Tour in Austrian Lombardy, the Northern Tyrol, and Bavaria, in 1840

Preface

. An author either is, or thinks he is, expected to assign some motive for coming before the public. In my own case, I have little to say beyond the simple fact, that in the several tours I have made on the continent, as well as on my trip to Iceland, it has been my practice to note down such objects or occurrences as were met with at the time. It is scarcely necessary to say that the probable result of a series of notes thus collected is, whether inten tionally or otherwise, that they find their way to the press. Such has been the origin of the few little volumes I have already ventured to lay before a2

PREFACE.

. VI the public, the indulgent reception of which has encouraged the production of the present one. It aims not at much novelty, the ground having mostly been travelled before, but it has at least variety to recommend it ; and as the same objects are liable to be variously described and represented, as viewed in dif ferent lights by different writers, as well as to produce different reflections in the mind of the reader, there is no reason why the public should be satisfied with one or more narratives on the same subject. In the present case, for instance, the two most remarkable passes over the Alps, the Splugen and the Stelvio, have only been described, as far as my knowledge extends, in the grand volume of that clever artist, Mr. Brockedon, and in the Hand-Book of Mr. Murray, and in both there appears to me room left for further notice ; of the latter pass in particular. No traveller, indeed, should visit any part of the continent of Europe without taking

PREFACE.

. VII with him the little Hand-Books of my friend and schoolfellow, Murray. The information they furnish is of a very useful description, — not merely as to the various routes from place to place, the detail of distances, modes of con veyance, expenses, inns, passports, &c. — but they also contain brief and condensed notices of all objects worthy the traveller's attention ; obtained either by personal inspection, or gleaned from the most approved authorities. Much time is thus spared to the traveller by having information at hand, which he must otherwise search for in those ordinary " Guide- Books," which are as often calculated to mis lead as to instruct. A brief release from confinement, while it afforded me healthful exercise, with the pleasure of accompanying my friend, Frederick Graham, a great part of the tour, gave me the opportunity also of collecting and putting together the materials of this little volume, in which, if I have been fortunate enough to

PREFACE.

. contribute, scantily as it ma}- be, to the reader's information or amusement, I shall deem my self to be sufficiently repaid for the small degree of labour it has cost me. CONTENTS. Chapter I. FROM LONDON, BY THE RHINE, TO CARLSRHUE. PAGE Antwerp — Railroad to Liege — Faulty system of — Instance of at Malines — Liege and the Meuse — Singular accident — Appearance of the country — Aix-la-Chapelle — Cologne — Victoria Steam-boat — Coblentz and Ehrenbreitstein — The Rhine — Frankfort — Museum — Danneker — Heidelberg — Carlsrhue 1 Chapter II. CARLSRHUE, THROUGH SCHAFFHAUSEN, TO ZURICH. Carlsrhue — Adjacent country — German students — Offenburg — Love of flowers — German beds — Freyburg — Cathedral — The HbTJenthal — The Schwartzwald or Black Forest — A Freyburg poet — Black Forest compared with Norway — Barrel-organ — BlackForest beauties — Studhlingen — Schaffhausen — Camera obscura — Fatal accident — Swiss cottages — their want of cleanliness — Female dress — Zurich ........

CONTENTS. X Chapter III. ZURICH— CONSTANCE— BATHS OF PFEFFERS— TO COIRE. PAGE Zurich and its lake — Views from the Cathedral tower — a crow's nest — Zwingli, the reformer — Lavater — Physiognomy and Craniology — Steam-boat on the lake — A chamois-hunter — Shores of the lake — The Righi mountain and spectre — William Tell's chapel — Rapperschwyl — Winterthur- — Constance and its lake compared with that of Geneva — Fishing-boats and barges — The blue colour of the water — The Rhine — Valley of the Rhine — Fertility of the country — Village of Margarethen — Enter a gorge in the mountain — The Pfeffers baths — Gloomy situation of — Arrive at Coire . . . . . .44 Chapter IV. FROM COIRE, BY THE VIA MALA, ACROSS THE SPLUGEN. City of Coire — St. Lucius — Reichenau — The two branches of the Rhine — The Usher, Louis Philippe — A great contrast — Valley of Hinter-Rhein — Place of execution — The Via Mala, and artificial roads, galleries, and bridges — Destruction by rush of waters — Village of Spliigen Route for Merchandise over the Pass — Excursion to the Source of the Rhine — Hinter-Rhein— Ascent of the Pass The Summit — The Austrian Custom-house on the other s-de 73 Chapter V. SUMMIT OF THE SPLUGEN, BY CHIAVENNA TO COMO.

