304 A MISERABLE BUSINESS-PRACTICE. 



chants are driving a lucrative business. The third 

 department is occupied by the sellers of vegetables, 

 birds, &c. The fourth, known as the bazaar, is ap- 

 portioned into stalls, each under the supervision of a 

 brown clerk, who uses his utmost endeavors to attract 

 customers. These stalls are furnished with fancy 

 articles, perfumery, cutlery, hosiery, cambrics, and a 

 variety of Eastern articles quite unknown on our 

 shores. Each of the merchants is adorned by a 

 streak of India ink, running from the center of the 

 scalp-lock to the bridge of the nose, which is said to 

 be a mark of distinguished caste — the wearers of it 

 being known as Parsees. They display considerable 

 acumen in conducting business, and offer induce- 

 ments to purchasers scarcely inferior to those pre- 

 sented by salesmen in our clothing establishments 

 on Market street. One miserable practice prevails, 

 which is general amongst all classes of merchants 

 throughout the city ; that is, the abominable custom 

 of asking three prices for an article, with the expecta- 

 tion of being beat down to a reasonable one : doc- 

 tors, lawyers, merchants (wholesale and retail), drug- 

 gists, and other dealers, all persisting in it. I had 

 occasion to go to a first-class drug-store to purchase 

 some articles for the ship's medicine-chest. Here I 

 confidently expected to see a rational method of 

 doiug business ; but, to my utter surprise, I was 

 asked twenty-one dollars for a package that I could 

 purchase at home for five. After considerable chaf- 

 fering, I succeeded in obtaining it for twelve dollars. 

 Under this phase of bargaining, it was a matter of 

 time to make the most trifling purchase ; and, when- 

 ever at a loss for occupation, it was customary with 



