pe that they had found out a specific to cure it:
During our stay upon the island we saw none in whom it had made a great
progress, and one who went from us infected, returned after a short time
in perfect health; and by this it appeared, either that the disease had
cured itself, or that they were not unacquainted with the virtues of
simples, nor implicit dupes to the superstitious follies of their
priests. We endeavoured to learn the medical qualities which they
imputed to their plants, but our knowledge of their language was too
imperfect for us to succeed. If we could have learnt their specific for
the venereal disease, if such they have, it would have been of great
advantage to us, for when we left the island it had been contracted by
more than half the people on board the ship.

[Footnote 28: Bougainville most positively asserts, that the disease
existed in the island at his arrival; yet the statement of Wallis as to
the _soundness_ of his crew, seems deserving of all credit. After all,
perhaps, there is reason to doubt if the affection judged to be the Lues
Venerea, and at different times so exceedingly prevalent among these
people, were really so. Scientific men of the medical profession, know
the extreme difficulty there is of deciding, as to the existence of this
disease in certain cases. Common observers easily perceive and
confidently aver. But to the general reader the discussion of this topic
would be very unamusing. It is indeed quite irrelevant to the objects of
this work. But there may be some propriety in giving the following
remarks. The origin of the disease in question has never been distinctly
ascertained, and perhaps never will be. The common opinion is, that it
was brought from the western hemisphere; and the island of Hispaniola or
St Domingo is particularly mentioned by some writers as the place of its
first appearance. Hence the historian Robertson, with somewhat more of
unnecessary vehemence than of dignified moderation and good sense, tells
us in words very like part of our text: "One dreadful malady, the
severest scourge with which, in this life, offended heaven chastens the
indulgence of criminal desire, seems to have been peculiar to the
Americans. By communicating it to their conquerors, they have not only
amply avenged their own wrongs, but by adding this calamity to those
which formerly embittered human life, they have, perhaps, more than
counterbalanced all the benefits which Europe has