who
hallooing and "sacre dieuing" each other most unmercifully, began,
without further ceremony, to seize upon every trunk within their reach,
which they threw into their boats lying alongside.

By a well-timed rap upon the knuckles of one of these marine
functionaries, we prevented our luggage from sharing the same fate. It
turned out, that there was a competition for carrying our trunks on
shore, for the sake of an immoderate premium, which they expected to
receive, and which occasioned our being assailed in this violent manner.
Our fellow-passengers were obliged to go on shore with these vociferous
watermen, who had the impudence and inhumanity to charge them two livres
each, for conveying them to the landing steps, a short distance of about
fifty yards. Upon their landing, we were much pleased to observe that
the people offered them neither violence nor insult. They were received
with a sullen silence, and a lane was made for them to pass into the
town. The poor old clergyman who had survived the passage, was left on
board, in the care of two benevolent persons, until he could be safely
and comfortably conveyed on shore. We soon afterwards followed our
fellow-passengers in the captain's boat, by which plan we afforded these
extortioners a piece of salutary information, very necessary to be made
known to them, that although we were english, we were not to be imposed
upon. I could not help thinking it rather unworthy of our neighbours to
exact from us such heavy port dues, when our english demands of a
similar nature, are so very trifling. For such an import, a vessel of
the republic, upon its arrival in any of the english ports, would only
pay a few shillings. Perhaps this difference will be equalized in some
shape, by the impending commercial treaty, otherwise, a considerable
partial advantage will accrue to the french from their passage packets.
Upon our landing, and entering the streets, I was a little struck with
the appearance of the women, who were habited in a coarse red camlet
jacket, with a high apron before, long flying lappets to their caps, and
were mounted upon large heavy wooden shoes, upon each of which a worsted
tuft was fixed, in rude imitation of a rose. The appearance and clatter
of these sabots, as they are called, leave upon the mind an impression
of extreme poverty and wretchedness.

They are, however, more favoured than the lower order of females in
Scotland. Upon a brisk sprightly chamber-ma