Austrian Custom-house— Passages of armies over the Alps- Descent— Zig-zags and galleries— Game of micare digitis CONTENTS. XI PAGE — Chestnut trees — Chiavenna — Colico — Lago di Como — Passage from Colico to Como — View of the western shore — Bellagio — Queen Caroline's Villa — Town of Como — Cathedral — Pliny's Villa and intermittent fountain . 95 Chapter VI. FROM COMO TO MILAN. Leave Como — Aspect of the Country — Mulberry-trees and Acacias in the hedges — Silkworms — The Cicada — Entrance to Milan — Its "Wall and Canal — Streets and Houses — The Duomo, and its Statues — St Charles Boromeo — His character — His Statue— Ancient Columns — Last Supper by Lionardo da Vinci — Mr. Phillips' Observations on it — The Brera Library — Ambrosian Library — Charitable Establishments — Ospitale Maggiore — Other Hospitals — Palace of the Viceroy — The Scala — The Amphitheatre — Races therein — The Arco del Pace — Place des Armes — Punch and Judy — Classes of the Population — The Military — Trade — Products — England and Italy US Chapter VII.

FROM MILAN, BY LECCO AND THE VALTELINE, TO BORMIO. Hire a Voiturier and four horses to Munich — Driver and Guide excellent — Cheap travelling — Avenue of Plane-trees — Monza, and Palace, Park, and Garden — Lecco — Road on the eastern bank of the Como Lake — Galleries in it — Meteorological phenomenon — Varenna — Continuation of the Road and Galleries — The Valteline and Engadin Valleys — The Inn and the Adda Rivers — Morbegno — Fortress of Fuentes — Vineyards — The Adda — Its inundations — Sondrio— Upper part of the Valley — Bormio — The Baths, and view from thence . . . .150 CONTENTS. XII Chapter VIII. SUMMARY OF THE WAR OF TYROL IN THE YEAR 1809. PAGE Reasons for the Summary— Tyrol transferred to Bavaria— Their Oppressions — Attachment of the Archduke John — The Chiefs Hofer, Speckbacher, and Haspinger— Compel the French to surrender at Innsbruck — Colonel Taxis' Report— Contrast of Bavarian and Tyrolean Treatment of Prisoners— Battle of Berg-Issel, 29th May— Of 13th August — Report of a Saxon Major of the Conduct of the Tyrolese — Tyrolese Deputies sent to London — Their Memorial — Peace of Schoenbruu — Fatal to the Tyrolese — Hofer taken, tried, and shot — Speckbacher escaped to Vienna — beautiful Letter of his wife — Haspinger proceeded into Austria, and resumed the Cloister . .174 Chapter IX.

ASCENT OF THE STELVIO, AND BY THE INN TO INNSBRUCK. The Ascent of the Stelvio — Steepness of the Road — Tunnels and Galleries — Custom-house — Grisons and Tyrol — Summit of the Stelvio Pass 9190 feet — The grand View from the summit — Entrance into the Tyrol — Descent of the Road — Galleries — Region of Fir-trees — Glaciers of Trafoi — Dreadful weather — Road blocked up — Change of Scenery and Temperature — Pradt — The Adige — The Alps now on our right — Mais — Desecration of our Saviour — Dwellings and Dress — Separation of the Waters of the Inn and Adige — Nauders — Pass of Finstermunz — The Engadin and the Inn — The Courses of the Rivers that pervade Europe — Various Towns and Villages on the Inn — Tempest—The upper Road— Difficulty of— Telfs— Approach to Innsbruck — General View of the Valley of the Inn .

CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 236 266 Chapter X. INNSBRUCK. Appearance of the Town — Population and Employment — The Franciscan Church — The Bronze Statues — Arthur King of England, and Prince Arthur — Maximilian's Tomb — Bas-Reliefs — Works of Alexander Colin — Monument of Archduke Ferdinand — Of Philippina — Obscurity of the Artist — Sketch of his Life — -Apparel — Tomb of Hofer — Francis I. — Death of at Innsbruck — Maria Theresa — Her Eulogy by the King of Prussia — Legend of Maximilian — Capuchin Convent — Monks at Supper — Gog and Magog — Descriptive Memorials — Churches — Devotion of the Tyrolese — Image of the Virgin Mary — The Palace — The Statue of Leopold V. — Maximilian's house — Palace Gardens — Museum — Letter of Secretary of State— Portrait of a Chamois Hunter — Visit to Hofer "s Position when he defeated the Due de Dantzig — Sharp-shooters ........

