Travels Through North America, During the Years 1825 and 1826. v. 1-2

CHAPTER I

On the 4th of April, 1825, I set out from Ghent for Antwerp. This ancient and noble city is in every point of view interesting; to the admirers of the fine arts, on account of the unique treasures she possesses; to the military observer for her long defence against the army of the Duke of Parma, and for her military and maritime importance obtained in modern times through him who long guided the destiny of Europe; and to the philanthropist, who derives satisfaction from the increasing prosperity of mankind, for numerous reasons. Long the victim of politics and the jealousy of her neighbours, which kept the mighty Scheld, the harbour of Antwerp, blockaded, she now powerfully lifts her head above her rivals, and her commerce, nearly as flourishing as under the Hanseatic league, is annually becoming more extensive, thanks to the foresight of the wise prince whom Providence has placed at the head of our country’s government.

A government yacht received us at Antwerp, and with a fair wind and most delightful spring weather, conveyed us, by the evening of the 6th of April, to the road of Hellevoetsluis, where the corvette Pallas was lying at anchor, which had orders to sail on the following day. The first part of the voyage to Hellevoetsluis is down the Scheld; the beautiful steeple of the cathedral of Antwerp long remains in sight; the forts on both shores attract the attention of military men, and perhaps remind them of the remains of the great bridge between forts St. Mary and St. Philip, by which Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, crossed the stream and forced the city to surrender.

At an hour’s sail below Antwerp, the Scheld forms a large basin, and divides into two arms the East and West Scheld, which are separated by the island of Zuid-Beveland. The West Scheld is the deepest, and flows into the North Sea: we sailed on the eastern branch to the place of our destination.

A century ago South Beveland was well cultivated, and contained a town and numerous villages: it was swallowed up by the water, and still remains overflowed. It may be reserved for the creative spirit peculiar to our existing government and its illustrious chief, to give employment to the plough of the industrious farmer on the spot where at present the poor fisherman protracts a wretched existence.

We afterwards left the East Scheld, and sailed past several well cultivated islands, protected against the violence of the stormy waves by artificial dams. We entered upon the stream formed by the confluence of the Maas and Rhine, and advanced immediately to Hellevoetsluis, whence in former times the victorious fleets of Holland frequently sailed to the remotest parts of the world, and dictated terms to her enemies. The ships which convey the treasures of the tropical regions to the rich city of Rotterdam, or carry the products of our own industry, as well as the defenders of our extensive possessions, are often obliged, by contrary winds, to remain here for various periods. Hence Hellevoetsluis is generally very lively.

The corvette Pallas, in which our government permitted me to sail for America, was a new vessel, fitted out as an instruction ship. A selection of young naval officers was made for this voyage, as midshipmen. To these were added a young naval architect named Tromp, a worthy descendant of historically renowned ancestors, whose deep knowledge, distinguished talents, and estimable character, I became acquainted with and cherished in the course of the voyage. These selected officers were entrusted to the direction of Captain Ryk, one of our most approved commanders,1 who had orders to visit some of the principal English and American naval depôts, in order to acquire whatever knowledge might best promote the interests of his country. On this account the corvette was fitted out rather as a packet ship than a man of war. She had no long guns on deck, except two long sixes in the bows as chase guns; her battery consisted of eighteen twenty-four pound carronades. I was established in the captain’s cabin, and a swinging cot was suspended at night for my sleeping place.

In consequence of contrary winds and other causes which it is needless to mention, the corvette could not sail as quickly as ordered. In the mean time I stayed at Hellevoetsluis, and employed my forced leisure in examining this small town and its vicinity.

