262 THE GERMAN AliCTIG EXPEDITION. 



After nearly a montli's voyage across tlie lonely North 

 Atlantic Ocean, the Shetland Isles at last hove in sight. 

 Soon they were reached, and a fresh wind drove ns into 

 the German Ocean. In all directions did we scour the 

 broad plain with our glasses to discover the first German 

 vessel, which, perhaps, taking the direct way to our 

 country, might hurry on with the news of our return. 

 But none were to be seen. On the great Doggerbank 

 were none but Dutch and Moravian fishermen. The 

 entrance of the Kattegat was now reached; the sea 

 around us was animated. In the latitude of Skagen there 

 lay with us 300 ships, whose destination was the Baltic 

 Sea. But still no German sail showed itself ! What did 

 it mean ? Had the German nation given up seafaring 

 since our departure ? Then the pilot came on board, 

 and brought the news of the great events which had 

 taken place in Europe in the interval. Now for the first 

 time did we learn how that the long-impending war with 

 our old enemy had broken out ; and how that the Danes 

 themselves must in truth confess that hitherto the Ger- 

 man arms had been crowned with victory. Now all was 

 cleared up. Now we understood why we had met with no 

 German vessels, why hundreds of German ships lay at 

 anchor in the roads of Helsingor. How it flew from 

 mouth to mouth ! We were not yet on our home soil, 

 and all the younger ones were eager to be off* to France ; 

 they only feared " it might be over before they reached 

 it in time to have a brush with the French." 



On the 1st of September we at length reached Copen- 

 hagen. The handsome pleasant town, with its beautiful 

 beech-groves, made a doubly satisfactory impression on 

 us strangers. How different the landscape appeared 