Chapter XI. FROM INNSBRUCK TO SALZBURG. The Valley and River Sill — Castle of Ambras — The plain opposite Hall — Town of — Salt-mines — Pleasing situation of Volders — Schwatz — The Mines of — Strass and the Valley and River of Zillerthal — Rattenberg — St. John the Guardian of Bridges — Hishistory — Inundation or destruction of the Road — Village of Worgl — Leave the great Road of the Inn — Dreadful state of the Road — Dangerous situation of the Horses — Elman — The Valley of — Further difficulties — St, Johann — Waidring — Loser, the Frontier of Tyrol — Valley of the Saal — Town of Unken, in Bavaria — Objections to a large Carriage Conveyance in the Tyrol — A Norwegian Carriole preferable — Country and People of Tyrol — No Beggars — Character of the Peasantry — General Character — Difference in the Bavarian Peasantry — Reichenhall — Its Salt-works — Enter Salzburg .

CONTENTS. Chapter XII. SALZBURG TO SALT-MINES OF HALLEIN PAGE Changes in the destiny of Salzburg — Persecution of the Protestants — River Salza — Town of Salzburg — Splendid Fountain — Cavalry Barracks — Amphitheatre — Equestrian Statue— Avenue along the valley of the Salza — Hallein and the Deurenberg — Ascend the Mountain — Dress for the Mines — Entrance to the Mines — Descent — Galleries — Cells — Descent on two Poles — Subterranean Lake — Curious Mode of Exit through a narrow Passage — Mode of Crystallizing the Salt — The Boiling-house — The Model of the Mines, and of the adjoining Country — Reflections on the Alpine Fir-forests ...... 289 Chatter XIII. SALZBURG TO MUNICH. Road to Munich — Wassenburg, on the Inn — Entrance into Munich — Fortifications thrown down — France contrasted with other powers in this respect — Public spirit and liberality of King Lewis of Bavaria— Description of Munich — The Cathedral and other Churches— Stained Glass in the windows of one — The Cemetery — The Old Palace — The new one, or Royal residence — Splendid Apartments of the King and Queen — The grand Ball-room — Bronze Statue of Maximilian Joseph — The Hof.or Court Garden —The Odeon Platz— Carolinen Platz aud Obelisk— Inscription on Pedestal— The Pinakothek, or Picture Gallery—The Glyptothek, or Sculpture Gallery— Picture Gallery of Prince Leuchtenberg — Various Scientific and other Institutions — Libraries — Extent required for a given number of Books— Bronze Statues of the Kings of Bavaria— The Military — Origin of Munich . . .310 Chapter XIV.

MUNICH TO AUGSBURG, ULM, AND STUTTGARDT. The Railroad towards Augsburg —Appearance of this City —its broad Streets and tine old Houses— its Fountains— CONTENTS. XV PAGE 373 Church of St. Ulric and Afra — Annual Fete of Afra— Cathedral of Augsburg— The Golden Hall— The Bene dictine Abbey — The Abbot — bis great civility — The Abbey more a College — The System of Education, as described by the Abbot — The English Nunnery, esta blished by Mary Ward— Augsburg Gazette — Fortifica tions levelled — Appearance of the Peasantry — Road to Ulm — Appearance of that place — Description of the Da nube — Geisslingen — Goppingen — Rich and beautiful country — Pohflingen and the Neckar — Entrance into Stuttgardt 341 Chapter XV. STUTTGARDT TO MANHEIM— COLOGNE- ANTWERP, AND OSTEND. Stuttgardt, its Streets and Buildings — The Cathedral, the final resting-place of the Sovereigns of Wiirtemburg — The Palace, plainness of — Character of the King — Danrieker, Statues of in the King's Garden — The Royal Stables — Riding-house — Stags' heads and horns — Museum of Natural History — Library — Fine Collection of Bibles — Carlsrhue — Manheim — Coblentz — Cologne — Antwerp — Fete of Rubens — Ostend — London • . • . • 362 Note. — Lord Bathurst's Reply to the Tyrolese Deputies A DESCRIPTIVE TOUR IN LOMBARDY, THE TYROL, AND BAVARIA.

