78 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



river were obliged to anchor in our vicinity, as the Elbe 

 changes its course near Fryburg and thus neutralizes 

 the breeze that has helped them thus far. Yesterday's 

 storm raged with an intensity I never witnessed before; 

 and the rain came down in torrents. Our vessel, though 

 at anchor, was thrown on one side and rocked so terribly 

 that most of our passengers became sea-sick. I should 

 never have thought the Elbe capable of raising such im- 

 mense waves at this point. About eight o'clock in the 

 morning two> barks which were a little ahead of us 

 weighed anchor to go back to greater safety, an example 

 which was soon followed by four or five brigs and a few 

 schooners, so that we were actually left alone to hold the 

 fort— a circumstance which I thought rather amusing. 

 But about half-past ten we, too, began to get busy and, 

 though the whole crew and ten or twelve passengers were 

 working at the capstan and winding tackle, it took a full 

 hour to haul in the big chain, which measures in bulk 

 about twenty cords. We returned to Gliickstadt, where 

 we re-anchored at one o'clock in the midst of the vessels 

 which had left Fryburg before us. Besides, there were 

 many others which had come down from Hamburg, and, 

 like ourselves, were compelled to wait. As we were now 

 sheltered from the rough weather the water calmed and 

 our sick people soon recovered from their seasickness, 

 which in most cases baffled all description. During the 

 evening nearly all of them appeared on deck to enjoy the 

 fresh breeze, intermitted with slight showers. Our 

 evenings, as I have said before, are looked for with spe- 

 cial pleasure. Everybody seems gay and full of fun. Two 

 fellows especially, one Fabricius from Berlin, and a 

 Suabian by the name of Stolle, seem inexhaustible and 

 untiring in finding ways to amuse the crowd— a worthy 

 aim which is heartily supported by almost everybody; 

 though one always finds a few cranks in a large body of 

 peojjle. Aside from the two commissaries of good cheer 

 — Fabricius and Stolle— we have some very talented mu- 

 sical amateurs on board. There is likewise a raconteur, 

 who has seemingly a supply of anecdotes and Hamburg 



