These vessels; these things, together with the shouting
and singing of the sailors, the rattling of anchors which are being
weighed, and the rush and swell of passing steamers, combine to
constitute a picture not to be surpassed in any city except in that
metropolis of the world, London. {12}
The reason of this unusual activity in the harbour lay in the
severity of the past winter. Such a winter had not been experienced
for seventy years: the Elbe and the Baltic lay for months in icy
chains, and not a ship could traverse the frozen river, not an
anchor could be weighed or lowered. It was only a short time before
my arrival that the passage had once more become free.
In the neighbourhood of the harbour are situated the greater number
of the so-called "yards." I had read concerning them that, viewed
from the exterior, they look like common houses; but that they
constitute separate communities, and contain alleys and streets,
serving as the domicile of innumerable families. I visited several
of these places, and can assure the reader that I saw nothing
extraordinary in them. Houses with two large wings, forming an
alley of from eighty to a hundred paces in length, are to be met
with in every large town; and that a number of families should
inhabit such a house is not remarkable, considering that they are
all poor, and that each only possesses a single small apartment.
The favourite walk in the town is the "Jungfernstieg" (Maiden's
Walk), a broad alley, extending round a spacious and beautiful basin
of the Alster. On one side are splendid hotels, with which Hamburgh
is richly provided; on the other, a number of private residences of
equal pretensions. Other walks are, the "Wall," surrounding the
town, and the "Botanical Garden," which resembles a fine park. The
noblest building, distinguished alike as regards luxury, skill,
tastefulness of design, and stability, is the Bazaar. It is truly a
gigantic undertaking, and the more to be admired from the fact that
it is not built upon shares, but at the expense of a single
individual, Herr Carl Sillem; the architect's name is Overdick. The
building itself is constructed entirely of stone, and the walls of
the great room and of the hall are inlaid with marble. A lofty
cupola and an immense glazed dome cover both the great room and the
hall; the upper staircases are ornamented with beautiful statues.
When in the evening it is brilliantly lighted with gas, and further
ornamented by a tasteful display of the richest wares, the spectator
can almost fancy himself transported to a fairy palace.
Altogether the shops in Hamburgh are very luxurious. The wares lie
displayed in the most tasteful manner behind huge windows of plate-
glass, which are often from five to six feet broad, and eight or ten
feet high; a single sheet frequently costs 600 florins. This plate-
glass luxury is not confined to shops, but extends to windows
generally, not only in Hamburgh, but also in Altona, and is also
seen in the handsomest country-houses of the Hamburghers. Many a
pane costs eight or ten florins; and the glass is insured in case of
breakage, like houses in case of fire.
This display of glass is equalled by the costliness of the
furniture, which is almost universally of mahogany; a wood which is
here in such common use, that in some of the most elegant houses the
very stair-banisters are constructed of it. Even the pilots have
often mahogany furniture.
The handsomest and most frequented street is the "Neue Wall" (New
Wall). I was particularly struck with the number of shops and
dwellings underground, to which one descends by a flight of six or
eight stairs; an iron railing is generally placed before the
entrance, to prevent the passers-by from falling down.
A very practical institution is the great slaughterhouse, in which
all cattle are killed on certain days of the week.
Concerning the town of Altona, I have only to observe that it
appeared to me a continuation of Hamburgh; from which town, indeed,
it is only separated by a wooden door. A very broad, handsome
street, or, more properly speaking, an elongated square, planted
with a double row of large trees, is the most remarkable thing about
Altona, which belongs to the Danish Government, and is considered,
after Copenhagen, the most important place in the kingdom.
It is a delicious ride to the village of Blankenese, distant nine
miles from Hamburgh; the road lies among beautiful country-houses
and large park-like gardens. Blankenese itself consists of
cottages, grouped in a picturesque manner round the Sulberg, a hill
from which the traveller enjoys a very extended view over the great
plain, in which it is the only elevated point. The course of the
Elbe, as it winds at moderate speed towards the sea, is here to be
traced almost to its embouchure at Cuxhaven.
The breadth of the Elbe at Blankenese exceeds two miles.
Another interesting excursion is to the "New Mills," a little
village on the Elbe, not more than half a mile from Altona, and
inhabited only by fishermen and pilots. Whoever wishes to form an
idea of Dutch prettiness and cleanliness should come here.
The houses are mostly one story high, neatly and tastefully built;
the brightest of brass handles adorn the street-doors; the windows
are kept scrupulously clean, and furnished with white curtains.
In Saxony I had found many dwellings of the peasantry tidy and neat
enough, displaying at any rate more opulence than we are accustomed
to find with this class of people; but I had seen none to compete
with this pretty village.
Among the peasants' costumes, I only liked that worn by the women
from the "Vierlanden." They wear short full skirts of black stuff,
fine white chemisettes with long sleeves, and coloured bodices,
lightly fastened in front with silk cords or silver buckles.
