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HONFLEUR.

ease by means of an iron windlass. This large lustre, is sur-
rounded with plates of the thickest french glass, fixed in squares
of iron, and discharges a prodigious light, in dark nights. A
furnace of coal, was formerly used, but this has been judi-
ciously superseded by the present invention. Round the lan-
tern, is a gallery with an iron balustrade, the view from this
elevation upon
the beach, the entrance of the Seine, Honfleur
(where our Henry III is said to have fought the french armies,
and to have distinguished himself by his valour) the distant hills
of Lower Normandy, and the ocean, is truly grand. It
brought to my mind that beautiful description of Shakspeare→→

-The murmuring surge

That on th' unnumbered idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high: I'll look no more,
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

We did not visit the other tower, as it was uniform with this. The woman who has the charge of the light, was very good humoured, and very talkative, she seemed delighted to show us every thing, and said she preferred seeing englishmen in her tower as friends, to the view she frequently had of them from it as enemies, alluding to the long, and masterly blockade of this port by a squadron of english frigates. She carried us to her little museum, as she called it, where she had arranged, very neatly, a considerable collection of fossils, shells, and petrefactions. Here she showed us with great animation, two

british

RAFTS.

CARTS.

29

III.

british cannon balls, which during the blockade, had very nearly CHAP. rendered her husband and herself, as cold and as silent as any of the petrefactions in her collection. In this little cabinet was her bed, where amidst the war of winds and waves, she told us she slept as sound as a consul.

In the basins of Havre, we saw several rafts, once so much talked of, constructed for the real, or ostensible purpose of conveying the invading legions of France, to the shores of Great Britain. I expected to have seen an immense floating platform, but the vessels which we saw, were made like brigs of an unusual breadth, with two low masts. The sincerity of this project has been much disputed, but that the french government expended considerable sums upon the scheme, I have no doubt.

I must not omit to mention, the admirable mode, which they have here, and in most parts of France, of constructing their carts. They are placed upon very high wheels, the load is generally arranged so as to create an equipoise, and is raised by an axle, fastened near the shafts. I was informed by a merchant, that a single horse can draw with ease thirty-six hundred weight, in one of these carts. These animals have a formidable appearance, owing to a strange custom which the french have, of covering the collar, with an entire sheep's skin, which gives them the appearance of having an enormous shaggy mane.

At night, we settled our bills which amounted to forty livres each. A considerable charge in this country, but we had lived well, and had not thought it worth our while,

on

30

CHAP.

III.

ECONOMICAL HINT.

on account of the probable shortness of our stay, to bargain for our lodging, and board, a plan generally proper to be used by those, who mean to remain for some length of time, in any place in France,

CHAP.

CHAPTER IV.

Cheap travelling to Paris.- Diligences.

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Postilions. -Norman Horses. Bolbec. Natives of Caux
Ivetot.-Return of Religion. - Santerre.-Jacobin. - The Mustard-

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IV.

BEFORE I proceed on my journey, I must beg leave to CHAP. present a very cheap mode of travelling to Paris, from Havre, to those who have more time at their command than I had. It was given to me by a respectable gentleman, and an old traveller.

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30

30

From Rolleboise to Pontoise, by water

From Pontoise to Paris, by land

This progress, however, is tedious and uncertain.

At day-break we seated ourselves in the diligence. All the carriages of this description have the appearance of being the result of the earliest efforts in the art of coach building. A more uncouth clumsy machine can scarcely be imagined. In the front is a cabriolet fixed to the body of the coach, for the accommodation of three passengers, who are protected from the rain above, by the projecting roof of the coach, and in

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front

32

IV.

DILIGENCES.

CHAP. front by two heavy curtains of leather, well oiled, and smelling somewhat offensively, fastened to the roof. The inside, which is capacious, and lofty, and will hold six people with great comfort, is lined with leather padded, and surrounded with little pockets, in which the travellers deposit their bread, snuff, night caps, and pocket handkerchiefs, which generally enjoy each others company in the same delicate depositary. From the roof depends a large net work, which is generally crouded with hats, swords, and band boxes, the whole is convenient, and when all parties are seated and arranged, the accommo dations are by no means unpleasant.

Upon the roof, on the outside, is the imperial, which is generally filled with six or seven persons more, and a heap of luggage, which latter also occupies the basket, and generally presents a pile, half as high again as the coach, which is secured by ropes and chains, tightened by a large iron windlass,. which also constitutes another appendage of this moving mass.. The body of the carriage rests upon large thongs of leather,, fastened to heavy blocks of wood, instead of springs, and thewhole is drawn by seven horses. The three first are fastened to the cross. bar, the rest are in pairs, all in rope harness and tackling. The near horse of the three first, is mounted. by the postilion, in his great jack boots, which are always placed, with much ceremony, like two tubs, on the right side of his Rosinante, just before he ascends. These curious protectors of his legs, are composed of wood, and iron hoops, softened within by stuffing, and give him all the dignity of riding in a pair of upright portmanteaus. With a long lash

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whip

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