My manual said there were over 14,000 negroes in the city, which, added to the white population, made an aggregate of more than 200,000 souls.

I sat for a while in the Park and then retraced my steps.
On my way back I stopped at Niblo's Garden at Broadway and Prince Street.

It was a gay place.

People were feasting upon oysters, drinking, laughing, talking over the affairs of the day.

Here I partook of oysters for the first time in my life.