402 
TRAVELS IN 
farms and fome good habitations* chiefly the pro- 
perty of French gentlemen, who re fide in the city* as 
being more pleafant and healthy. Leaving thefe 
iflands, we continued ten or twelve miles between 
the Ealfern main and a chain of low grafly iflands* 
too low and wet for cultivation ; then eroded over 
die head of the bay* and arrived in town in the evening. 
The city of Mobile is fituated on the eafy afeent 
of a riling 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 va- 
cant and mouldering to earth 5 yet there are a few 
good buildings inhabited by French gentlemen* 
Englifh, Scotch and Irilh* and emigrants from the 
Northern Britifh colonies. MelTrs. Swanfon and 
M c Gillivray who have the management of the In- 
dian trade carried on with the Chicafaws* Chadlaws* 
Upper and Lower Creeks* &c., have made here 
very extraordinary improvements in buildings. 
The fort Conde* which flands very near the bay* 
towards the low r er end of the town* is a large regu- 
lar fortrefs of brick. 
The principal French buildings are conftrudted 
of brick* and are of one flory* but on an extenfive 
fcale* four fquare* encompafling on three Tides 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 habi- 
tation in the general plan : thole of the poorer clafs 
are conftruded of a flrong frame of Cyprefs* filled 
in with brick* plaiflered and white-wafhed infide 
and out. 
July 3 iff* 1778* the air being very hot and fultry, 
thermometer up at 87* we had exceffive thunder* and 
1 repeated 
