Excerpt from Climate and Health in Hot Countries and the Outlines of Tropical Climatology: A Popular Treatise on Personal Hygiene in the Hotter Parts of the World, and on the Climates That Will Be Met With Within Them
A hundred years ago a prolonged residence in the Tropics was regarded with well-founded horror. The best the white settler in the lands of the sun dared hope for was "a short life and a merry one," but too often the merriment was sadly lacking.
When Olives father made interest to get his son a writership under "Old John Company," and packed off the troublesome lad to India, he probably regarded it as a last resource, and felt much as if he had signed the youths doom; but an age that hanged for sheep-stealing, or less, was like to be stern in its dealings with its children.
We know now that what the father took for vice was but evidence of the superabundant vitality of a genius, and being one, Olive naturally possessed the originality to modify his habits to his new surroundings, and so survived to become an Empire-builder and hero. Nor was the case exceptional, for looking back on the history of our great Indian dependency, one cannot fail to be struck with the high average ability of the few who survived to attain leading positions.
Furlough to Europe was almost impossible, and the hills were unknown, but in spite of this, many of these seasoned veterans who had learned their lesson lived, in the land of their adoption, to a green old age. But the rank and file, who could not or would not learn, died off like rotten sheep; and to this day it is the young and inexperienced, who have as yet not learned to adapt and protect themselves, who fall the readiest victims.
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