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Chapter 54

           ThesteamerforHamburgandthesteamerforRotterdamwouldstartfromLondonataboutnineonThursdaymorning.Weshouldknowatwhattimetoexpectthem,accordingtowherewewere,andwouldhailthefirst;sothat,ifbyanyaccidentwewerenottakenabroad,weshouldhaveanotherchance.Weknewthedistinguishingmarksofeachvessel.

           ThereliefofbeingatlastengagedintheexecutionofthepurposewassogreattomethatIfeltitdifficulttorealizetheconditioninwhichIhadbeenafewhoursbefore.Thecrispair,thesunlight,themovementontheriver,andthemovingriveritselftheroadthatranwithus,seemingtosympathizewithus,animateus,andencourageusonfreshenedmewithnewhope.Ifeltmortifiedtobeofsolittleuseintheboat;but,therewerefewbetteroarsmenthanmytwofriends,andtheyrowedwithasteadystrokethatwastolastallday.

           Atthattime,thesteam-trafficontheThameswasfarbelowitspresentextent,andwatermen’sboatswerefarmorenumerous.Ofbarges,sailingcolliers,andcoasting-traders,therewereperhaps,asmanyasnow;butofsteam-ships,greatandsmall,notatitheoratwentiethpartsomany.Earlyasitwas,therewereplentyofscullersgoinghereandtherethatmorning,andplentyofbargesdroppingdownwiththetide;thenavigationoftheriverbetweenbridges,inanopenboat,wasamucheasierandcommonermatterinthosedaysthanitisinthese;andwewentaheadamongmanyskiffsandwherriesbriskly.

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