Arrival in Hamburg

Hamburg Opera House

Reached Hamburg late in the evening. . When we landed were able to make ourselves very comfortable.   Occupied myself in writing home, and taking a tour around the outskirts of the town, which is much the best part of it, and standing in the window looking at the any very singular costumes of the peasant women in the streets.  No female servant thinks of carrying any thing under her arm which may be seen, but they universally cover it over with a shawl or dark colored cloth.  Often very handsome.  Visited the Opera where we heard some very good music.

We have left [52] our two American friends, who had travelled with us all the way from London, they going to Paris and we to Berlin.  

Farewell to Russia, hello to German dinners

When fairly under weigh for Hamburgh I began to feel almost like going home, in fact quite happy to get away from Russia, though by no means sorry that I had visited it.

Found our boat very slow—but comfortable, and found on board of it real German style in serving dinners. Viz first—beef, then fish, and other dishes, then pudding, after this another joint of meat, a dessert of fresh fruit, and salad or pickles always eaten at the same time with sweetmeats!

Travemünde 

After a voyage of 4 days found ourselves safe at Travemunde a small post near Lubeck which city was reached in some 2 hours happy to find ourselves once more where things looked clean, (particularly so always in Germany) and where we could make ourselves easily understood by French or English.  Slept at Lubeck and the next day started for Hamburgh 45 miles in 10 ½ hours! [51] the road in places being as bad as with us in Swamp countries. The reason of its being so bad, being that the King of Denmark who owns part of the road, and leaves it in as bad a state as possible, in order to induce the Lithuanians to leave a small port in his dominions (Kiel) in place of Travemunde, for St. Petersburgh.