Young Americans Abroad Part 14

This one looked like a town. It had at least twenty-five huts, and some of them tolerably large shanties; and I should think there were all of three hundred and fifty persons upon it. On the raft were women, children, cows, pigs, and sheep. This one was thought to be seven hundred feet long and two hundred wide, at the least. On our left, as we ascended the river, we now saw Sain and Muhlhofen, just at the point where two small rivers enter the Rhine; and on a hill top are the ruins of a castle of the Counts of Sain. Farther up is the quiet-looking hamlet of Engers; and we pa.s.s the islands of Niederworth and Grasworth.

On the former is a ruined convent, founded in 1242, and a population of nearly seven hundred. They seem to have a fine old church. I very much admired the village of Kesselhein, and I think it must be a charming spot. Close by it is the Palace of Schonbornhest, where the Bourbon family retreated at the revolution in the last century. It is now sadly dilapidated. Just as we were looking at Nuendorf, on our right, we were all called, by a bend in the river, to gaze on the giant rock of Ehrenbreitstein, bristling to its very summit with fortifications. O, how it towers up, and smiles or frowns--which you please--upon Coblentz, sweetly reposing on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle! I think the view from the deck of the steamer, up and down the river, and on each side, is the n.o.blest panoramic view that I have seen. Just before us is a bridge of boats, which connects the fortress with Coblentz; and, looking up the Moselle, is a fine stone bridge. We had our dinner on the deck of the boat--a good arrangement, because we lost none of the scenery. This dinner was about midway between Cologne and Coblentz; and it would have amused you to have noticed the order of the various courses--soup, boiled beef, raw fish, ducks, roast pork, fowls, pudding, baked fish, roast beef, and mutton. Every thing was well cooked, and I never saw people appear more disposed to do justice to a meal. There was not half the hurry and indecorum that you so often see in an American boat. One thing I observed--and that was, that no one used the left hand for the management of his knife. If any thing annoys me, it is to see persons carve and eat at table with this wretched habit. I always imagine that they were so unhappy as to have grown up without father or mother to watch over them. This may be my weakness; but I cannot help it. We went to the Trois Suisses, a fine house on the river bank, and from our windows are looking, by moonlight, on the glorious fortress.

Yours truly,

J.O.C.

Letter 41.

FRANKFORT.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

We had no more pleasant day in our excursion than from Cologne to Coblentz. It would be long before I grew tired of the scenery at that fine old place. We walked about, in the evening, with our New York friends; and, though some parts of Coblentz are very filthy, there are some exquisite plots in it, and all the vicinage is beautiful. We took a pleasant stroll to the bridge which spans the blue Moselle with fourteen arches. The city stands on a point of land formed by the two rivers, and hence was known to the Romans by the name of _Confluentes_. Drusus fortified this place and Ehrenbreitstein thirteen years before Christ.

Its population is short of twenty thousand; but there are also four thousand five hundred Prussian troops at the fortress. This is one of the strongest military posts in Europe. Its fortifications have been the labor of long years; and the works here, united with those across the river, are deemed impregnable. I believe Ehrenbreitstein is called the Gibraltar of Germany. It mounts four hundred cannon, and the magazines will contain provisions for eight thousand men for ten years. The former Electoral Palace is now the Government House, and presents a very n.o.ble appearance from the river. It is either stone, or stuccoed, with an Ionic portico; and, with its wings, is five hundred and forty feet front. All round this city, the heights are strongly fortified; and, look where you may, you see means of defence.

We here determined upon an excursion to Stolzenfels, which is about four miles from Coblentz, and our party went in two carriages--the family of Mr. B. in one, and ourselves in the other. The ride was very pleasant along the banks of the Rhine, and through orchards and vineyards--the heights towering away over us all the way. We came to the village of Capellen, which is a poor little hamlet at the base of the lofty mountain on which stood the n.o.ble ruins of Stolzenfels Castle, which has been most admirably restored, and is now the summer palace of the King of Prussia. The ascent is very steep, but the road is admirable.

