As far as strength and beauty were
concerned, I thought these peasants were neither more nor less
gifted than those of Austria. As regards the beauty of the fair
sex, I should certainly give the preference to the Austrians. Fair
hair and blue eyes predominate.
I saw but few soldiers; their uniforms, particularly those worn by
the king's life-guards, are very handsome.
I especially noticed the drummers; they were all little lads of ten
or twelve years old. One could almost have exclaimed, "Drum,
whither art thou carrying that boy?" To march, and to join in
fatiguing manoeuvres, carrying such a drum, and beating it bravely
at the same time, is rather cruel work for such young lads. Many a
ruined constitution may be ascribed to this custom.
During my stay in Copenhagen I spent many very delightful hours with
Professor Mariboe and his amiable family, and with the kind
clergyman of the embassy, Herr Zimmermann. They received me with
true politeness and hospitality, and drew me into their circle,
where I soon felt myself quite at ease. I shall never forget their
friendship, and shall make use of every opportunity to shew them my
appreciation of it. Herr Edouard Gottschalk and Herr Knudson have
also my best thanks. I applied to the first of these gentlemen to
procure me a passage to Iceland, and he was kind enough to use his
interest with Herr Knudson on my behalf.
Herr Knudson is one of the first general dealers in Copenhagen, and
carries on a larger and more extended commerce with Iceland than any
other house trading thither. He is already beginning to retire, as
the continual journeys are becoming irksome to him; but he still
owns a number of great and small vessels, which are partly employed
in the fisheries, and partly in bringing all kinds of articles of
consumption and luxury to the different harbours of Iceland.
He himself goes in one of his ships every year, and stays a few
months in Iceland to settle his affairs there. On the
recommendation of Herr Gottschalk, Herr Knudson was kind enough to
give me a passage in the ship in which he made the journey himself;
a favour which I knew how to value. It is certainly no small
kindness to take a lady passenger on such a journey. Herr Knudson
knew neither my fortitude nor my perseverance; he did not know
whether I should be able to endure the hardships of a journey to the
north, whether I would bear sea-sickness philosophically, or even if
I had courage enough, in case of storms or bad weather, to abstain
from annoying the captain by my fears or complaints at a time when
he would only have too much to harass him.
