Chapter C: W. V (7)

The anniversary or festival of the patron saint of Massa, a small village across the mountain, took place while I was here, so, mounting a donkey, I found myself, preceded by about a dozen priests in black robes and three-cornered hats, mounted like myself, with boys beating the sides of the stupid animals. Our train was considerably augmented by peasant boys and girls in holiday costume trudging along, and we finally found ourselves in the square of the parochial church, which presented the appearance of a fair.

The temporary booths were supplied with all the eatables and drinkables requisite. The countrymen occupied their time in the examination of goats, sheep, and pigs, and in making sundry purchases, while the villagers and country lasses, with tidy white veils, were listening to a full military band playing church music during high mass. The priests of the surrounding villages were in full regalia, and the interior of the building was hung in red drapery fringed with gold leaf borders. Small cannon were mounted for a grand volley, which was given, after which these simple people returned home as much enchanted as if they had witnessed the pompous ceremonies of Rome, and heard the thundering cannon of San Angelo. My boy had loaded the donkey’s head with rosaries of stringed filberts and chestnuts, which fruit were much sought after by those who had not attended the festival.

The royal residence of the king at Caserta is well worth a visit, and easily reached by railroad. It is fourteen miles from Naples; the king spends most of his time here. The palace is one of the most extensive in Europe; the interior, aside from a few of the saloons and the staircase, is not remarkable. The grounds, gardens, and parks are eleven miles in circumference; they are well supplied with water, which is brought twenty-seven miles by aqueduct, forming some beautiful cascades. The soil is rich and fertile, and the Botanical and Horticultural Gardens very fine. In many respects I was strongly reminded of the royal grounds of the Court of Spain at La Granja, but the fountains here, and statues in marble and bronze, will not compare with similar works there.

The military force of the kingdom of Naples is one hundred thousand men. There are three regiments of cavalry and infantry stationed at Caserta, and soldiery and sentinels may be found at all points where one goes. The police are very rigid. For instance I retired to bed early the night of my arrival; at eleven P.M. I was roused by a rap at the door; I asked what was wanted; a peremptory order was given to open; I struck a light, and in marched two officers in uniform, who inquired if I had a passport. I replied in the negative, my passport being in the hands of the authorities at Naples. “Have you a _Carta di Segiorno_?” or permit; fortunately I had provided myself with one, or I should have been marched off to the Carcel. I was then questioned as to the object of my visit, and how long I intended to stay, all of which was exceedingly vexatious.

The flower and fruit season is fairly opened, and the sun begins to make one look for a shady spot. The glare of light is fatiguing to the eyes, and as I am a sufferer I shall make my way north to Genoa and Turin.

I shall take the steamer, notwithstanding the recent frightful accident and loss of the Ercolano from this place, caused by collision with the Siciliano, whereby forty-nine passengers and crew, in a few minutes, at midnight, were sent into eternity. It is attributed to gross carelessness, for it was proved that not an officer was on the deck of the Siciliano when she struck the unfortunate steamer. The culprits are in prison awaiting their trial. Many persons are now going north by land, but without doubt the caution now exercised will for some time at least make steam travel safer.

XCVII.

TURIN, KINGDOM OF SARDINIA, _June 5, 1854_.

Our steamer was a French one, and the commander having reputation for skill and caution, the little boat of two hundred and twenty horse power was inundated with passengers from Civita and Leghorn.

It was ridiculous but amusing to notice the rigor of the Neapolitan police. At the quay, before embarking, one has to have his baggage examined, or to slyly slip a piece of coin into the hands of the sentinel; then he passes to the office and gets a permit to embark, notwithstanding that his passport has already been _visé_ by his own minister, the Neapolitan Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Inspector of the Marine, and a permit de sejour has been granted previously--all of which costs several dollars, for the benefit of the Neapolitan officials.

Once on board, you suppose yourself clear of the annoyance; but it is not so. Another scene of counting heads and calling names, to be sure that none are on board without being regularly labelled.

Our boat had arrived from Sicily, and what with Sicilian and Neapolitan passengers, every berth was occupied.

After leaving the bay of Naples, the sea was sufficient to quiet many passengers, and to give a seat at table, which by right could be retained. The following day, at Civita Vecchia, there came a rush of passengers from Rome, on their way to Leghorn and Florence. Fortunately the weather was fine, with a quiet sea; had it been otherwise, with hatches down, those below would have suffocated. Tents were pitched for the ladies on deck, and mattresses scattered about for the gentlemen. Such a democratic party of one hundred and thirty-seven passengers I had not met lately. It comprised a French consul and his family, and Greek servants, from Turkey, Italian counts and countesses, marquises, Spanish generals, English nobility, North and South Americans, German and other travellers, with all the dialects and tongues of Babel.

In such cases most parties are willing to conform to circumstances, although those who embarked first with us had great reason to complain of the abuse of the directors. The first breakfast was at nine, and dinner at four, and those who had to wait for the second and third tables were to be pitied.

At Leghorn we remained ten hours, and received as many passengers as we had landed; so our condition was not much improved.

My trip was just the opposite of one which I made last winter from France to the island of Sardinia, on board of a steamer of great size, when I occupied the entire cabin, the commander being my only table companion.

