As Captain Nelson had now no thoughts of going to sea; his fortune not
permitting him to live on board a king's ship, to use his own words, "in
such a manner as is going on at present;" after again visiting his
family and friends in Norfolk, he agreed to reside a short time in
France, with Captain Macnamara, for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge
of the French language.
Sterne's Sentimental Journey, he said, was the best description he could
give of this tour. He was highly diverted by looking what a curious
figure the postillions, in their jack boots, and their rats of horses,
made together. He was told that they travelled _en poste_, but did not
get on above four miles an hour. Their chaises were without springs, and
the roads paved like London streets. They were shewn into an inn, as the
Frenchmen called it; but he thought it more like a pig-stye: there, in a
room with two straw beds, they had two pigeons for supper, on a dirty
cloth, with wooden handled knives. "Oh!" exclaimed he, "what a
transition from happy England!" But they laughed at the repast; and went
to bed with a determination that nothing should ruffle their temper. In
their way to St. Omer's, they passed through a very fine corn country,
diversified with woods; and Captain Nelson, though a Norfolk man,
acknowledged it to be the best place for game he had ever known.
Partridges, at Montrieul, were sold at two-pence halfpenny a brace, and
pheasants and woodcocks in proportion. On arriving at St. Omer's, he was
surprised to find it, instead of a dirty, nasty town, as he had always
heard it represented, a large city, with good streets, well paved and
lighted.
While Captain Nelson was at St. Omer's, he received a most polite letter
from the principal personage among those whom he had detained off Porto
Cavallo, when he went to look into the harbour of the Havannah. This
gentleman's rank he did not at all know till he got to France. His
assumed name was that of the Count de Deux Ponts: but he was, in fact, a
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