336 



THE GBUISE OF THE ' GUBAQOA.' 



two excejDtions, low-pitclied, and have all tlieir rooms on 

 the ground floor. The greater part of them appear to be 

 grog-shops, cafes, or stores ; of the latter I think the best 

 belongs to Martin, an Englishman ; there is another kept by 

 Gubert, a frenchman ; but both very indifferent, and 

 something like the common run of those I saw in New 

 Zealand. The Imperial Hotel, said to be the only hotel 



rOKT-JJii-l-lL-UsCE, rUUM SIGNAL HILL. 



in the place, is kept by an Englishwoman called Madame 

 Beck. There are a good many stragghng houses on the 

 outskirts of the town by the Marine Artillery barracks. 

 The quarters for the troops are near Government House. 

 There are, I believe, about 1,000 men here, counting the 

 Marine Artillery. There is only one church that I know 

 of, and it is very small and built of wood. Almost the 

 best house in the place is the priests' on the hill, not very 

 far from the Governor's. The roads and almost everything 



