The regular shop-keepers come here in carts, to purchase of what is called the Fish Salesman, who stands as it were between the Fisherman who brings his cargo to market and the Retailer; but there are innumerable hawkers of fish through the streets, who come and purchase for themselves at first hand, particularly of mackarel, herrings, sprats, lobsters, shrimps, flounders, soles, &c.

and also of cod and salmon when in season, and at a moderate rate, composing an heterogeneous group of persons and characters, not easily to be met with elsewhere." "Then," said Bob, "there is a certainty of high and exalted entertainment;--I should suppose the supply of fish is very considerable." "The quantity of fish consumed," replied Tom, "in London is comparatively small, fish being excessively dear in general: and this is perhaps the most culpable defect in the supply of the capital, considering that the rivers of Great Britain and the seas round her coast teem with that food .-- There are on an average about 2500 cargoes of fish, of 40 tons each, brought to Billingsgate, and about 20,000 tons by land carriage, making a total of about 120,000 tons; and the street venders form a sample of low life in all its situations.
"-- ------In such indexes, although small To their subsequent volumes, there is seen The baby figure of the giant mass Of things to come at large." And the language you have already heard forms a part of what may be termed Cockneyism." "Cockneyism," said Bob, with an inquisitiveness in his countenance.
~297~~ "Yes," continued Tom, "Cockney is universally known to be the contemptuous appellation given to an uneducated native of London, brought into life within the sound of Bow bell--pert and conceited, yet truly ignorant, they generally discover themselves by their mode of speech, notwithstanding they have frequent opportunities of hearing the best language; the cause, I apprehend, is a carelessness of every thing but the accumulation of money, which is considered so important with them--that they seem at all times to be in eager pursuit of it.
"O Plutus, god of gold! thine aid impart, Teach me to catch the money-catching art; Or, sly Mercurius! pilfering god of old, Thy lesser mysteries at least unfold." You will hear these gentry frequently deliver themselves in something like the following manner: "My eyes, Jim, vat slippy valking 'tis this here morning--I should ave fell'd right down if so be as how I adn't cotch'd ould of a postis--vere does you thinks I ave been?
vy all the vay to Vapping Vail, an a top o Tower Hill--I seed a voman pillar'd--such scrouging and squeeging, and peltin vith heggs--ow funny! "A female Fruit-seller will say to a Lady Oyster-dealer--Law, my dear Mrs.Melton, how ar you this cowld morning, Mem. ?--the streets vil be nice and dirty--vel, for my part, I always likes dry vether--do your usband vork at Foxall still ?--I likes to warm my cowld nose vith a pinch of your snuff--ow wery obliging--But come, I hear the bustle of Billingsgate, and you shall have a peep at the people.

By this time they are all alive." Bob laughed at his Cousin's specimens of cockney language, and they sallied forth, to make further observations.
It was now a fine morning, the Sun shone with resplendent lustre upon all around them, and danced in playful dimples on the sportive Thames; there was however but little opportunity at the moment for them to contemplate subjects of this sort, their eyes and ears being wholly attracted by the passing and repassing of the persons desirous to sell or supply themselves with fish; Thames Street was almost blocked up with carts, and the hallooing and bawling of the different drivers, loading or unloading, formed an occasional symphony to the ~298~~ continual hum of those who were moving in all directions to and from the market.
"By yer leaf" said a sturdy built fellow, sweating under a load of fish which appeared to press him almost down--"what the devil do you stand in the way for ?" Bob, in stepping on one side to make room for this man to pass, unfortunately trod upon the toe of an Hibernian lady, who was bearing away a large basket of shrimps alive, and at the same time gave her arm so forcible a jerk with his elbow, as disengaged her hand from the load; by which means the whole cargo was overturned smack into the bosom of a smartly dressed youth in white ducks, who was conducting some Ladies on board one of the Gravesend boats.

The confusion that followed is scarcely to be conceived--the agitation of Talt who at hearing the vociferated lamentations of the Irish woman--the spluttering of the disconcerted Dandy--the declaration of the owner of the shrimps, "that so help her God he should pay for her property"-- the loud laughter of those around them, who appeared to enjoy the embarrassment of the whole party--and the shrimps hopping and jumping about amid the dirt and slush of the pavement, while the Ladies were hunting those which had fallen into the bosom of their conductor--formed a scene altogether, which, in spite of the confusion of his Cousin, almost convulsed the Hon.

Tom Dashall with laughter, and which served but to increase the rancour of the owner of the shrimps, and the poor toe-suffering Irishwoman, the execrations of the Dandy Gentleman and his Ladies, and the miseries of poor Bob; to escape from which, he gave the Hibernian and her employer enough to purchase plaster for the one, and a fresh cargo for the other, and seizing Tom by the arm, dragged him away from the scene of his misfortunes in fishery.
[Illustration: page298 Real Life at Billingsgate] Their progress however was presently impeded by a sudden scream, which appeared to come from a female, and .drew together almost all the people on the spot, it seemed as if it had been a preconcerted signal for a general muster, and it was quickly ascertained that fisty-cuffs were the order of the day, by the vociferations of the spectators, and the loud acclamations of "Go it, Poll--pitch it into her--mill her snitcher--veil done, Sail--all pluck--game to the back-bone--peppermint her upper-story, and grapple her knowledge-box--D------n my eyes, but that vas a good one, it ~299~~ has altered her weather-cock and shifted her wind--There's your dairies--stand out of the way--Upon my sole you have overturned all my flounders--D------n you and your dabbs too." Tom and Bob took up a favourable position for observation at the corner of a fish-stall, where they could quietly witness the combatants, and take a general survey of the proceedings.
"Now," said Tom, "here is a lark for you, a female fight." "Fine salmon, or cod, Gentlemen," said an elderly woman--"I wish I could tempt you to be customers." "Well," said Bob, "they are at it in good earnest." "O yes," said the woman, "we always have it in real earnest, no sham--I wish Poll may sarve her out, for Sall is a d------d saucy b------h at all times." "And what have they quarrelled about ?" inquired Dashall.
"Jealousy, Sir, nothing else; that there man in the night-cap, with the red ruff round his neck, is Sail's fancy man, and he sometimes lets her have a cargo of fish for services done and performed, you understand--and so Sail she comes down this morning, and she finds Poll having a phililoo with him, that's all; but I wish they would go and have it out somewhere else, for it spoils all business--Nance, go and get us a quartern of Jacky, that I may ax these Gentlemen to drink, for its a cold morning, and perhaps they are not used to be up so early." Tom saw the drift of this in a moment, and taking the hint, supplied the needful to Nance, who was dispatched for the heart-cheering beverage, which they could perceive was in high reputation by those around them.
The effluvia of the fish, the fumes of tobacco, and the reviving scent of the gin-bottle, rendered their olfactory salutations truly delightful.