large French element there also conduces thereto.
Another thing struck me, the inhabitants seem to take life easier,
there is not the rush and drive one meets with in New York. As
regards the people I should not object to live there, but the climate
is a sad drawback. The winters are much pleasanter than met with
north, but the summers must be far worse, and the yellow fever is a
sad ogre.

The principal street is a grand one, very wide, with trees on the
Boulevard plan. In this respect it far surpasses Broadway in New
York,[3] while in buildings it is equal to it. I also found New
Orleans much cheaper, the dollar commands more. I was only there
about sixteen hours, and then left by the Southern Pacific line _en
route_ for California.

As I said before, for this part of the journey I had only emigrant
class tickets. The distance is very great, right across the
continent, and to San Francisco, where I was bound, some 2900 miles.
It was with no little anxiety, therefore, I stepped into and
inspected the said emigrant class carriage, in which I was to spend
some five days and nights. The interior will be better understood
after I have described the general plan and principle of American
trains.

Here in England each carriage is divided into compartments, distinct
from each other, holding 6, 8, or 10 passengers. In America there are
no compartments whatever. Whether first, second, or emigrant class,
the carriage is open from end to end. In the middle, connecting the
doors at either extremity (there are no doors at the sides), runs an
open space, about three feet wide, and the seats are on either side
of this passage, and placed at right angles to it. Each seat holds
two people, the seats are placed in front of one another on both
sides the whole length of the carriage or car, except a certain space
at either end, of which presently. When the passengers are seated
they thus all face the engine, but the back of each seat works on a
pivot at its foot, so that the said back can be placed on either side
of the seat. In other words, you can thus sit either with your face
or back to the engine. This is a great convenience, for, if the
carriage is not crowded and two people can occupy two seats, by
placing the backs different ways, you can put your legs on the
opposite cushion. But it is a greater convenience still in the
emigrant cars, for in them a board can be drawn out to fill up the
vacancy between the seats, and you thus