TRAVELS IN 
farms and fome good habitations, chiefly the pro* 
perty of French gentlemen, who refide in the city, 
as being more pleafant and healthy. Leaving thefe 
iflands, we continued ten or twelve miles between 
the Eaft ern main and a chain of low grafly iflands, 
too low and wet for cultivation ; then crofted over 
the head of the bay, and arrived in town in the 
evening. 
The city of Mobile is fituated oil the eafy afcent 
of a rifmg bank, extending near half a mile back on 
the level plain above ; it has been near a mile in 
length, though now chiefly in ruins, many houfes 
vacant and mouldering to earth ; yet there are a few 
good buildings inhabited by French gentlemen, 
EngiiiTi, Scotch ,and Irifli, and emigrants from the 
Northern Britifh colonies. Meflrs. Swanfon and 
M'Giilivray who have the management of the In- 
dian trade carried on with the Chicafaws, Chactaws, 
Upper and Lower Creeks, &c. have made here 
very extraordinary improvements in buildings. 
The fort Conde, which (lands very near the bay, 
towards the lower end of the town, is a large regu* 
lar fortreis of brick. 
The principal French buildings are conftrucled 
of brick, and are of one ftory, but on an extenfive 
fcale, four fquare, encompafling on three fides a 
large area or court yard : the principal apartment 
is on the fide fronting the flreet ; they feem in fome 
degree to have copied after the Creek habitation in 
the general plan : thofe of the poorer clafs are con- 
flrucled of a ftrong frame of Cyprefs, filled in with 
brick, plaiftered and white- walhed infide and out. 
July 31ft, 1 778, the air being very hot and fultry, 
thermometer up at 87, we had exceflive thunder, and 
repeated 
