Though not a large boat, the Ferdinand is comfortable and well built.  Even the second-class cabin is neatly arranged, and a pretty stove diffused a warmth which was peculiarly grateful to us all, as the thermometer showed only six to eight degrees above zero.  Unfortunately even here the men and women are not separated in the second-class cabin; but care is at least taken that third-class passengers do not intrude.  Twelve berths are arranged round the walls, and in front of these are placed broad benches well cushioned.

April 3d.

At five o’clock in the morning we steamed out of the harbour of Galatz.  Shortly afterwards basins and towels were handed to us; a custom totally unknown upon former vessels.  For provisions, which are tolerably good, we are charged 1 fl. 40 kr. per diem.

Towards ten o’clock we reached Tehussa, a Bessarabian village of most miserable appearance, where we stopped for a quarter of an hour; after which we proceeded without further delay towards the Black Sea.

I had long rejoiced in the expectation of reaching the Black Sea, and imagined that near its mouth the Danube itself would appear like a sea.  But as it generally happens in life, “great expectations, small realisations,” so it was the case here also.  At Galatz the Danube is very broad; but some distance from its mouth it divides itself into so many branches that not one of them can be termed majestic.

Towards three o’clock in the afternoon we at length entered the Black Sea.

Here the arms of the Danube rush forward from every quarter, driving the sea tumultuously back, so that we can only distinguish in the far distance a stripe of green.  For above an hour we glide on over the yellow, clayey, strongly agitated fresh water, until at length the boundary is passed, and we are careering over the salt waves of the sea.  Unfortunately for us, equinoctial gales and heavy weather still so powerfully maintained their sway, that the deck was completely flooded with the salt brine.  We could hardly stand upon our feet, and could not manage to reach the cabin-door, where the bell was ringing for dinner, without the assistance of some sailors.

Several of the passengers, myself among the number, did little honour to the cook’s skill.  We had scarcely begun to eat our soup, before we were so powerfully attacked by sea-sickness, that we were obliged to quit the table precipitately.  I laid myself down at once, feeling unable to move about, or even to drag myself on deck to admire the magnificent spectacle of nature.  The waves frequently ran so high as to overtop the flue of our stove, and from time to time whole streams of water poured into the cabin.

April 4th.

Since yesterday the storm has increased considerably, so that we are obliged to hold fast by our cribs to avoid being thrown out.  This misfortune really happened to one of the passengers, who was too ill to hold sufficiently tight.