The City of the Crescent; with Pictures of Harem Life: or, the Turks in 1854

Front matter

Charles J Steet, Publisher. 10, King Wham Street, 1855 YASUMI HANOUM THE CITY OF THE CRESCENT; WITH PICTURES OP HAREM LIFE. OR, THE TURKS IN 1854. Bl' GORDON 0. L. GORDON TRENERY, ESQ AUTHOR OF "THE MORNING LAND," &c. &c. " 'Mid many things most new to ear and eye The pilgrim rested here his weary feet, And gazed around on Moslem luxury." — childe "uakouj IN TWO VOLUMES. YOL. I. LONDON: CHARLES J. SKEET, 10, KING "WILLIAM STREET, CHARING CROSS. 1855. [.The Author reserves his right of Translating this Work.]

Preface

More than once I have been to the East ; yet, until very lately, I never supposed that I should print a book about it. Persons have been kind to you ; the whole powers of pocket, will, and establishment have been put in requisition, that you might enjoy in full your visit to their land. Like the world, having got all you wanted, you return home, and repay their goodness in right worldly coin. A book is written and printed, setting forth their persons, their houses, their furniture, and what they said and did to you. This always appeared to me

PREFACE.

. a painful breach of the morality, if not of the laws, of hospitality — even if, after the fashion of certain writers, it did not descend to a downright vulgar impertinence. I really could not bear to think of doing it. But my objections were set aside by a literary friend. He thought 1 had seen much that might prove acceptable, if pub lished at the present time ; and some things that were really information. In describing Osmanli manners, the Life of the Harem necessarily forms the most important feature. There is no feeling, either of unity of character, or home, where woman is not. The Harem, and not the Salem-liuk, the Osmanli calls his oda — rest. It is to the Harem, and not to the Salem-liuk, that we must look for the poetry, and the reality, that make his character. To exhibit, then, the Life of the Harem more fully than that of the Salem-liuk — to picture the Osmanli woman as she is — to

PREFACE.

. V vindicate her from the stain, so often and so recklessly flung upon her ; that she is indeli cate — to blend entertainment with information : — these have been my chief objects, in publishing " The City of the Crescent." The composition has generally been taken — often without the least alteration ; the original manuscript, indeed, was put into the hands of the printer — from descriptions made for my personal amusement whilst in Turkey, and for that of my immediate relatives when I returned home. A great objection to writing works on the East is — the want of spirituality in the charac ter of the men who live there. One gets conscious, at last, that even one's own mind suffers through having thought upon them so long. However, all through my book I have — as an author should — sunk my per sonal feeling ; and wrote in the spirit neces sary to properly describe the persons who are the subject of my history. My hope is that, having written, those VI

PREFACE.

. Osmanlis concerned in my narrative, will feel that I have used every care to avoid causing them even the semblance of pain. I own that I am exceeding anxious. They will also think that, I could not speak otherwise than I have, and yet fulfil my single desire : enlarge that interest which my countrymen feel in the fate of Turkey. May I request a little of that allowance which the author who deserves it, can invoke from but few in vain — because of the very wretched health amidst which I have written ? It was severe illness that sent me abroad; and I should be glad if the book were looked on as one of the solaces of an invalid's many sad and silent hours, which else would have been seasons of unmitigated weariness and suffering. PRINCES GATE, HYDE PARK, JUNE, 1S55. CONTENTS TO THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I

Journey to Berlin — The Diligence described — Miserable mode of Travelling — The Author's Tour with his Eriends up the Rhine — Pen-and-ink Portrait of the individuals composing the Party — A Mother's love — " My Sister" — Mrs. E — and her Husband — An ill-assorted Marriage 1 — 7

Chapter II

Berlin a beautiful city — Ungenial to English Tourists — A Railway-glance at the Country between Berlin and Cologne — Brunswick — Ham — Scene of Hurry and Confusion — View from the Bridge of Boats — City Sounds — The Metropolis of Rhenish Prussia — Its origin — The Cathedral — German Politeness — The Seven Mountains 8 — CONTENTS.

