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East river» on the island of Manhattan, which island is said to be
about fifteen miles long, and about three wide; thé circumference
of the town is esteemed to be about five miles; the new streets' are
all very regularly laid out; Broadway is sevehty feet wade, and
more than a mile long, with very fine houses. Trinity church’ is built
in a tolerable-imitation of the Gothic style. St. Paul’s church has a
handsome steeple; but it is rather large in proportion to the church»
The other principal public buildings are, the college formerly
called King’s college; but since the revolution, named Columbian
Hall, the Federal Hall, the Bank, &c. The new theatre since the
last improvements has not yet been opened, and the museum of.
natural history is very imperfect. The person who gave an account
of the museum, shewed, as the greatest rarity, a pair of. pretended
maleand female oran-otans stuffed, and the name written with large
letters on’ them: he was much surprised when some doubts were
expressed that these were not real oran-otans; ; and in telling' him
that this matter could be soon decided, as they seemed to be quatas of
South America, of which the tails had been cut off, and which species
has but four fingers on the fore pawsj whilst it is known that the
oran-otan has five fingers. The person took ope of the animals down
in a moment, and found it had really but four fingers-; he declared it
was an imposition of the person who bad sold them for oran-otans to
the cabinet. The species of oran-otan, which every cabinet wishes to
possess, is however to be found in very few European collections,
whilst those again who travel in the countries, where they ’ are
to be found, derive themselves very often. However, the oran-
otan is distinguishable from all the other .species of animals of the
quadromanes, by the globular form of the forehead, Which brings
them nearer to the human species, but from which they likewise
differ most obvidusly, as they are four handed, whilst the human
species possess two feet and two hands.
As many naturalists , are displeased with the name of oran-otan,
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which signifies-a wild man, perhaps it would be better, since this
species differs remarkably in-many respects from all other animals,
to give ft the name of .mock-man. -There is in this, museum a» collection
of good preserved birds from Cayenne, and some rare species,
amongst'them.
There are at New York four market houses, well supplied with
all sorts? of provision; but they-m*e • rather «.too* mjich confined.
Many of the streets in this town have a row ofi Lombardy poplars
on eaclrside; and indeed there cannot be,found a better species of
tree for this climate,' as they afford a- sufficient shade- to the footpath,
and their branches do not extend too much to make the houses
humid in the rainy season; besides, their pyramidical form accords
well with the regularity of the streets. There are two public
walks here, one’ called -the Park, which is. situated on a large triangular
plain, laid out informal walks of trees, and enclosed with iron
failing.' The other public walk is called the Battery, which it was
ferihCfly; bhflihas since been reduced, and for its most beautiful
situation, is become the favourite Walk of the inhabitant^ of this
town ; it enjoys- a most extensive prospect oyer the Hudson .river,
and. of several small islands, with the opposite shore: stretching to
the sea, where the view is constantly enlivened by the'vessels coming
'in and going out. It is observable, thajt,though the Lombardy
poplars answer very well when planted in the streets, yet they are
not so p r o p e r for public walks, as they Jare here used; and t y h e r e
more shady trees, and a greater variety of vegetation, are required to
produce a nearer resemblance to the forest scenery of nature, and
for the pleasantness: of sight. For such a purpose they could be at
no loss, the American forests abounding with the finest, specimens
of trees and shrubs.
A country bedbmes in general more healthy, the more population
increases, and the more it, is cultivated; but it has not been so
with this, as it is known.that the