t in God, and
consider what there was to be done. Then he said he thought, if we
could manage to hoist the little sail, he would try whether we could
not get on. So with great difficulty, and working all together, we got
it half way up, and sailed on again; and when those on the land saw
this, and how we were able to help ourselves, they came and gave us
assistance, so that we got safely to land. Middleburg is a good town,
and has a very beautiful Town-house with a costly tower. And there are
also many things there of old art. There is an exceedingly costly and
beautiful seat in the abbey, and a costly stone aisle, and a pretty
parish church. And in other respects also the town is very rich in
subjects for sketches. Zealand is pretty and marvellous to see, on
account of the water, which is higher than the land."

The tide had carried off the stranded whale; and so Duerer returned
to Antwerp, staying a few days at Bergen. Soon afterwards he gave
Von Rafensburg three books of fine engravings in return for five
snail-shells, nine medals, four arrows, two pieces of white coral,
two dried fish, and a scale of a large fish. Improvident collector
of curiosities! how did the matronly Agnes endure such tradings?
Many dinners with the Genoese Tomasin are then recorded, and fresh
collations with new friends, in the hearty and hospitable spirit of
the easy-living Netherlanders. He repaid the quaint presents of his
admirers with many copies of his engravings, and occasionally made
some money in the practice of his profession.

"On Shrove Tuesday early the goldsmiths invited me and my wife to
dinner. There were many distinguished people assembled, and we had an
extremely costly meal, and they did me exceeding much honor; and in
the evening the senior magistrate of the town invited me, and gave me
a costly meal, and showed me much honor. And there came in many
strange masks." He then records his exchanges of engravings for such
singular returns as satin, candied citron, ivory salt-cellars from
Calcutta, sea-shells, monk's electuary, sweetmeats in profusion,
porcelains, an ivory pipe, coral, boxing-gloves, a shield, lace,
fishes' fins, sandal-wood, &c. The Portuguese ambassador invited him
to a rich Carnival feast, where there were "many very costly masks;"
and the learned Petrus AEgidius entertained him and Erasmus of
Rotterdam together. He climbed up the cathedral tower, and "saw over
the whole town from it, which was very agreeabl