CHAPTER II. 



Kingston — Hotels — Streets — Inhabitants — Old people and babies 

 — Coolies. 



There are no first-class hotels in Kingston, and the best 

 accommodations for travellers are to be found at boarding 

 houses, of which there are two or three claiming pre- 

 cedence, which compare with the others, as warts com- 

 pare with corns. They are all kept and served by colored 

 people, who enjoy the princely prerogative which attaches 

 only to indolent people and kings'; entire immunity from 

 all the penalties of lapsed time. They have no idea of do- 

 ing anything within any specified period, and punctuality 

 with them is a word, but not a thing. The house at 

 which I stopped was inferior to no other in Jamaica, and 

 was in many respects satisfactory. It was, however, quite 

 impossible to have anything clone within any appointed 

 period. If breakfast was ordered at eight o'clock, it was 

 sure not to be ready till ten. If dinner were ordered at three, 

 we congratulated ourselves if we got it by five. The wait- 

 ers, of which there was an abundance, had no idea of saving 

 steps. They would carry every article to the table sepa 



