New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-04

posed that ordinsrily any great harm results from
these ekieos. TIE natives, who undsrtand the
matter. very seldom suffer in this way. Warned
by the slight smart which the presence Of the cbigo
under the tlin occasions they take care to extract
it before any mi,cbief is done-a process IN which
thew are very deItefOus but the results have some
times been very serious in the case of ignorant in
sxpe,iepced, and uncared.for immigrants.
Lockiaw is also Of much more frequent occur
renee than in more temperate climates. Infants
within the first week or two after their birth are
very liable to be attacked by it, and many die from
this cause.
But whatever may be the influence of the climate
upon life and health, it has one operation common
TO that of all tropical countries the effect OF which
ia psrcepiible to greater or less degree upon all
the Inhabitants to whatever race they may belong
The fact has already been noted that white men
are not capable as general thing, OF working ex-
posed to the sun and the rains as agricultural Ia
borers The negroes and other colored races are;
but it will not do to assume as standard for this
climate either the hours Of labor or the amount OF
work done common in colder regions The men OF
the tropics are supple and agile. Like our North
American Indians, they are capable for limited
period, of remarkable feats of activity. But the
more strenuous the exertion the longer the interval
of rest required In capacity for continuous labor
and steady perseverDg toll they fall decidedly be-
low the average to which we are accustomed in
this climate, aud even below that Of the negroes Of
our Southern States.
From the fact that strong and active negro
sborer in the West Indies will often perform in four
or five hours the amount Of labor which under the
prevailing task system is paid for as days work,
The conclusion is often drawn that he might, if he
chose, 20 on laboripg at the same rate, and thus
perform two or three tasks day; and his omis.
sion to do SO il often ascrbed by jealous plant
err to sheer azine,s on bis part want Of suffi-
Gent ambition TO make money and improve his con-
diton. But IL by no means follows that because a
aborer chooses, by extraordinary effort to perform
in four hours piece Of work upon which another
spends eight or nine, that he will be able, especially
as an ordinary thing, to 90 on and perform another
similar four hours work. There is a certain limit
TO the amount of labor which, without overtaIng
the system, can be performed in day; nor is this
amount materially dependant upon the space Of
time actually occupied in its performance. In this
respect men and horses are just alike. Though .
horse may travel sixty or seventy miles day and
may even travel at that rate for several days in sue
ce.sion yet some twenty. FIVE miles are considered
fair average days work for horse; and whether
be performs il at trot in four hours, or at walk
in ten, makes no material difference. The shorter
the Ieriod he takes in which to accomplish it, the
longer the period of rect he will require after it ia
over
Those WHO have the most overlooked the effect
of a tropical climate in diminishing the physical
capacity for labor, have, however, been inclined ia
dwell with strong emphasis upon the effect of such
climate in lesseniDg the moral stimulus to il
through the greater ease with which the physical
wants Of man can there be provided for. There ia
a certain degree Of truth in this, though the argu
mi Mt has often been pushed TO u point beyond
which il can be reasonably carried. 10 hot, as well
90 in cold countries, men need dwellings. household
eood., clothes, aud foOd and what they will be
content 10 put up with, under either Of these heads
depends great deal lees upon the climate than
upon the standard of comfort TO which they have
been accustomed. 1t these, together with the
chance Of acquiring property and raising theu
re alive 20 sitiOn in the community Of which they
form part which, after the bare wants Of nstur,
are satisfied, are the great stimulants to exertion
and these siimulants appear cooperate with as muci
force 10 the torrid az in the temperate zones