Some pains were taken by Whitelocke to view their fortifications, which are large, of about two German (ten English) miles in compass; they are very regular and well kept.  Within the grafts are hedges of thorn, kept low and cut, held by them of better use than palisades.  The bulwarks are of an extraordinary greatness; upon every third bulwark is a house for the guards, and they are there placed.  There is also a building of brick, a great way within the ground upon the bulwark, and separate by itself, where they keep all their gunpowder; so that if by any mischance or wicked design it should blow up, yet it could do no hurt to the town, being so separated from it.  On every bulwark there is space enough to draw up and muster a thousand men; beyond the grafts are divers half-moons, very regularly made.  The grafts are broad and deep, filled with the Elbe on the one side, and with another smaller river on the other side.

The works are stronger, larger, and more regular than those at Luebeck.  Above the works is a piece of ground of above five hundred yards of low ground, gained by industry from the Elbe; here they have mills to keep out or let in more or less water, as they find useful for the town and works.  The lines of one side of the works are higher than on the other side, and the works better and stronger made.  Here are also mounds of earth raised very high to command without; there wanted no pains nor expense to put together so great a mass of earth as is in these fortifications.  Upon every bulwark is mounted one demi-cannon, besides other great guns; in other places are smaller pieces.  Round about the works are great store of ordnance, well fitted, mounted, and kept; and the platforms are strong and well planked.

Having made a large tour through the greatest part of the city, Whitelocke found it to be pleasantly situated in a plain low country, fertile and delightful, also healthful and advantageous for trade; and notwithstanding the great quantity of waters on every side of it, yet the inhabitants do not complain of agues or other sicknesses to be more rife among them than in other parts.

Upon one side is a small river, the which comes a great way down the country to this town, where it loseth itself in the Elbe, having first supplied the city with wood and other provisions brought down hither by boats, for which this river, though narrow, is deep enough and navigable.  On the other side of the town is the stately river of Elbe, one of the chief of these parts of Germany, which also by boats brings down out of the country great store of all sorts of provisions and merchantable commodities; and which is much more advantage to them, affords a passage for merchants hither, and from hence to vent their merchandises to all parts of the world.  It is the best neighbour they have, and the branches and arms of it run through most of their streets by their doors, to the great advantage of their commerce;