CHAP. XXVIII.
STRASBURG TO COBLENTZ.
We left Strasburg at half after six in the morning still in company with our former French companion. In addition, we had, in our diligence, two elderly French ladies, who were very chatty and agreeable; they quitted us, however, in the afternoon, when in lieu of them, we took in a very nice young woman going to her husband at Gemmingen; and a merchant’s clerk, who had previously been occupying the cabriolet. At eight in the evening we arrived at Landau, were we slept at a most comfortable inn.
The whole of the next day was alternately fine and showery. When we had travelled two leagues from Landau, the spring of the carriage broke down, and detained us two hours. We noticed that the wife of the blacksmith, who repaired it, assisted her husband throughout the process, and appeared even the more dexterous of the two. On entering Gemmingen, however, their work gave way, and we were in consequence detained two hours longer; even this afterwards broke out again, but fortunately just as we reached the end of our journey. These delays were mortifying enough, as we did not reach Spire until three in the afternoon, instead of nine o’clock in the morning, as we had expected.
On our arrival at Spire, we might have proceeded forward immediately in the diligence to Mayence, and which our French companion availed himself of, but we preferred waiting until morning, in the hope of finding a conveyance by water. We were however disappointed, and obliged in the morning to leave Spire in a double bodied diligence, the back part of which we had to ourselves. We breakfasted at the Red Lion at Frankendal, a circumstance which I more particularly mention, because I was highly pleased with the attentive and feeling manner in which an interesting young woman waited upon me.
About two leagues beyond this place, there is a bridge over the Rhine, leading to the beautiful town of Manheim, situated on the opposite bank of the river. After this we passed through Oppenheim, Worms and Inheim, dining at the latter, and then proceeding to Mayence, where we arrived about five o’clock, and took up our quarters at the Three Crowns, an excellent inn, to which we had been recommended by our French friend, who had left us at Spire, under a promise of rejoining us here. He shortly afterwards came in and informed us, that besides arranging his own business, he had ascertained that a large boat sets out for Coblentz every morning at six o’clock, the fare in which was six francs, with an additional trifle for the luggage; this vessel, after stopping to dine at Bingen, arrives at Coblentz, a distance of eighteen leagues, between six and nine o’clock in the evening, according to the state of the wind; for sails are made use of whenever the latter is favourable. In consequence of this report, we determined to secure our passage for the morrow.
Mayence is an interesting town, and the bridge over the Rhine, fortifications, and promenades, worthy the attention of the traveller. There are a number of water-mills moored on the river, which make a singular appearance. The town was at this time garrisoned by a medley of Austrian, Prussian, and Brandenburgh troops.
The morning proved, unfortunately, both cold and showery, and of course unfavourable for our journey by water. At six o’clock we left Mayence. Notwithstanding the disadvantages of weather my friend was highly interested by the beautiful scenery displayed on the banks of this magnificent river, consisting of castles, ruins, villages, and picturesque cottages, bounded by vine-clad mountains. On the right we passed the mountain of Johansberg, celebrated for its wines.
While dining at Bingen, twenty miles below Mentz, the grand duke Nicholas of Russia passed through, on his way from the baths of Emms, to visit the duke of Nassau, whose castle is situated on the right banks of the Rhine, about four miles below Mentz.
Our dinner party consisted of a motley group of various nations, some of the individuals composing which, were pleasant, agreeable people. Amongst them were, what is in some measure unusual, two or three loquacious Germans; and also a humorous old Dutchman, from whom my friend elicited much information respecting the best route to Amsterdam. We felt inclined to have prosecuted our journey into Holland with this latter person, in order to have availed ourselves of his local information; but it is questionable whether a plan of this kind generally answers, for, on the continent, one does not always find liberality enough in fellow-travellers to put one on his guard against the impositions of their countrymen. We had a strong illustration of this about the present time. I have frequently mentioned a French gentleman with whom we had been travelling from Berne, and to whose kind attentions and gentlemanly conduct, we felt ourselves on a variety of occasions, highly indebted: one day, another Frenchman who had also been travelling with us, proposed to him to direct the landlord of the inn where we dined, to charge C⸺ and myself double the established price, so as to let them off without payment. Our friend most indignantly rejected the proposal, asserting that he was a disgrace to his country, and that it was the conduct of such scoundrels, which led to the traduction of its character.