71 
that it immediately falls into water. Generally, in this country, 
you cannot dig more than a foot deep in the earth, without meet¬ 
ing water. 
It was pure curiosity that carried me a third time to the mas¬ 
querade, in St. Philippe’s theatre. It was, however, no more 
agreeable than the one eight days previous. There were but few 
masks; and among the tobacco-chewing gentry, several Spanish 
visages slipped about, who carried sword-canes, and seemed to 
have no good design in carrying them. Some of these visiters 
were intoxicated, and there appeared a willing disposition for 
disturbance. The whole aspect was that of a den of ruffians. 
I did not remain here a half hour, and learned next day that 
I was judicious in going home early, as later, battles with canes 
and dirks had taken place. Twenty persons were more or less 
dangerously wounded! 
It rained very frequently during the first half of the month of 
February; in the middle it was warm, and for a time, about the 
20th, an oppressive heat prevailed, which made me quite lethar¬ 
gic, and operated equally unpleasantly on every one. Indeed a 
real sirocco blew at this time. It surprised me very much, that 
with such extraordinary weather, not at all uncommon here, that 
there should be so many handsome, healthy, and robust children. 
This climate, so unhealthy, and almost mortal to strangers, seems 
to produce no injurious effect upon the children born here. 
In the vacant space, where the walls of New Orleans formerly 
stood, are at present the Esplanade rue des fiemparts, and rue 
du canaL The city proper forms a parallelogram, and was 
once surrounded by a palisade and a ditch. At each of the four 
corners stood a redoubt. The last of these redoubts, which stood 
at the entrance of the Fauxbourg Marigny, was demolished only 
since the last war. It would be important for the security of the 
present inhabitants, to have a fortress on the bank of the river, 
so that in case of an insurrection of the negroes, not only the 
trifling garrison, but the white women and children should pos¬ 
sess a place of refuge, which is now totally wanting. The ditch 
is filled up, and planted with trees; there are no buildings newly 
erected here, and these open spaces are the worst parts of the 
city. 
On the night of the 22d of February, the alarm bell was 
sounded: a fire had broken out in the warehouse of a merchant. 
There was time to save every thing, even the wooden building 
was not consumed, but in the course of two hours the fire was 
extinguished. 
On the same day, was celebrated the birth of the great Wash¬ 
ington. All the vessels lying in the river were adorned with 
flags, and fired salutes. The volunteer legion of Louisiana was 
) 
