I must name one other individual of our dinner party at Bingen,—a watchmaker, with a pack-full of watches, some of which he exhibited to us; his prices were from six francs, to twice as many Louis, each; several of our companions purchased of him at the former rate. How he could afford to sell upon such terms, it is not easy to account for, without supposing that he must have stolen his goods. He was a civil middle-aged man, and had travelled over a great part of Europe, and, in particular, followed the French army into Russia, where he sold great numbers of his watches to the soldiers in exchange, I suppose, for their plunder. After dinner we recommenced our journey, and at half past eight arrived at Coblentz.
We were recommended by some of our fellow-passengers to fix ourselves at the Pomme d’Or at this place, which proved, however, to be only a second rate inn; and we afterwards learnt that the hotel of the Three Swiss is the preferable one for travellers proceeding by the Coche d’Eau.
On the following morning, we made a party with two young Germans to visit the baths of Emms, distant about three leagues on the other side of the Rhine; for this purpose we engaged a coach, to convey us over one of the worst roads we had yet met with.
The bathing establishment at this place is perhaps the most commodious in the world. The main building contains two hundred and twenty lodging-rooms, at different rates; the prices of each being marked on the doors; it comprises, besides, several beautiful saloons for tables d’hôte, &c. We found a party of no less than three hundred dining in one of them, as well as smaller parties in other rooms. The ground floor is laid out in elegant shops and baths. In a newly attached part, there is a most noble coffee-room, with billiard and faro rooms.
The scenery around this spot is extremely beautiful, and bounded by mountains rising majestically into the clouds, clothed to their very summits with rich vineyards. These baths are the property of the duke of Nassau, whose capital is about a league distant, and half a mile from the village of Emms, through which my friend and myself passed on our return in the evening, having left our German companions behind us.
CHAP. XXIX.
COBLENTZ TO UTRECHT.
On the 11th of August, at six o’clock in the morning, we left Coblentz in the Coche d’Eau. Amongst the companions who most interested us, was a young Polish gentleman, undoubtedly a man of family, and who had been studying at one of the universities on the Rhine; we were much pleased with his merry convivial manners, and apparent liberality of sentiment; he seemed desirous of gaining general information, and was probably travelling with that intention, as he was well acquainted with the French and German languages, and spoke of visiting Italy and other parts of the continent within no distant period.
At eleven o’clock we rested an hour for dinner, and at three landed for a short time at Born, at which place we received on board, for the diversion of the party, a fiddler, who, for at least three hours, tortured our ears with a variety of the most discordant strains, both vocal and instrumental, that can be imagined. A French gentleman and lady also entered our vessel at this place, and accompanied us for a few miles, when they disembarked at an interesting part of the river; they were making a journey along the Rhine upon this principle, and an excellent mode to us of enjoying its beauties. After leaving Born, we passed a large and beautiful island, with a convent upon it. About four o’clock, the country suddenly changed from a mountainous into a rich champaign appearance. At eight in the evening we reached Cologne, and placed ourselves at the Hotel de Mayence. We here, in the newspapers, met with a first account of the Queen’s illness, and which was accompanied by a report of her death.