I rejoiced to get ashore, in the thriving city of Genoa, with civil custom-house officers and few police nuisances, breathing the air of constitutional liberty, and lodging in one of the former palaces, now the Hotel Feder--the inconveniences of the passage made me appreciate good quarters. I found myself casually occupying the apartment where the great Irish agitator, O’Connell, breathed his last.

Notwithstanding several visits to the City of Palaces, I spent a few days profitably. I shall not again describe the contents of the churches, the style of architecture, the marble and gilded decorations of the costly edifices, of the famed republic, but simply state that the intricate streets and numerous lanes, with their tall houses, not unlike those of Venice, have charms after leaving the broad and quadrangular streets of many of the cities of Southern Italy. Horse power is in requisition only in the broad streets and thoroughfares; but it is curious to watch the multitude threading their way through the winding passages, with little shops on each side--the women particularly, with white veils suspended from their heads, and falling over their shoulders.

The cafés and refreshment rooms are, as in all parts of Italy, supplied with the melody of harpists and violin-players of both sexes, who make the circuit, and pick up the crumbs from a musical people.

The gardens and promenades of the Aqua Sole, on the height commanding the harbor and valley, are frequented by all the beauty and wealth of the city on Sunday and other festival days.

On my last visit here Charles Albert, the liberal king, had undertaken the Italian cause against Austria, but had lost his throne, and died in exile.

Then the journey from Genoa to Turin was a fatiguing one of twenty-four hours; now the great railroad is open, and the trip is made in five hours. The distance is one hundred and ten miles; the work was done by the government at an immense expense. The tunnels (one of which, three miles in length, is a stupendous work) are all of arched masonry. Too much money was expended in the construction of this road to permit any interest to be paid: it cost over two hundred thousand dollars per mile.

Turin of late years has made greater advances in improvements than any of the cities of Italy; it may be attributed to its liberal government and the concentration in it of many thousand exiles, including many wealthy families from Lombardy. The full liberty of the press is enjoyed here, and quite as much liberty of speech as is consistent with constitutional government.

The great difficulty in harmonizing or bringing about a union of the Italian states, will be the different dialects. Here the Piedmontese patois is spoken. The journals are in Italian, also the shop signs, and the theatrical performances; but strange to say, the conversation of almost all classes is in the patois, and it is only the shopkeepers and the educated classes who speak Italian or French to strangers. In Genoa, another dialect prevails. In Milan, Venice, and Naples, they have their patois, and cannot understand each other. All this contributes to jealousy instead of unanimity, and enables designing rulers to keep the people in ignorance. The general introduction of railways and common schools would bring about a change.

The Constitutional Anniversary has just passed off with great satisfaction. The son and successor of Charles Albert, king Emanuel, is popular with the masses. He assisted in person, a few days since, at the opening of the new railroad to Suza, at the foot of the Alps.

A famous Amazon race came off on a recent festival day. The parade ground was about three-quarters of a mile in circumference; circles and stands were erected, similar to those in a race-course, to accommodate twenty thousand persons, the centre being occupied by the ladies of the royal household. Thirty thousand persons were spectators. The ladies rode well in the steeple-chase, their horses clearing the bars and mounds with frightful leaps; but they clung to their steeds beautifully.

Just before sunset there was a circus performance on a grand scale. Among the riders was a Hercules in the shape of a mulatto, who galloped two horses, standing erect, one foot on the back of each, and supporting one of the Amazons on his shoulders. The deer hunt was a failure. The deer was but little alarmed, and took it very kindly: the dogs sympathized with the deer, and some of them took to their heels in another direction, much to the amusement of the crowd and the annoyance of the manager, who made an explanation and gave an entertainment for the benefit of the poor.

Turin is, I believe, the only city of Italy where clubs are tolerated. The principal one is composed of the most respectable persons of the city, and occupies a commodious palace, with all the advantages of a library, reading-room, rational amusements, and an excellent table. Through the politeness of Marquis Palavecini, who, with his bride, was with us in southern Italy, I found myself registered upon the privileged list for a fortnight. Upon the tablet of sixteen invited guests, composed of counts, marquises, and barons, two of the number had no title; one of whom, however, was of the sovereign people from America; he dined at the round table d’hôte of eight with the diplomatic circle of Spain, Prussia, Belgium, and Naples. The liveried servants, and the presence of distinguished personages, did not seem in the least to suspend his appetite or prevent his enjoyment of a good dinner.

Turin, with its population of nearly two hundred thousand, its broad and well-paved streets, its long line of porticoes surrounding the public square and extending along the principal thoroughfare, protecting from sun and rain, has its attractions. Its position upon the banks of the Po, with long avenues of shade trees throughout the suburbs, affords fine views. The collection of antique horse armor and coats of mail in the palace, is the finest in Europe after the collection of Madrid.

The scarcity of grain this year diminishes the size of the bakers’ loaves, and the outcry of high prices is general, particularly among the poor, whose principal sustenance is bread and wine, both of which are deficient.

Turin is celebrated for its pipestem bread, a peculiarity of the city.

It is laughable, at the table d’hôte, to see each person take a handful of sticks nearly a yard long, and amuse himself in cracking this crisping and delicious article.

The coming crop promises to be abundant. The wheat appears of a strong and hard growth. The heads of rye begin to turn already a golden color; and the hay harvest has commenced. The strawberry and cherry season is passing, as I noticed apricots are already in market.

