154 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



^ind an entrefole ; the back part of the ground floor 

 ferves for warehoufes, and in the front are fhops of 

 all kinds, and generally before them fpacious porti- 

 coes^ which arc, indeed, in winter time, the only- 

 parts \vhere you can walk, the ilreets being utterly 

 impafiable. 



As a further precaution againft fire, which they 

 .have fo much reafon to dread, the kitchens Hand 

 twelve or fifteen paces from the houfes, with v/hich 

 they communicate by means of a long open gallery, 

 refembling a bridge ^ but fo lightly built, that, on 

 the lead appearance of fire in the kitchen, it is de- 

 molifhed in an inftant ; by which means the houfe is 

 preferved. Perfons of rank and fortune live in the 

 upper apartments, and the entrefoles are let to 

 ftrangers v^^ho come to trade, or pafs through the city 

 with their goods. 



The ground on which the new city is built, and the 

 favann^hs in its neighbourhood, are not to be travel- 

 led ;Dver either on foot or horfeback during the win- 

 te/; for, befides being a fpongy chalk, it is every- 

 "Where fo level, that there is no declivity for carrying 

 ofi^ the water ; and therefore, on the firft rain, it be- 

 comes one general Qough. So that, from the time of 

 the rains fetting in till the end of the winter, it is 

 necefiary to lay in the parts not covered by the above 

 mentioned piazzas, very large planks for crofling 

 over them ; but thefe foon become flippery, and oe- 

 cafion frequent falls into the chalky flough. The 

 return of lummer, however, foon exhales the water, 

 and renders the ground fufficiently dry for travelfing. 

 In this refped: the old town has the advantage, being 

 built on a gravelly foil, which is never impaflable. 



This city is defended by three forts, two on the 

 . river near the city, and the third behind it, guarding 

 the entrance of a ravin. Thefe are all built after the 

 modern method of fortification ; but, before they were 

 ereded, it had only a platform, which is fcill remaip- 



