Volume 33 Item 02: James Macarthur journal of a tour through Belgium and Germany, November 1828-January 1829

land well drained – no weeds – Wheat just coming up & looking extremely well – Large quantities of Rape & some fields of turnips – Country Linen manufacturers Country improving in appearance – very rich soil – Spade husbandry (long grafting tool the implements I observed in use – Cottages neatly white washed & window

shutters painted – Road runs close to the Ridge – Reached Ghent at four P.M. distance 40 miles Inside fare including all expences 7- cents 50 Centimes – Ghent a fine old town population 70,000 considerable manufacturers of linen, Cotton, lace &c – Fine collection of paintings in the House of Mr [indecipherable]

principally of the Flemish school Portraits of Reubens P. Reubens & their wives – Several fine portraits by Vandyke Judgment of Paris by Tintoretto – Boys firing a small cannon by Velasquez – Crucifixion of Christ by Reubens in the Church of

University Senate House of very fine room in imitation of the Pantheon – Hotel de Vienna at one oClock on tuesday the 17th left Ghent in the Diligence for Antwerp – Highly cultivated & fertile country called the Pays de Waes – originally a barren sand – Rotation husbandry –

St. Nicolas – Crossed

the Scheldt at 7 oClock – Antwerp Hotel du Grand Labouringe sharp point

18th

Antwerp – Cathedral museum – Paintings Dockyards – Spanish Wool loading open quays Fine town – At three P.M. left Antwerp & at 5 reached mehlin [Mechelen] Hotel de St Jacques Frosty weather fine