252 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA: 
and destructive; the window shutters of each 
house were closed early in the morning, so as 
to admit no more light than what was abso¬ 
lutely necessary for domestic business; many 
of the houses, indeed, were kept so dark, that 
on going into them from the street, it was im¬ 
possible at first entrance to perceive who was 
present. The best bouses in the city are fur¬ 
nished with Venetian blinds, at the outside, to 
the windows and hall doors, which are made to 
fold together like common window shutters. 
'Where they had these, they constantly kept 
them closed, and the windows and dohrs were 
left open behind them to admit air. A very 
different scene was presented in the city as 
soon as the sun was set; every house was then 
thrown open, and the inhabitants all crowded 
into the streets, to take their evening walks, 
and visit their acquaintance. It appeared every 
night as if some grand spectacle was to be 
exhibited, for not a street or alley was there, 
but what was in a state of commotion. This 
varied scene usually lasted till about ten o’clock; 
at eleven there is no city in the world, perhaps, 
so quiet all the year round; at that hour you 
may walk over half the town without seeing 
the face of a human being, except the watch- 
men. Very heavy dews sometimes fall after 
these hot days, as soon as the sun is down, and 
the nights are then found very cold; at other 
