Germany, that he had acquired a slight knowledge of the language of each country, and spoke all very imperfectly. He said that he understood English best, but he was nearly unable to express himself in that.
On the evening of the 8th of September[1] we sailed from Rotterdam, but contrary 8 Sept., 1814.winds obliged us to remain nearly two days at Marsluys, a town about two leagues from Rotterdam. Here our last guinea was expended, and we reflected with wonder that we had travelled eight hundred miles for less than thirty pounds, passing through lovely scenes, and enjoying the beauteous Rhine, and all the brilliant shews of earth and sky, perhaps more, travelling as we did, in an open boat, than if we had been shut up in a carriage, and passed on the road under the hills.[2]
The captain of our vessel was an Englishman, and had been a king's pilot. The bar of the Rhine a little below Marsluys is so dangerous, that without a very favourable breeze none of the Dutch vessels dare attempt its passage; but although the wind was a very few points in our favour, our captain resolved to sail, and although half repentant before he had accomplished his undertaking, he was glad and proud when, triumphing over the timorous Dutchmen, the bar was crossed, and the vessel safe in the open sea. It was in truth an enterprise of some peril; a heavy gale
- ↑ In Shelley's edition August is printed for September, through some oversight. Mrs. Shelley, in the Essays &c., 1840, corrected the error. Miss Clairmont's journal, written from day to day, makes it quite clear that the travellers slept at Rotterdam on the 8th of September, and sailed at 4 p.m. on the 9th.
- ↑ In the Essays &c., Mrs. Shelley here adds—"During our stay at Marsluys, S*** continued his Romance." The reference is presumably to The Assassins, begun at Brunen. (See p. 143.)
