Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDATIONS"

[blocks in formation]

ROUND THE BALTIC,

In 1804.

BY SIR JOHN CARR.

WE

E entered the river of Husum about four o'clock in the morning, of the 18th May, 1804, in a stiff gale attended with rain.

The shore as we advanced, looked low, flat, and muddy, surmounted here and there with a solitary farm-house and windmill; but the river presented a scene of considerable gaiety. Boats put off from the little islands which appear on either side of the river, filled with hardy men, women, and boys: the ladies wore large black glazed pasteboard bonnets, glittering in the sun they were all going to the great fair at Husum. We cast anchor about four miles from that town, whose tall spire appeared full in our view: a large boat filled with these good holiday folks came along side, and received us, baggage and all. As we proceeded up the river, which became narrower as we advanced, and which seemed more like thin mud than water, through which we heavily moved by the assistance of punting poles, I waded through the tedium of the time by contemplating my companions, most of whom, with myself, were covered over below with the hatches, to avoid a heavy shower of rain. They were all in their holiday dresses; the men in blue or brown druggets, and large round hats, and the women in coarse striped camlet gowns, in which red was the prevailing colour, with those vast shining bonnets before described, and slippers, with high

heels without any quarters: we were crowded togegether almost to suffocation. Our company was more augmented than improved, by pigs and poultry, and the various produce of the farm, amongst which Į noticed some delicious butter.

[ocr errors]

Soon after dinner, I strolled through the fair, then holding in Hus, which was filled with peasantry from various parts of Holstein and Slesvig. The women in their rude finery, reversed the ambition of their fair sisters on the other side of the water; they were strongly buckramed to the top of the neck, and exhibited no traces of the bosom; but, to soften the severity of this rigid decorum in front, they presented such a projecting rotundity behind, that, to eyes which had been accustomed to gaze upon the symmetry of English fair-ones, appeared truly grotesque, and awakened many a smile.

The church, which is large and ancient, was upon this occasion disrobed of the sanctity of its character, and in its fretted aisles booths were erected, in which books and haberdasbery were exposed to sale, and where I found some coarse copies of engraving from some of the pictures of Westall. Almost every ar ticle which was exposed to sale was called English, although I am satisfied that many of them were never fashioned by English hands.

Before the river of Husum was choaked up with mud, the town was a place of considerable commerce; it is now principally filled with tradesmen and farmers; and the removal of the packets to this place from Tonningen, has circulated a considerable quantity of money amongst the inhabitants. It is rather a large town; lime trees grow before the houses, the roofs of which run very high, and present the appearance of steps these vast attics are never used but as lumber rooms, and have a very disagreeable effect. There is a palace with gardens belonging to the Duke of Holstein, but they are unworthy of further notice.

As we approached Flensborg, the country became more agreeable, and we observed the wonderful activity with which nature was every where exerting herself, in a climate which so much confines her to time it was then the 30th of May, and the ground had been covered with snow only three weeks before, and some bitter winds very sensibly informed us that winter had not as yet retreated very far.

Upon quitting Husum we proceeded to Flensborg, a large commercial town, very neat and pleasantly situated; it is well supplied with excellent water from fountains, which are placed at certain intervals in the centre of the principal street: the houses are like those at Husum, with the addition of strong braces of iron. The view from the quay, the river, and the opposite village, is very beautiful; the language thus far is German, and the religion of the country throughout is Lutheran.

The country about Abenraac, a small fishing town, where we changed horses, was very pretty, and much resembled that beautiful slope of wood in Lord Boringdon's park at Saltram, which parts the high road to Plymouth. The country from Abenraac to Hadersleb is hilly, woody, fertile, and romantic. The cattle were every where tethered, or fastened by a cord to a circle of pasture.

At Hadersleb, whilst dinner was preparing, we went to the bank, to exchange our Holstein and Slesvig money for the currency of Denmark Proper, previous to our embarking for the island of Funen. Here the exchange, which is governed by that of Hamburg, is always in favour of the traveller going to Copenhagen.

As we could save several tedious miles by crossing the little Belt at its broadest part, we proceeded to Aversund instead of Snoghoi, where we found the country very undulating and beautiful, but the roads rather heavy. Nothing can be prettier than the situation of the post-house, with its gardens sloping to the

« PreviousContinue »