On foot through Tyrol, in the summer of 1855.

Chapter I. Page

A Holiday in prospect — Where to go — The Passport — London to Harwich — The Gallopper — The Scheldt— Flushing — A Foreign Aspect — Land versus Sea — The Forts — Antwerp — Life in the Streets— A Difficulty — Malines — The Sunday Question — Worship and Revelry — Which to choose — Another Difficulty — A Midnight Arrival— AhardBed — The Rhine Steamer — ABrewery at Mentz — Talk about the War — Purging the Language — Mannheim — Bruchsal — Wiirtemberg Railway Train — Barn-like Stations — Rural Life — The Maulbronner See — Stuttgart — The old Streets — The Market-place — The Krim and Ssebastopol — Luxurious Carriages — The Valley of the Neckar — Ivory Carvers — Cheap Refreshments — The Geisslingerthal — Ulm — Sausages and Kirscheiikuchen — The Danube — Piles of Firewood — The Bavarian Plain — Transformed Talk — Friedrichshafen .... 1

Chapter II

A Trip to Rohrschach— The Sentis — The Vorarlberg Mountains — Traffic on the Lake — From Rohrschach to Lindau — A pretty Custom-house — Across to Fiissach — The Delta — Bregenz — Under the Austrian Eagle's Wing — An Inquisitor — An Escort to. the Custom-house — The Gebhardsberg — View from the Summit — Life in the Fields — Growth of the Land— A Place for Enjoyment — Visitors' Names — Civility with a Passport — Begin to walk — Black and Yellow : Emblems of Authority — Dornbirn — Religious Emblems — Working and Praying— Change of Manners— Hohenems — Fire! Fire! Fire! — Emulous Fire-engines— Jews— Strange Dialect — Gotzis — A Halbe of Beer— Honesty — A gay Churchyard— Feldkirch — The Wochenblatt — The Valley

IV CONTENTS.

PAGE

of the 111 — Mischievous Torrent at Frastanz — Nenzing — Thiiringen — The Spinnery and the Spinners — Prices of Provisions — A Three Hundred Feet Fall — The Bregenzerwald — The Landmote — How to elect a Governor — Feats of Bravery — The Night-folk — Legends — Plainness of Speech 22

Chapter III

Bludenz — Duke Friedrich — The Montavonerthal — Migratory Folk — A Storm — Schruns — Costume — " You can't stay here" — The Village Inn — The Villagers, and what they talked about — The Gendarme — Bedroom Furniture — Paper Money — The Klosterthal — Waterfalls — A meagre Breakfast — House-front Inscriptions — An Innkeeper's Sentiments — The Oratory — Dalaas — Stuben — Up the Adlerberg — The Snow — Road-menders — The Summit— The Frontier— Enter Tyrol— St. Christof— The Rescuer — Striking Scenery — St. Anton — Kalbsbraten — Friendly Salutations — Costume — Going to Church — A Litany — Gladsome Feelings — Log-houses — Road-side Pictures — Flirsch — An Organ Polka — The Sunday Question settled — Wagons — Fiddles — The Rosanna — Castle of Wiesberg — Paznaunerthal — Skulls at Ischgl — The Innthal — Cross the Inn — Landeck — Swarms of Flies — The Sunday Question again — England's Downfall — The Miracle of the Wolf and the Bear— The Ragged Minstrel— The Schrofenstein 49

