haus politely asked us, in broken English, for our names, and the name of the hotel to which we were going.

And thus ended our voyage from Havre to Hamburg, a distance of 600 miles, and which occupied the short period of 58 hours. No remarkable incidents occurred. Our fellow-passengers were a few Germans and French, who were, without exception, civil and agreeable in their manners, But as they were all merchants, and wholly intent upon their favorite pursuits, we could learn but little from them save accounts of the state of trade and of stocks. When tired of reading and of talking, we had, however, during the two fine days which we passed on the voyage, one unfailing source of enjoyment, which consisted in taking our seat on the deck amidst our fellow-passengers, where, when we became fatigued with contemplating the scene through which we were passing-the dark and watery plain, the almost innumerable white sails which were passing over it, and the blue vault of the cloudless firmament above and around us—we could find amusement in making a philosophical comparison of the nasal and guttural sounds, with which our ears were alternately saluted by our Gallic and Germanic companions, as well as in regarding, in the same spirit, the curling and ascending volumes of smoke which issued from the cigars of the one and the pipes of the other.

CHAPTER II.

HAMBURG.

Position of Hamburg-Its harbor-Its canals-The Alster-Description of the houses-Their shape, &c.-Height of the houses-Narrowness of the streets -Busy aspect of the city-The Exchange-The cellars-Handsome appearance of the people-The costume of the Vierlanders-Of the servant-women -Fortifications of Hamburg-Now almost leveled down, and forming pleasant promenades-Gates-Practice of shutting the gates at sun-down-Tolls -Want of public Places in Hamburg-The Binnen Alster, and its beautiful promenades-The finest streets in the city-The environs-Parish or suburb of St. Paul-Parish of St. George-The shores of the Grosse Alster-the village of Ham.

HAMBURG, the most considerable of the Free Cities of Germany, is situated on the right, or northern bank of the Elbe, at about 70 miles from its mouth. Its position is in north lat. 53° 34' 32", and east long. (from Greenwich,) 279 51'. The Elbe is navigable up to this point for the largest merchant ships. And without question, this city, as regards foreign commerce, is the chief gate of northern Germany. Less, indeed, than Berlin, in point of extent, as well as in point of population, and inferior to it as it regards manufactures and institutions for the promotion of the arts and sciences, as well as literature in general-it is, on the other hand, far superior to that city in the extent of its trade, both interior and exterior, and for the wealth of its inhabitants.

Its site, along the margin of the river, is low, but rises very gradually as it recedes. The highest portion of the city lies in the west, in the direction of Altona, and is a continuation of the elevated bank of the river, or plateau, on which that town stands. In the eastern and north

eastern direction, the site evidently rises somewhat, but not so much as in the western. The variety, however, in the surface of the city is not very great. The accompanying plan will give the reader a tolerably correct idea of its general position, its chief streets and canals, as well as the localities of its most important buildings and esta blishments. The circuit of the city is stated to be 22,000 feet, or rather less than four English miles.

A small stream- not deserving the name of a rivercalled the Alster, rises in the sand hills of Holstein, to the north of the city, runs through the middle of it, and falls into the Elbe, forming, by its expanded estuary, as it joins that river, what is called the Binnen Hafen, which we have already mentioned. This little river, as the Hamburgers term it, just before it enters the city, and immediately to the north of it, expands into a considerable lake, called Der Grosse Alster. From the lower, or southern side of this lake, some portion of its waters pass on each hand, into the wide and deep moat or trench which surrounds the city proper; whilst the main body of them passes into what is called the Binnen Alster, which is a beautiful sheet of water, lying in the northern part of the city, in the shape of a parallelogram, of nearly a quarter of a mile in length, and something less in width. From the Binnen Alster, at the south-eastern corner, the stream issues in considerable volume, and turns some dozen large water-wheels, connected with several flour-manufacturing establishments. In its onward course, and quite in the heart of the city, it sets in motion as many more, connected with other flour-mills. After this, it finds its way to the Elbe, through the Binnen Hafen, as we have already stated. Whilst on the east, an arm of the Elbe enters the city, and is there divided into a number of canals, which take various directions, till they unite, and join the Alster at the head of the Binnen Hafen. We ought to add, in