Untitled - Sabrizain.org

ANAM. 337
mile apart. That which is more recently built, is
called Bingeh; the other is Saigon. Lieut. White
gives the following description of both towns as they
appeared in 1819 :
" The city of Saigon is situated on a point formed
by a confluence of two branches of the Donnai river,
and occupies about six miles of the north bank. The
population is dense near the river, but scattered at a
short distance from it. The houses are built princi-
pally of wood, thatched with palm-leaves or rice-straw,
and are of one story; some few are of brick, and
covered with tiles. Those of the higher classes have
hanging chambers, built under the roof-tree, about
ten feet wide, extending the whole length of the
building, with wooden gratings on each side for air,
to which they ascend by ladders; they are surrounded
with a court, with a gate towards the street. The
dwellings of the poor are situated in the streets, and
generally present a miserable appearance. The streets
are regularly laid out, generally intersecting each
other at right angles, and some of them are quite
spacious.*
In the western part of the city, are two Chinese
pagodas; and they have a great number of these
temples in various parts of the city. In a central
situation is a Christian church, over which two Italian
missionaries preside, who have several disciples and
* Mr. Finlayson says :
" The houses are large, very wide, and
for the climate rery comfortable. The roof is tiled, and supported
on handsome large pillars, of a heavy, durable black wood called
too. The walls are formed of mud, enclosed in frames of bamboo,
and plastered. The floor is boarded, and elevated several feet
from the ground. The houses are placed close to each other, disposed
in straight lines, along spacious and well-aired streets, or on
the banks of canals. The plan of the streets is superior to that of
many European capitals." p. 304.