Without recording all the references in the book to the Fellowship-Porters, we note that, towards the end of it, John and Bella paid an official visit to the police station and visited afterwards the Six Jolly Fellowship-Porters with Mr. Inspector for purposes of identification. During this visit, Mr. Inspector gives this very good character to the inn, "a better-kept house is not known to our men. What do I say? Half so well a kept house is not known to our men. Show the Force the Six Jolly Fellowship-Porters, and the Force--to a constable--will show you a piece of perfection." This, no doubt, was Dickens's own opinion, too. The Grapes to-day serves the same purpose as did the Six Jolly Fellowship-Porters in the story, and is of as good repute. It is the house of call of the watermen from the river in the day-time and from the road after work is done, and it seems to be conducted by the present hostess much as it was by Miss Abbey Potterson, not so rigidly perhaps, but with the same good-natured friendliness which is reflected in the attitude and behaviour of all the frequenters. There does not even seem the necessity for a Bob Glibbery; at any rate, we have not met his successor on the occasions of our visits there. Nor does his room down "towards the bed of the river," where he was ordered to proceed to his supper, exist at the present time. That must have been somewhere contiguous to the secret smuggling arches which ran under the building from the river, now filled in. [Illustration: LIMEHOUSE REACH _Drawn by L. Walker_] The Grapes Inn is a place to visit. If one can choose a fine summer's evening to sit under "the corpulent windows" on the "crazy wooden verandah" and watch the busy river with its myriads of craft floating by, one can enjoy the view and atmosphere much as did Whistler, Napier Hemy, and Dickens himself. In J. Ashby Sterry's "A River Rhymer," is a set of verses entitled "Down Limehouse Way," two of which may be appropriately quoted here: Close by I mind an inn you'll find, Where you will not refuse To rest a bit, as there you sit, And gaze on river views-- 'Tis very old--with windows bold, That bulges o'er the tide; Whence you can spy ships passing by Or watch the waters glide! You can sit in the red-curtained bay And think, while you're puffing a clay, 'Tis no indecorum To drink sangarorum-- While musing down Lime'us way! You'll find this spot--now does it not Recall and keep alive The varied crew Charles Dickens drew In eighteen sixty-five? Here Hexam plied his trade and died, And Riderhood conspired; While things they'd pop at Pleasant's shop, When cash might be required! Here under Miss Abbey's firm sway, Who made all her clients obey, Was ruled with discretion And rare self-possession The "Porters" down Lime'us way!