GHENT. 37 



forming us at the same time, that his ancestors were Scots. 

 We took up our abode at the Hotel de Lion d'Or, kept by 

 M. Pacquet-Wouters, near to a belfry, where those who are 

 delighted with the air of Malbrook may hear it chimed 

 every quarter of an hour. 



We now became sensible of an evident improvement in 

 the climate ; we felt no cold winds nor evening chills ; and 

 a Fahrenheit's thermometer * indicated 68° when laid on 

 the outside of the window at 10 P. M. 



Green and Fruit Market. 



Aug. 14. — Next morning, according to custom, we visit- 

 ed the green-market. Here we found a decided superiori- 

 ty in the appearance of the kitchen vegetables, compared 

 with those which we had seen at Bruges or Ostend. The 

 cauliflower, in particular, was very excellent, being exceed- 

 ingly white, compact, and curd-like. Different varieties of 

 French beans or haricots, were offered for sale in vast pro- 

 fusion ; together with a beautiful sort of red kidney po- 

 tato, specimens of which we thought it worth while to 

 carry to Scotland. 



The fruit-market is connected with the market for vege- 

 tables. We observed quantities of a fine-looking small 

 plum, shaped like a cherry, and in colour resembling a 

 mayduke when half ripe. This turned out to be the Mira- 

 bel! e, which is here planted in hedge-rows. This variety 

 affords the common stocks, on which the Flemish nursery- 

 men graft their peach and nectarine trees. 



* This was one of Mr Adie's pocket thermometers, very correctly gra- 

 duated, and having three scales, Fahrenheit's, Reaumur's, and the Centi- 

 grade. The instrument was kindly presented to me by the maker as I was 

 setting out on the journey— P. N. 