Chapter III

The Rhine from the Drachenfels to Elberfeld— Ruins of Rolandswerth — Beautiful Island of Nonnenwerth — Coblentz and its scenery — Ruins of Sternberg and Liebenstein — St. Goar — Castle of Guttenfels — Bacharach — The Rheingau, or Valley of the Bhine — Asylum for the Insane . 17 — 21

Chapter IV

A Touching Story — Adeline Von Friedrichstein — The Young Lady's Father — His Affection for his Children — Consults the Priests — Their Advice to him — Sends his only remaining Daughter to a Monastery as an Offering to Heaven — Convent-horrors — The Abbess — Sister Louise — The young Nun's Cell — Spell of the Romish Church — Ceremony of taking the Veil — Beautiful Dress of "The Bride of Heaven" — The Chapel — Adeline's doom sealed for ever - . . . . 22 — 38

Chapter V

Train from Maintz to Basle — Anecdote of Holbein — The beautiful Rhine— Falls at Schaffhausen — Zurich — Approach to Italy — The Rigi Kulm hotel — Seeing the Sun rise — Conversation with a Sailor relative to the War in the Crimea 39 — £3

Chapter VI

Lake of Lucerne— William Tell's Chapel — The Author's early Home and its Associations — Colony of Interlachen CONTENTS. IX — Lutschinnen — Valley of Lauterbrunnen — Staubbaeh — Magnificent Mountain View — The Simplon — Convent of St. Bernard — Valleys of Fintana and Duomo d'Os sola — Lago Maggiore — Steamer to Sesto Calende — An Italian Landscape — Rome — The City of Miracles — St. Peter's — Streets and Buildings — Officers of Customs — Naples — Steamer to the City of the Crescent. 44 — 59

Chapter VII

The Author and his Sister at Scutari — View of the Imperial Serai and Seven Towers — Legend of the Maiden's Tower — Meeting with our fair friend, Mrs. T — Descent from the Steamer — The Sultan's magnificent Caique — Portrait of Mrs. T Her Husband, an English Olficer — Handsome Barracks — Motley appearance of the Osmanli Troops — Their Character as Warriors — Their Endurance and Fortitude — The Pasha — Deference of Turkish Soldiers to their Superiors 60—73 CHAPTER Vin. Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid — Astonishment of the Turks on beholding us Franks — Osmanli children — Feast of Cucumbers — Party of Ladies — Heymine Hanoum, a young Circassian Beauty — Female Loveliness — Altered State of Life and Manners in Turkey — The Sultan — His Look of Melancholy — The Alliance with England- Domestic Habits of Abd-ul-Medjid — Beauties of the Bosphorus — The glorious East — Landscape at Sunset — The Custom House — Narrow Streets — Dogs a prevailing Nuisance— The Sweet Waters . . . 73—89 VOL. I. b X CONTENTS.

Chapter IX

The Author writes to Mustapha Effendi — Cordial Invitation to visit him— His Gallant Sentiments — His Palace on the Banks of the Bosphorus — Its charming Situation and countless Beauties — The Moming-room described — The Gorgeous Saloon — Yasumi Hanoum, Mustapha's young Wife — Her kindly Greeting to her Visitors — Beautiful View — Personal Appearance of Yasumi — A Circassian and a Georgian Beauty — Woman and her Master — An Osmanli Wife — The Blighted Heart — Love of Children — Happy State of Childhood — Affection of Mustapha for Yasumi 90 — 105

Chapter X

Splendid Reception-room in the Salem-liek — Mustapha welcomes his Visitors — His gallantry to the Author's Sister — He invites her to Smoke— An Osmanli Dinner — Addition to the Party — Man and his Mistress — Turkish Politeness — The Dining-room— Attendant Slaves —Number of Courses— Return to the Saloon— Saifula Bey— Evening Offering— The Muezzin— Hour of Prayer —Music and Song— Harem Dances— Eastern Beauty —A Lady's Dress— Modesty of the Circassian danseuses —Conversation with Mustapha— Woman has no Ri°*ht to Think— Man the Lord of all things — Doom of Turkey —Vindication of the English— Amusements— Bed-time ■ — Oriental Luxury .... jqq ing CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XI

A Midnight Visit to St. Sophia — Courtesy of Bey — The Author's Friend, Mrs. E — , determines to accompany him — She assumes male attire for this purpose — A Kahve, or Coffee-House described — An Eastern Barber — Inebriating quality of Coffee — Abd-ul, the One-Eyed — Perfect Disguise — Osmanli Curiosity — An Ideal beauty 129—141

Chapter XII

Osmanli Costume — Tchibouk, or Pipe, and Cloak- Bearers— Notes of the Muezzin — -The Invocation to Prayer — Entrance to the Mosque of St. Sophia- Begging Saints — Splendour of the Interior — The Sacred Doves — Muslem Salutations — The Return Home 142—151

Chapter XIII

The Author's House at Geurk-Sou — Visit from Yasumi — An Osmanli Lady's Sympathies — The English Character — Condition of Women in Turkey — The Feraji and the Yashmak— Selfish Creed of the Muslem— The Conscription — Mode of Recruiting the Army — A Harrowing Picture — Female Sympathy for the Oppressed — Trust in Providence — The Steamer and its Freight of Broken Hearts 152—167 b CONTENTS.