XCVIII.

PARIS, _June 30, 1854_.

I find myself once again in the bustle and activity of this great city, after my return from Italy and Switzerland. My last communication was from Turin. The railroad to Suza, recently opened, brought me to the foot of the Alps, where the diligence, with its ten mules, was in readiness to ascend Mount Cenis, whose lofty crest was buried in snow. The rich and luxuriant growth of the valley is gradually lost as the dwarfish and stunted trees appear; the cold winds from the frozen surface and the absence of vegetation prove that the summit is nearly reached, and the traveller rejoices in the descent to the verdant and smiling valleys of Savoy. The macadamized, winding, and zigzag roads upon the borders of frightful precipices are, however, well provided with parapet walls, and tall poles or landmarks indicate the route when it is blocked with snow. The Government has also constructed, at intervals, one-story cottages, with roofs and bare walls, as a temporary refuge for benighted travellers. The passage at this season of the year is comparatively easy, and unlike what I had to contend with in crossing the St. Bernard, some years since, during the same month, upon mule-back, wading through snowbanks in the mountain gorges twenty feet in depth. The scenery is less grand and majestic than that of the Simplon, or great road of Napoleon, which I once passed in the month of October, upon jumpers made of hoop poles, and drawn by a single horse, for one person alone, under constant dread of avalanches and mountain torrents.

A seventy-four hours’ ride brought me to Chamberry, and thence three leagues further to Aix, celebrated for its baths from the time of the Romans, some of whose monuments are still found. It is situated in a beautiful valley, between a double chain of mountains, with most picturesque eminences, bordered by the Lake Bourget, some twelve miles in length. This pleasant little town, with a Savoyard population of three thousand, derives its principal support from the influx of strangers during the bathing season. Almost all its inhabitants--loungers, doctors, &c.--draw a portion of their revenue from the rent of their dwellings.

From its position between France, Italy, and Switzerland, it is a convenient and agreeable place for invalids. The waters are of iron and sulphur, and the supply is more abundant than any I had ever seen, and of a high temperature. The quantity discharged from the rock into the Royal Bathing Establishment, which is situated against the sidehill, is sufficient to turn an ordinary mill-wheel. The building, a handsome structure, is composed of four divisions, comprising thirty-six pieces. Here are found swimming and simple, as also vapor baths; shower, vertical, and oblique douches; with the volume and force of the shock required, or all the shades and varieties possible. There are also two dark underground rooms, whose high temperature of sulphur has given them the name of Division d’Enfer, or Hell Division; there is one for females as well as males. Two streams of hot sulphur water break upon the place, while clouds of steam make the atmosphere suffocating. While the invalid is in this he receives the shower-bath, which must produce an active effect. All the employees of the establishment are in uniform, and, when there are many visitors, they have full employment. The alum-water is most used for drinking, it being less heavy for the stomach than the sulphur-water, and its odor less disagreeable.

The Douchers employed in the baths are said to be very clever in their mode of friction, rubbing the limbs, and cracking the joints of rheumatic patients. I had no occasion for them, however. I have not yet forgotten the shampooing or vapor-bath at Constantinople, where one is almost scalded, and every bone of the body seems to be broken; then you are laid out in a winding sheet to be revived with coffee and sherbet, and finish off with a chibouck, or Turkish pipe. These waters and shady grounds being suggested as a relief for an eye-difficulty, I was induced to make a sojourn of some ten days at this pleasant spot. There are not the same attentions here as at Baden Baden and Wiesbaden. The Casino, however, is a handsome edifice, with spacious grounds and gardens, to which visitors subscribe, and have the privilege of a reading-room, a café, and restaurant; a military band plays morning and evening, and in the dancing and concert halls. The most corrupt places are the public gambling-rooms, where are seen groups of both sexes around the roulette tables, and the bankers with their little rakes in hand drawing in or paying out; the glittering gold dazzles the eye of the novices, and frequently induces them to stake their last Napoleon. The government has farmed out this establishment, with the promise that no officer of the crown, or citizen of the place shall be allowed to gamble--a very excellent provision; but the influx of strangers keeps up the traffic, and affords occupation for those who have a taste for play. I arrived in season for the festival of the baths. The programme was attractive, and calculated to draw a large assemblage from the neighboring villages. The firing of cannon, ringing of bells, and church service, the eating and drinking at the baths, made it a sort of Fourth of July affair; it was succeeded by donkey races, closing with an illumination under the tall elm and sycamore trees, with bands of music, and the national dances of the peasant girls and boys in their gay and picturesque costume. A display of fireworks added to the enjoyment of this simple and happy people, who seemed to disperse with reluctance. Rides upon the mountain, fishing, and excursions upon the lake, make up the pleasurable employments of visitors. A lady and gentleman, who came in company from Turin, joined me in an excursion down the lake, to visit a convent containing the royal tombs of the house of Savoy, which, with the chapel, are exquisitely wrought. The intermittent spring was also visited; at intervals of ten or fifteen minutes a rumbling noise is heard, and the rush of water (the volume being the size of a man’s body) soon fills a natural basin, when it gradually ceases, to be renewed after taking breath, as it were, from exhaustion. We had embarked upon this placid lake, when a heavy squall came up; the Lilliputian sea became agitated, and the little sail of the frail bark fluttered in the wind; the lady went into hysterics! The idea of being shipwrecked in that manner was ridiculous to me. We made for the mountain shore, and, ensconced under the rocks, escaped the driving rain, until it beat the little billows into subjection. The fright was sufficient to draw forth a promise from the husband and wife not to go sailing again this summer.

