NEW BEDFORD. 23 



side, one would never guess thaifhe stood within 

 the bounds of a city which ranks in commercial 

 importance the seventh seaport in the Union, and 

 whose ships float upon every ocean. A more quiet 

 and rural looking place than that portion of the 

 city beyond the immediate business limits, it 

 would be difficult to imagine. And a more beau 

 tifully laid out or better kept city I never saw. 

 It was now mid-summer, and the spacious man- 

 sions embowered in green foliage, which border 

 the principal streets, looked really enchanting to 

 my eyes, long wearied with monotonous salt watei 

 views; while a walk up the well shaded streets 

 was like a trip into the country. New Bedford 

 well deserves the name of being one of the most 

 beautiful cities in New England. 



The business portion of the town is confined 

 within a comparatively limited space. One long 

 street, running parallel with wharves, is almost 

 exclusively devoted to the shops of the outfitters, 

 who play a far from unimportant part in the 

 drama of whaling, and of whom more particular 

 mention will be made further on. On the littl 

 branch streets by which this main street commu- 

 nicates with the water side, the sailor boarding 

 houses are mainly found. Many of these are 

 kept by the widows of departed whalemen, who 

 earn a scanty subsistence by providing the afore- 

 mentioned " lodgeing and victuals" for numer- 

 ous youthful aspirants to spouting honors, whc 

 here do congregate. 



