272 TOUR THROUGH HOLLAND. [1804. 



one was upon the means of rendering Great Britain 

 independent of foreign corn, with other plans of na- 

 tional improvement. 



The state of the Continent made travelling there 

 difficult for any one for an Englishman, impossible ; 

 so I went as an American, furnished with an Ameri- 

 can passport and papers. 



I left London early in August, and after a very 

 quick passage, rather blowing, with execrable provi- 

 sions and accommodation, two sick women and a 

 stupid younker, made Camperdown in thirty -nine 

 hours after our departure from Gravesend, and arrived 

 at Helder on the 8th of August. 



It blew a very hard gale on a lee-shore as near as 

 possible, and a brig went ashore. We weathered it, 

 however, and at 5 P.M. cast anchor between Helder 

 and Texel, as the searchers could not come off in the 

 gale. At 5 A.M. went off in a Dutch boat to the 

 Admiral, a fine 80-gun ship, in beautiful order, and 

 quite clean. Most civilly treated. 



Helder, Aug. 9. Helder, an ill-built large town 

 about size of Gravesend, all clean arid neat. Met 

 many French officers, who behaved most civilly. 

 At Helder went to the Roodelieuw, or Red Lion, and 

 found the French commissary and commandant had 

 quarters in it. They civilly interpreted for me, and 

 I passed for a Frenchman, I believe. 



Battle fought on the sand-hills here.* 700 French 



* In reference to the capture of Helder by the force under Aber- 

 cromby in August 1799. 