From Savoy I went into Switzerland; it was my third visit. I found at Geneva many changes since I was last there: a portion of the old rampart had been thrown down, and streets opened and built upon. Beautiful as it then was, reposing gently upon the margin of the lake whose name it bears, it is rendered more beautiful by the march of improvement; new hotels are being added to those already existing. The opening of railways in France has brought Geneva within twenty-eight hours of Paris, which time will be shortened when other projects are carried out. In visiting the principal of an institution at Geneva, I found eight American boys from different parts of the Union. The little fellows seemed quite delighted to meet with one who was from their native land, and familiar with most of the localities they came from, and, more than all, acquainted with some of their parents. They seemed happy and contented, and under good discipline.

The country never looked better; the prospects of the farmer are encouraging; the disease of the vine, which has made such havoc and caused such loss in southern Europe with those whose only resource is the production of wine, has not yet appeared, and strong hopes are entertained that the vine will escape it. In sections of country where for scores of miles the cultivation of the grape is as general as Indian corn or wheat in our country, the failure and consequent distress may very well be conceived.

I formerly described the chateau of Voltaire, and the few relics remaining of that philosopher. It is situated at Ferney, a few miles from Geneva, and is frequently visited by strangers. The present proprietor has beautified the grounds and remodelled the edifice. He was my travelling companion by the mail coach to Dijon, and amused and interested me much with many anecdotes of this singular man, as well as the remarks of visitors, strongly prejudiced for or against that peculiar philosopher.

I am not yet decided what course I shall take from Paris, but you will hear from me in due time.

XCIX.

AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, _July 25, 1854_.

The facilities for travel have so greatly increased since I first visited Europe in 1841, that I can scarcely realize that I am now writing from Aix, in Prussia, and that a portion of my last letter from Paris was descriptive of the baths of Aix en Savoie, in the north of Italy, where I was some six weeks since, thence passing through Switzerland to the French capital, making a considerable sojourn, with excursions to Versailles, Enghien, Fontainebleau, &c.; proceeding to Belgium, visiting Brussels, Liege, and the waters of the Spa. These points were all familiar to me, consequently only agreeable as souvenirs of the past. I found Brussels the same miniature Paris, but augmented in size, and containing some two hundred and forty thousand of population, partaking less of the Flemish character than formerly; the houses, shops, and streets very cleanly, with a great amount of industry. Dogs are there turned to account, and seen drawing carts as in Germany. The window shutters of the first floors of many of the houses are supplied with small projecting mirrors, for the convenience of the ladies, as in Holland, enabling them to see the foot passengers up and down the sidewalks, without showing themselves obtrusively. The Park opposite the royal residence, and near the former palace of the Prince of Orange, is a miniature Tuileries, and affords an agreeable promenade. The manufacturing town of Liege, upon the banks of the Meuse, in a fertile valley with most romantic scenery, is well worth a visit. It is noted for its manufacture of cloth and fire-arms. Owing to a free use of coal, the old city is black and dirty, not unlike the manufacturing districts of England. The most delightful valley is that of Spa, celebrated for its ferruginous waters, which are highly charged with iron. The country is fertile; the roads and public walks are bordered by tall and expansive shade trees. The winding alleys, little pavilions and look-outs from the heights, give great variety, and induce one to sojourn here, as the lodging houses and hotels are good and clean. The cuisine for reading, music, and play are attractive, and encourage many English to visit this picturesque spot, as the route is so practicable by way of sea to Ostend, and a railroad being within six miles, families are enabled to get here with little difficulty. The place is famous for painted fancy articles of every description, which are its only commerce; consequently it is a neat, genteel, and quiet watering place.

I had called upon our Minister at Brussels, and upon the Prussian Ambassador, and found them both absent, but had the pleasure of a rencontre with them at Spa. The only privileged bank or roulette in Belgium, is at the springs; the owners are very liberal, and contribute largely to the entertainment of guests. A handsome ball and illumination was given while I was there.

