Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-09-30
Travels in Germany.


When we sailed from New York
on the eleventh of June, our desti-
nation was Hamburg, Germany,
our boat, the "Pretoria'' Of the
Hamburg-American line. After
thirteen days at sea, with glympses
of land several times along the
coasts of England and France, we
landed June "a, at 9 p. m. at Cux'
haven, German port belon glng to
the Republic of Hamburg. The
large Atlantic Liners do not pro-
ceed up the Elbe, but putin" at
this place, busy and growing town
and popular watering place. Here
were many people at the pier to see
the incoming steamer and to greet
relatives and friends returning to
the Fatherland. Some were dressed
in the gay national holiday attire in
bright oolored garments with pic
turesque head adornment, the first
distinctly foreign costumes that we
had seen. There was much excite
ment and noise in The Custom
House. All of our suit cases. 40 in
number, were quickly placed on a
long platform each person having
to open and stand by his own bag
gage and wait until the officers
came down the line to make the
inspection. They lifted up the cor.
ners of the clothing in the suit case
in 8 hasty examination and seemed to
be quickly satisfied that we had no
dutiable articles, such as chocolate
and cigars. Then they marked each
piece with tag, "Zoll 4" and that
finished what we feared would be a
disagreeable experience.
When we left Cuxhaven on the
10 p. m. train, it was still daylight
as we were 80 far north near the
ssland of the midnight sum-" Each
coach of the European trains is d.
vided into several compartments
having the appearance of small
rooms closed by door and contain
ing places for eight persons, sitting
four on a seat and facing one an
other. According to that arrange
tnent, some must always ride back.
3warss, a very undesirable position.
..s,igein tIsrAan, who through. both
courtesy and tardiness, had to be
seated very often in this manner,
said he was going to write book
en- Seeing Europe backwards"
A narrow aisle lighted with
large windows on one side of the
train was social gathering place
where the passengers would fire.
quently meet and talk with their
neighbors from the adjoining com.
partments and enjoy the fine views
IF the outlying country. Some trains
have no aisles, the entrance to each
compartment being made through
doors that open outside and which
were securely locked by the officials
between stations. So if one had
lisagreeable companions there was
nothing to do but sit and face them
10 the journeys end with no aisle
for retreat.
DR.. Wicker placed our section
under the care of his son during the
ocean voyage so VIC did not see him
until he greeted us at the large sta,
lion at Hamburg, having arrived
Two days ahead of US on another
vessel. We soon recognized his
splendid qualities as conductor of
party. In very short time he had
assigned US to our hotels for the
night and made all necessary prepa-
rations for the next day. DR..
Burts who was a member of his
party last year has said, he
is born leader and can arrange
the cheapest and best itinerary any
one knows anything about" Our
hotel at Hamburg was the Lloyd, a
very handsome building with well
furnished rooms. Besides the Gus
tomary linen, on each bed was a
German feather bed for coverlet.
We had read Mark Twain's des-
cription of these and expected to
see mattress made of blue tick
ing and large enough to smother
the sleeper. But instead of that, 1t
looked like a beautiful eiderdown
comfort and was covered with light
colored silk and proved to be light
and very comfortable. In the homes
of some of the peasants, however, |
think we would have seen the Mark
Twain variety. The next morning
we had our first European breakfast,