Carriages are not allowed to go up, and travellers are supplied with donkeys, of which we found plenty in waiting. Our party all obtained these patient beasts of burden, and I a.s.sure you that we made a funny cavalcade. I do think it would have amused you to see ladies, gentlemen, and boys, all escorted by ragged urchins, mounting the hill. The road has been made at immense expense, and winds along in the most romantic manner--giving you, at every turn, the finest views and catches of the river, up and down; while the walls are frequently at the edges of precipices, from fifty to two hundred feet over the ravines below. The woods were in all their glory, and I never saw a finer day. On arriving at the castle, we rang a bell, and the servant in livery appeared--a fine, civil fellow he was. On entering, we were all furnished with felt slippers, so that, in walking through the apartments, we might not injure the polished oak floors. This castle was the residence of Archbishop Werner, who, at the close of the fourteenth century, was devoted to alchemy. The old tower is an immense affair, and still remains, and is likely to remain for ages. The new parts of the palace have all been restored with constant reference to the original architectural style. We wandered from one apartment to another, perhaps going into twenty or thirty apartments, none of which were very large, and many of them quite small and cosy. We saw the bed-room of the king.

Every thing was plain, and the furniture generally made of oak or black walnut. His study table had pen and ink and paper upon it, just as if he had stepped out of the room. The queen's apartments were very elegantly plain, and her oratory is as pretty a little thing as you can imagine. In all these apartments are fine pictures, and one is superbly frescoed with allegory and history. The room in which the Queen of England and Prince Albert lodged, in 1845, was shown us, and the state bed was still in it. The dining hall was finely ornamented with carvings, old armor, &c. But a room devoted to antiquities pleased us the best of all. Here were cups, bottles, and gla.s.s goblets of the earliest dates,--some as far back as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries,--which had belonged to emperors and electors whom I cannot recollect, they were so many. On the walls were the most precious mementoes; and here we saw the swords of Marshal Tilly, Napoleon Bonaparte,--the one used at Waterloo,--Blucher, and Murat, and the knife and fork belonging to the brave Hofer, the Tyrolese patriot, who was shot at Mantua. From all the windows of this gem of a palace we had the finest views of the river, and could see, from the gateway and platform, Coblentz, Ehrenbreitstein, and eleven different ruins of castles and convents. Directly in front of us, on a bend of the river, almost making a peninsula, was Lahnstein and its ruined castle; off to its right, Braubach, and the Castle of Marksburg and Martin's Chapel; and, on our own side, the pretty village of Rheus, where was once "the royal seat,"

and where the electors of the Rhine used to meet, to elect or depose the emperors of Germany. All round the castle of Stolzenfels are the choicest flowers and shrubs; and I wish some of my horticultural friends could have seen the moss roses and fuchias in such luxuriance. We were sorry to leave the place; but the steamboat on the Rhine is as punctual as a North River boat; and we had to resume our donkeys, descend to the carriages, drive briskly, and were just in time to get on board a boat bound to Mayence. In going up the river, we saw the palace again to great advantage; and, whatever else I forget, this locality I shall keep in memory, I a.s.sure you. We again looked at Lahnstein, and the ruins of St. John's Church, built in 1100, and saw a curious ferry, from the mouth of the Lahn over to Stolzenfels. It is made by five or six boats anch.o.r.ed off, and the ferry boat goes over, wafted by the tide. We then came upon Bopart, an old place, but strongly fortified, and having three or four thousand inhabitants. A gentleman on board, who had been there, said it was quite an interesting place. Nearly opposite we were delighted with the ruined towers of the Brothers, as Sternberg and Liebenstein are called. They occupy the two summits of a rock, every inch of whose sides is sacred to vines. The story of the brothers who lived here you are acquainted with. Our next point of interest was the ruin of Thurnberg, or the Mouse; while not far above is another, called the Cat. The view here grows more sublime, and the river grows narrower; and we had a fine prospect of Rheinfels and the town of St. Goar.

