We had no time to visit the churches and other interesting objects at Cologne; amongst which, one of the most celebrated, is the house where Rubens was born. Nor could we examine the flying, or rather floating bridge over the Rhine, formed by two immense barges fastened together, and which are decked, and railed round to prevent accidents, and said to be sufficiently capacious to receive at least one thousand persons, besides carriages, &c. at one time; it is secured from passing down the stream, by an anchor in the middle of the river; on the tinkling of a bell, the whole is set at liberty, when the force of the current, assisted by the rudder, carries it to the other side; this is repeated every quarter of an hour.
Cologne is a dull old town, containing many narrow ill-paved streets. Every one is acquainted with its celebrity for the manufacture of the favourite perfumed spirit, the eau de Cologne. Originally there was only a single manufactory of this article, but the demand has now so greatly increased, that ten different establishments are engaged in it. We were informed that it sells here for eight francs the case, containing six bottles. We were anxious to have purchased a few for the benefit of our fair friends, but the risk of seizure deterred us from gratifying our wishes.
At this place our agreeable French companion, who had accompanied us from Berne, took leave of us; his name was M. Gerard Mignon, a Champagne wine-merchant of Rheims, and had been a captain in the French army; he intended passing by Aix la Chapelle to Brussels, at which latter place I promised myself the pleasure of again meeting with him.
We had proposed following the course of the Rhine as far as we could towards Amsterdam, to which place I had agreed to accompany my friend on his way to Russia; but on inquiry we found there was no regular water conveyance, and therefore determined to avail ourselves of a return Berlin to Cleves, for which we were to pay sixteen francs each; and as the journey would occupy two days, this was perhaps reasonable enough for this country.
At nine o’clock on Sunday morning we set out from Cologne, and travelled throughout the day over heavy sandy roads; on this account our driver shewed great consideration for his horses, as he stayed to refresh them every two hours with bread and water; with this view he had provided a number of loaves before setting out, and which at first we supposed were intended for his own use. We dined at a town named Nais, and halted for the night at Crevelt, a small but well built town, celebrated for its manufactory of silks and velvets.
Our apartments at this place were so grand, that we thought proper to inquire the price of them, which greatly hurt the landlord’s feelings, and led him into a long explanation of his honourable principles; he said he had fixed prices; and I must admit, that on leaving, we had no cause to think them unreasonable. We had, however, an additional charge made upon us, in consequence of declining to take supper. The German innkeepers are sure to be offended if you inquire their charges. It was Sunday evening, and our host politely invited us to accompany him to their weekly ball, but we preferred going to bed.
On Monday morning, after an early breakfast, we recommenced our journey; and again resting our horses every two hours, arrived about twelve o’clock at a small village, where we dined. In the afternoon, we fell in with a return vehicle, a kind of cabriolet with two horses, going to Nimeguen, which kept company with us till four o’clock; when our driver succeeded in persuading us, that by taking this opportunity we should reach Nimeguen to-night; as the driver would turn off, leaving Cleves on the left, and make a nearer cut by a league; whereas, otherwise we should not be able to advance farther than the latter place this evening, and unable to proceed by diligence, before noon next day. Anxiety to get forward, induced us to avail ourselves of this push; but I think we never, in our whole lives, travelled in so uneasy a vehicle, or over more wretched roads; in addition, it began to rain very fast, and the curtains of our carriage were unable to protect us. After passing through a wood, about seven o’clock, we reached a decent kind of town, where our driver fed his horses well; first with bread, and afterwards with chopped hay and corn, placed before them in the street in a portable manger. After this we proceeded on to Nimeguen, through an exceedingly heavy sandy road. A short time before we reached this place, we left the Prussian and entered the Dutch territories, without the least interruption from the custom-house officers: instead of the usual bureau, we only found an inn for entertainment; nor were we detained in the least on this account, on entering Nimeguen, although it is a strongly fortified and frontier town. We drove to an inn, called the Post Waggon, which, however, we found so full, that we were obliged to have beds made up in our sitting-room; the civility with which we were here treated, induced us to give this arrangement the preference to seeking out another inn. Before retiring to bed, we secured our places for Utrecht in the diligence, or, as it is here called, the Post Waggon, and which was to depart at half after six in the morning.
On Tuesday, soon after leaving Nimeguen, we crossed the Waal (a branch of the Rhine) on a flying bridge, which had two or three small cabins built upon it, and masts with flags flying. We here completed our complement of passengers, and had much disputation respecting places, which a man belonging to the coach settled in a very rough authoritative manner. We were tolerably fortunate in our situation, for the carriage was a clumsy inconvenient machine, with a front, back, and middle seat, intended for nine passengers, and the roof timbers without lining.
This unfortunate outset was, however, succeeded by an unexpected interesting conversation: amongst other agreeable companions, we found a professor of the university of Leyden, who advocated with great warmth the literary character of his country; and asserted, in particular, that it had produced a number of poetical works of higher merit than the world were disposed to admit of; that even his own countrymen had not duly appreciated them; but that he trusted the efforts, which were then making at Leyden, to collect and make them public, would tend to remove this stigma. As none of us were acquainted with the authors he enumerated, he remained, of course, undisputed master of the field.