Chapter IV

The Upper Inn Valley — Pious Salute — A Gap in the Road — Memorials of Calamity — Twilight — The Pontlatzer Bridge — A Reminiscence of 1703 — An Ambuscade — The War of Independence — A National Football — Scandalous Usage — The Cow-heads — An Insurrection — Ways and Means — Preparations for the Enemy — " 'Tis time" — The Outbreak — Capture of Innsbruck — Enthusiastic Triumph of the Peasants — Restoration of Plunder — The Enemy again— New Efforts— Another Triumph — The Fatal Pass — A Detachment made Prisoners — Prutz — Ried — Sunday Evening Guests — Tosens — Work and Wages— Price of Land — "What shall I do with the Sheep ?"— Pfunds— Leisurely Travelling — A New Road — The Lofty Arch — Pass of Finstermunz — Grand Scenery — A Torrent of Stones — The Fortress — Nauders — A Cabinet-maker — The Blind Sculptor — Naudersburg — The Snowy Summits — Ober Vintschgau — Source of the Etsch — Many Crucifixes — A Crown of Thorns — A Friar — The Yellow Wirthshaus — A Tramping Tailor — Prayer before Supper — The Ortler Spitz 73

CONTENTS. V

Chapter V. Page

The severe Winter — Terrible Consequences — The Road swept away — The Flood — The Flowery Heath — Burgeis — Havoc in the Village — A horrid Gap — Busy Villagers — Loss and Suffering — Five Bridges carried away — Succours — Mais — A symbolical Fountain — The Virgin and seven Daggers — The Kitchen — Things in the Churchyard — View from the Hill — Helf-mir-Gott — A Murderous Battle — Glurns — Remains of the Flood — Lichtenberg — The cheapest Land — An Avalanche of Mud — Meadows overwhelmed — Agums — Industrious Peasants — Brad — The great Eoad of the Stelvio — A furious Stream — Gaps in the Road — Sullen Scenery — Stilfs — Gendarmes — Gomagoi — Landslips — Zigzags— Madatsch Spitz — Trafoi — The Two Officers — The World's End— Sociability 97

Chapter VI

An early Start — A bright Landscape — More Zigzags — Savage Scenery — Views across the Snow — The Glaciers — Fearful Chasm — Franzenshohe — WildProspect — The Refuge — ARuin — Steeper Cut-offs — A Hailstorm — Shelter under the Gallery — Fall of Stones — The Two Gendarmes — Their suspicious Inquisition — A Debate — " You must go back !" — A surly Specimen — The Englishman conquers — The Road-menders' Fire — The Polenta Kettle — Bone and Muscle without Meat — More Zigzags — Cost of the Road — The last Gallery — The Summit — Waste of Snow — The Ortler Spitz — The Descent — A Squall — Santa Maria — Enter Lombardy — Lake of Brauglio — Grim Scenery — A Tale of Terror — The Chief of the Gang — The Wiirmser-loch — Spondalunga — Gloomy Vaults — Fir-trees again — Fairyland — Baths of Bormio — Pleasant Valleys — Bormio — Its Waterspouts — A dirty Inn — The Mystery explained 115

Chapter VII

The Val Furva — Hotel Charges — A Letter to the Hostess — San Nicolo — San Antonio — Dirt, Devotion, and Saw-mills — The Frodolfo — Santa Caterina — The Hotel Kitchen — Bargain with the Guide — A Chat with the Cook — The Mineral Spring, Val Forno— Start for the Gavia Pass— Talk by the Way— Pic Alto — Giacomo's Jodeln — The Shepherd's Hut — A wild Ascent — Stopped by a Snow-ridge — Doubling the Crag — Creep through a Crevice — A Glacier — A dreary Glen — Ponta di Preda — Sublimity of Sullenness — Difficult Walking — Playing a Trick — Corno dei Tre Signori— The White Lake— The Summit— The

VI CONTENTS.

PAGK

Black Lake— The Oglio— Halt by a holy Fountain— Effect of Alcohol — Hovels and their Inmates — Lake Silissi — Pezzo — Eicketty Houses — " Nosiro Giacomo!" — Hospitable Demonstration — Ponta di Legno — Meagre Fare — A Scene at Bedtime . . 135*

