BOOK　II：　OF　THEIR　TOWNS；　PARTICULARLY　OF　AMAUROT
  HE　that　knows　one　of　their　towns　knows　them　all；　they　are　so　like
  one　another；　except　w　here　the　situation　makes　some　difference。　I
  shall　therefore　describe　one　of　them；　and　none　is　so　proper　as
  Amaurot；　for　as　none　is　more　eminent；　all　the　rest　yielding　in
  precedence　to　this；　because　it　is　the　seat　of　their　Supreme
  Council；　so　there　was　none　of　them　better　known　to　me；　I　having
  lived　five　years　altogether　in　it。
  It　lies　upon　the　side　of　a　hill；　or　rather　a　rising　ground：　its
  figure　is　almost　square；　for　from　the　one　side　of　it；　which　shoots
  up　almost　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　it　runs　down　in　a　descent　for
  two　miles　to　the　river　Anider；　but　it　is　a　little　broader　the
  other　way　that　runs　along　by　the　bank　of　that　river。　The　Anider
  rises　about　eighty　miles　above　Amaurot；　in　a　small　spring　at
  first；　but　other　brooks　falling　into　it；　of　which　two　are　more
  considerable　than　the　rest。　As　it　runs　by　Amaurot；　it　is　grown
  half　a　mile　broad；　but　it　still　grows　larger　and　larger；　till
  after　sixty　miles　course　below　it；　it　is　lost　in　the　ocean；
  between　the　town　and　the　sea；　and　for　some　miles　above　the　town；
  it　ebbs　and　flows　every　six　hours；　with　a　strong　current。　The　tide
  comes　up　for　about　thirty　miles　so　full　that　there　is　nothing　but
  salt　water　in　the　river；　the　fresh　water　being　driven　back　with
  its　force；　and　above　that；　for　some　miles；　the　water　is　brackish；
  but　a　little　higher；　as　it　runs　by　the　town；　it　is　quite　fresh；
  and　when　the　tide　ebbs；　it　continues　fresh　all　along　to　the　sea。
  There　is　a　bridge　cast　over　the　river；　not　of　timber；　but　of　fair
  stone；　consisting　of　many　stately　arches；　it　lies　at　that　part　of
  the　town　which　is　farthest　from　the　sea；　so　that　ships　without　any
  hinderance　lie　all　along　the　side　of　the　town。
  There　is　likewise　another　river　that　runs　by　it；　which；　though　it
  is　not　great；　yet　it　runs　pleasantly；　for　it　rises　out　of　the　same
  hill　on　which　the　town　stands；　and　so　runs　down　through　it；　and
  falls　into　the　Anider。　The　inhabitants　have　fortified　the
  fountain…head　of　this　river；　which　springs　a　little　without　the
  town；　so　that　if　they　should　happen　to　be　besieged；　the　enemy
  might　not　be　able　to　stop　or　divert　the　course　of　the　water；　nor
  poison　it；　from　thence　it　is　carried　in　earthen　pipes　to　the　lower
  streets；　and　for　those　places　of　the　town　to　which　the　water　of
  that　shall　river　cannot　be　conveyed；　they　have　great　cisterns　for
  receiving　the　rain…water；　which　supplies　the　want　of　the　other。
  The　town　is　compassed　with　a　high　and　thick　wall；　in　which　there
  are　many　towers　and　forts；　there　is　also　a　broad　and　deep　dry
  ditch；　set　thick　with　thorns；　cast　round　three　sides　of　the　town；
  and　the　river　is　instead　of　a　ditch　on　the　fourth　side。　The
  streets　are　very　convenient　for　all　carriage；　and　are　well
  sheltered　from　the　winds。　Their　buildings　are　good；　and　are　so
  uniform　that　a　whole　side　of　a　street　looks　like　one　house。　The
  streets　are　twenty　feet　broad；　there　lie　gardens　behind　all　their
  houses；　these　are　large　but　enclosed　with　buildings　that　on　all
  hands　face　the　streets；　so　that　every　house　has　both　a　door　to　the
  street；　and　a　back　door　to　the　garden。　Their　doors　have　all　two
  leaves；　which；　as　they　are　easily　opened；　so　they　shut　of　their
  own　accord；　and　there　being　no　property　among　them；　every　man　may
  freely　enter　into　any　house　whatsoever。　At　every　ten　years'　end
  they　shift　their　houses　by　lots。
  They　cultivate　their　gardens　with　great　care；　so　that　they　have
  vines；　fruits；　herbs；　and　flowers　in　them；　and　all　is　so　well
  ordered；　and　so　finely　kept；　that　I　never　saw　gardens　anywhere
  that　were　both　so　fruitful　and　so　beautiful　as　theirs。　And　this
  humor　of　ordering　their　gardens　so　well　is　not　only　kept　up　by　the
  pleasure　they　find　in　it；　but　also　by　an　emulation　between　the
  inhabitants　of　the　several　streets；　who　vie　with　each　other；　and
  there　is　indeed　nothing　belonging　to　the　whole　town　that　is　both
  more　useful　and　more　pleasant。　So　that　he　who　founded　the　town
  seems　to　have　taken　care　of　nothing　more　than　of　their　gardens；
  for　they　say；　the　whole　scheme　of　the　town　was　designed　at　first
  by　Utopus；　but　he　left　all　that　belonged　to　the　ornament　and
  improvement　of　it　to　be　added　by　those　that　should　come　after　him；
  that　being　too　much　for　one　man　to　bring　to　perfection。　Their
  records；　that　contain　the　history　of　their　town　and　State；　are
  preserved　with　an　exact　care；　and　run　backward　1；760　years。　From
  these　it　appears　that　their　houses　were　at　first　low　and　mean；
  like　cottages；　made　of　any　sort　of　timber；　and　were　built　with　mud
  walls　and　thatched　with　straw。　But　now　their　houses　are　three
  stories　high：　the　fronts　of　them　are　faced　with　stone；　plastering；
  or　brick；　and　between　the　facings　of　their　walls　they　throw　in
  their　rubbish。　Their　roofs　are　flat；　and　on　them　they　lay　a　sort
  of　plaster；　which　costs　very　little；　and　yet　is　so　tempered　that
  it　is　not　apt　to　take　fire；　and　yet　resists　the　weather　more　than
  lead。　They　have　great　quantities　of　glass　among　them；　with　which
  they　glaze　their　windows。　They　use　also　in　their　windows　a　thin
  linen　cloth；　that　is　so　oiled　or　gummed　that　it　both　keeps　out　the
  wind　and　gives　free　admission　to　the　light。