156 
PHCENIX PARK. 
An arched passage open at each end leads through 
the house, beneath the dwelling apartments, from 
the road in front to the yard behind. 
A flight of stone steps, with iron balustrades, on 
which run beautiful twining and creeping plants, 
such as the lovely crimson Quamoclit, the wax-like 
Hoya carnosa and others, leads the visitor up to the 
front door, and he is immediately ushered into a 
spacious hall, of the form of a cross, extending the 
whole length and breadth of the house. This large 
hall is characteristic of all Jamaica houses ; it forms 
the principal sitting room ; and, from its shape, ad- 
mits the cooling breeze to sweep through it, whenever 
there is a breath of air. The two square areas formed 
by one side of the cross are filled by bedrooms ; but 
with these exceptions the whole of the sides and 
ends of the hall are either occupied by windows, or 
open, and furnished with jalousies, a broad sort of 
transverse Venetian blinds, which freely admit the 
air while they exclude the glare of light, which in 
this country is scarcely less distressing than the heat. 
This large and cool apartment is furnished with sofas, 
ottomans, tables, chairs, &c., not differing from ours ; 
hut there is no fireplace, nor any carpet. Instead of 
the latter the floor is made of the most beautiful of 
the native woods, in the selection of which much 
taste is often displayed, as also in the arrangement, 
so that the various colours of the wood may harmonise 
or contrast well with each other. Mahogany, green- 
heart, breadnut, and blood-heart are among the trees 
whose timber is employed for floors. Great hardness 
is an indispensable requisite in the wood used, and 