Chapter I. From London, By The Rhine, To Carlsrhue

Antwerp — Railroad to Liege — Faulty system of — Instance of at Malines — Liege and the Meuse — Singular accident — Appearance of the country — Aix-la-Chapelle — Cologne — Victoria Steam-boat — Coblentz and Ehi-enbreitstein — The Rhine — Frankfort — Museum — Danneker — Heidelberg — Carlsrhue. ". It is difficult to understand," says the late Mr. Inglis, — whose public loss as an observant traveller will be long felt by those who happen to visit the countries traversed by that gentle man, and who can bear testimony to the ac curacy and fidelity of his works, — " it is difficult to understand why the Tyrol should be so little visited. There are few countries of which we hear more, few with which we so readily con nect a fine romantic region and noble pea santry ; and yet, while Switzerland, which lies is [Chap. I. 2 THE INTENDED ROUTE. as one may say next door, is overrun by tour ists, scarcely any one deviates from the beaten track to visit this land of romantic associa tions and patriot recollections."

Entertaining similar feelings, and having been one of those tourists who had overrun Switzer land, without stepping across the Rhetian Alps to visit this land of " romantic associations," I put myself on board the " Soho" steam-vessel to proceed to Antwerp, having promised, on a fixed day to meet a friend at Zurich, to accompany me on my intended journey over as large a portion of the Tyrol, and beyond it, as a certain limited time would allow. Another friend, Captain Rivett-Carnac, of the Royal Navy, was fortunately about setting off from London at the same time, on a visit to Switzer land, intending to accompany me up the Rhine, as far as Freyburg, a little town situated at the entrance of one of the most remarkable passes through the Black Forest, which they have been pleased to name the " Hollenthal" or val ley of hell,- — a foolish name, and wholly inap propriate to a spot, as I soon discovered, far more deserving that of Paradise.

From hence my intention was to pass to Schaffhausen, and after seeing the Falls of the Rhine for the second time, to continue my journey in the hope of meeting my friend at Zurich, at the appointed time. Chap. I.] THE THAMES. ■i About mid-day on the morning of the 2nd of July, 1840, the well-known splash of the water announced the paddles of the steamer in motion, and a few turns of the wheels took us speedily out of sight of the Old Tower of Lon don, with its " sullen ramparts, and weather whitened walls." She was well filled with pas sengers of various descriptions, who all seemed as much pleased as myself in ploughing the waters of the lovely Thames, and witnessing the multitude of sailing and steaming craft, ascending and descending this majestic river, which, take it " all in all," we can never ex pect to meet with the like again in any part of Europe, or indeed of the world.

It is as well to throw a veil over the many petty inconveniences that some of the passengers, and the miseries that others, have to go through during a first night at sea ; suffice it to say that, in the morning, when those who had gone below left the crowded cabin, and found themselves quietly paddling up the Scheldt, their cheerful looks were at once resumed, congratulating each other on being so near the end of the voyage, and even with in the promised time ; for in twenty-one hours, from the time we left the Tower wharf, we landed on the quay of Antwerp. Our baggage had previously been examined on board b2 [Chap. X. ANTWERP. 4 bv the custom-house officers, who behaved very civilly, and we had no further trouble about it. Twelve years 'had passed away since I stood upon the. quay of Antwerp : the Scheldt along the whole range of the town was, as I then thought, and as it still seems to be, a vacant river.

This ancient commercial town, with its noble river, did not appear to have received any improvement either in its buildings, or docks, or shipping, since the separation of Belgium from Holland. No bustle in the streets, nor much semblance of trade met the eye ; but everything looked just the same as I had left it on my previous visit. The beautiful spire of the splendid cathedral, which was said to have received some slight injuries during the bombardment, was still to all appearance under repair, unless indeed the scaf folding around it was only for the purpose of hanging illumination lamps to grace the ap proaching fete to be given to the memory of Rubens. As there was nothing to detain us after ex hibiting ourselves at the passport office, we hastened to the station of the Chemin de Fer ; and finding the ten o'clock train on the point of starting for Liege, or rather Ans, about a mile from Liege, we took our seats, and in Chap. I.] RAILROAD TO LIEGE. 5 four hours performed the distance, which is reckoned to be sixty-four English miles.