Rheinfels grows up from the river's edge, and is, indeed, _the_ rock of the Rhine. The fortifications were immense, and this is the most wonderful ruin on the river. A confederacy of German and Rhenish cities broke up this fortress at the close of the thirteenth century, and long afterwards it was made a modern defence. Here the river seems pent up, almost; and just above St. Goar there rises from the water a lofty precipice, called the Lurley Rock. Nearly opposite, a man lives, who, when the boat pa.s.ses, fires a pistol, and a very singular echo follows, as we can testify. Not far above are seven rocks, seen at low water, called the Seven Sisters. The legend says that they were hard-hearted girls,--the Ladies Schonberg,--who trifled with the affections of nice young men, and so got their deserts by being turned into stones. Still, at the right, we came to Oberwesel, and we all thought it among the sweetest spots of the river. Salmon are caught in nets here, from the rocks. A bend in the river shows us Schonberg, a fine ruin. This was the family spot whence the Marshal Schomberg, of the Boyne, originated. Just over the river is the n.o.ble Gutenfels. It was spared by the French, and occupied till 1807, but is now roofless. Caub, on the left, is the place where Marshal Blucher crossed the river with his army, January 1, 1814.

In the centre of the river is a castle called Pfalz, built about 1320, which was used as a toll-house by the Duke of Na.s.sau. I think it has been used as a state prison. On our right lies Bacharach, with its many towers, and the fine old ruins of Stahleck Castle. Off this place is a large rock, the Altar of Bacchus; and when the rock is exposed, it is thought to be the pledge of a good vintage. The region is celebrated for its wines; and the grapes of the slaty rocks have a highly musky perfume. A gentleman told me that Bacharach resembles Jerusalem in its aspect. Of course, it must be in miniature that the resemblance exists.

Here we noticed St. Werner's Church, a most superb ruin of the florid Gothic. Those lancet-arched windows are the admiration of all who pa.s.s by. Lorchausen is a small place, and just away from it are the ruins of the Castle of Nollingen. On the other side, or right bank, are the ruins of the old Keep Tower of Furstenberg, destroyed in 1689. Here we enter on the region where the best Rhenish wine is produced. The Rheingau, or valley of the river, is divided into upper and lower departments; and from about Lorch, on the left bank, up to Biberich, are the choicest vineyards. On our right lay the ruins of Heimberg, and the restored Castle of Sonneck. Then comes old Falkenberg, and near to it is the splendid Gothic Church of St. Clement. All these fortresses were the abodes of wholesale highwaymen, and then might made right. Most of them became such nuisances that, at the close of the thirteenth century, they were hurled down, and their places made desolate. Here, too, is Rheinstein, on the very bank of the river. Its early owner was hanged by the Emperor Rudolph. One of the Prussian princes has fitted up the fortress in magnificent style; and I learn that there is no palace in Europe that can boast of such mediaeval splendor. Every thing that can serve to ill.u.s.trate the dark ages is carefully collected for this charming spot, which seems a rival to Stolzenfels.

Just across, on the opposite bank, is a.s.smanshausen, famous for hot baths and red wine. Here you see terrace upon terrace, up to the summits of the hills; and some of these, the guide books say, are one thousand or twelve hundred feet. You will often see fifteen or twenty of these terraces supported by brick and stone fences, and the terrace is often not more than six feet wide; and the soil and manure have all to be carried up on the shoulders of the vine-dressers. The value of this region-arises from its aspect, owing to the bend of the river, which gives _this left bank, as you ascend_, a direct exposure to the sun at midday.

The vintage of the Rhine, I am told, is generally gathered in during October and November, but it is put off as late as possible. Grapes were introduced here by the Romans.

We now came to Ehrenfels, in its venerable decay, the beautiful tower of Rosel, and the ruins of Bromseberg; while on our right are the ruins of Vautsberg, and just beyond we come upon "Bingen of the Rhine," at the mouth of the Nahe; and close by is the celebrated Mausetherm, or Mouse Tower, said to have been built by Hatto, the Archbishop of Mayence, in the tenth century. Southey's fine ballad has immortalized the legend.