Aix has forty-eight thousand inhabitants, and numerous hot mineral springs in and about the city. Its name, Aquæ Grani, and its origin and prosperity, date back to the Roman era, when the Proconsul Granis and his legions stopped here in their passage from the Gauls to Germany. Its healing springs decided Charlemagne to make it his favorite sojourn with his numerous court. It was the place for crowning the German emperors, from Louis le Debonnaire, in 873, to Ferdinand I., in 1531. There are eight huge sulphur baths, to which are attached good and commodious quarters, giving invalids the advantage of bathing without exposure. At this season of the year the baths and hotels are full; the arrivals thus far reaching several thousands; the names of strangers arriving from all sources are published daily in a small sheet, with their places of residence. The city lies in a valley, and is defended by the now verdant hills, which protect it from high winds; it may be considered a desirable place for health during the inclement season. The principal places of resort for strangers and citizens, within the city, are the Kurhaus, containing library and reading rooms, the concert halls, and a ball-room with a garden, enlivened with an orchestra in the evening. There may be found here a large re-union of ladies and gentlemen, wherein most of the languages of Europe are heard. The fountain Elise, and the garden adjoining, are most frequented in the morning by those who imbibe; glass in hand you see them strolling under the pavilion, reconciling themselves to a disagreeable draught, with an air from the military band. The municipality has here the benefit derived from the gaming tables, which has enabled them to erect a fine new hospital. It is curious and instructive to notice the passion for play--the anxiety manifested upon the countenances of those not accustomed to this unfortunate vice. It is not confined to the male sex, but numbers of beautiful and fashionably-dressed ladies are seen surrounding the tables, staking or drawing in with tiny rakes the glittering pieces of gold. From a height called Louisberg, is presented a beautiful panorama of the city and suburbs. The avenues for a drive and walks through the woods are really charming; an excellent restaurant, erected by the city authorities, with occasional fêtes and bands of music, are among the attractions. As I was strolling alone through the forest, towards evening, I reached a culminating point on an eminence, where I had one of the most magnificent landscapes lying before me, and my mind was involuntarily carried towards home. I heard the shrill whistle and the tread of the iron horse in the distant valley beyond me. I could almost fancy myself gazing from a certain knoll, upon which I have often stood, a little south of Poughkeepsie, with the distant hum from the railroad trains. Although nature had done much, art had not yet accomplished what was required. I looked in vain, however, for the majestic Hudson, whitened with sails, and the towering summits of the Highlands, and awakening from my reverie, I came to the conclusion that there are but few spots which nature and the work of man, combined, have rendered more attractive and agreeable than the Spring side of our beautiful city.

The remains of Charlemagne, the most powerful of Emperors, lie in the old cathedral founded by him. It has now withstood the ravages of more than a thousand years, having been consecrated by Pope Leo in the year 804. It contains many relics preserved in gold and silver cases set with precious stones. The most valuable of these relics were presented by Queen Isabella of Spain, in the sixteenth century, and are only opened once in seven years, for a fortnight, which occasions the pilgrimage of thousands of believers at that time. They are taken from their envelopes of silk, covered with cloths of gold and silver, and beset with jewels. They consist of a white cotton dress, supposed to have been worn by the mother of our Saviour; the linen with which the infant Jesus was clad; the cloth upon which the head of John the Baptist was placed; and the sack with which Christ girded his loins.

A large portion of the population is employed in the manufacture of cloths, silks, pins, needles, and various branches of trade. The Americans are among the best customers for cloths. We had a small fair here the other day. The country people stared and gazed and made their little purchases; mountebanks, menageries, trained monkeys and dogs, flying horses, and albinoes were plentiful; there were moving wax figures of Christ and his disciples at the table; and a living representation of his condemnation and flagellation, with verbal descriptions in German. Lager beer, cheese, and pipes were in general demand.

It must not be supposed that these people know nothing of California. I saw once a panorama of the trip to the land of gold, via the Isthmus of Panama. My curiosity led me, a few evenings since, to look in upon a much vaunted panorama now exhibiting here, painted by two artists who had crossed the plains. The gold diggings, the view of Sacramento city, the descent of the river to Benicia and San Francisco, were tolerably executed. A frightful shipwreck upon the Mexican coast made the audience shudder; the South American pirates seizing and burning a vessel, made them promise without doubt, to stay quietly at home. The beautiful tropical vegetation of Nicaragua was enchanting, but the serpents were frightful. Finally, after a long voyage, via Havana, we were brought safely to the port of New York. The Battery and Castle Garden, with a multitude of shipping, were before us; the spire of Trinity church soared up high; large and beautiful steamers with upper deck saloons were represented--the Reindeer being just ready for departure. The description given as the canvass rolled by, was interesting, although exaggerated; but when, in conclusion, the above-named steamer exploded, with five hundred passengers on board, I thought it was carrying the joke too far. I told the exhibitor, at the close, that we admitted the explosion and the loss of seven lives, but as the tide of emigration was great from Germany to America, we could not afford such wholesale slaughter.

C.

BATHS OF EMS, DUCHY OF NASSAU, _Aug. 20, 1854_.

In the little village of Graefrath, a few leagues from Dusseldorf, in the kingdom of Prussia, lives an oculist, who is celebrated throughout Holland and Germany, and whose address was given me at Aix-la-Chapelle. Requiring his services, I went in pursuit of him, and found, to my surprise, from two hundred to two hundred and fifty patients, who make a sort of pilgrimage there from all quarters. His success with royalty has given him several badges of honor, which he wears, and has made the village a place of sojourn for the afflicted, who are its chief resource. The doctor is kind and liberal in his treatment of the poor, and no respecter of persons. Each takes his turn, and I considered myself fortunate on my first interview, in meeting with the rank and file; it gave a fair opportunity of witnessing the sufferings of the partially blind, young and old, in the different conditions of life, and studying the hopes and fears of this pitiful class of invalids, and of thanking Heaven that my difficulties were small in comparison with those of many others present. Obtaining the necessary remedies for treatment, I was advised to proceed to this place, and make use of the waters.

Dusseldorf, which I had just left, is renowned for its school of modern paintings, and has three galleries now open, which contain many gems of art. It is also the residence of some three hundred artists. The gallery in New York, which bears its name, as we all know, contains a good collection of pictures.

