A little below the city they came by a small village called by them All to nah (Altona), that is, “All too nigh,” being the King of Denmark’s territory, within half a league, which they thought too near their city.  When they came a little lower, with a sudden strong blast of wind the boat in which Whitelocke was, was in great danger of being overset; after which it grew to be a calm; whereupon Whitelocke sent to the English cloth-ships, which lay a little below, to lend him some of their ship-boats and mariners with oars, to make better way than his boat with sails could do.  This they did readily; and as Whitelocke passed by them, they all saluted him with their cannon.

[SN:  but lands at Stadt.]

Having changed their boats and discharged the great ones, they went more cheerfully down the river till they came within half a league of the town of Stadt; when being almost dark, and the mariners not accustomed to the river out of the channel, the boat in which Whitelocke was, struck upon the sand, and was fast there.  Presently the English mariners, seven or eight of them, leaped out of the boat into the river, “up to their chins, and by strength removed the boat from off the sands again; and they came to their oars again, within an English mile of Stadt, when it was very late, and the boats were two German miles from the frigates, and the tide turning.  Whitelocke thought it impossible to reach his ships this night, and not prudent to proceed with unexperienced men upon this dangerous river by night; and understanding by General Potley, and one of the trumpets who had been formerly here, of a house upon the river that goes to Stadt, within a quarter of a mile of the place where they now were, Whitelocke ordered the mariners to make to that house, who, with much difficulty, found out the mouth of the river; but for want of water, being low tide, they had much trouble to get the boat up to the cruise, or in there.  The master of the house had been a soldier and a cook; he prepared a supper for them of salt eels, salt salmon, and a little poultry, which was made better by the meat and wine that the Resident brought with him; yet all little enough when the rest of Whitelocke’s company, in three other boats, came to the same house, though they could not know of Whitelocke being there; but he was very ill himself, and this was a bad quarter for him, who had been so lately very sick at Hamburg; yet he contented himself without going to bed.  His sons and company had some fresh straw, and God in his wonted mercy still preserved him and his company.  The host sent word to his General, Koningsmark, that the English Ambassador was at his house this night.

June 18, 1654.

[SN:  Embarks in the President.]