Chapter XIV

Visit to Azmi Pasha — The British Troops — Truth versus Peace — The Palace of Azmi Pasha — Love of the Osmanlis for the Bosphorus — The Beauty of their Gardens — The Hanging Body — Love of the Osmanlis for the English — The principal Saloon — Ceremonious Reception — A Thought on Slavery — Osmanli Courtesy 168—183

Chapter XV

The Georgian Slave — Mournful Tale — Common and necessary Result of selling Women, a broken Heart — The Divan — Elegance of the Saloon — Sitting Posture of the Osmanli Ladies — Warning to any silly Coxcomb who may happen to Travel in Turkey — Osmanli Affection and Simplicity — A Secret Dialogue . 184 — 191

Chapter XVI

A Greek Plot — Entrance of the Conspirator — His manifest Dishonesty — Devotion of a Servant — Fortunate Deception — Greek Stupidity and Insolence — Fate of the Conspirators 192 — 19S

Chapter XVII

Invitation from Mustapha Effendi to see the Ceremony of the Baba-liuk — The "Tree of Groans"— The Et Meydan— The Column of Constantine— The Obelisk— CONTENTS. XIII The Delphic Tripod — Superstitious Reverence—Des cription of the Baba-liuk — Compunction — Revolt ing Ceremony — A miserable Prophecy — An English Dinner . . . . . . 199—208

Chapter XVIII

The Osmanli Character — Prejudices of Englishmen — First Impressions — Real and Ideal — Poetry of Women — Want in Eastern women— Osmanli Simplicity — Their kindness to Animals — Stamboul an orderly City — Defects in the Osmanli Character — Contemptuous Opinion of woman — Lying — Revenge — Law to which Visitors to Osmanli Gentlemen must subscribe — Unaffected kindness of the Osmanli Gentleman and his Wife to their Visitors — Their earnest desire for their Comfort — No Restraint felt in their House — Osmanli Humility — An Osmanli's opinion of Englishmen . 209 — 223

Chapter XIX

Harem Life — Morality in Turkey — Scarcity of Women — ■ Purchasing a Wife — Marriage recommended — The Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid — Female Frailty — Intrigues — The Language of Flowers — Unenviable Position — Lady in search of a Lover — Feminine Devotion — Osmanli Women vindicated — Domestic Manners of the Harem —Travellers' Tales— The Master of the Harem 224—243

Chapter XX

Suleiman Effendi and his Two Young Wives, Gulbeyaz and Cobah — Hassan, the Wife's Lover — Secret Interview — The First of the Three Rings — Change of CONTENTS. Air — Keeping up Appearances — The Young Bride — A Father's Advice to his Son — Distrust of Women — Suleiman's Philosophy — The Jealous Husband — Love Telegraph — A Muslem's Foresight . 244 — 259

Chapter XXI

Merriment in the Harem — Cobah disconcerted — Apostrophe to her Lover, Hassan — Presence of Mind of her slave, Nourreddin — Kahve of Yezid, the Limping — Conversation between Hassan and Suleiman — Mystery of the Watch — Singular Coincidence — The First Gift — The Wings of Love 260—272

Chapter XXII

The Locked -up Ladies — How to draw Nails — Arrival of Hassan — Woman's Artifice — Wrath of a Jealous Husband — Daughters of Sheitan — The Watch, where is the Watch ?— Influence of "the Evil Eye "—A Storm in the Harem — Feminine Duplicity — Suleiman reconciled to Cobah— Open Sesame ! . . 273—283

Chapter XXIII

The Second of the Three Rings — Suleiman and Hassan — The latter relates his love Adventure* — Indignation of the former — Secrets of the Harem — The Husband's Letter — Hassan refuses to part with it — The Prophet's Beard — Suleiman determines on Revenge — A New Surprize — Explanation — Matrimonial Rejoicing 284—294 CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XXIV

The Last of the Three Rings — A Husband's Delusion — Loves of Cobah and Hassan — A Rencontre in the Road — Purchasing a Houri — Picture of a Turkish House — Alarm of Suleiman — Gorgeous Apartment — The and his Jewels — A Cold Reception — Preparations for Cobah's Flight with Hassan. . 295—303 OF THE CRESCENT.

