THE CITY — ITS WAREHOUSES AND MARKETS. 303 



in the coziest corner I could find, to make some ob- 

 servations on the general aspect of the city, and char- 

 acter of the inhabitants. 



The part of the city adjoining the wharves is laid 

 out with little attention to regularity — the streets 

 describing most tortuous courses. At the outskirts 

 the avenues are at right angles, and that part of the 

 city presents a better appearance. All the streets are 

 macadamized ; but few of them are named, or rather 

 they have no names at the corners to direct the 

 stranger. I remember seeing but a single signboard, 

 and that was in French, having on it Rue de liivoli. 

 On the other avenues the signboards only displayed 

 the number and the first and last letters of the 

 name. 



The tenements and business-places are generally 

 two stories in height, and built of stone, bricks, or 

 wood. On the wharves are iron-framed warehouses, 

 built in the most substantial manner, so as to with- 

 stand the violence of the typhoon. They are not 

 enclosed, but resemble our market-sheds. The mar- 

 ket-house, situated in the centre of the town, is built 

 in the same manner, and divided into four depart- 

 ments, one of which is the meat-market, where I saw 

 nothing but beef and fish exposed for sale ; the latter 

 not of the description admitted to our tables, as on 

 the shambles of one victualler I saw two monstrous 

 sharks, from twelve to sixteen feet in length, which 

 he was cutting up, and selling to the dusky portion 

 of the inhabitants. Another dejDartment is devoted 

 to the coffee-venders, where any person can get a 

 cup of excellent hot coffee for a penny ; and to judge 

 from the number of their customers, these petty mer- 



