Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/40

 tops. On these could be seen masses of dense foliage, which, seeming to overflow, draped the battlement-shaped cornices. This, to me, novel architectural embellishment was, as I afterwards found, in general use, even in the city. The height of the city buildings had prevented me from noting there the presence of these elevated gardens, an account of which I must defer to a future occasion. For the present I will merely state, that, whether in city or country, the houses are so solidly constructed, that, on their flat roofs covered with malleable glass, they are able to support a thickness of several feet of soil. On this are grown flowers, and various species of arborescent shrubs, especially such as afford good shade. During the warm season these roof-gardens are a favorite resort; since, from their elevation, they are comparatively free from dust, and are apt to catch any wandering breeze. The thick roof, too, is found no slight advantage, both in summer and winter.

Nor was that on the house-tops the only verdure to be seen. A double row of magnificent elms, seemingly of great age, surrounded the whole square, and could be seen extending along the streets, as far as these were visible from my point of view.

I was in the midst of these observations when Utis reappeared. He was seated on a vehicle, which, under his guidance, glided noiselessly as a canoe over the smooth concrete. I now remarked for the first time, that not a wheel-track, not a dent of iron-shod hoofs, was to be seen on its surface. It seemed never to be trodden by aught heavier than the foot of man. It now also occurred to me, that, though many passengers had alighted with us,