I shall say little of the city so famous for its Cologne water, its vast, unfinished cathedral, its church with the bones of the eleven thousand virgins, which I have described on former occasions, but simply say I took there the steamer to ascend the much-vaunted Rhine, so full of interest, with its thickly settled villages, the rich vegetation of its banks, whose amphitheatred walls are covered with the vine which has given such celebrity to the Johannisberger, Rudesheimer, and other choice wines, its old castles upon the verge of the mountain crags, with its many legends, all of which are calculated to call forth the enthusiasm of the tourist. The day was fine; the long but narrow and tolerably fleet iron steamers made rapid exchanges of passengers at the principal villages, adding to the interest of the trip. The awning was spread as a protection from an August sun, and dinner served on deck to a numerous party of different races and tongues, who seemed to enjoy exceedingly not only the charming panorama but the light and delicious beverage produced from such clustering vines as covered the mountain side. This being the fourth time that I had navigated this stream, I could gaze upon its beauties with less emotion than formerly, and, must add, for the grand and majestic, the scenery of the noble Hudson surpasses the Rhine, although the former is deficient in variety of detail. The frowning castle of Ehrenbreitstein (the Gibraltar of the Rhine), and the smiling banks of the Moselle, which here discharges its waters, denote our arrival at Coblentz; and a two hours’ ride brings us to the village of Ems, deservedly noted for its picturesque and charming site, lying in the valley, upon the margin of the little river called the Lahn, skirted by mountains on both sides. I find myself somewhat at home here, being lodged in the same quarters in which I spent a month in the summer of 1848.

The discovery of the thermal waters of Ems dates from an early period of antiquity. When the Roman legions, under Augustus and Tiberius, occupied these mountains, they erected baths in honor of the nymphs, protectresses of the mineral waters, whose fountains mysteriously came from the earth. After the decline of the Roman power, they were lost sight of until the twelfth century, when Ems passed under the domination of the Counts of Nassau. It was not until 1803 that the house of Nassau erected the convenient and commodious buildings now forming part of this establishment. Since my last visit the improvements have been considerable to accommodate the great number of invalids who come here in search of health. Ems being a village with no other attractions than its beautiful rides and walks, everything has been done to render it agreeable; large and fine hotels have been erected, where every comfort may be obtained. The band plays morning and evening; the Kursaäl is a fine architectural structure for concerts, plays, and general reunions. The gardens are agreeable. The walks and romantic sites are covered with pavilions, accessible for pedestrians and donkeys--which latter abound, with red side-saddles with cushioned backs for ladies, and it is amusing to see the competition among the drivers: groups of both sexes, young and old, are seen winding up the serpentine ascents, presenting a droll appearance. The waters of Ems are celebrated for the relief of bronchial, pulmonary, and nervous diseases; more than one half of the visitors are ladies. Here one meets princes, dukes, counts, senators, merchants, etc., with their wives, daughters, and friends; Russians, Poles, Germans, Hollanders, Danes, and Frankfort Jews, whose object is certainly the restoration of health. The usual term for employing the waters for bathing and drinking is four weeks, and the hours from six until eight A.M.; you see at the hot sparkling fountains of the Kesselbrunnen and Kruenchin from six hundred to eight hundred persons, with fancy-colored Bohemian glasses in their hands, sipping the not unpleasant bi-carbonate fluid, and after a promenade at intervals of from a quarter to half an hour, returning to the same, the band playing all the while inspiring airs. At one P.M., there is a table d’hôte in all the hotels, and parties who occupy lodgings change, if desirable, from day to day, and are more generally thrown together, and seem to become more acquainted, than at many watering places. At six P.M. all congregate at the springs, and after imbibing and strolling through the grounds, to the sound of a march or waltz, disperse; at eight, all is quiet, and the trees, plants, and flowers are left alone in their glory. Such as choose to sup at the Kursaäl, and repair to the concert and gambling saloons, do so.

The waters of Nassau are renowned, and are a source of wealth to the Duke, who is commander-in-chief of this little province, which contains only three hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants. Large quantities of Seltzer water are exported over Europe.

In the history of this little duchy of Nassau, the discovery of one of its springs, as told by a traveller, is so full of simplicity that I cannot refrain from repeating it. It seems there was once a heifer with which everything in nature seemed to disagree; the more she ate the thinner she grew; the more her mother licked her hide the rougher it became; the flies of the forest would not bite her; she was never known to chew her cud; but, hide-bound and melancholy, her hips nearly protruded through her skin; no one knew what the matter was, and no one could cure her. At last, deserted by her owner, she was abandoned for lost. A few weeks after, she appeared among the herd with ribs covered with flesh, eyes like a deer’s, and skin as sleek as a snail’s; her breath smelling sweetly with milk; every day seemed to re-establish her health. The incident was so striking that the herdsman was induced to watch her; he perceived that every evening she wended her way to an unknown spring of water, from which she refreshed herself and returned to the valley.

This circumstance was nearly forgotten by the peasant when a young Nassau lady began to show the same symptoms as this heifer. The herdsman heard of her case and advised her to try the waters, which she did, and became one of the plumpest girls in the duchy.

Deaths never occur here, at least they are not known, for the poor patient is quietly disposed of at an hour when none but the undertaker is on duty. The sympathies of the living are not thereby excited, and the bright side of the picture is the only one gazed upon.

