220 < UBA AND POETO KICO 



chants, officials, and well-to-do people in general, reside 

 in handsome English lodges and villas on the higher 

 ground in the suburbs. It has a good street-railway 



system and many large mercantile houses and shops. The 

 sidewalks are miserable, and seem to be constructed with 

 an especial object to prevent walking. There are generally 

 brick pathways in front of the houses, but these are broken 

 from one another by steps, or terminate abruptly without 

 steps, so that they cannot well be used ; in fact, the well- 

 dressed white man who ventures to walk upon the streets 

 of Jamaica is looked down upon as an inferior being by the 

 colored population. Numerous victorias and importunate 

 cabmen are everywhere to be found, although one some- 

 times finds it inconvenient to pay a pound sterling for an 

 afternoon's shopping in a limited district which elsewhere 

 could be easily traversed afoot. 



The architecture of Kingston is peculiar. The houses 

 are of yellowish brick, the prevalent color of the dusty 

 roads, with high steps leading to a jalosied 1 second story. 

 As Trollope has remarked, one is struck by the ugliness 

 of the buildings, especially those which partake in any 

 degree of a public character. It is singular that any mau 

 who could put bricks, stone, and timber together should 

 construct the peculiar forms which are to be seen here. 



The public institutions are many and excellently con- 

 ducted, including schools, churches, museum, library, 

 almshouse, asylum, penitentiary, colonial offices, etc. 

 There is also a handsome market named after Queen 

 Victoria. In the central part of the city is a park with 

 several statues of local celebrities, including one to Dr. 

 Bowerbank, a distinguished physician and sanitary re- 

 former. There is no theater in Kingston worthy of the 

 name. 



The suburbs lying to the north of the city are delightful. 

 As one drives in that direction up the sloping plain, which 



1 Jalosies are Venetian blinds with large slats, used in tropical countries 

 to screen interiors, without excluding the air. 



