_Hactenus Argoos cecinisti, Graecia, nautas,_ _Et rudis aethereo pinus in axe micat;_ _Altera Britannas nunc implet Iberia puppes,_ _Terraque Phrixeam Cantabra mittit ovem._ _Alter es Aeëtes, Lodoix, vinctusque sopore_ _Aeterno serpens Gallica classis erit._ _Aesoniden, Ormonde, refers; et forte puella,_ _Quae tibi Medeam praestet, Ibera fuit._ _At quantum Argolicae praeluxerit Angla juventae,_ _Sit memor aeterno carmine fama loqui._ _Unica tunc unam decoravit praeda carinam;_ _Millia nunc referunt vellera mille rates._ _Anna, parens orbis, pretiosam carpere lanam_ _Incipe, et augusta fila novare manu;_ _Protinus optato flavescent saecla metallo,_ _Et fluet e fusis aurea vita tuis._ January xxviii. Resolving at last to take leave of my good friends at _Hamburg_, _Mynhéer Platia_, with two other merchants, and myself, hire a post waggon for _Holland_. We set forward by seven a clock in the morning, and continue our way two German miles up the river, by the village of _Offensey_ to _Blankeness_; there we cross the _Elbe_, and proceed to a town called _Buxtchude_ in the dominion of _Sweden_, and by night arrive at a poor house in the wood called _Arnswoldt_. Here we drive in with our waggon, and alight at the same room, which was to receive us and our horses, and be at the same time our chamber and parlour, and the kitchin of our old landlady, who was smoked like a ham of bacon. We found her with her houshold, brooding over a fire hearth in the middle of this apartment, common to her self and cattle. Over which there was no chimney, but a wooden rack well stored with bacon, where the smoke was employed to prepare the provision of the year, without wasting itself at the funnel of a chimney. We are laid on a large heap of straw[141], whilst the cows are chewing the cud on each side, and lulling us to sleep. It was here I first saw the black bread of this country, called _bonpournickel_; and was told, that this with plenty of swines flesh, and the thick water of this flat country, were the only dainties of the place. However, it was our good fortune not to be reduced to that diet; for we fared well on our hamper, which we brought with us from _Hamburg_. January xxix.