Never did town present sweeter aspect than Bingen, at the foot of a pyramidical hill, which is crowned by the ruined Castle of Klopp. In a church here lies Bartholomew of Holshausen, who prophesied the fatality of the Stuarts and Charles II.'s restoration, warning him not to restore Popery. Bingen has, I think, some five or six thousand inhabitants, and has a great trade in wine, which is collected here from all the vineyards around. Rudesheim lies on the other bank, and its famous wine comes from grapes growing close to Ehrenfels. Next comes Geisenheim, also famous for wine, and soon comes the renowned village and vineyard of Johannisberg, or Mountain of St. John. Here the river is wide again,--perhaps two thousand fire hundred feet,--and we begin to see fine meadows. This is where Prince Metternich has his seat, where once was a priory, and various have been its vicissitudes. In 1816, it was given to Metternich by the Emperor of Austria. The mountain contains only seventy-five acres, and the choicest wine comes only from vines growing near the castle, on the crown of the bill. The wine of the village is very inferior to that of this estate. The place has but few inhabitants--say five or eight hundred. The house is white, and not very castle-like. The grape is called the _Riesslingen_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VINEYARD ON THE RHINE.--Pp. 175.]

Here we found several islands. Erbach and Hattenheim are both famous for vineyards, and between them grows the famous Marcobrunner; and the Steinberg vineyard, a fortune to the Duke of Na.s.sau, lies upon a slope of the hill close to the convent, of Eberbach or Erbach. This convent was founded in 1131, but is now a lunatic asylum. The churches here are very fine. Opposite the sh.o.r.e lies Rhine Island, and forms a n.o.ble park.

Walluff, with few inhabitants, is regarded as the commencement of the Rheingau, or wine district, along which we had coasted. Biberich, on the duchy of Na.s.sau, now comes upon our view; and the n.o.ble chateau of the duke presents one of the finest mansions on the river. Here some of our pa.s.sengers left for Frankfort, and took the rail; but we wished to see Mayence, and so went in the boat. The city looks finely, and its red towers and steeples make quite a show. This city belongs to the Duke of Hesse Darmstadt, and is garrisoned by Austrians and Prussians, in equal force, generally eight or ten thousand. Exclusive of these, the population is nearly forty thousand. We walked about, and looked at the fine Cathedral, which was sadly shut up by houses and shanties. It was too late to enter it. You may be sure, Charley, that we found out the monument to John Guttemberg, the inventor of movable types. It is of bronze, and was designed by Thorwaldsen, and stands in front of the Theatre, once a university. After perambulating the town till weary, we came to the bridge of boats, sixteen hundred and sixty-six feet long, and which connects Mayence with Ca.s.sel, a strongly fortified place, where the railroad depot is located. At this bridge are several boat mills, or tide mills, where grain is ground by the tidal action. They look strangely, but work well. On the bridge we met many Austrian officers in rich uniforms, most of them young, and, I thought, very aristocratical in their bearing. Our dinner on board the boat was as profuse as the day before; and I must not forget to tell you that we had an English lordling, son of a former premier, on board, with his lady, on their matrimonial tour. He was the worst-mannered young man that I have seen in Europe; and when he had ogled the company sufficiently with his gla.s.s, and manifested his contempt pretty plainly, he and his betook themselves to the interior of his carriage. He was quite young, and may grow better behaved. We took the ears at dark, and after riding twenty-two miles found ourselves at Frankfort, having pa.s.sed through Hochheim, where the vineyards are so costly that the railroad company had to pay well for the pa.s.sage-way. Here we put up at the Hotel Angleterre. Forgive this long letter; but I could not well shorten it, and I want you to know just what we saw.

Always yours,

JAMES.

Letter 42.

STRASBURG.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

James's long letter gave you a pretty correct view of our pa.s.sage from Coblentz to Frankfort. You will recollect that we went up the Rhine, which gave us more time to look about; but I fancy that in going down stream the sh.o.r.es would show to better advantage, if possible, than in the ascent. From Coblentz to Mayence the river is narrower than before; and every rock more precipitous than its neighbor, has a castle. How some of these towers were built, or could be got at, seems a mystery. I had no idea of the number of these robbers' nests, for such they were.

Much as I love the Hudson, yet I cannot help saying that the Rhine is _the_ river of the world, so far as I have seen the watery highways.

