that he might hear how it sounded. I told him that I had been all the while speaking American to him. O no! was the reply, do not deceive me; you have been all the while speaking English, just such as the people of London use ;-now speak some American. He persisted to the last, and I could scarcely persuade him that English was the native language of my country.

We were frequently in conversation, and, one evening, he asked me if I did not think that America and Russia joined. I supposed that he alluded to the contiguous situation of Kamschatka and the opposite north-western coast of America, and answered, very coolly, that I believed not; the straits of Behring undoubtedly separated them.

The next day on deck, he said to me very abruptly, but with a meaning countenance: do not you think our countries join?-and, a day or two after, he pronounced very emphatically, and with a smile: I am sure our countries join! giving me his hand with warmth, and leaving me in no doubt as to his meaning.

Thus does it often happen to us in life, to form unexpectedly an interesting acquaintance with a stranger, and then to be obliged by imperious circumstances to break it off with reluctance and regret.

In the course of my numerous conversations with Mr. Kenitz, he related to me various anecdotes, one of which I will recite, as he stated it to have occurred under his own observation. If I mistake not, however, a similar anecdote is related by some traveller in Russia, and it may perhaps have occurred twice, as it is no new thing for an Englishman to be both stiff and loyal.

Mr. Kenitz was standing with an English friend at a great military spectacle at St. Petersburgh, where Alex

ander himself, the present emperor, reviewed the troops in person, and was riding along the lines on horseback: as he passed, all the crowd of spectators, with one accord, took off their hats and bowed and remained uncovered, till the emperor had gone quite by; when he came near where Mr. Kenitz stood, with his English friend, the latter remained firm as mount Atlas, and neither took off his hat, nor made obeisance. Dont you take off your hat to the emperor? said Mr. Kenitz. No! replied the Englishman, I bow to no monarch in Europe but George the third! Alexander was very near at the moment, and appeared to have observed this covered head, and to have overheard this short dialogue, for he relaxed his features into a full smile, and appeared perfectly to understand the humour of the thing.

At an early hour I retired to rest, and at three in the morning rose and gave my bed to my Russian friend, as the water came in through a leak, and made his mattress uncomfortable.

In the mean time, I lay down on a bench, wrapped in a blanket, and, when the light returned, I found that we were moored in the beautiful city of Rotterdam.

No. LX. ROTTERDAM.

Canals-Curiosity of the Dutch-Jews-Formalities on landing -Statue of Erasmus-Boom Peas-Indiscretions of speechBeauty of the city-Prostration of commerce-Dutch coinsMirrors on the outside of the houses-Their use.

Oct. 8.-We were in one of those spacious canals with which Rotterdam, like all the commercial cities of Hol

land, is intersected. In this city they are so wide and deep, that vessels of four hundred tons lie in them; thus the ships are distributed in every part of the town, and lie at the very doors of the merchants.

We now looked, every moment, for our deliverance, but we were still confined by a sentinel, till the pleasure of the French general respecting us should be known. In the mean time we had hot coffee and new bread brought from the town, and something like comfort appeared on board our miserable bark. We were forbidden to send any letters on shore, but I wrote a line to the American consul, and contrived to despatch it, with an introductory letter, addressed to the same gentleman * I requested his

influence with

and myself,

kind interference and the exertion of his the French general, in behalf of Mr. T that we might be speedily released from our tedious confinement. He returned a polite note, in which he promised to come and see us after breakfast, but expressed his fears that we might be detained on board, two or three days, as the French general had gone to the Hague, and it was uncertain when he would return. Soon after, we had the pleasure of seeing the consul in person; his deportment was very friendly, and he promised to go immediately and use his influence in our behalf, but he gave us very little reason to hope for a speedy liberation, and even intimated that it was quite uncertain what they would do with us, as we had come to Holland in direct violation of very severe laws, and now lay entirely at their mercy. I

*The sentinel on board was a Dutchman-when I asked him for permission to send a letter on shore, he said that if he saw it he must seize the letter: I then gave him a piece of money, and he took care not to see me.

confess we did not feel perfectly easy, but, as it was impossible to retreat, or escape, (had we been disposed to do so, which we were not,) we had nothing to do, but wait patiently the course of events.

In the mean time, we were amused with the strong curiosity discovered by the Dutch, who thronged the wharf around our boat, and stood gazing at us, for hours, as if we had been wild animals from Africa. Probably this curiosity has become more active since the commerce of Holland has been almost annihilated, and the arrival of foreigners is, consequently, more rare.

We observed great numbers of Jews walking the streets, with an air of solemnity; they were well dressed, and many of them bore bulrushes and green leaves in their hands; for, they were commemorating the discovery of the infant Moses, in the bulrushes, an event which, I suppose, they reckon to have happened on this day of the year. This dispersed and despised people exhibit a living proof of the truth of prophecy, and are a striking monument of the wrath of God; they are every where mingled with the nations, and yet remain separate, bearing in their very faces such a strong national stamp, that it is, generally, not difficult to point out an Israelite among a promiscuous crowd collected from various countries.

In the course of the forenoon a French sergeant* came to our packet and ordered us to land; this we did with great alacrity, after being nine days confined to our little boat. Like criminals we were all, to the number of four

*This was a veteran grenadier, who had fought in many great battles, and attained his rank for good conduct. Being now beyond his prime, he had obtained his discharge from active service, and a post of duty less dangerous and severe.

6

teen, marched up, under guard, to the town house of Rotterdam, a magnificent building, in which are the offices of the French general, and of his dependants. On our way, we met the American consul, who sent his servant to attend us, and to wait upon us to our lodgings, whenever we should be permitted to go to them.

The French general had not returned, but he had left as a substitute, a Dutchman, who occasionally conducts the examinations, and does most of those little details of business, not excepting the receiving of douceurs, with which the general does not choose to soil his own hands, although he reaps the emoluments.

We were ushered into the presence of the general's substitute, whom we found in a large chamber, where we were successively examined as to our ages, places of birth, occupations, pursuits, views in travelling, and a variety of other particulars, which were registered in a book, and most of us were permitted to go to our lodgings. A Swiss, however, with his wife and child, was ordered again on board, because he had been residing for some years in England.

and

The French sergeant was sent with Mr. T myself to the American consul, to see if he would be answerable for our conduct; and we were told that we might remain at an inn, but in a state of surveilliance,* as they call it, until our passports should he returned from the Hague, whither they had been sent, for the inspection of the French general, and of Mr. Schimmelpennick, the

* That is, we were allowed to make ourselves comfortable, but were in a state of inspection and observation, till they should be satisfied concerning our views.