Chapter VIII

Village Life at early Morn — Giacomo's Farewell — A Mason Haymaker — Among the Fir-trees — St. Bartholomew's Chapel — The Tonale— Re-enter Tyrol— A Forest Walk— A Timber Fall— Val Vermiglio — Vermigliano — Wine and Eggs — More Honesty — Female Curiosity — A lazy Lover — Romps with the Baby — Paper-money again — Picturesque Scenery — Osanna — Pellizzano — Traders' Signs — Mezzano — Piano — Male — The Piazza — Civic Recreations — The Velocifero — Architecture — Caldes — The Nos — Cles — Time to Breakfast — Silk-mills — Street Life — Good Books — Bad Cutlery — Bare Mulberry-trees — Mezzo Lombardo — Time to dine — Factory Girls — Rabbi Water — Lavis — Gradolo — Trent — Aspect of the City — Hungarian Troops — The Church of the Council — The Cathedral Square — Priests and Priestlings —The Concordat— Marketing— The Cafe— The Minstrel— A Bit of Politics — Pergine — Lake Caldonazzo — Calzeranica — Devouring Heat — Vigolo — Card-players — Sunday on the Boulevard — A transmuted Name 151

Chapter IX

Parisian Enterprise — Departure from Trent — Salurn — A Friar's Payment — Etschland — Leave the High-road — The Hill-side — A Thunderstorm — The Kalterner See — Kaltern — The Rittmeister — Arrest of an Emissary — About English Troops — Austria and England — Georgey — Hungary and Lombardy — The Palmerstonian Target — The Ficar of VaJcefield — The Doctor's English — Giving a Lesson — A Cup of Tea — A late and early Pupil — His Opinions — A Savour of Scandal — The Extatica, Maria von Mori — The Major's Jokes — Ride to Terlan — A Rabble Parliament — Politics again — Kossuth and Mazzini — Cost of the Army — A wide-awake Country — Meran — Scraps of History — Schloss Tyrol — Magnificent View — RifBan — A lost Track — Saltaus — Labourers at Supper — The Evening Prayer 17£

Chapter X

The Passeyr — Classic Ground — A Talk with Reapers — Tyrolese and English Labourers— St. Martin — Hofer's Birthplace— A

CONTENTS. Vll

PAGE

Dinner on the Balcony — Am Sand — Something about Hofer — He becomes Leader of the Passeyrers — His Dress — Triumphal Entry into Innsbruck — The Obercommandant's Speech — His Policy — His Economy — His simple Faith— National Incredulity — Dangers and Embarrassments — The last Proclamation — The Search for Hofer — The traitor Priest and Peasant — The Patriot's Hiding-place — An unwelcome Visitor — A Surprise — Made Prisoner — French Eejoicings — An Escort to Mantua — Sentence of Death — The Execution — An Imperial Murder — A Corpse ennobled — Final Entry into Innsbruck — Entombed among the "Worthiest 199

Chapter XI

The Strangers' Book — Relics of Hofer — More Honesty — Jauffenburg — TheOetzthal Glaciers — Up the Jauffen — A sturdy "Woman — "What she wanted to know — The last Stare — The Mountain Path — The sham Doctor — A Climb — The Summit — AWirthshaus — Fir-woods — Sterzing — Cheap Entertainment — The Brenner Road — A Retrospect — The Ambuscade — Destruction of the Saxons— A Surrender— The " Saxon Cleft"— The Duke discovers his Mistake — The Kapuziner, Joachim Haspinger — His Life and Exploits — " The Bothbart is up" — The Patriarch at Salzburg — Tyrolese Heroes — Speckbacher and his little Son . 216

