182 
LETTERS FROM 
It is not an uncommon practice on this 
island to feed horses with green barley, which is 
4 
pulled up by the roots before the appearance 
of the ear, as there is very little pasture- 
land. 
The houses of the peasants and small 
farmers are high, square, flat-roofed build¬ 
ings, without any visible chimneys, appear¬ 
ing more like small towers than dwelling- 
houses ; they have none of the picturesque 
beauty of English cottages, from which also 
they differ in seldom having ornamental gar¬ 
dens around them. The nominal wages of 
labouring men in the country is said to be 
about eightpence a day, which is tolerably 
good pay, considering the low price of pro¬ 
visions ; but from the scarcity of employment, 
I believe they are glad to work for a much 
smaller sum. The food of the lower orders 
consists chiefly of barley-bread, salt pork, 