This water-drinking, bathing regimen and daily routine becomes monotonous where necessity demands it, and one is rejoiced at the approach of the period when he is exempted by the physicians. The latter are found invariably in the morning promenades, to consult with their clients. But for fear you will be gorged and saturated with mineral waters let us change the subject.

The eyes of all Europe are directed to our country; its gigantic strides, its wonderful progress excite the admiration of those who sympathize with our republican institutions, and the envy of those who detest and fear the march of democracy. The loss of the better classes of German emigrants, who leave the country with means, is a source of anxiety to the crowned heads, and every obstacle is thrown in their way to prevent emigration.

CI.

FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE, GERMANY, _Sept. 20, 1854_.

I have, within the last month, touched and visited so many points that I scarcely know how to go into detail in the short space of one letter.

I went from Coblentz up the Rhine, whose beauties from that point to Mayence I shall not attempt to describe. I embarked at Biebrich, the residence of the Grand Duke of Nassau, whose grounds and parks must not be neglected, and went by vehicle to Wiesbaden, the great thoroughfare, as a watering-place. Its hot chicken broth fountain, with its numerous pipes, supplies scores of hotels and bath houses. Its Kursaäls, with play rooms and dining halls, got up on a grand scale, with the adjoining galleries, filled with fancy shops of infinite variety, attract the stranger. The lovers of secluded and sheltered serpentine walks, bordered with flowers, but deprived of the autumn scenery, may find comfort and delight at Wiesbaden; and children may gambol upon the grass, and feed the ducks in the little artificial lakes, while the lordly white swan sails along and claims his authority. The weather was dry and fine. I had got away from the rainy streak, and all was pleasant; but as I was not a stranger in Wiesbaden I shortened my visit and resumed my march. From thence, by railroad, I came to this free German city. From Frankfort we go to Homburg, within two hours, by railroad and omnibus. Among the thirty odd divisions into which Germany is unfortunately cut up and divided, this small landgrave is perhaps the smallest, and will die out with the death of the present incumbent, who is already old. It will pass into the Duchy of Darmstadt adjoining. The celebrity of the waters of Homburg for dyspepsia, its superior position for high and varied scenery, and the privilege granted by Count Alexander for gambling the entire year, a privilege which exists only here, have made Homburg a flourishing village. The sum paid for the privilege of gambling is thirty thousand dollars annually. The bank is not only able to pay this large sum and give greater favors to players than other banks, but has expended an enormous amount upon the buildings; the saloons are the most gorgeous of the kind in Europe, and play is higher and more general here than at any of the watering-places in Germany. Ladies are among the heaviest players. It is a strange and fascinating passion, and leads to great abuses. I will cite an example: on Saturday evening I noticed a lady risking a large number of sovereigns, with unusual nonchalance. The next morning I saw her at the English Episcopal Church. My curiosity induced me to see, on returning, if the same person would enter the gaming rooms that day. To my surprise I found her at her post, with her pile of gold before her. I had heard that in this district, surrounded by Germans, there existed a colony of French, and I was induced to pay a visit to their village, which interested me much. I found a neat pretty settlement of one thousand souls, the descendants of thirteen Protestant families who escaped from France after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, under Louis XIV., and were protected by Frederick II. They have a church which cost thirty thousand florins (twelve thousand dollars) and two institutions for boys and girls, where children from different parts of Germany are educated in French. They always converse in French among themselves, and have preserved their language remarkably. They are all familiar with German, and talk with outsiders in German, the language of the country. They have several branches of industry in cotton, flax, and wool. It was curious and novel to witness this happy, tidy, industrious little community, surrounded by other villages quite impoverished, and in a little territory about equal to the size of one of our counties, heavily taxed to keep up the dignity of a court with palace and grounds, with its quota of military; but how hard is the fate of a poor man with a family toiling and striving for the pittance of eight groschens, only twenty cents per day, as several have told me when I have stopped and asked the price of labor, and in this almost famine year. When they hear of America they are eager to be off, but the means are not provided.

From Homburg I proceeded to Darmstadt and Manheim, in order to make a detour to Speyer, which is celebrated for its Cathedral. At Manheim the river to Ludwigshafen, on the opposite shore, is crossed by a bridge formed by some thirty iron flat-bottomed boats of canal-boat size, fastened together, upon which the structure is laid, with draws for the passage of steamers, as is the case all along the Rhine. An hour’s ride by railroad carries one to the old town of Speyer. It was once populous, but is now reduced to six thousand inhabitants, and contains only one object of interest, a cathedral, which may be considered the pride of Germany, as uniting the work of the best modern artists. This cathedral, which was commenced under the Emperor Conrad II., in the year 1030, has been burnt and rebuilt three several times, and now, under the auspices of the king of Bavaria, in whose dominion it lies, has been renovated in the modern style, with exquisite taste, differing so widely from the antiquity which we so constantly find in these old memorable edifices, that the contrast is the more striking and more gratifying to the eye.

On my return I went to Heidelberg and Baden Baden. I visited all the points I had formerly seen and described to you, but none struck me as new, or worthy of description. Heidelberg is a lovely spot for scenery, and Baden may claim the preference as being the gayest and most charming watering-place in Germany.