Chapter I

Journey to Berlin — The Diligence described — Miserable mode of Travelling — The Author's Tour with his Friends up the Rhine — Pen-and-ink Portrait of the individuals composing the Party — A Mother's love — " My Sister" — Mrs. E — and her Husband — An ill-assorted Marriage. It is not long since, that a journey to Berlin was a serious affair. Before undertaking it, it was very rational that a man should make his will : the whole way thither, being beset by perils innumerable. The journey, moreover, was not to be a rapidly-performed one. If we left London on Monday morning, we were fortunate, indeed, if we arrived in VOL. I. B Berlin on the Monday following. Once on the other side of the Channel, the entire distance had to be accomplished either in a carriage of your own, or in the lumbering, rolling, dislocating, Diligence.

Few of us but recollect the annoy ance that the Diligence invariably caused us, and the wearying toil that travelling by it was. Even at first sight, we were offended by it. Its clumsy, unwieldly appearance ; the wheels, exactly the shape and make as those of a brewer's dray in England; the pole, large enough to form the mast of a mode rately-sized ship ; the compartments, rotonde, like the body of an old yellow coach, which must have looked seedy, even when saved by Noak in the ark ; coupe and interieur like an omnibus cut in half; and last of all, the covering of mud and dust, the tarpaulin, the ragged, jagged thongs of leather, with which the whole was garnished. Then, though it was the only place we had to repose in, for in those days the traveller in Europe seldom thought of sleeping any where but in a carriage — we all can remember how miserable that sleep was.

The jolting night and day, till every bone in the body was sore ; the incessant noise of the bells on the horses — always enormously increased on approaching a town, by the indefatigable ringing of a whole chain of large ones kept by the guard ; to warn the maitre de la poste of our entree — the vociferous shouting of the driver, who appears to fancy his horses will not move a step longer than he continues to cry at the top of his bent, " Ach ! Ach ! Jetzt heiszt es vorwarts ! Husch ! Was haben Sie ! Halten !" Nous avons change tout cela. The railways have effected an alteration entirely in favour of our comfort. In the summer of last year, I left Eng land, and proceeded to my sister's house near Berlin. On the same day that I arrived, all our party had, as previously arranged, collected there also.

A. few days afterwards, we set out on a tour up the Rhine, and b through Europe to Stamboul. Our circle was composed of myself, my mother, my sister, also a young lady, Mrs. E — , and her husband, Heinrich. It is my wish to render our journey as agreeable as possible to the reader ; therefore, I shall picture some of the incidents of our pilgrimage, chiefly by means of conversations that took place among ourselves and persons whom we met by the way. This may be a new mode of a traveller's story telling ; but, it is the best. Nothing gives such interest to a narration as depicting what people say and do. But we should have a pen-and-ink portrait of the individuals composing the pilgrim circle. First, there was my mother. The deep affection that her children feel for her is the best testimony to her excellence, and the only one that her unsleeping watch of love over us from our birth requires.

What ever of affection, whatever of moral responsi bility, we feel we owe it, under God, to the purity, the holiness, the meek devotion of our dear kind mother; who for years has been the chief barrier between us and utter unbelief in the highest, the most unselfish affection upon earth. And how does the memory of such a mother follow us, like a hope and guiding star through all the sorrows and changes of our life ! My sister, a very calm, thoughtful, pretty — there is no partiality here — young person, of one-and-twenty. Heinrich, a German, and what is usually called a fine-looking man. Certainly, his figure was good, as far as height and proportion went : but his movements wanted ease, and consequently grace. His manner was what his inferiors called over bearing, and his equals tiresome.

He did not travel because he liked the changes of scene and association that it calls up ; for he was entirely without a touch of that keen susceptibility which constitutes the poetical and the picturesque. If he had a passion in life, at all, it was love for himself — his person, his own comfort, his adornments, his everything that was his ; and for plenty of money. The latter he loved for its own sake, and the pleasures he could purchase with it. He liked eating and drinking ; in short, Heinrich was an entirely selfish man. His wife, was a high-souled young Englishwoman; who, from her childhood, we had known and loved ; and who, as she herself truthfully declared, had " been so unfortunately silly as to marry him." Start not ; it will not matter if he sees it. They have lately separated, under circumstances that rendered a divorce not only proper, but abso lutely necessary.

