178 EETUKN TO ENGLAND: AND VISIT TO PAEIS 



Paris and Berlin, and he gave up the idea of a longer journey. 

 Finally, time growing short, he contented himself with Brussels 

 and the Dutch towns instead of Berlin. 



He reached Paris on January 30, travelling by way of 

 Southampton and Havre. 



This route takes me through Eouen, which I should hope 

 to be able to see a little of, though the object of my journey 

 is so entirely to see men more than things, that I cannot 

 afford to delay much. 



His promised fellow-travellers did not make their appear- 

 ance ; but he scraped acquaintance with other travellers, 

 including one Eeimers from St. Domingo, whose brother he 

 had met at Eio, and a Frenchman from Eio, who could not 

 speak a word of English ; ' a very shrewd fellow and liked 

 everything English but Sundays, which were quite insupport- 

 able, there being no innocent amusements in which he could 

 take part on that day.' Leaving at 2.30, they reached Havre 

 at 1.30 A.M., when 



we were immediately roused out of our beds, no one, 

 according to Customs Laws, being allowed to remain on 

 board after arrival. . . . Havre is very dirty, the houses 

 very narrow and tall ; those along the quays are composed 

 of sundry bits of all the (rotten ?) vessels that ever were 

 stranded ; the air of the whole place was that of Greenock, 

 though not quite so noisome. 



The Customs next morning had troubles of their own. 



My things were overhauled in a house and turned out 

 for me to repack in the street. . . . They charged for Brown's 

 Eafflesia books, against my earnest remonstrances, I 

 showed them the names of the illustrious Bobby himself, of 

 Humboldt, Ehrenberg, &c., &c., written in one or other, but 

 they were inexorable ; it was the plates they charged for, 

 and if I had told them that I deserved a premium for im- 

 porting the works of Bauer, they would not, I expect, have 

 regarded it. 



[On the diligence to Eouen.] The stages are about three 

 leagues long on an average, and a new driver to every one. 