The rails appear to be well laid, and the en gines and carriages good, but the management not quite so, the stoppages being frequent and long. We passed through a tunnel of some length, and along two or three cuttings of n6 great depth. At the central station of Malines, from whence diverge the respective rails to Antwerp, Liege, Brussels, and Ostend, is a commodious space of ground allotted to each, with extensive ranges of buildings. Reaching Ans, an omnibus of considerable height, with a canopy extending over the roof, under which all the baggage was placed, waited the arrival of the train, and as there was no room inside, we were rather unceremoniously hoisted up amongst the baggage between the canopy and the roof. The vehicle appeared so top-heavy, that I almost expected it to go over, while descending the steep hill which conducts to the town of Liege.

We were conveyed to the hotel de la Pommelette, a large establishment adjoining the office, from whence the several diligences .depart ; and as it was our intention to leave the following morning for Aix-la-Chapelle and Cologne, by that mode of conveyance, we de - termined upon passing the night at the above hotel. It proved comfortable and reasonable, THE BANKS OF THE MEUSE. [Chap. I. 6 our joint expenses for dinner, breakfast, and beds, being no more than twelve francs. In the cool of the evening we walked up to the citadel, which stands on a steep hill, and on applying to the commandant, a civil little old gentleman, we immediately received permis sion to go over the several ramparts, escorted by a smart intelligent serjeant, to enjoy the pretty and extensive view of the valley, with the town at our feet, and the river Meuse flowing through it, which is here joined by the small river Ourte.

Nothing can exceed in beauty the banks of the Meuse, between Liege and Namur, along which I had passed on a former occasion. It equals the best parts of the Rhine on a small scale, and in picturesque beauty may be said to exceed it. The left bank, in particular, descends in a fine wooded slope, interspersed with numerous houses, white and clean, not withstanding the smoking chimneys of the steam-engines, seen near the water's edge, on both sides. The vicinity of the town affords plenty of fuel to feed them, for heaps of coal are to be met with strewed about in all the out skirts ; and it is said that the pits are worked under the town and the bed of the river. As Liege is the last place to the eastward to which the railroad at present extends, I may be allowed to say a word on that subject.

Chap. L] FAULTY SYSTEM IN RAILROAD. 7 Belgium, from its general uniformity of sur face, as far as Liege, is a country well adapted for railroad communication, and the Belgian government, it must be admitted, has availed itself of it, to a very considerable extent, and has taken the lead of most, if not of all, the other continental states. The lines have been laid out on a system which, as I before hinted, would appear in some respects faulty, and in fact ex perience has taught them that it is so : I allude to those several lines all issuing from one cen tral point, at Mechlin, or as it is frequently called, Malines. One inconvenience of this centralization is the delay which arises from the trains occasionally not arriving there at the appointed hour, to carry on the passengers in tending to proceed with them : practice, how ever, and strict attention to regulations, have considerably diminished this hindrance.

But there is another inconvenience which requires the utmost attention of travellers themselves, on their arrival by railroad at Ma lines, and thence prosecuting their journey. As almost all the trains assemble on their respective routes at this central station, it may naturally be expected that much bustle and confusion will ensue by the removal of passengers and their baggage to the proper trains; and it behoves a passenger to look well after both, lest he should be carried in a [Chap. I. 8 THE RAILROADS. contrary direction to that of his intended desti nation ; or be left behind altogether ; of which I saw an instance, on my return to England, when I passed along the whole Line of railroad from Antwerp to Ostend : a lady was seated in the same carriage with myself, which I had clearly ascertained to be one of the train for Ostend : she, poor soul, had been informed it was the one for Brussels ; on discovering her mistake, shortly before we started, she got out, and took her seat in a carriage, on the rails next to us, at a short distance off, which she understood to be the train about to start for Brussels; the bugle sounded, and its an swer, but, alas ! away went the train for Brus sels from a different rail altogether, leaving the poor lady looking out of the coach window in a state of great despair.

Where she was likely to be carried, or whether she alighted from the carriage, I know not, as in a moment we were ourselves a mile off. The railways and the engines are said to be equally good as our own. They are, in fact, chiefly, if not altogether, the work of an Eng lishman, in the employ of the late Mr. Cock erell, by whose indefatigable energy and com prehensive mind, the city of Liege became another Sheffield or Birmingham. On my approach to Liege by night, upon returning, the multitude of fires and blazing chimneys Chap. I.] SINGULAR ACCIDENT. 9 brought strongly to my recollection a nightly visit I once paid to Wolverhampton ; in fact, the foundries and workshops along the Meuse, and the number of steam-engine chimneys smoking, along the banks of that beautiful river, twelve years ago, appeared then as some thing extraordinary, compared with the general quiet and stillness of a Belgic town.

