WHITE'S JOURNAL OF A 
the weft fide of a river, or, more properly (in my opinion), 
of a bay. Except that part which fronts the water, the city 
is furrounded by high mountains, of the moft romantic 
form the imagination can fafhion to itfelf any idea of. The 
plan on which it is built has fome claim to merit. The 
principal ftreet, called Strait Street, runs from the viceroy's 
palace, which is near the fouth-eaft end of the town, to the 
north-weft extremity, where it is terminated by a large 
convent belonging to the Benedidline friars, fituated on an 
eminence. The ftreet is broad, well built, and has in it a 
•great number of handfome fhops. All the others are much 
inferior to this, being in general only wide enough to admit 
two carriages to pafs each other in the centre. The pave- 
ment for foot-paflengers (except in Strait Street, which is 
without any) is fo very unfociably narrow, that two perfons 
cannot walk with convenience together. The houfes are 
commonly two, and fometimes three ftories high ; of which, 
even though inhabited by the moft wealthy and refpedable 
families, the lower part is always appropriated to fhops, and 
to the ufe of the fervants and flaves (who are here extremely 
numerous), the family rather chufing to reftde in the upper 
I part. 
