ABSTRACT
The striking peculiarity of Jacob's Island consists in the wooden galleries and sleeping-rooms at the back of the houses which overhang the dark ditch that stagnates beside them. The houses are built upon piles, so that the place has positively the look of a Flemish street, flanking a sewer instead of a canal; while the little rickety bridges that span the huge gutters and connect court with court. give it the appearance of the Venice of drains. where channels before and behind the houses do duty for the ocean. Across some parts of the stream. rooms have been built. so that house adjoins house; and here. with the very stench of death rising through the boards. human beings sleep night after night. until the last sleep of all comes upon them. years before its time. Scarce a house but yellow linen is hanging to dry over the balustrade of staves. or else run out on a long oar. where the sulphur-coloured clothes hang over the waters. and you are almost wonderstruck to see their form and colour unreflected in the putrid ditch below.
