We, therefore, anticipated another day in our
pleasant quarters; but thought it prudent to take our baggage
on board. Upon getting down to the quay, we were stopped by a
_gens-d'armes,_ who desired to have our keys, which we of course
immediately surrendered. On the previous day, while driving about
the town, our progress had been suddenly arrested by one of these
officials, with an inquiry whether we had any thing to declare. He was
satisfied with our reply in the negative, and allowed us to proceed. A
gentleman afterwards asked me whether, in my travels through France,
I had not observed that the police was a mere political agent,
established for the purpose of strengthening the hands of the
government, and not, as in England, intended for the protection of the
people? I could only reply, that we had lost nothing in France, and
that property there appeared to be as secure as at home. Certainly,
the interference of the _gens-d'armes_ about the baggage, and the
continual demand for our passports, were very vexatious, detracting in
a great degree from the pleasure of the journey.
We found the rate of porterage excessively high; the conveyance of our
baggage to and fro, as we passed from steam-boats to hotels, proving,
in the aggregate, enormous; the whole went upon a truck, which one
man drew, with apparent ease, and for a very short distance, we paid
nearly double the sum demanded for the hire of a horse and cart in
London, from Baker Street, Portman Square, to the Custom House.
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