Chapter XII

The Miners' Architecture — On the Highway — The Eisack — Gossensass — "Wildbad — Summit of the Brenner — Life at the Post — Source of the Eisack — Gries — Gigantic Crucifix — Steinach — A Burning Out — The "Wippthal — Matrey — Schonberg — Old-fashioned Wirihshaus — Beautiful "View — Stubayerthal — Berg Isel — Striking Prospect — Innsbruck — The Innthal — The Abbey of "Wiltau — The Oesterreichischer Hof — City Scenes — Fantastic Gables — The Imperial Church — Heroes in Bronze — Maximilian's Tomb— The Silver Chapel— Hofer's Tomb— The Ferdinandeum— The Public "Walk— The River— Nightfall— Schloss Ambras — Giant Haymo — The "Weierberg — Market-day — The Passport Clerk — Leave Innsbruck — Martinswand — Zirl — Raft JBuilder — Sausage Eaters — Obermiemingen — Obsteig — A poor Parish — Queen and Emperor — English same as German — Up the Marienberg — Last View of the Innthal — The Summit — The Griinstein — Inn and Isar — Eagles' Nests — Bieberwier — Leermoos — Sunday Rifle Practice — Heiterwang — Schloss Ehrenberg — Reute— A Swoon 230

Vlll CONTENTS.

Chapter XIII

PAGE An interesting Environment — A Half-pay Officer — Talk by the Way — A Harvest of Legends — The White House — From Black and Yellow to Blue and White — The Lech Fall — A Saint's Leap — Fussen — A Bavarian Dinner — Trip to Schwangau — The Alpen Rose — The Gardens — The Palace — Artistic Beauties — Armour — Paintings — Sculpture — The Knight of the Swan — Recollections of the East — The Hohenstaufen Hall — Lodging of the King, Queen, and Princes — View from the Roof — The Saiiling — The Fountains — The gorgeous Bath — The Refreshment-room —A Wedding Party— The Kloster— The Miraculous Staff— The Town and its Traders — Off for Kempten — Bad Roads — A Midnight Ride — The Waiting-room — Immenstadt — A Soldier's Dressing-room — Lindau — The Lake again — Constance — View from the Minster Tower — Burning-place of Huss and Jerome — A Treacherous Emperor — Sylvan Landing-place — Down the Rhine — Stein — A Canary Merchant — Slow Diligence — Axle on Fire— The soiled Dress— Schaffhausen— The Rhine Fall . . . 260

Chapter XIV

A gloomy Morning — Swiss Agriculture — A Protestant Church — From the Canton to the Duchy — The Earthquake — Stuhlingen — Grand-Ducal Eilwagen — Name again transmuted — The Ticket — The Black Forest — A shivering Hanoverian — Mist and Rain — r Bonndorf — A Wet Fair-day — Embroidered Head-dress — Migratory Foresters — Clockmakers — Forest Scenes — Lenzkirch — A Talk in the Post-house — A Walk through the Forest — Miles of Firs — Titi See — Hollensteig — Hollenthal — Magnificent Defile — Moreau's Retreat— Stone-breakers — The Brook — The Vosges — Freiburg — The Minster and Schlossberg — The Prefect's Notice —To Carlsruhe— The Palace— The Gardens— The Market— A lazy Functionary — Waiting for an Autograph — Appenweier — Kehl — Strasburg — The Cathedral — View from the Tower — A Lesson in the Air — About the City — Mixture of French and German: Ancient and Modern — Moonlight and Music — Lutzelbourg— Nancy — Paris — Re-cross the Channel 284

Index 313

ON FOOT THROUGH TYROL.

Chapter I

A Holiday in prospect — Where to go — The Passport — London to Harwich — The Gallopper — The Scheldt — Flushing — A Foreign Aspect — Land versus Sea — The Forts — Antwerp — Life in the Streets — A Difficulty — Malines — The Sunday Question — Worship and Revelry — Which to choose — Another Difficulty — A Midnight Arrival — A hard Bed — The Bhine Steamer — A Brewery at Mentz — Talk about the War — Purging the Language— Mannheim — Bruchsal — Wurtemberg Bailway Train — Barn-like Stations — Bural Life — The Maulbronner See— Stuttgart— The old Streets— The Market-place— The Krim and Ssebastopol — Luxurious Carriages — The Valley of the Xeckar — Ivory Carvers — Cheap Refreshments— The Geisslingerthal — Ulm — Sausages and KirscJienkuchen — The Danube — Piles of Firewood — The Bavarian Plain — Transformed Talk — Friedrichshafen.

