New-York tribune., 1868-10-31

ment to tho place. Over the doors of some of the
Shanties rude sign boards. announcing that the
gentlemen who occupy the premises are not above
treating with parties who have old iron to dispose of
or old hoop skirts or scraps of tin, copper lead and
such other articles as come within the denomination
OF JUNK The German and French languages are
both to be heard TeverbeTatiDg among the rocks
here, while the Irish element is suggested by the
bulethcads and pugnaciOus faces of many of the
uTchns as well as by the son0rOus gTunt Of the i'll
oyitable pig. In some of the Enclosures, very fine
specimens of poultry are To be see and from these
many of the SQuatterS derive far prOht. Among
the1ve stock of the place however. the most con
spicUOus the dogs and goats, who appear TO nVe
upon excellent terms with each other Inc canine
element is quite varied and heterogeneous as IS the
human one here There are dogs who understand DOth
German and French, while, again, there are less
gifted ones, to whom the English tongue alone Is
Ineligible. There are large dogs with shaggy coats
and names that bnstle up like quls upon the lIet-
ful pOrcupine" when stranger sets foot within the
sacred precincts over which they keep gnaru.
Smooth haired dogs, with indications aDOut
them of having the blood of pointers and fox
hounds In their arteries are very common mere
Very few of the dogs small. because tho use 10
which most of the canine creatures here are put IS
the drawing Of the carts III which their owners COZ
lect ashes rags, and such other convertible commodl
ties as the garbageb0xes and asbarres OF the cily
sidewalks furnish. Powerful animals alone are III
for this duty. Most OF the dweers here have TWO
sets of dogs, one set employed in carng during the
wOrkng-hOuTs while the other remain at home 10
guard the premises These dogs are usually very
quiet unless mOlested but all their savage nature
reveals itself upon the least attempt to interfere
WIN vi Nlln Ol
ters; just touch with your cane a wheel of one OF
the little carts that may be along the curb
stones of the streets with dogs hanessed to them.
and the cleaning teeth and tlashngeycs of the team
VIII be apt to remind you that discretion is the bet
ter part of yalOr," ana urge YOU 10 hasty retreat
Among these shantes, generally there is less filth
and sQualOr than TO bo encountered in such city
districts rs MaCkerelville and the purlleuS of the
Five Points. The fresh bree2cs from the East and
North Rivers circulate about the place, keeping the
air breathed in it to extent pure Most of the
little dwellings are whitewashed but number of
them are quilted with patchwork OF rusty sheet
rOn Old bits of carpet and such other materials IA
are not usually comprised in the category of the ar
chitect that they display here and there what ar
lists call bits of color" attOrdlng subjects for the
pencil that may almost take rank with the Italian
la:arOpe, or the variegatcd yagrants of Spain.
The dwellers in this curious place are very rough
and very TctiCcEt, looking with jealous eyes upon
the stranger who wandcIs into their midst. II hc be
decently dressed their gaze viii be rlvetcd on his
clothes with an intensity unplcaSantly suggestive of
the possibility of his being converted into Junk. 10
his questiOnS-unless he comes in commercial ca
pacty-they viii return Cruti answers or none. Ihey
will not encourage their tykeS 10 fly at hlm 10 he
sure; but should these iTate animals make demon
stTatiOns upon his throat or legs no word of COM
mand will come from their masters TO divert them
from their diabOlical purpose. The women. haggar1
and wriuklcd from their CTovclng toll amid ashes
aud dirt no more communicative than the
men, while as for the small boys aud girls OF the
place, one might successfully attempt To obtain
information from them as from the kids and puppy
dogs with which they lie or sport among the arld
rocks. The time cannot be far distant. now, when
this conglOmeratlOn of shantles, with all their lu-
habitants and live stock. shall have given place 10
stand is of immense value for thitherward tends
the wealth and taste of the great city, 10y the tide oi
which the humble settlement among the TOcks must
ere long be Overilowed and swept away.