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SECTION L 



Notices frotn England to our departure from St. Jago. 



On the 22d of February, I set out from Charing-cross for 

 Sheerness, to which port the vessels belonging to the ex- 

 pedition had proceeded some days ago. Paul Hafgaard, 

 with several others, accompanied me till I got into the 

 coach. People who were nearly strangers to me, here 

 bade me farewell with tears in their eyes, and looks that 

 expressed their doubt of seeing me any more. Von Buch 

 accompanied me as far as Sheerness. It was for the first 

 time I saw this part of the Thames. Its beautiful wind- 

 ings, and the varying scenery on and around its Avaters, 

 afforded us great pleasure. The view from Shooter's hill 

 is of an immense extent. At Rochester, the Medway dis- 

 plays its greatest beauty. During our whole journey, 

 those hills of Kent, which terminate in the chalk hills of 

 Dover, were seen by us. On the other side of Rochester 

 the country becomes more level, barren, and uniform. 

 Orchards of cherry trees, for which this county is cele- 

 brated, were seen on all sides in great number. The rich 

 but distant treasures I was going to enjoy occupied my 

 thoughts. 