As July came round once more, I felt the anticipation of a holiday among the mountains growing into a lively pleasure ; making me impatient to be on the way — master of my time, and free to roam. I inclined for a wandering in the Alpine country between the Ortler Spitz and the Gross Glockner, where the promise of grand scenery appeared the more inviting, accompanied by the hope of an acquaintance, however

B slight, with a remarkable peasantry. To see them in their native valleys, to note their ways of living, and compare their condition and character with what I knew of the similar class in other countries, might contribute to the interest of my ramble. Moreover, in the heart of the Continent there is much to be seen that sets actually before our eyes the olden time of England, such as we read of in the pages of historians and story-tellers. So I made up my mind for Tyrol.

The difference between home and foreign travel is felt in the very earliest preparations. In the one case you pack your knapsack or carpet-bag, and depart unquestioned to any quarter of the compass, caring for no man ; in the other there is that indispensable instrument, the passport, to be provided, suggesting visions of interrogatories, delays, and vexations ; some of which, as will be seen hereafter, I had to experience. And only on this account have I ventured to repeat what is so obvious a truism.

The Austrian Minister keeps you waiting half an hour for his signature ; the Bavarian Minister not more than ten minutes. No objection was taken to my Foreign Office passport being already two years old, nor was any charge made. The Belgian Consul insisted that no one could land in his country without his sixteenpenny visa, the authorities having become excessively rigorous since the breaking out of the war ; and the Baden Consul was yet more positive as to what unwarranted travellers had to expect on the Grand Duke's frontiers, perhaps influenced by the prospect of a half- crown fee. And yet I saw passengers land in Belgium without a visa ; while in Baden your passport is never asked for.

To vary my experiences I took the route by Harwich and Antwerp, and paid 21. Os. 8d. for a " second-class and saloon" ticket through to Cologne, although the thought of riding the first stage in one of the low, uncomfortable, dungeon-like Eastern Counties Railway carriages was by no means alluring. We left London at half-past eight in the evening ; arrived at Harwich at midnight; went immediately on board the Cygnus, and steamed out of the harbour. It was a glorious moonlight night, and the change from the dingy carriage to the broad, heaving expanse of sea, flashing and gleaming away into infinite distance, was a joyful surprise. The vessel was worthy of her name, and soon we saw the coast lights twinkling wide apart, and when I left the deck, after an hour's pacing up and down, we were well advanced towards the Gallopper.

At six the next morning the coast of Holland was visible, and the tall church tower of Ostend rising far away on the right. Then we passed the second buoy of the Scheldt, from which to the Gallopper light on the English side is sixty miles, and this distance is what some companies advertize as " five hours' sea passage," pleasantly ignoring the troubled waters on either side, which are so much like the sea that some unhappy voyagers cannot tell the difference. The whole distance from Harwich to Antwerp is one hundred and sixty-eight miles, of which sixty are in the Scheldt,

b2 whereby passengers have time to recover from their uneasiness and the dejected look that accompanies it.

The dark, uneven line of the shore grows more distinct, resting on a level base of sand. Broad, pale slopes come into view, and here and there the whirling arms of a windmill, all the rest hidden by the embankments that keep out the sea. Now we pass the Paarde light-ship, from whence the mouth of the river is seen, ten miles wide, crowded with shoals, as indicated by the numerous buoys. In the distance, towards the west, we get a glimpse of the towers of Bruges, and in the opposite direction Middelburg steeple shoots up from the island of Walcheren, and ere long we stop for a few minutes off Flushing to take on board a river pilot. The brief delay gives us time to look at the timbered jetties, the entrance to the docks, the gables peeping above the walls, the fortifications of earth and brick, the conspicuous church- tower, all appearing very lifeless, and hardly worth the trouble we took some fiveand-forty years ago to batter them to pieces. Quiet enough now. Then, while breakfast was served, we sped onwards between Walcheren and Cadsandj and South Beveland and Axel ; and when we came on deck again we saw the banks greener, and here the tops of trees and a spire visible beyond them, and a few scattered masts in places at a distance from the river, where you would hardly think of looking for them, springing from unseen fishing-boats afloat in the creeks. The foreign aspect becomes more and more strongly marked, exciting lively attention ; and yet it is remark-

01s FOOT THROUGH TYROL. 5

able how soon you come to look on novel objects as things familiar. First impressions are quite lost if memory alone be trusted to for their preservation.

