are condemned by the Board of Quarantine to ten
days' imprisonment or sequestration, and go in the _Barham's_ boat to
our place of confinement, built by a Grand-Master named Manuel[491] for
a palace for himself and his retinue. It is spacious and splendid, but
not comfortable; the rooms connected one with another by an arcade, into
which they all open, and which forms a delightful walk. If I was to live
here a sufficient time I think I could fit the apartments up so as to be
handsome, and even imposing, but at present they are only kept as
barracks for the infirmary or lazaretto. A great number of friends come
to see me, who are not allowed to approach nearer than a yard. This, as
the whole affair is a farce, is ridiculous enough. We are guarded by the
officers of health in a peculiar sort of livery or uniform with yellow
neck, who stroll up and down with every man that stirs--and so mend the
matter.[492] My friends Captain and Mrs. Dawson, the daughter and
son-in-law of the late Lord Kinnedder, occupying as military quarters
one end of the Manuel palace, have chosen to remain, though thereby
subjected to quarantine, and so become our fellows in captivity. Our
good friend Captain Pigot, hearing some exaggerated report of our being
uncomfortably situated, came himself in his barge with the purpose of
reclaiming his passengers rather than we should be subjected to the
least inconvenience. We returned our cordial thanks, but felt we had
already troubled him sufficiently. We dine with Captain and Mrs. Dawson,
sleep in our new quarters, and, notwithstanding mosquito curtains and
iron bedsteads, are sorely annoyed by vermin, the only real hardship we
have to complain of since the tossing on the Bay of Biscay, and which
nothing could save us from.

Les Maltois ne se mariaient jamais dans le mois de mai. Ils espererent
si mal des ouvrages de tout genre commence durant son cours qu'ils ne se
faisaient pas couper d'habits pendant ce mois.

The same superstition still prevails in Scotland.

_November_ 23.--This is a splendid town. The sea penetrates it in
several places with creeks formed into harbours, surrounded by
buildings, and these again covered with fortifications. The streets are
of very unequal height, and as there has been no attempt at lowering
them, the greatest variety takes place between them; and the singularity
of the various buildings, leaning on each other in such a bold,
picturesque, and uncommon manner, sugge