Hellevoetsluis contains upwards of two thousand inhabitants, among whom there is scarcely a poor one to be found. The town properly consists of but one street, on both sides of the harbour, having walled quays, and united by a double drawbridge, built two years ago. Where the town terminates, the dock-yard commences, which contains most of the fortifications. Near the dock-yard are the barracks, which can, if necessary, contain two thousand men. The frigate Rhine lay in harbour as guard-ship. There was one ship repairing in the dock, none building. For the purpose of repairing there is, behind the basin of the dock-yard, a dry, terrace-shaped, walled basin, or dry dock, large enough for a ship. When the ship is brought into this dock, the gates are closed, and the water pumped out by a steam machine of thirty horse-power. This being done, the ship is dry, and may be examined on all sides. When the repairs are completed, the gates are again opened, the water admitted, and the ship floated out. A boat-gate is better adapted to this purpose: a boat-gate consists of a box which exactly enters the canal leading to the dry dock: when brought to the place where it is to be used, a quantity of water is admitted sufficient to sink it to the level of the shores, and then it forms a bridge. When it is necessary to open the gate, the water is pumped out, and the box is withdrawn from the canal. The frigate Kenau Hasselaar was in the basin getting ready for sea, and with the crew of the guard-ship under command of Captain Dibbetz, she was to sail for the East Indies. The frigates Scheld, Maas, Yssel, and Java, with the brig Havic, and about twenty gun-boats, were laid up in ordinary. One of the gun-boats was built after a Danish model, which allows the upper part of the rudder to be taken down and two ports to be opened, by which the stern can be used in battery. The magazines and smithies are not large, but are kept in very neat order.

The admiralty have a very large building here which is used as the residence of the marine commander in chief. From a belvidere of this house there is a fine view of the harbour and surrounding country. In the former, the frigate Amstel, corvette Pallas, brig De Gier, and transport-ship Zeemeeuw rode at anchor, the two latter bound to the Mediterranean. In the dock-yard we remarked a very large mast-crane, which may be seen far at sea, and serves mariners as a landmark. There is also a light-house upon one of the two dams which secure the harbour, also built two years ago.

[From the 11th to the 25th of April, contrary winds detained the corvette at Hellevoetsluis, during which time an excursion was made to Goedereede, Stellendam, &c. After various changes of winds, and a storm while lying at anchor, nothing of interest occurred until four P. M. of the 25th, when the ship weighed anchor and stood out to sea.]

Fair wind and good weather continued until the forenoon of the 27th. About four o’clock we saw the English coast, being the North Foreland, not far from Margate. Here we were obliged to steer to the left to enter the Channel, in order to reach Portsmouth and avoid the dangerous Goodwin Sands. At the same time the barometer had fallen, the air was thick and rainy, and a disagreeable south-west wind began to blow. The passage between these sand-banks was by no means pleasant; the wind was quite boisterous and almost stormy; we lost all hope of reaching the Channel during this day, and were forced to be content with beating about in our perilous situation. The motion of the ship became very vehement towards evening, and I became sea-sick; it was not so bad while I remained motionless in my cot. During the night the ship was in a very dangerous situation, and Captain Ryk remained all the time on deck. The lead was regularly thrown during the night. In attempting to get into my cot, which was very much inclined, and the ship giving a heavy lurch at the same time, I received a heavy fall on my head, which, however, was not productive of much injury. On the morning of the 28th the wind was somewhat lighter, and we discovered that during the night we had been in a situation of extreme danger, and had reason to be thankful to the great Creator for our safety. The weather gradually cleared up, and we enjoyed with great satisfaction the noble prospect of the English coast. Immediately ahead lay Margate with the southern shore of the Thames; farther to the left, Ramsgate, and still farther, Deal. We were moreover surrounded by shipping, and in the Downs we saw the English ship of the line, Ramilies, which cruised this year on this station, lying at anchor.