Then rows of stakes across the river, and numerous sand-banks, and strong lines of ripple, showing where others lurk beneath the surface, and buoys dancing uneasily in the rapid current. And wooded mounds showing their rounded summits along the shore, children playing, and parties of men and women strolling or sitting on the grass, watching the steamer that, with the English flag flying, urges her rapid way against the stream, under the bright sunshine. You might wonder where they live, but for the peaked gables and the chimneys that peep up here and there beyond the banks. And horses and cattle are grazing, or standing up to their knees in the water; and the peace and calm are undisturbed save by the beat of the paddles.

Presently, on our left, its tricolor fluttering in the breeze, appears the strong fort of Bathz, at the entrance of the channel that leads past Bergen-op-Zoom to Rotterdam. This channel is so shallow at low water that it can be waded across, and attempts are being made to reclaim large portions of the shore for cultivation. Already the dykes built out from South Beveland keep back the tide from considerable tracts. Opposite, stretches a broad expanse, seamed with shallows, known as the Drowned Land. Next we come to the Belgian frontier, marked by Fort Lillo on one side and Fort Liefkenshoek on the other ; and after rounding a sandy spit, the spire of Antwerp Cathedral is seen beyond the low green levels, seeming to shift its position as the vessel follows the windings of the river. Then, at intervals, three forts, in ruins ; barges and river-boats frequent ; and the distant city emerging more and more from the surrounding flats; and many detached houses, suburban villas, plantations, and gardens. A little farther and there is Fort du Nord ; the straggling outskirts of a great town, and the long line of wharves crowded with shipping; throngs of people walking on the quays, while a tuneful carillon proclaims the hour of noon from all the churches. The Scheldt here is twelve hundred feet wide. Our vessel made a bold sweep, almost touching the Tete de Flandre, on the opposite shore, and brought up at the landing-place.

During this manoeuvre we got a view up the higher reach of the river, where, among the trees, a custom-house officer pointed out to me the situation of the citadel, in which old General Chasse with his Dutch troops once showed himself as stubborn as his casemates ; in that eventful year when France, having achieved her own three days, helped to drive the Hollander out of Belgium.

Every one was ordered to the cabin for the inspection of passports. The names were taken down, and those who had no visa, or who had an old one, were permitted to land equally with those who exhibited one fresh from the Consulate in Adelaide Chambers. The baggage was promptly inspected, and then we were free to go on shore. There was much more of a French aspect than I had expected to see in the old Flemish city — cheerful almost to gaiety. Numbers of well-dressed people were walking through the picturesque streets, the women in lively colours that heightened the animation; some with rich lace caps or collars, recalling the olden time. Flemish names are over the doors ; the handbills and municipal proclamations on the walls are Flemish, with rare exceptions ; and if you ask the way of a workingman, the answer will be in the same language. I walked hither and thither, looked at the cathedral; dined, and then being desirous to get to Cologne in time for the next morning's steamer up the Rhine, betook myself to the railway station.

Here I must give a few particulars which would be better omitted were it not that they may serve as a caution to other travellers. While buying my " through ticket" in London, I had diligently inquired as to the possibility of getting from Antwerp to Cologne by second-class on the day of arrival, and was assured of a train starting at half-past two. True enough, there was the train, but all first-class, and when I showed my ticket, and repeated the assurances made to me by authority in London, the answer was that I might pay ninety centimes, and go on to Marines and wait there till half-past five for a second-class train to Cologne. I adopted the alternative ; and having two hours to spare on arrival at Malines, I strolled away to the town to see how the people were passing the Sunday.

