56 
DEPARTURE OF THE DA FRANKS. 
“ Little Madame,” as we call ' her, to distinguish 
her from her stately mother-in-law, and Made- 
moiselle Isabel have been my principal com- 
panions, but we have all been much together, 
and have so enjoyed our intercourse that it 
seems as if there could be no more pleasure in 
the rest of the voyage. 
They landed under a salute from the fort, 
with a great show of ceremony ; and after the 
governor had received the kej 7 s of office in the 
church, we joined them at lunch and saw them 
installed in their new home. The palace has 
an imposing enough aspect from the bay, but on 
a nearer approach it is seen to be rather dilapi- 
dated, and I grieve for their sakes to learn that 
Dilly is most unhealthy. The supreme evil of 
the town is that it is built on a low morass, 
causing incessant fever, which robs the inhabi- 
tants of all energy, and explains at once the 
rather miserable aspect of this compared with 
other towns of similar size. 
Quantities of large red-painted cases were dis- 
charged from our vessel and piled on the shore 
here, as at every other port we had called at. 
These contain bottles filled with a coarse fiery gin, 
which is used greatly in barter with the natives 
by traders, and is only too eagerly accepted. 