The wind was now westerly, and our commander having no wish to pass another night as dangerously as the preceding, resolved to cast anchor in the Downs. This determination led me to think of landing at Deal, going to London for a day, and then returning to Portsmouth. In the course of the day, however, an east wind sprung up, which changed all our resolutions. We passed the cape of South Foreland, and entered the Channel prosperously, where we saw the high chalk rock between Deal and Dover, with several castles, and Dover itself, with its ancient and strong castle, near the ruins, &c. We were also delighted with a beautiful view of the French coast, the white rocks of which were illumined by the sun. The wind, as we passed by Dover, was very light, the current was against us, and during the night it rained and blew. The anchor was consequently dropped, and we remained off Dover till one o’clock the following day. In the mean time the weather improved, though the wind continued to be very slight and unfavourable. I embraced this opportunity to visit Dover, in company with Captain Ryk, his nephew, and Mr. Tromp. We breakfasted at Wright’s hotel, in which, eighteen months before I had stayed with my family, and at that time took a walk to the fortified camp, that lies westwardly from the town, on an important height. To this place we ascended by stairs cut about twenty years ago. A subterranean passage leads from the town to the foot of these stairs. For a supply of water a well was dug through the rock to the depth of about two hundred feet, and to this well three stairs were cut of two hundred and sixty-eight steps each. These stairways are wide enough to allow two men to walk conveniently abreast. They terminate in a funnel-shaped excavation, whence a stone staircase leads towards four terrace-shaped barracks, built one above the other. Somewhat higher is a pentagonal redoubt, also employed as a barrack, in which at this time a detachment of artillery, the only garrison of Dover was quartered. The redoubt forms the right wing of the position. From this point an irregular line of masonry, partly hewed out of the rock, runs to the left wing, where there is an oblong quadrangular fort. In front of this fort is a tolerably deep valley, through which the London road passes. We were delighted with the view of this beautiful vale and the fresh green of the turf. Messrs. Tromp and Ryk made a sketch of the rocks and mountains, which would make a strong impression upon one who had not beheld them, even upon me who am familiar with their appearance, it produced a very agreeable feeling. From the left wing a line runs en crémaillère, beside which, at an entering angle, a casemated magazine is placed near a small fort that defends the harbour. From this line a door opens towards the high rock called Shakspeare’s Cliff, which we had not leisure to visit. The masonry of the fortification is of brick, with a half revêtement. The rock is throughout chalk, containing flint. These flints are much employed in paving roads and streets, to the great injury of the hoofs of horses; some houses in Dover are also built of them. We turned back again towards the corvette, highly gratified with our excursion. We saw two steam-boats arrive at Dover, one from Calais and the other from Boulogne. A water spout was pointed out to me at a distance. At one o’clock the wind began to blow fair, the anchor was weighed, and we stood onwards with fine weather, delighted with the continuous view of the English coast.

On the 30th of April with a fresh wind we made the eastern point of the Isle of Wight, where we hoisted a flag, and fired a gun for a pilot, who did not come on board immediately. We sailed cautiously onwards, came in sight of Portsmouth, and neared St. Helen’s point, Isle of Wight. The pilot then came on board, and steered us into Spithead road, off Portsmouth. This town, in which I was so much pleased two years before, has a very handsome appearance. Several ships of the line were lying in the harbour, among which was the Victory, on board of which Lord Nelson was killed. When we saw the admiral’s flag floating from her mainmast head, we saluted her with seventeen guns, which she returned with thirteen. We anchored in the road where we found two English corvettes, an East India company’s ship, and a Portuguese frigate, which had brought the Portuguese ambassador, the Marquis Palmella, to England.

CHAPTER II

As the corvette was to remain, for the instruction of the midshipmen, until all the naval establishments had been accurately examined, I resolved to go on shore and travel from Portsmouth to Plymouth and Falmouth, and then rejoin the corvette. On the 1st of May I went in the boat, accompanied by Captain Ryk and Lieutenant Lejeune, to Portsmouth. The sea ran very high, and the eight oarsmen made very little way against the swell. As we entered the harbour where the waves were exceedingly high, we turned so quickly that two seas struck our boat in the side, and made us more than once fear that she would be foundered. Nevertheless we arrived safely, though thoroughly wet.

I remained in Portsmouth three days, and as its situation and relations were already known to me, I spent the time in reading, writing, paying and receiving visits, and in strolling about in interesting society. For a similar reason I allowed myself to make desultory observations.

According to the navy list, there are at Portsmouth sixteen ships in actual service, mounting five hundred and eighteen guns; sixty-five dismantled, with four thousand one hundred and forty-three guns, and eighteen building, which are to carry seven hundred and fifty-six guns; making a total of five thousand four hundred and seventeen guns.

Some of the lowest class of people were masquerading in honour of the 1st of May. Most of them were dressed as Jack-puddings; others were ornamented with bladders: they marched through the streets to the sound of music, stopped and danced before some of the houses, and collected money. They also had a boxing match between two boys, which was conducted as a regular combat. As soon as one boy was down, his antagonist ceased to strike, and his second helped him up. One, however, did strike a blow while the other was down, whereupon several of the bystanders rushed upon the offender, held him fast, and gave him so many punches in the ribs that he was completely discomfited; and this terminated the fray. In the harbour about one hundred and fifty men were shipped as recruits for the 89th regiment, stationed in the East Indies. They came from the depôt at the Isle of Wight, and appeared to be very weak and miserable.

