The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 129: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 THE STEAM PACKET. Rinerem; vich France’ swallow up at de von mouthful if she do choose.”’ . “Well,” said Captain Pentonville, ‘‘and where is your third kingdom ? ” | ‘Dat is de fiedom of heaven!’’ answered the commissioner, pointing upwards with the most imperturbable gravity. A burst of laughter succeeded this explanation; but the commis- sioner, had he been as honest as he was communicative and garrulcus, might have added that he had perpetrated the same joke almost every day during the preceding quarter of a century. Mount Cassel is probably the cheapest place of residence in thi northern part of France. Several English gentlemen have lived at the Hotel d’ Angleterre for many years; enjoying board, lodging, and all requisite comforts, for the small monthly stipend of a hundred francs— or four pounds sterling. The ¢able-d’héte dinners at the Hotel d’An- gleterre are not surpassed by those of any country-town inn in that part of France; and as the adjacent canals and streams abound in fish, a liberal supply of that delicious esculent is invariably provided. The inhabitants of Mount Cassel—and indeed of all the Department of the North, in which the town is situate—speak Flemish upon ordinary occa- sions; and such harmonious and easily-spelt names as Vanderplanck, Bekerlynck, Veraeghe, &c., may be seen upon the shop-fronts, form- ing a remarkable contrast to the euphonious French ones to which the traveller is accustomed. The Flemings are a brave people; but the French entertain a very mean opinion of the Belgians: indeed, upon one occasion, when the “ braves Belges” understood that a Dutch army was approaching, they ran away with such precipitation that they not only left their ammunition and baggage behind them, but also their hats and shoes. While Captain Pentonville, Mr. Buckram, and the other Luttinsekie attended by Mr. Thomas Gibbins, were admiring the surrounding scenery from the height on which they were posted, a little old gentle- man, dressed in a suit of most uncommonly seedy black, and carrying a large red eagle-shaped beak protruding from his face, advanced towards them, and addressed them in the most courteous manner in their own language: indeed the diminutive elderly gentleman was an Englishman himself, although, as he afterwards observed, a residence of twenty years at Cassél had almost naturalised him in France. “‘ Beautiful view, gentlemen—beautiful view!” said the little old man, rubbing his hands joyfully together. ‘‘'Very, indeed, sir,” returned Captain Pentonville. ‘‘ I presume you are a traveller, like ourselves, and are come to enjoy this fine prospect 2” Gomicbooks (E(0)