Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

294 HISTORICAL EECORDS OP THE1879. officers who landed with the detachment atMauritius were as follows :Major W. Gurney(in command), Lieutenants MacDonald, Robbins,Fraser, and Wilson ;and with them were 250 nonisso.commissioned officers and men. On the 27th ofJanuary Major W. P. Gurney died of fever,contracted in the field during the Zulu campaign.He was buried with full military honours at BeaseBassin. A tablet to his memory was erected inStirling Church by his brother officers, as a tokenof their esteem and respect.The population of Mauritius, in 1880, numberedabout 370,000, composed principally of colouredpeople of mixed race, of which the importedIndian coolies brought over to work the sugarplantations were the most numerous. The influxof these people, who imported their diseases,spread fever over the island, and inthe great outbreak of fever occurred,1867, whenthe numberof deaths was enormous, the troops themselveslosing a great number. This fever, which iscalled " Mauritius fever," attacks every one livingon the low land, and as the barracks are situatedin the unhealthy part,the 91st suffered considerably,which necessitated frequent drafts being sentup to the Cureppe in the hills for changeof air.