Calcutta, the capital of Bengal, is situated on the Hoogly, which at this point is so deep and broad, that the largest men-of-war and East Indiamen can lie at anchor before the town.  The population consists of about 600,000 souls, of whom, not counting the English troops, hardly more than 2,000 are Europeans and Americans.  The town is divided into several portions—­namely, the Business-town, the Black-town, and the European quarter.  The Business-town and Black-town are very ugly, containing narrow, crooked streets, filled with wretched houses and miserable huts, between which there are warehouses, counting-houses, and now and then some palace or other.  Narrow paved canals run through all the streets, in order to supply the necessary amount of water for the numerous daily ablutions of the Hindoos.  The Business-town and Black-town are always so densely crowded, that when a carriage drives through, the servants are obliged to get down and run on before, in order to warn the people, or push them out of the way.

The European quarter of the town, however, which is often termed the City of Palaces—­a name which it richly merits—­is, on the contrary, very beautiful.  Every good-sized house, by the way, is called, as it is in Venice, a palace.  Most of these palaces are situated in gardens surrounded by high walls; they seldom join one another, for which reason there are but few imposing squares or streets.

With the exception of the governor’s palace, none of these buildings can be compared for architectural beauty and richness with the large palaces of Rome, Florence, and Venice.  Most of them are only distinguished from ordinary dwelling-houses by a handsome portico upon brick pillars covered with cement, and terrace-like roof’s.  Inside, the rooms are large and lofty, and the stairs of greyish marble or even wood; but neither in doors or out are there any fine statues or sculptures.

The Palace of the governor is as I before said, a magnificent building—­one that would be an ornament to the finest city in the world.  It is built in the form of a horse-shoe, with a handsome cupola in the centre:  the portico, as well as both the wings, is supported upon columns.  The internal arrangements are as bad as can possibly be imagined; the supper-room being, for instance, a story higher than the ball-room.  In both these rooms there is a row of columns on each side, and the floor of the latter is composed of Agra marble.  The pillars and walls are covered with a white cement, which is equal to marble for its polish.  The private rooms are not worth looking at; they merely afford the spectator an opportunity of admiring the skill of the architect, who has managed to turn the large space at his command to the smallest imaginable profit.

Among the other buildings worthy of notice are the Town-hall, the Hospital, the Museum, Ochterlony’s Monument, the Mint, and the English Cathedral.

The Town-hall is large and handsome.  The hall itself extends through one entire story.  There are a few monuments in white marble to the memory of several distinguished men of modern times.  It is here that all kinds of meetings are held, all speculations and undertakings discussed, and concerts, balls, and other entertainments given.