The Sunday question was just then an animated one in England, and with the effect of showing that much may be said on both sides of it. But whatever the arguments in favour of trie Continental mode of passing the Sunday over our own, the sight of Malines as I saw it on that afternoon would perhaps have moderated the advocates of jocund recreations. The streets were alive with music and merriment ; girls in flaming skirts and on tall stilts danced to the sound of drum, triangle, and Pan's pipes ; wandering minstrels chanted melodious ditties in no timid voice ; and fiddlers kept up a furious round of their liveliest airs. And so the sports went on between the picturesque old houses stretching away in charming variety to the Grande Place, where all the din and hurly-burly of a fair burst upon me. Long ranges of stalls of fruit, cakes, eggs, salad, toys, and cooling drinks divided the attention of the crowd with target-shooting, twirl-about for gingerbread, swings, and shows, all in the very noisiest of excitement. The beating of gongs, thumping of drums, and volleys of r-r-r-r-r-r's from vociferating mountebanks, were almost deafening. One of the shows had the four sovereigns — England, France, Austria, and Russia — made of wax and large as life, to be seen for two sous. They were represented in a highly florid style on a large painting over the stage, with the Virgin in their midst ; our queen as ruddy and sturdy as a Welsh milkmaid, muffled in silken drapery. That sort of art does not appear to be more advanced among the Flemings than among ourselves.

The cathedral stands at one side of the Place. I went in. Service was going on, sonorous chantings and mighty rolls of harmony from the organ, but strangely disturbed by the noise of feet clattering in the whirl of the roundabout not twenty yards from the door, and the uproar from the fair. Revelry and worship were but a step apart. And then coming forth into the noise again, I thought it would be long before English folk would consider such excitement the best recreation after the labours of the week. Our Christianity, truly, or that which passes for it, is not remarkable for cheerfulness ; yet few who have thought on the subject would be willing to lose the privilege of one day in seven for reflection. On the other hand, if a choice must be made between what may be seen any Sunday in Lambeth or Whitechapel, in similar quarters of our large towns, especially in Glasgow, and the Continental mode, I should raise my voice for that of Malines. I saw no coarseness and no drunkenness, notwithstanding that rows of tables stood at the door of every tavern, round which men and women sat drinking wine, beer, and lemonade.

But to the journey. I sought the station-master, and inquired why the terms published in London to the effect that passengers purchasing through-tickets could proceed without delay, were not recognized in Belgium? His answer was, " No arrangement has been made for second-class passengers ; the companies on your side know it ; but they ship travellers over knowing they will have to shift for themselves." Mine was not a solitary case; he had complaints innumerable precisely similar.

I asked, " Can second-class passengers get from Antwerp or Ostend to Cologne within the day ?"

a No ; the train you are waiting for goes no farther than Aix-la-Chapelle."

My hopes for the next day were suddenly dashed ; but there was no help for it, except, as the station-master remarked, I chose to go on by a train that reached Aix about three in the morning.

The train from Ostend came up ; I took my place, and found the compartment nearly filled with Englishmen, who were complaining as only Englishmen can, about having been victimized. To have first-class passengers monopolizing all the consideration in England was bad enough ; but to find the same thing after crossing the Channel was atrocious. Let others take warning by our fate.

It was near midnight when we arrived at Aix. I lay down on a bench in the waiting-room till the early train came at three o'clock. Again nothing but first-class ; however, to save myself from further vexation, I paid the difference of fare and went on. The approach of dawn, the gradual spread of gold in the east, the lighting up of the marbled sky, brighter and brighter till the sun himself uprose, the cool fresh breeze, and the sight of the awakening earth, soon charmed away unpleasant reminiscences. The clocks had j ust struck five as we reached Cologne; there was opportunity for a quiet walk through the still slumbering city, and I was on board the Hohenzollern in time for her start at six.