l, upon which a spontaneous growth of shrubbery has
sprung up; the flat roofs have usually a collection of little urn-shaped
turrets round the battlement, between which are stretched clothes-lines.
Here the ebony daughters of Eve, with their bullet-heads and polished
faces and necks, may be seen at all hours hanging up washed clothes,
their capacious mouths ornamented with long cigars, at which they puff
away like steam-engines.

One of the first sights I witnessed was a funeral, but not the solemn,
imposing ceremony which that word conveys to English ears. The sides of
the hearse and the upper part of the coffin were made of glass; inside
lay a little girl, six or seven years old, dressed as if going to a
wedding, and decorated with gay flowers. Volantes followed, bearing the
mourners--or the rejoicers; I know not which is the more correct term.
One or two were attired in black, but generally the colours were gay;
some were quietly smoking cigars, which it is to be hoped they did that
the ashes at the end thereof might afford them food for profitable
reflection. Custom is said to be second nature, and I suppose,
therefore, one could get habituated to this system if brought up under
it; but, seen for the first time, it is more calculated to excite
feelings of curiosity than solemnity. Doubtless, some fond parent's
heart was bleeding deeply, and tears such as a mother only can shed were
flowing freely, despite the gay bridal appearance of the whole ceremony.

On my return to the hotel, I found the Press--if the slavish tool of a
government can justly be designated by such a term--full of remarks upon
the new British Ministry[Y], many of which were amusing enough; they
showed a certain knowledge of political parties in England, and laughed
good-humouredly at the bundling together in one faggot of such
differently-seasoned sticks. Even the name of the Secretary of the
Admiralty was honoured by them with a notice, in which they scorned to
look upon him as a wild democrat. They criticised the great Peel's tail
going over in a body to the enemy's camp and placing themselves at the
head of the troops; but what puzzled them most was, how _aquellos Grey's
tan famosos por el nepotismo_ had not formed part of the ministry. I
confess they were not more puzzled than I was to account for the
mysterious combination; the only solution whereof which presented itself
to my mind, was the supposition that power has the same influence on
p