a 
1803. ] 
afferted by the blockade of the Elbe, and 
the Powers of the Nerth invited by a 
great example to maintain inviolate the 
independence of their countries, and refift 
the intrufion of a foreign hoft—the public 
attention is naturally dir-G&ed towards 
thefe fcenes of action, and every conneét- 
ed region becomes an object of particular 
regard, 
The Elbe claims peculiar diftinétion 
among the rivers of Europe, not merely 
from i's commercial importance, but as the 
boundary of the Roman conquefts towards 
the North. For there the veteran troops 
whom Drufus had long led to victory, 
were awed, uder the command of his fuc- 
ceflor Tiberius, by the warlike appear- 
ance of the Saxon hofts, frowning defi 
ance from its northern banks. From this 
once facred ream tothe weftern flores of 
the Baltic, decifive marks of human in. 
duftry are every where difplayed, whether 
in the crowded ftreets and {tately build- 
ings of the proud commercial city, or in 
the cultured fields and rultic habications of 
the adjacent plains. A general view of 
this important country, as it appeared 
during a (hort but recent excurfion, and a 
more minute defcription of thele two great 
commercial emporiums, which once 
formed diftinguifhed members of the 
Hanfeatic league, and ftill retain the name 
of independent cities,* may not, at this 
moment, be devoid of intereft with the’ 
Britith public, however feeble the abili- 
ties of the writer, or inadequate his in- 
formation concerning objects he is thus, 
attempting to defcribe. 
I embarked on board a {mall merchant- 
veflel, early in the month of April, which, 
taking her departure from Ie 
HE in the North of England, with 
light and variable breezes ; made curing 
the fixth night of her voyage the light. 
houfe on Heiligoland. This important bea. 
con, for ail veffels whofe courte is direat- . 
ed to the Eyder, the Weler, or the Elbe, 
prefents itfelf at the diftance of five or fix 
Jeagues in clear weather, rifes 240 feet 
above the flat furface of the ifland, and is 
‘kept burning during the whole year,— 
Though now the refidence of none but 
fifhermen or pilots, Heiligoland, or Holy 
ifland, (probably deriving its name.from 
fome monaftic foundation,) claims confi- 
deration in the annals of Europe during 
the darknefs of the middle ages. It was 
animportant ftation of the Anglo-Saxons 
previous to their fettlement in Britain, and: 
* Hamburgh and Lubeck, 
Account of an Excurfion to Hamburg. 
219 
a terror to Europe during the fubfequent 
depredations of the Jawlefs pirates of the 
North. Situated in 54% 23’north latitude, 
and in 8° 33 ‘longitude eaft from the me- 
ridian of Greenwich, it affords fhelter aod 
anchorage, in times lof danger, both be- 
hind its eaftern cliffs, and in the channel, 
three quarters of a mile in breadth, which 
now divides it from the once contiguous 
{fand-downs. Subjected for fome years to 
the Dukes of Holftein-Gottorp, it became. 
finally dependent on the Crown of Den-) 
mark in’ 1714. Tne navigation in thefe 
parts is rendered peculiarly difficult by 
the force and rapidity of the currents, 
when thefe are not furmounted by a 
{trong and fteady breeze. We were con- 
fequentiy plying for many hours, alter- 
nately favoured and retarded by cach of 
thefe contending elements, before we were 
enabled to. anchor for the night at the 
mouth gf the Elbe. At the dawn of day 
on Sunday the roth of April, we took a 
pilot from the hoy ftationed near the red 
buoy, and with a flowing tde and a fa- 
vourable welt wind rapidly afcended the 
river. Pafling the beacons at Nieuwerk, 
and the town of Cuxhaven, a {mail depea- — 
dency of Hamburg, from whence the prin- 
cipal communication between England 
and the North of Europe has been hithers 
to maintained, we coafted along the flat 
fhores of Hanover,* which prelent a 
frequent recurrence of villages, houfes, 
windmills, and churenes,,but are very 
fparing!y decorated w, th wood. Still 
more bare, but equaliy populous, the 
coat of Holftein, once the principal refi- 
dence of our Saxon anceftors, gradually 
rofe above the horizon, and marked the 
bounds of the majeftic river, through 
* The roads in this country, if we may 
give unlimited credit to travellers, who, have 
ing teached Cuxhaven inthe Englith packets, 
Daviue their journey from thence to Hame 
burg by land, are execrably bad, the car- 
riages in the highe®* degree inconvenient, and 
the landlords impofmg knaves. But ought: 
we not to make fome allowance for the cha- 
grin of thofe who probably for the firft time 
xchange the eafe ofa {taye-coach, and the ace 
commodations of an Englith inn, for the jolt- 
ing of a ftool-waggon, ad the entertainment 
of a ee poft-houfe. For fuch, theree- 
fore, who cannot, or who will not, fubmit 
patiently to the inconveniencies of the oniy 
modes of land-travelling this country affords, 
it is more advifeable to pr ceed, if the wind 
permits, by water, either in the vacket-boat 
lately eftablifhed between Hamburg and Cux- 
haven, or in fuch other conveyance as oppor. 
‘tunity prefeats, 
which 
