We breakfasted at a good inn on the road, and dined at Canterbury, where the lady left us, and at evening reached Dover, where we supped, lodged, and went to breakfast. About eleven in the morning of the 13th, we embarked for Calais, and arrived there in about three hours; but had a very rough passage, in consequence of which almost every lady and gentleman on board was afflicted with sea-sickness, which I believe was advantageous to the greatest part of us.
On our arrival at Calais a great number of French gentlemen came to our vessel, to welcome us to France, and invite us to put up at their houses; but on finding that some of us belonged to the diligences, and that there was a place prepared for our entertainment, they went off disappointed.
Although we had been told that we should have nothing to pay, only about five shillings to the porters, we found ourselves mistaken; for we were obliged to pay for the wine which we drank when we dined and supped on the preceding day, and to give money to a swarm of servants, &c. At Calais we were obliged to give in a list of our names to the Custom-house officers, and to give them some money to buy liquor with, that they might drink our healths—that being the custom, as we were told.
We put up at a hotel, called De la Messagrie; where we left another list of our names; for such were the orders of the mayor of the city.
An English lady that had come from Dover with us, and was a decent well-behaved person, and one of excellent sense and understanding, put up at this hotel: she told me she had travelled above 4,000 miles on the European Continent, had been through France, Germany, &c. and was then on her way to Flanders.
At this place we were soon beset with a number of beggars, as
1. By a priest of the order of St. Francis.
2. By the captain of the vessel, that brought us over the English Channel.
3. By the steward of the vessel.
4. By the sailors that came with us.