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 then the dancing began directly. I never saw such a ball-room as that at Government House, and the banqueting-rooms below are just as fine. The ladies were all well dressed, but there is very little beauty amongst them; still, what they want in looks they make up in activity. I suppose it was a gay ball; and, in point of decoration, George, who was quite proud of it, said it would have been talked of for a year in London. The supper was so very well arranged. It was all the merit of that excellent Captain Byrne. Sir C. Metcalfe advised our not retiring till everybody was gone, and the consequence was that I grew very tired, and began to feel ill before I went to bed.

Tuesday, March 15. Awake all night with violent pains, and at six o'clock wrote to George to send for a doctor. I wanted to have Dr. Drummond, from the ‘Jupiter,’ who is an excellent doctor, and suited us all so well that George would have made him his private physician, which would have given him 1,400l. a year; but unfortunately, by some rule about the Company's service, we may not have him, so George sent for