14 
LETTERS FROM 
it distinctly. On this and on the preceding 
evening we witnessed the most splendid sun¬ 
sets imaginable. The sky was perfectly 
clear, with the exception of a few large 
masses of clouds near the horizon in the 
west. When the sun had disappeared, these 
assumed a rich purple tinge, edged with the 
most brilliant crimson, a lighter shade of 
which colour extended more than half-way 
round the horizon, and, assisted by the 
reflection in the water, produced a most 
enchanting spectacle. 
At noon on the following day (Tuesday, 
12th) we came to an anchor in Cadiz har¬ 
bour, about half-a-mile from the town, and 
we immediately hoisted our odious yellow 
quarantine-flag. We had previously fallen 
in with a pilot, who gave his directions to 
our helmsman from his boat towing astern, 
as the quarantine regulations did not allow 
