“It is not a very progressive place; and things appear here pretty much as they did a hundred years ago. The houses are of the fashion of the past; and I have no doubt that some of them are over a century old. But this is a beautiful harbor; and you will be delighted when you get on the top of some hill, to see the panorama spread out before you. The views in the Bermudas are peculiar. The little islands look like so many green hillocks rising out of the water; and much of the scenery is quite rugged. There is an island off there, with a little white cottage upon it. For my part, I think there is nothing more lovely in the world; and if we could have the society of the States, as they call our country, I should spend the rest of my days here.” The party landed from the boat, and Wainwright and Scott joined them. They walked into the town, taking a general view of it. The houses seem to be scattered about without any regard to order. “This reminds me of the town of Gosport on the Isles of Shoals, before the hand of improvement touched it,” said the surgeon. “Every man built his house where he chose, without heeding any possibility of streets in the present or the future. Here is a pretty cottage with its front garden bordered by a laborer’s hovel. During our war a great deal of business was done here in blockade-running; but it don’t appear to be very driving in any thing now.” A short time exhausted the streets, or rather lanes, of the town. It contains between two and three thousand inhabitants. The business men rarely live in either St. George or Hamilton, the only towns in the islands; but, when the work of the day is ended, they drive or sail away to their cottages on the islands. All around St. George are forts to defend the only practicable entrance for large vessels to the interior sea, about twenty-five miles by ten, enclosed by the reefs, in which there are only a few openings, so intricate and dangerous that they can be navigated only by the most skilful pilots. The doctor’s party walked to Cherry-stone Hill, about a mile from the town, which commanded a view of the islands to the eastward, the forts, and the harbor. They sat there for hours, enjoying the prospect of sea and land, and the delicious air of the place.