Frankfort is one of the free towns of Germany, and lies on the Maine. It has about sixty-five thousand inhabitants, of whom seven thousand are Jews. I like the city much, and think a residence here would be very agreeable. Some of the modern streets are very handsome, and the dwellings are fine. The old part of the town is old enough. At our hotel we found a sentinel on guard, in honor of an Austrian general staying at the house. The house is a capital one, like all the other great hotels we have yet seen on the continent. We all went to see the Romer, or Town Hall, which was built about 1425, and which is quite famous for its historical a.s.sociations. Here the German emperors were formerly elected and inaugurated. We saw the great hall where they were entertained and had crowned heads for waiters. Here, on its walls, are all the portraits of the series of emperors from Conrad I. to Francis II., and each emperor has his motto underneath. Some of these are quaint enough.

Directly in front of this building is the Romerberg, or Market-place, in which the carousing incident to coronation used to occur; and it is large enough to accommodate a vast a.s.sembly. We rode along the banks of the river, to see a pretty little palace belonging to Duke Somebody, and especially to see the grounds and hothouses. They were exquisitely beautiful. As we were here upon a holiday of the church, the Museum was closed, and we lost the sight of some good pictures. We were much pleased with a visit to the garden of Mr. Bethman, a banker, where we saw a pretty little collection of statuary, the gem of which is Dannecker's statue of Ariadne. The building in which these are placed is neat. We, of course, went to see No. 74 in the Hersch-Graben, where Goethe was born, in 1749. In the corner house of the Dom Platz, Luther once dwelt We rode through the Jews' quarters; and, of all the wretched-looking streets, I think the worst and filthiest is that in which Baron Rothschild was born. As we pa.s.sed a Sabbath here, we attended the English Episcopal Church, a neat building. The service was well read by the chaplain, and an excellent sermon was preached by a stranger. After service I spoke to the chaplain, who was quite anxious to hear about the prospects of Popery in America. He seemed to have very just views of the system, and anxiously deprecated its influence in our Country.

We visited many shops, and found the richest collections of curiosities and antiquities. Here we met with several American friends upon their tour; and at Frankfort we took leave of our New York friends, whose kindness and agreeable company we had been favored with for a few days.

We took the rail for Heidelberg, on our way to Strasburg. The whole of the first few miles was through a very flat-looking country, and our interest was not called out till we came to Darmstadt, a fine town, with thirty thousand inhabitants. We saw a tall column, but could not find out its historical allusion. This is the capital of the grand duchy of Hesse Darmstadt. In pa.s.sing through Odenwald, we saw a tract of woody country; and off to our left we were quite sure that the scenery must be very beautiful. The hills in the distance form the boundary on the eastern part of the valley of the Rhine; and the mountain ranges are richly covered with vineyards and castles all the way, parallel with the railroad. This beautiful region is called the Bergstra.s.se, and I am sure a week or two on these hills would amply repay the pedestrian. It is in these wild regions of romance that the Castle of Rodenstein is found, some ten miles from Erbach; and not far from it Castle Schnellert, where the wild Jager is supposed to live, who haunts the forests and gives spectral forewarnings of battles. Off to our left there was a constantly shifting panoramic view of hill top and ruins.

Heidelberg is sweetly situated on the bank of the Neckar--a beautiful river, and one that I long to trace by its course through wood and hill.

This town is famous for its university and castle. It has about seven hundred and fifty students. We could only see the castle, and admire its exterior. The college was founded in 1386, and is very distinguished as a law school. The library is very large and excellent. The barbarian Tilly is said to have provided litter for his cavalry from books and MSS. out of this then magnificent collection. The ruin of this glorious old castle dates from 1764, when it was burnt by lightning. It is built of red stone. If I live, I hope to visit this place again, and make a thorough exploration of this stupendous ruin. It is here, in a cellar, that the largest wine b.u.t.t in the world is found, and it will contain eight hundred hogsheads. It has long been empty, however. I never longed to follow a river more than I do this same Neckar--it is so clear, and all my glimpses of it have been so filled up with quiet beauty and wild scenery. We saw a hill, near the town, which affords the finest view, we are told, in Germany, and even takes in Strasburg Cathedral spire, which is quite ninety miles off!