The Marquis Palmella, who resided in the same hotel with me, set out on the 3d of May with his family, a wife, eight children, and a numerous suite, for London. I paid him a visit, and was introduced to his lady, a very beautiful woman. The marquis, who is very generally esteemed, suffered considerably during the last Portuguese counter-revolution, and was kept prisoner for several days. During his stay at this place he has constantly had two honorary sentries, and an hour before his departure, a company of fifty marines, with three officers, and the band in full uniform, marched in front of the hotel, and remained as a guard of honour until he left Portsmouth. It was with real pleasure that I remarked the excellent condition of this corps.

The royal marines, whose barracks I visited, and saw the men defile, have an exceedingly fine appearance, and are highly esteemed. The officers are promoted according to seniority; but since the peace, the corps has been much reduced, and the officers are old in their grades. The officers also are mostly persons without influence, and enter the royal marines because unable to purchase rank in the army. The barracks for the soldiers did not altogether please me: they are better regulated and kept more cleanly in the Netherlands. It is a good regulation that the bedsteads are iron, and that every man lies alone; but it is very bad on the other hand, that they cook in the same room.

I visited, in company with Captain Ryk, the Ganges, a ship of the line of eighty-four guns, built a few years since by Indian workmen, entirely of Teak-wood. This hard and heavy timber is not only very lasting, but has also the great excellence of not cracking in a warm climate. We were received on board the ship with great attention, in the absence of Captain Campbell, by Lieutenant Wright, who did the honours in a very friendly manner. I cannot sufficiently admire the neatness observed in this ship. They have an excellent mode of taking care of the rings, bolts, weapons, and other iron, brass, and copper utensils, on board of English ships of war. The forepart of the gun-deck is an extraordinary apartment, the iron implements are varnished, and the others polished and arranged along the whitewashed sides, so as to form figures and inscriptions. When strangers visit the ship a sort of chandelier is lighted, which produces a very beautiful effect. When we left the ship, Lieutenant Wright had the politeness to take us in his barge to the inner harbour, where the ships are laid up in ordinary. As we left the Ganges, she saluted us with nineteen guns.

Ships in commission are painted black and white; when they go into ordinary this paint is scraped off, and they are then painted brownish yellow; if not again to be employed in active service they are painted entirely black. We went on board of the Nelson, of one hundred and twenty guns, in the harbour. She is a new ship, but lay in ordinary, having been already affected with the destructive dry-rot. The injured planks had been removed, and at present she is entirely sound. The Nelson, Ganges, and all the recently built ships of the line have round sterns. All of them have the wood work necessary for their equipment, as for gun-carriages, &c. on board. In order to preserve this and the deck from the influence of the weather, a large roof is built over them. From the Nelson we went on board the royal yacht, the Royal George, which I had already seen, but which I willingly examined once more, on account of her elegant construction and great luxury. The magnificence of the royal apartments, and those for the suite, are very strongly contrasted with the birth-deck for the crew, which is both dark and confined. We remarked here a patent iron camboose, which cooked all the food by means of steam.

Having purchased the necessary provisions, especially Gamble’s preserved meats, which keep fresh for a year, I went on the 4th of May, at 4 P. M. on board the steam ship, Sir Francis Drake, to go to Plymouth, distant one hundred and fifty miles. The engine is of seventy horse-power. The ship was not very comfortably arranged; the main cabin was so near the boiler that the heat was intolerable. Our passengers amounted to thirty persons, only eight of whom were cabin passengers. About five o’clock a gun was fired as a signal for sailing, and we stood out to sea. Spithead road with the shipping lay to the left, and our course was between the land and the Isle of Wight. Cowes with its beautiful gardens presented an agreeable sight, about a mile to the westward of which stands a castle called Egypt. It began to grow dark. We saw on the right hand the extremely bright lights of Hurst-castle, and on the left the light-house of the Needles, on the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, which I visited two years ago. The white rocks of the Needles were visible in the dark, and from the effects of frequent storms have an entirely peculiar appearance. As we passed this dangerous place, the wind increased, and the motion of the little ship, with the continual jarring of the steam-engine, became exceedingly disagreeable. As the birth allotted to me was too short, I was obliged to place my mattrass upon the floor. The heat and strokes of the adjacent steam-engine, the coughing of a catarrhous Irishman, and the squalling of a child in the next cabin, long prevented me from sleeping. It was not until near morning that I began to slumber, but was soon waked again by the insupportable heat. I sought refuge upon deck, where nearly all the company, without excepting the captain, were unwell.