i6o 



NEW YORK. 



other neighbouring places can be reached by these boats- 

 Astoria, Bay Ridge, Blackwell s Is/ami, David s Island 

 breenfotnt, Harlem, Hart s island, Hunter s Point 

 s Island, Staten Island, &c., &&quot;c. Charmino- ex 

 cursions can be made in all of them, and the scenery is very 

 picturesque, but the best of all, is to ascend Hudson River 

 as far as the precipitous rocks known as the Palisades. It is 

 a delightful trip. I remember an excursion which I made on 

 the river in autumn. It is impossible to describe adequately 

 the wonderful aspect of the trees on the margins of the river. 

 What a variety of colours, with their foliages, from dark oreen 

 to gold and silver. When lighted by the sun, the aspect of 

 this autumn vegetation is fairy-like. The boats which ascend 

 the river are large, comfortable, and magnificently ornamented. 

 A very good restaurant is installed on board, and supplies 

 excellent dinners. Bands of music play alternately,&quot; and 

 dances are improvised. In fact, they can boast of all the 

 comforts unimaginable for passengers, and I have never seen 

 the like in England or in France. 



At night, the aspect of these boats ascending or descend 

 ing the rivers, with all their windows brilliantly lighted, the 

 bands of music playing, the young folks dancing, is so 

 beautiful, that they leave a most pleasant and never-to-be- 

 forgotten impression. 



From all that precedes, it may be supposed that life is 

 very expensive in New York ; but it is not so. Many are the 

 second-rate hotels, very good of their kind, kept by French, 

 Italian, German, and others, where board and food can be had 

 from four to six shillings a day. They are much patronized 

 by persons of tfiese nationalities, and are sometimes preferred 

 for their cooking to the most expensive. 



Now, if you live in your own house you can do so, at a 

 moderate price, provisions of all kinds being usually abundant 

 and cheap. You can enjoy all the luxuries of life with about 

 the same income as that required in Europe. Some things may 

 be somewhat dearer, but it must be remembered that the 

 wages are also higher than in Europe. A good workman will 

 always command wages from two to four dollars per day. 

 One dollar is usually paid to new or inferior workmen. 



In the streets, it is impossible to distinguish a manual 

 workman from a lawyer, banker, merchant, or the like. All 

 of them dress with frock coats and chimney-pot hats, as they 

 are called in London. 



In the offices, or yards, they don their work clothes. 



