128 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XV. 



CHESTER MARKET. -THE TOWN COMMON. RACE-COURSE. THE YEOMANR7 



CAVALRY, AND THE MILITIA OF ENGLAND. PUBLIC WASH-HOUSE. &quot; MR. 



CHAIRMAN.&quot; 



lE day after we came to Chester was market-day, and 

 the streets were busy at an early hour with people corn 

 ing in from the country to sell produce or purchase the sup 

 plies for their families for the coming week. The quantity 

 of butter exposed for sale was very large, and the quality 

 excellent. The fish-market also was finely supplied. The 

 dealing in both these articles was mostly done by women.* 



After walking through the market we went to the Roodee, 

 and ther6 saw the yeomanry reviewed. They wore a snug 

 blue uniform, were armed with sabres, carbines, and pistols, 

 and were rather better mounted and drilled than any of our 

 mounted militia that I have seen. The active commander 

 seemed to be a regular martinet. If the lines got much out 

 of dress while on the trot, he would dash up, shaking his fist, 

 and loudly cursing the squadron at fault. I noticed, also, 

 that when pleased he sometimes addressed them in the ranks 



* We noted the following as the common prices : 

 Butchers meat, 10 to 14 cents per Ib. 

 Best fresh butter in balls of H Ibs., 35 cents. 

 Salmon, fresh from the Dee, 35 cents per Ib. 

 Turbot, 35 cents per Ib. 

 Soles and other fish, 16 cents per Ib. 