She was a gay, affectionate, brightspirited young creature, and one of the most unselfish of human beings. For her companionship, we were always thankful ; more than ever on such a pilgrimage as now. In her husband, there was not a single chord that responded to her own highly-toned imagination. Proud and ambitious, she had married him because he had great wealth and a title ; and as such mar riages generally do, it turned out a failure. Too clever herself, to be satisfied with obtusity, or even mediocrity, Mrs. E — , spite of her wit and gaiety, was one of the unhap piest of mortals. Indeed, her brilliant and often impetuous conversation, was but the outpouring of a heart that mocked itself with its fancies ; and in this way strove to divert its thoughts from looking on the inward world.

Chapter II

Berlin a beautiful city — Ungenial to English Tourists — A Railway-glance at the Country between Berlin and Cologne — Brunswick — Ham — Scene of Hurry and Confusion — View from the Bridge of Boats — City Sounds — The Metropolis of Bhenish Prussia — Its origin — The Cathedral — German Politeness — The Seven Mountains. Berlin is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Yet, of all the German capitals, it is the most un genial to English tourists in general. The more so, if the traveller has committed the very excusable mistake of going by sea to Hamburg, and thence across the Lunenburg Heath, through Salzwedel and Brandenburg, to Berlin. The prejudice which the dreary wastes, and the shifting sands of the Lunen burg Heath, will make on his mind, will scarcely be eradicated till he reaches the beautiful scenery of the Rhine,»or the Maine ; or follows the meanderings of the pretty Elbe as far as Dresden, the capital of Saxony.

Berlin is the most German of all the Ger man capitals ; Dresden or Vienna, Englishmen usually like much better. Great alterations have been made there lately, especially within the last few years. Still, Englishmen will not find enough of home comforts to make them thoroughly enjoy it. In France, they provide excellently for our countrymen, by kindly imitating our tastes and habits, as well as they can. The Germans have rather persisted in their own way ; and at Berlin, they have done so more obstinately than anywhere else. From Berlin to Cologne, by railway, is a ride of more than average beauty. Scenes of pastoral loveliness meet the eye wherever you look. Calm, vine-covered hills, bright B green woods, and villa-gardens, glowing in the beauty and variety of their flowers, you glide softly past.

Brandenburg and Magdeburg are left behind. And then we hear " Braunschweig !" — Brunswick — filling the mind with thoughts of home, some sad, but many pleasing ; and of the royal lady who so nobly sways the sceptre there, in our well-beloved England — Earth's most glorious land. We have hardly thought of all this, ere we hear " Hanover !" then " Ham !" where Napoleon III. was confined. Here we stop, and a guard, in a nasal sing-song tone, calls out : " Passagers pour le Rhin, Dusseldorf, et Cologne, changer de convoi ici !" As we intend to go to Cologne, we ot course, get out ; but the vociferous invoca tions and imprecations of travellers, in every language, utterly confound our efforts to gain an idea of what carriage we are to get into again. A porter misunderstands us, and points to the train we have just left ; a guard understands us, and points to a train that we look for, but cannot see.

Hoping we may find it, we rush across the lines of rails ; an engine hissing along at twenty miles an hour advances towards us on one side, a train of carriages backing into the station on the other, whilst one porter cries out to us in a voice resonant of German black beer and sauer-kraut : " Halten !" and some one else bawls, " Gare la machine a vapeur !" so that we are utterly bewildered, and rush on, we know not how nor whither, till at last we find ourselves locked up in a carriage, awe-struck with wonder how we got there, and whether we are in the right one. We have not recovered breath, when we hear wheels rattling by us, as though the world were coming to an end, a horn blowing, a guard shouting, an engine whistling, steam hissing, and the same instant, a dapper little Frenchman pops his head in through the window of our carriage, inquiring with a polite bow : " Passagers pour Anvers et Bruxelles, ici ?"

" Anvers ? certainly not ! We are for Cologne !" "Ah! ma foi ! pour Coin?" He drags us from the carriage, declaring that we shall be too late, hurries us, like an avalanche, across the platform, shouting all the while, first an encouraging word to ourselves, then an imploration to the guard of the departing train ; and, the next moment, we find our selves hustled on to the yielding cushions of another carriage. " All wohl ! Weg !" cries the guard, as he fastens us in. The train begins to move, and away we whiz towards Coin. It is rather usual for travellers to speak highly in the praises of Cologne. Let this pass. For my own part, I care little about it, except the view across the bridge of boal£, from the left bank of the Rhine. Thence you see the city to its very greatest advantage. The beautiful river flows softly on ; bright, clear, shadowless, tranquil as the waveless summer lake.