From Heidelberg we again took the cars for Kehl, about four miles from Strasburg, a distance of nearly ninety miles. The first-cla.s.s cars are very luxurious and reasonable; second cla.s.s, excellent, and very genteel-looking persons using them. Lord Cowley, father of Lady Bulwer, wife of the minister from England at Washington, was in the cars with us, and two of his children--one a beautiful little girl. They were going to Baden, and were accompanied by a governess.

We found no more of the extraordinary beauty that had made our morning ride so charming. Bruchsal seemed a dull place, as seen from the station; and Durlach had not much greater attractions. Carlsruhe is quite a place, has some repute for its baths, and is the capital of the grand duchy of Baden. Off to the south of this town we saw the skirts of the Black Forest. All around we saw a fine growth of poplars. Pa.s.sing Etlingen and Muggensturm, we come to Rastadt--rather a pretty station, and the town is fortified. At Oos our pa.s.sengers for Baden took a branch train, which, after three miles' ride, brought them into the famous Baden-Baden. We reached Kehl, which is a mere village on the Rhine, but has seen enough of war. Here we took an omnibus and started for Strasburg, distant some four miles. When we reached the French custom-house, over the river, we had quite a searching time; and even a flask of cologne was taxed some twenty cents. We were weary enough, and glad to get into quarters, which we established at the Ville de Paris, a very superior house, with excellent rooms and elegant furniture, while the cookery was perfect. To-morrow we have enough to see and to do.

To-night we shall retire early; but, go where we may, we shall furnish you the promised account of our wanderings.

Yours affectionately,

J.O.C.

Letter 43.

STRASBURG.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

Long before we entered this city, we obtained a fine view of its great glory, the Cathedral spire. What an object! It does not seem as if hammer and chisel had had any thing to do here. I can almost fancy that this spire was thought out and elaborated by mere intellect. It would be long ere I grew weary of looking at this wondrous work of man. The more you examine this edifice, the more you are impressed with its magnificence. Let me tell you about this same minster, as it is called.

The spire is four hundred and seventy-four feet high--one hundred and forty feet higher than St. Paul's, and twenty-four feet higher than the Pyramids of Egypt. The architect was Erwin of Steinbach, and his plans survived him. He died in 1318, when the work was carried on by his son.

The tower was not finished till four hundred and twenty-five years after the commencement of the building, and then Hultz, from Cologne, came to effect the undertaking. The tracery of this lofty pinnacle is inimitably beautiful. We ascended the spire, and I can a.s.sure you that the prospect amply repays the trouble. We saw the winding, silvery Rhine, the Black Forest, and the long line of the Vosges Mountains. I never felt more keenly my inability to describe a place than when I walked through this gorgeous sanctuary. You must see it, to form an adequate idea of its grandeur. The nave was begun in 1015, and completed in 1275. The choir is yet older, and is thought to belong to the times of Charlemagne. The large rose window, over the front entrance, is thought to be the finest specimen of stained gla.s.s now existing. The stone pulpit of 1486 is the grandest we have yet seen, and in better taste than some of the carved wood pulpits in Belgium. The columns are very ma.s.sive. One of the chief attractions in this church is the mechanical clock, which occupies a large s.p.a.ce at the left hand as you enter the building. The true time to see it is at twelve o'clock, when Death strikes the hour, the apostles all pa.s.s before you, a large c.o.c.k up above flaps his wings and crows admirably three times, flags are waved, and the affair ends. Here, close by, is the architect Erwin's effigy, in stone.

We next went to St. Thomas's Church, to see the superb tomb of Marshal Saxe, which is a work of great merit. In a vault we saw the remains of a Count of Na.s.sau and his daughter, who had been coffined down for--I forget how long, but I think more than two centuries. It was here that Guttemburg began his experiments in printing, which he perfected at Mayence. We made some purchases here of embroidery, which we thought very beautiful, and also cheap. General Kleber's tomb and monument are in the Place d'Armes. Of course, we did not visit Strasburg and forget that it furnishes _pate's des fois gras_. We obtained some good engravings of the churches and other points of interest, and, on a fine afternoon, took the railroad for Basle.

Yours affectionately,

GEORGE.

Letter 44.