In getting out of the cars I was greeted by an old travelling friend in Italy and Germany--our Consul at R----m, formerly a bachelor, but now married and here with his wife. We were soon joined by two former acquaintances, the American Minister from Belgium, with his sisters and cousin. We made a very pleasant excursion party in two carriages, and for three days castles tenanted by grave ancestors, and patriots, situated upon high mountain tops, and in dark-wooded forests, were hunted up and examined. The party was not disposed the less to climb the moss-covered walls of the schloss or chateau to points where the most extended views might be obtained. A trout and game dinner in the country, well served, restored us from the fatigue attending such exercise, and we drove to town in time for the evening band and concert.

I left for Strasburg, in order to descend the Rhine, which I had not seen from that point to Mayence, and also to change the route. A sad sight presented itself at my departure, another evidence of the uncertainty of life. A new car, in three compartments, with extended roof and balcony all round, and doors opening from the sides, was put on, which car I chose to take, notwithstanding the Germans say that none but princes and fools travel in first-class cars; the second-class is good, but the third-class is very rough. I was standing on the balcony when the cars moved off, and saw a well-dressed man, who had escorted three ladies and just taken leave of them, come out. Finding he was late, he attempted foolishly to get off while the train was in rapid motion; he tripped, fell under the wheels, and was cut in two under our eyes; only three of us witnessed the accident. I gave an alarm hastily, and succeeded in stopping the train. My sympathies were strongly excited for the afflicted ladies, and his only daughter, who is now an orphan.

Lightning speed soon carried us to Kehl, on the left bank of the Rhine, and then we took an omnibus across the bridge of boats to the French Alsatian shore, where, after the usual delay of visitation of passports and baggage, we passed a few miles further, to the well-fortified city of Strasburg. It has ninety thousand population, and is noted for its cathedral and tower of a remarkable height (I believe the highest in Europe), also for its extraordinary clock, with machinery denoting the changes of the weather, the action of the hours, &c. At twelve at noon an anxious group assembles in the building to witness the performance of the figures upon the frontispiece of the mammoth clock. When the grim figure of Death, hammer in hand, strikes the hour of twelve, the figures of the twelve Apostles revolve in succession, and make reverential bows before Christ, who in return pronounces the benediction. A huge cock, perched above, flaps his gilded wings strongly, and crows three times with a voice sufficiently strong to make a tame chanticleer take to his heels. The original clock, which I was shown years since, has been removed, but is still on exhibition. Its inventor, who was suspected of the design of building a second for another city of France, had his eyes put out; he then revenged himself by breaking certain springs which baffled the ingenuity of others to replace.

During high mass I noticed a group of emigrants paying their last addresses to the Virgin before embarkation. I had seen the healthy, robust men and women on the road with their heavy chattels marked for America. They told me they were going to Wisconsin, and had friends there.

Embarking upon a small steamer, a few miles of canal navigation bring us to the Rhine, and down its circuitous current we go at a rapid rate, mostly through a flat country, without much of interest except the towns of Worms and Speyer, which I had already visited by railway. I debarked at Mayence, and returned again to this busy, active city, with its sixty-thousand population, noted for its money operations, fairs, seat of the German diet; its numerous picture galleries, public buildings, and its beautiful suburbs, are attractive to the tourist.

CII.

HANOVER, GERMANY, _Oct. 20, 1854_.

Since I wrote you from Frankfort, I have visited Hesse Cassel.

The chateau of Wilhelmshohe, the summer residence, about three miles from town, with its hydraulics, and the effect produced by the cascades and jets d’eau, are superb. The great cascade is nine hundred and fifty feet long, and forty feet wide, interrupted by basins from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet apart, as the water descends from a high hill, the summit of which is covered by an octagon tower, surmounted by a colossal Hercules of bronze, club in hand, thirteen feet high. Walking through the grounds alone, I could scarcely realize the fact that twelve years had elapsed since I climbed up the height and peeped out of a little opening within the huge club which the gigantic figure holds in his hand; that I had wandered, since, nearly twice around the globe; had been exposed to all the accidents and casualties of life, in every variety of climate; and that I found myself, through a protecting Providence, on the same spot again. I should not have made these remarks but from hearing of the frightful loss of life by the steamer Arctic, in which I came last to Europe, and have reason to believe that four of my fellow-travellers, who were in Rome during the Holy Week, and who accompanied me in excursions from Naples, have perished. I was waiting the departure of a steamer from that city to Leghorn, when we heard of the frightful catastrophe, and sinking of the Ercolano by the steamer Siciliano, an affair similar to the one just mentioned. This deterred these persons, among others, from taking the sea route, and they left by land. My logic has been, usually, after an accident, to take the same means of conveyance, as more care is then exercised.

From Cassel, I went by post to Gottingen, famed for its University, with some six hundred pupils, and its extensive library.

The contrast between the railroad travel of the present day, with its rapid transition from one city to another, and the slow mail coach of the past, was striking; and I was reminded fully of my first journey through Austria, Hungary, Prussia, and Saxony, by all sorts of fast and slow conveyances, when all the countries named had not two hundred miles of railway. It was certainly tedious, and occupied much time; but the country was seen to better advantage, and the halts at small towns and villages were entertaining and instructive, and gave a better idea of the people and their customs than the present lightning line of communication.