But now that the railroad communication with Liege by Malines has been fully established, the activity and spirit given, not only to the iron manufac tory in all its branches, but to the cloth, cotton, and every other branch of industry, are quite remarkable, and will ere long be evident in every part of this fine country. The people of Liege cannot but feel they owe a large debt of gratitude to the man who has contributed so largely to their prosperity, and will, no doubt, be ready to express it, by erecting some monu ment to the memory of their chief benefactor, Mr. Cockerell. I did not hear of any accident having oc curred on the railroads of Belgium. A remarkable circumstance, however, happened nearly two years ago, to an engine-carriage with a baggage-waggon after it, belonging to King Leopold.

Returning from Ostend, where his Majesty had embarked for England, the train had to pass over one of the flat bridges, which draw to the sides of canals, b3 [Chap. I. 10 EARLY HABITS. to let barges pass. The man at the bridge, not being aware of the sudden return and speed of the train, had not closed the bridge, and the consequence was, that the engine flew fairly across the canal, which I believe was nearly thirty feet wide, without further mischief than dragging the baggage-waggon into the canal, and damaging the top of the wall on the oppo site side. Several English gentlemen, on hear ing of the accident, went from Brussels to verify the fact, which had not obtained general be lief, though the force and velocity of the en gine might have been supposed amply sufficient to overcome its tendency to gravitate, on passing over so small a space.

Few things strike a stranger more, on his first visit to the continent, than the early habits of the people. This observation is not con fined to the busy and stirring life of a great manufacturing town like Liege, but may be extended generally to all. It was scarce six o'clock on the following morning, when we drove through the streets, en route, to Aix-la- Chapelle, yet every shop was open, few window shutters closed, and the people were bustling about in swarms— all was life and activity. The surface of the country between Liege and Aix-la-Chapelle changes its general cha racter and becomes a succession of hills and dales, affording to the traveller extensive views, Chap. I. J APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. 11 and a scenery which much resembles that of England, being mostly divided by hedge-rows enclosing fields of various kinds of grain, together with a fair proportion of pasture, on which were many herds of cattle grazing.

The road is paved in the centre and Macadamised on either side. We overtook some carts laden with cannon, as well as others with large iron boilers for locomotive engines, and there appeared altogether to be a good deal of traffic on the road. On arriving at Aix-la-Chapelle, our baggage was searched and passports vised. We remained about an hour at this place, and then continued our journey to Cologne, where we did not arrive till after eight in the evening, having been about fifty-six hours from Lon don to the Rhine, including a night's rest and nearly half a day at Liege. The country be tween Aix-la-Chapelle and Cologne is very flat, and well-suited for the railway which is now in progress, and which when completed will connect Ostend and Antwerp with the Rhine. In this latter part of our route, we passed through a well-cultivated soil, covered with extensive corn-fields.

After a long day's journey, I was not sorry to find myself in the Hotel Royal, " ci-devant Hotel du Saint Esprit," which overlooks the Rhine, and where we put up for the night. Cologne is a curi- VICTORIA STEAM-BOAT. [Chap. I. 12 ous place were it only for the Roman antiquities, which are dug up there; besides these there is not much to detain the traveller who, like myself, may already have visited it. We made our arrangements, therefore, for our departure the following morning, and, at six, embarked on board the " Victoria," a fine iron steam boat, belonging to the Dusseldorf Company, but built in England and fitted with engines of eighty horse power by Miller and Raven hill. They appear to be kept in neat and clean order, and reflect much credit upon the engineer, as the vessel is constantly day and night under weigh.

We found the " Victoria" pretty free from that disagreeable vibration, so common in steam-vessels ; the chief cabin is tastily and elegantly fitted up, and every attention has been paid to the comfort of the passengers. The Conducteur (a rating, by the way, which we have not in our navy) was a very important person in the ship; a good-humoured, active, and intelligent man, who made it his study to see that every one was comfortable on board ; he was very com municative, without being troublesome, point ing out the various objects of general attrac tion, as we steamed, or rather stemmed the stream, which, from the recent rains, was flow ing with great rapidity against us. The Rhine does not command much notice Chap. I.] COBLENTZ AND EHRENBREITSTEIN. 13 till after passing Bonn, when the seven moun tains make their appearance, and the Drach enfel opens out.