Boats, with snowy sails, glide swiftly over its glassy tide ; their pretty out lines reflected in its bosom. The prospect fills the mind with thoughts ; some softly melancholy, but most pleasing and exalting. From the distant city arises a murmur of voices — voices descriptive of all the emotions of the human soul : from the hoarse bawling of the passionate sailor, to the laughter, fraught with love and music, of the young and happy child. Murmurs of all these are faintly wafted to where you sit ; all blent into that dim, indistinct harmony, when there is just sufficient sound to arrest the ear, without disturbing the under-current of re flection, that runs flowing through the soul. Beautiful is the river ; I cannot say as much for Cologne. As the Colonia Agripp'na of the Romans, it possesses classical and historical interest ; but the metropolis of Rhenish Prussia is a dirty, ill-conditioned city, abounding in sights and odours repulsive to an Englishman.

Cole ridge says, he enumerated seventy distinct offensive smells here. The city rose from the camp of Marcus Agrippa ; and through him was named the Colonia Agrippina. The Church of St. Martin occupies the site of the Roman Capitol. To that convent fled, for a vain refuge, the unfortunate but ambitious Marie de Medicis. At the foot of the church, Sylvanus, Emperor of Rome, met his death. We pass by the St. Gereon, the tower of the Baienshurm, to Der Dom — the Cathedral. The crane sticking out of the top was re moved by the inhabitants, when the work was finished. But that night there came on a terrible storm ; and thinking they had committed something very wicked, next day the crane was solemnly re-erected on the tower. There it has stood for four hundred years. At Cologne, we embark in the ' Schiller,' upon the wide and winding Rhine.

The Germans are models of politeness. The pier is crowded by persons who have come down to bid their friends farewell. Having bowed to each as he stands on board, again and again — with hat in hand — at each obeisance, as the rules of politeness hold that it is good and worthy to do — which, combined with their indefatigable courtesy, caused the Turkish proverb, " May your soul have as little rest as the hat of a German" — they bow to all others on deck whom they may happen to know. Then they begin to bow to all the strangers. We leave Cologne far behind ; but it is not yet that the Rhine takes its character of especial interest. Bonn and Konigswinter must be passed, ere we come upon the first view. This is the Seven Mountains, on the highest summit of which, stands the Castle of the Drachenfels, or Dragon's Rock.

It is now in ruins, and singular are the legends told in connection with it. On the opposite, or Bonn side of the river, stands another, called the Jew's Castle.

Chapter III

The Rhine from the Drachenfels to Elberfeld — Ruins of Rolandswerth — Beautiful Island of Nonnenwerth — Coblentz and its scenery — Buins of Sternberg and Liebenstein — St. Goar — Castle of Guttenfels — Baeharach — The Rheingau, or Valley'of the Rhine — Asylum for the Insane. With the Castle of the Drachenfels still fresh in our memory, we come to the wildest and most glorious spot on the Rhine — the ruins of Rolandswerth. These are a broken tower on the crown of a lofty and perpendicular mountain. It was built by Roland, and overlooks the lovely island of Nonnenwerth ; to the monastery of which, his lady through a mistake, retired, and took the irrevocable veil, during his absence in the wars. The spot is singularly beautiful. Tourists pause to look upon it long and thoughtfully. The mournfulness of the story, which, through the hundreds of years that have passed since, has gathered no additions from fiction, gives more than a usually sad, but sweet, interest to the drooping willows that hang over the shelv ing banks of the island, and watch the shadow of their slender leaves in the river.

In due succession, Nonnenwerth, Reinagen, Andernach, and Neuwied, are left behind; and we reach Coblentz. At this place, we stop several days to explore the many interesting and beautiful scenes in its vicinity. The vine covered banks of the Moselle, which falls into the Rhine at Coblentz, are too little thought of amidst the higher claims to admiration of the larger and more glorious stream. Again we sail onwards, and slowly pass the once-imperial city of Boppard, on our right. We turn from it, sadly thinking of the mutability of earthly empire, when before us rises in grim grandeur the rock above, which towers gaunt and threatening over the castles of Sternberg and Liebenstein. They are scarcely out of sight, ere we reach St.Goar; named after the hermit, who here first preached to the inhabitants, the lovely religion of the Saviour.