220 
which we fmoothly glided with the afcend- 
ing tide. The channel is carefully mark- 
ed out with black and white buoys, placed 
in regular fucceffion from the mouth of 
the river, alternately verging towards ei- 
ther fhore, About 2 P. M.we confe- 
quently approached the coaft of Holftein, 
and afterwards changed cur pilot at the 
creek near the village of St. Margaret.— 
Before the ebbing tide obliged us to bring 
up fo the night, we pafled Gliickeftadt, 
one of the principal cities in this terri- 
tory, fituated on the river SiGrre, a ftream 
which once pave the name of Stormania 
to that divifion of Holftein which is fitu- 
ated towards theeat. A thick mift after 
funri‘e prevented our taking advantage of 
the earlieft flood, and the morning was far 
{pent before we reached Stadt, a city in 
the Hanoverizn territcries, where a toll is 
collected from all veffels pafling up the 
Elbe, to the annual amount, I believe, of 
eighty thoufand pounds fterling. _ The 
fhips of England and Hamburg alone are 
excuied from-anchoring here, but a boat 
is regularly difpatched trom the guard-thip 
to convey a meflenger with their papers to 
the fhore. 
Tie country on both fides now affumes 
a more engaging afpeét; frequent groves 
contribute to enliven the {cenery, and the 
dull uniformity of a flat furface is inter- 
upted by the view of diftant hills. But 
flimy maifhes here occur more frequertly 
on either coaft, and ftrong embankments 
are neceffary in many places-to prevent 
the encroachments of the river. To the 
great detriment of the navigation of this 
important river, and perhaps to the ftill 
' greater annoyance of the anxious traveller, 
the principal bars inthe Elbe occur inthe 
environs of Blankenefe, and almoft within 
profpect of the wifhed-for port. On fome 
of thefe the water is fo fhoal as to render 
the paflage of loaden veffels impra€fticable 
except when thetideis at its height. _ In 
other piaces the channel in this fpacious 
fiream is fo narrow as to render a beating- 
paffage difficult, more e!pecially where its 
winding courfe changes every moment the 
rack of the veflel, and a hilly coatt occa- 
ficns a frequent recurrence of variable 
winds. Wind and tide b-ing thus equal- 
ly requifite to enfure an expeditious voy- 
age, with a fayourable breeze, the veffel 
is too frequently detained for want of 
water, and at the height of the flood-tide 
impeded by light and variable winds.— 
Such was piecifcly our cafe; for we expe- 
rienced each varying hiadrance as we ap- 
proached or pafied Blankenefe, a chain of 
barren hilis, which we had feen ia difiant 
Account of an Excurfion to Hamburg. 
ively upon the road. 
[O4&. 1, 
profpect, and which rife on the coaft of 
Holftein, from the margin of the ftream. 
A large village, the refidence of fithermen 
or pilots, whofe boats were moored along 
the fhore, is fituated in the hollows towards 
the eaftern extremity, whilft fome more 
confpicuous buildings crown the fummits 
of thefe hills. The lofty towers of Ham- 
burg now rofein diftant profpeét, and as we 
advanced, the rattling of carriages upon 
the fhore annunced the near approach to 
this diftinguifhed city. But the wind was 
ftill light and variable, the flood-tide was 
almoft done, and it was fcarcely probable 
the veffel could reach her port before the 
clofe of day. Expreffing a with to land, 
TI was readily accommodated with the 
boat, and in a few minutes landed at the 
Devil’s Bridge, a fmall village in Hoi- 
ftein, fituated immediately on the beach. 
After walking about two hundred paces, 
I afcended a rifing ground to the eaft- 
ward, aad foon found myfelf in the mid 
of a fpacious road, fringed with gardens, 
which were decorated with houfes both of 
woed and ftone, pavillions, and various 
other ornaments, in the fafhion of the 
country. I preceeded along a fpacious 
caufeway, alternately lofing and regaining 
very beautiful profpeéts of the Elbe.—- ~ 
The read was covered with carriages, 
fome of them in the fafhion of England, 
but for the molt part long wicker- bafkets, 
capable of holding with eafe ten or a do- 
zen people, and ail crammed with a pro- 
miicuous concourfe of men, women, and 
children, driving furioufly’ towards the 
city. Though the rapid fucceflion of 
thefe vehicles covered me contiaually with 
duft, the direétion they all moved in ren- 
dered me perfeétly ealy with regard to the 
road I had taken ; for though a ftranger 
to the country, I determined not ufelefsly 
to betray my ignorance, by the inaccu- 
racy of the diale&t in which, for the firfe 
time, I fhould attempt to converfe— 
Several houfes of entertainment, ll 
thronged with vifitors, occurred fuccef- 
Tt was the feftival 
of Eafter Monday ; the Demon of Com- 
merce was aflkep, and the Hamburgers 
were all making merry. As I advanced, 
a multitude of foot-paffengers, continually 
augmenting, joined upon theread. With 
them I paraded through the Pazlle Mailie, 
and various ftreets of Altona, and pafled- 
the fentry {tationed at the eaftern extremi- 
ty of this city. We. proceeded along a ~ 
fiately walk leading through a fandy 
plain, about a quarter of a mile in 
length, towards the gates of Hamburg, 
which J entered unnoticed with tite crowd. 
Ks The 
