^ WILD SrORTS IN THE FAR AVEST. 



I was true to my appointment at nine o'clock, but 

 soon found that there was no necessity to have hurried 

 myself, as no prejDarations had been made for starting ; 

 I took advantage of the time to look over all my effects, 

 to see if I had everything I thought necessary, and to 

 procure any thing that was wanting : in a large chest, 

 that could easily be got at, I had packed some bottles 

 of red wine, a keg of sardines, another of herrings, a 

 Westphalian ham (oh, that there had been six !), some 

 lemons, a little rum, pepper, sugar, some tin A^essels for 

 the table and to keep food in, knives, forks, and spoons. 

 I found all right, and then lounged along the banks of 

 the Weser, so as not to lose the boat. I was astonished 

 at the number of passengers that arrived ; and when I 

 saw the crowd of people to be stowed in the miserably 

 small boat, it appeared to me impossible that she could 

 hold so many. While I was leaning against the corner 

 of a house and looking on, a young man approached, 

 wrapped in a blue cloak, with a foraging cap, spectacles, 

 a long pipe in one hand, and a knapsack in the other ; 

 he looked at me steadfastly for a moment, and then 

 accosted me with the intimate "Du" (Thou). His 

 features were familiar to me, but I did not remember 

 him till he mentioned his name ; he was II., a former 

 school-fellow, who was about to embark in the same 

 ship. The sight of him first recalled to mind, since I 

 had taken leave of all who were near and dear to me, 

 that I was not quite alone in the world, and that there 

 was still some one who would interest himself for me ; 

 of course we were now inseparable. 



We lounged about together for some time in the 

 town, and on returning to the boat found for certain 



