often  their  only,  food,  seem  a  hardy  race.  If  their  testimony  is°to  be  relied  on'
Hallania  is  never  subject  to  endemics  of  any  kind.
There  are  several  wells  on  the  island,  all  of  native  construction,  and  some  of  the  water
obtainable,  though  slightly  brackish,  is  generally  considered  very  wholesome.  Many
Arab  boats  and  bungalows  touch  here  for  a  supply  on  their  way  from  the  southward
towards  Muscat  and  the  Persian  gulf.
.  accompanying  meteorological  statistics  suffice  to  prove  that  the  heat  of  Muscat
is  excessive  ;  and  I  may  further  add,  that  the  range  of  the  thermometer  very  inadequately
indicates  the  degree  of  sensible  heat  experienced.  Occasionally  during  the  day  the  air  was
so  intensely  scorching  that  chairs  became  uncomfortable  to  sit  upon,  and  glass-ware  unpleasantly ­
  hot  to  the  touch.  In  like  manner,  during  the  night,  gusts  of  scorchino-  wind
prevailed  for  several  hours,  which  seemed  as  if  proceeding  from  the  mouth  of  an  open
furnace.  ^
According  to  the  testimony  of  the  natives  this  extreme  heat  would  last  till  the  beo-inninoof
  July,  after  which  the  place  would  be  cooled  by  light  breezes  from  the  north-east  and
south-west.
5.  The  only  resident  Europeans  at  Muscat  are  four  gentlemen  connected  with  the
telegraph  station  there.  As  might  reasonably  be  expected,  they  complained  of  the
depressing  influence  of  the  climate  at  that  season  of  the  year,  and  one  or  more  of  them
had  been  suffering  from  fever.  The  natives,  who  are  by  no  means  insensible  to  the  heat,
are,  nevertheless,  a  healthy,  sturdy-looking  race,  and  I  could  not  learn  that  any  particular ­
  form  of  disease  prevailed  among  them.  Hoopingcough  was  very  general  amono"
the  children,  and  many  fatal  cases  had  occurred.  Several  of  his  Highness’s  Syud
Thoweynee’s  younger  children  were  suffering  from  it,  and  an  infant  grandchild  of  his  had
died  01  it  the  day  before  we  arrived.
.  .^*  There  being  no  sanatory  laws  in  force  at  Muscat,  and  an  entire  absence  of  sewerage,
it  IS  surprising  that  the  town  should  be  so  comparatively  healthy,  encircled  as  it  is  on
three  sides  by  high  hills,  with  a  population  dense  for  a  place  of  such  limited  extent.
Viewed  in  connection  with  these  drawbacks  to  salubrity  and  health,  the  rapid  desiccation
consequent  on  the  excessive  heat  may  be  considered  as  the  safeguard  of  the  place.
7.  The  foregoing  observations  refer  to  the  shore.  The  heat  was  not  less  felt  afloat
but,  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  no  particular  ill  effects  were  produced  by  it  beyond  those  of
lassituÿandproB^ation.  Thecrewofthe^Puniaub^continuedashealthyasbefore.except
  a  few  cases  of  old  complaints  which  reappeared  for  a  time  ;  and  the  sick-lists  of  the
''  Elphinstone  ”  and  Make,”  (which  vessels  had  been  several  days  at  Muscat  before  our
arrival),  did  not  show  any  marked  increase  attributable  to  the  climate  of  the  locality.  All
were  indeed  glad  to  get  away,  and  it  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  a  protracted  stay  at
that  place,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  might  be  deleterious  to  the  health  of  Europeans  confined ­
  together  within  the  narrow  limits  of  a  ship.
I  haye,  &c.
(signed)  J.  Welsh,
Assistant  Surgeon.