the markets were thronged , the spectators were still thickly clustered around the whore pits , runners-up in the city 's eternal and byzantine gang warfare drifted silently down through the chilly waters of the river with lead weights tied to their feet , dealers in various illegal and even illogical delights plied their sidelong trade , burglars burgled , knives flashed starlight in alleyways , astrologers started their day 's work and in the shades a nightwatch-man who had lost his way rang his bell and cried out : 'twelve o'clock and all 's arrrrrgghhhh , ... ' however , the ankh-morpork chamber of commerce would not be happy at the suggestion that the only real difference between their city and a swamp is the number of legs on the alligators , and indeed in the more select areas of ankh , which tend to be in the hilly districts where there is a chance of a bit of wind , the nights are gentle and scented with habiscine and cecillia blossoms .