.... maria undique et undique coelum!
We darted from Beechy Head upon a long tack for the French coast: and as
the sun declined, we found it most prudent to put the Captain's advice, of
going below, into execution. Then commenced all the miseries of the voyage.
The moon had begun to assert her ascendancy, when, racked with torture and
pain in our respective berths, a tremendous surge washed completely over
the deck, sky-light, and binnacle: and down came, in consequence, drenched
with the briny wave, the hardiest of our crew, who, till then, had ventured
to linger upon deck. That crew was various; and not without a few of the
natives of those shores which we were about to visit.
To cut short my ship-narrative, suffice it only farther to say, that,
towards midnight, we heard our Captain exclaim that he saw "the lights of
Dieppe"--a joyful sound to us miserable wretches below. I well remember, at
this moment, looking up towards the deck with a cheerless eye, and
perceiving the light of the moon still lingering upon the main-sail,--but I
shall never forget how much more powerfully my sensations were excited,
when, as the dawn of day made objects visible, I looked up, and saw an old
wrinkle-visaged sailor, with a red night cap on begirt with large blue,
puckered, short petticoats--in possession of the helm--about to steer the
vessel into harbour![19]
About seven we were all upon deck. The sea was yet swoln and agitated, and
of a dingy colour: while
.... heavily with clouds came on the day,
as we slowly approached the outward harbour of DIEPPE. A grey morning with
drizzling rain, is not the best accompaniment of a first visit to a foreign
shore. Nevertheless every thing was new, and strange, and striking; and the
huge crucifix, to the right, did not fail to make a very forcible
impression. As we approached the, inner harbour, the shipping and the
buildings more distinctly presented themselves. The harbour is large, and
the vessels are entirely mercantile, with a plentiful sprinkling of fishing
smacks: but the manner in which the latter harmonized with the tint and
structure of the houses--the bustle upon shore--the casks, deal planks,
ropes, and goods of every description upon the quays,--all formed a most
animated and interesting scene. The population seemed countless, and
chiefly females; whose high caps and enormous ear-rings, with the rest of
their paraphernalia, half persuaded me that instead of being some few
twenty-five leagues only from our own white cliffs, I had in fact dropt
upon the Antipodes! What a scene (said I to my companion) for our CALCOTT
to depict![20] It was a full hour before we landed--saluted, and even
assailed on all sides, with entreaties to come to certain hotels. We were
not long however in fixing our residence at the _Hotel d'Angleterre_, of
which the worthy Mons. De La Rue[21] is the landlord.
[17] [Mons. Licquet, my translator, thinks, that in using the word
"_Antiquaire_"--as appears in the previous edition of this work,
incorporated in the gallicised sentence of "_Voyage Bibliographique
Antiquaire_, &c."--I have committed an error; as the word
"_Archéologique_" ought, in his opinion, to have been adopted--and he
supposes that he best expresses my meaning by its adoption. Such a
correction may be better French; but "Archaeological" is not exactly
what is usually meant--in our language--by "Antiquarian."]
[18] This smart little vessel, of about 70 tons burden, considered to be
the fastest sailing packet from Dieppe, survived our voyage only about
eighteen months. Her end had nearly proved fatal to every soul on
board of her. In a dark night, in the month of September, when bound
for Dieppe, she was struck by a heavy London brig. The crew was with
difficulty saved--and the vessel went down within about twenty-five
minutes after the shock.
[19] The English are not permitted to bring their own vessels into
harbour--for obvious reasons.
[20] [This "scene" has been, in fact, subsequently depicted by. the
masterly pencil of J.M.W.TURNER, Esq. R. A: and the picture, in which
almost all the powers of that surprising Artist are concentrated, was
lately offered for sale by public auction. How it was suffered to be
_bought in_ for three hundred and eighty guineas, is at once a riddle
and a reproach to public taste.]
[21] [I learn that he is since DECEASED. Thus the very first chapter of
this second edition has to record an instance of the casualties and
mutabilities which the short space of ten years has effected. Mons. De
la Rue was a man of worth and of virtue.]