140

RIVER AND CANAL.

loses itself in the sea, about five miles distant from it. The water is from fifteen to twenty feet in depth, and not quite so broad as the Thames. A packet sails sixteen times a-day from the mouth of it to Dantzic, and the fare of each passenger is three-pence. When the wind is contrary, the vessel is towed by a horse through a canal which branches from the river. There is a fortress where centinels are stationed, and also a prison, with two light-houses, and a powder magazine. Twenty years ago vessels entered the river, and proceeded directly to Dantzic; but this has been found impracticable, from the quantity of sand thrown up; in consequence of which a cut has been made, communicating with the sea, about a mile to the west, twenty feet in breadth, by which they now enter. At the mouth of this canal are gates and locks, which are secured at night. There were here a number of vessels of different nations, especially Dutch. At the extremity of the canal where the land ends, is a prodigiously long pier built on piles, similar to that at Calais, which projects some distance into the sea:- from this spot the view of the coast is very pleasant. On the beach are bathing-houses, and a life-boat is also kept here, which was built in England. The neighbourhood of this town was lately visited with swarms of locusts, which devoured every thing

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

141

green*, and all attempts to destroy them were unsuccessful. This fact is the more curious, as these destructive insects rarely travel so far north.

Before concluding, it may be proper to observe, with regard to the state of trade in Prussia, that the following are the imports and exports during three years, including this port and the duchy of Pomerania :

The following is a comparative statement of the prices of grain in Dantzic and England:

CHAP. VI.

Regulations of government as to post-houses and horses.Departure. Description of country.

Marienburg. Elbing.-Braunsberg.- Brandenburg.- River Havel.Königsberg.-Description. - Departure. - Country de

scribed. Tilsit.

Treaty of peace here.

Queen of Prussia. Palace. - Church

fanation of the sabbath. Remarks.

Anecdote of

parture. Immorsett. - Russian frontiers.-Polangen.— Police. Strict examination of luggage. -Difficulty as to passports. Church and monuments described.

ON ordering horses for the next stage, we found it necessary to make a written application to the postmaster, agreeably to an order of the King. About ten miles after leaving Dantzic*, the ex

*The following notice is published by Government, for the information of travellers:

:

"At every post-station on the principal roads, there has been prepared, for the convenience of persons travelling by post, a room for their reception, either in the post-house itself, or, when it is not sufficiently spacious, in its neighbourhood. This room is to be properly furnished, lighted during the night, and heated during the winter. Travellers are to be received there gratis at all hours, without being obliged to take any refreshment. In this room is to be placed a tablet bearing the stamp of the General Post-office, and pointing out the refreshments that may be procured, and their prices. There will be, besides, an open register,

DESCRIPTION OF COUNTRY.

143

cellent road on which we had hitherto travelled ceased, and we again entered on a deep sandy track. The crops did not appear to be so good as those on the other side of Berlin. The ground was high, and commanded a view of an extensive flat country beneath. Crosses, with effigies of our Saviour, small open chapels, and columns with figures, were to be seen along the side of the road. The farm-houses had a poor appearance, compared with those we had before seen. In many of the gardens the caterpillars had made destructive ravages, having quite stripped the fruit trees, and, in some places, even the trees along the road. A stage of twenty-four miles brought us to Diarchan, a small town situate on the Vistula, and surrounded with walls, which are now in a state of dilapidation. This river rises in the Carpathian mountains, on the confines of Moravia and Hungary, flows through Poland and Prussia, Cracow, Sandomer, Warsaw, Culm, and Dantzic, and enters by three mouths into the Baltic. we embarked in a large broad-bottomed boat,

Here

at the head of which will be printed the general post regulations, and, on the blank leaf of which, travellers may inscribe any complaint which they have to make of the tardiness of the persons employed, of the bad quality of the provisions, &c. These complaints will be duly transmitted to the authorities, that the faults may be carefully examined into and redressed."

towed on each side by ropes; and were hurried across to the main land. The Poles convey articles for sale to Dantzic in large flat-bottomed boats of rude construction; and as the stream is too rapid to enable them to return, these vessels are there broken up, and the materials sold.

The country appeared extremely beautiful, and the crops of wheat, rye, and barley, were exceedingly rich. Some of the farm-houses, too, bespoke the easy circumstances of their occupiers. These dwellings have a kind of porch consisting of wooden arches, which not only shade the windows, but permit carriages to pass beneath. There were also small clusters of cottages in the fields, surrounded with trees. We saw numerous groupes of children, whose fair complexions and light hair gave them an interesting appearance.

The view of Marienburg, with a most conspicuous pile of building on a height, bore a strong resemblance to the town of Upsala in Sweden, and the prodigious edifice overhanging it. This structure is of enormous extent, surrounded by a moat; and forms, internally, a quadrangular court, one side of which is formed by a large church. One window of the church is fitted up with an effigy of the Virgin Mary, twenty feet in height. Great part of this place had been converted by the French into magazines; but various improvements were going on to restore