Chapter I: Havana, 1 (8)

From Zurich, I took a northerly direction to Schaffhausen, to see the Cataract of the Rhine, which is well worth a visit; but the fall of a river of only eighty feet, although grand and beautiful, and highly extolled by continental tourists, does not so particularly interest an American who has visited the majestic and indescribable falls of Niagara. This reminds me of an anecdote related of a controversy between an American and an Italian, relative to the beauties and remarkable curiosities of the two countries. The Italian thought he had the advantage, particularly in describing the volcano, and the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius; but the American replied, “Yes, all very true; and we have Niagara, which can drown Vesuvius in less than five minutes.”

From Schaffhausen, the steamer takes one along the upper Rhine, which is low and flat in many places, and not remarkable for its beauty. We then entered Lake Constance, which is the largest sheet of water in Switzerland, touching at different points until our arrival at Constance, which has nothing particular to offer for the traveller in the way of sights.

Having made zigzag routes in Switzerland in my former as well as present voyage, and having seen eighteen out of the twenty-two cantons comprising the Confederation, I was quite satisfied to depart for the head of the lake, on my way to Augsburgh and Munich. This latter city, with a population of one hundred thousand, is an interesting place, and contains more to interest a stranger than most of the German cities. It, too, has had a share of revolution; and the late king Louis, who has abdicated in favor of his son, and whose favorite, Lola Montez, created so much noise in the world, has fled to Switzerland. The king had a great passion for the fine arts, both painting and sculpture, and good taste in architecture; and the new part of the city is beautified with piles of immense edifices for the use of the state, and galleries of paintings, statuary, and antique collections. The contrast between the quaint, antique houses, of irregular construction, with high roofs and two tiers of windows in their main fronts, ornamented with scroll-work, and the modern style of buildings, is very great.

The new palace, copied after the Pitti Palace at Florence, is one of the most beautiful in Europe, with floors of various kinds of wood, inlaid in patterns which differ in all the rooms, and produce a sort of mosaic. The cornices, bas-reliefs in marble, fresco paintings, after the fashion of Pompeii and the Vatican at Rome, statuary in marble and bronze gilt, with the damask hangings and tapestry--the magnificence and apparent comfort of these things struck me very forcibly.

For one who has not seen other parts of Europe, some weeks could be employed advantageously in Munich. I have been here several days, and have had constant employment, first in visiting the gallery of sculpture, where I found a vast collection of Egyptian and Etruscan antiquities; those which were broken were well restored by Thorwaldsen. One room is devoted to Egyptian statuary, another to Etruscan, another to Ægina collections, and the decorations of each apartment are adapted to the contents, the floors of marble, and the ceilings in rich fresco and stucco patterns, with gilding. In the room appropriated to Egyptian statuary, I could almost fancy myself back among the ruins of Thebes, and the great temples of Karnak, so natural did everything appear.

The picture gallery is one of the finest buildings for paintings in Europe. The paintings are arranged in the schools of the different masters and countries, filling seven splendid halls, and twenty-three small cabinets. The finest and largest pictures of each school are placed in the centre halls, and the light is thrown down upon them from above; the others are lighted from the sides. The ceilings are in fresco and paintings, all of historical character. There are some one thousand five hundred paintings, selected from seven thousand of the different galleries in Bavaria; and altogether the collection reflects honor upon the late king, who has expended large sums of money from his private purse for the embellishment of his capital, which is now so beautiful, and which a century since was only a small German town. A heavy debt, however, has been created for the state, which, as in all other countries, the good people must pay, whether for honorable appropriations, or the follies and caprices of sovereigns.

Among the public monuments, is one now in process of construction, called the Genius of Bavaria; it is of cast bronze and of colossal size. It is the figure of a female with flowing ringlets, about fifty feet in height, mounted on a pedestal, with a crouching lion at her feet, all of solid bronze. The work is still going forward at the foundry in the suburbs of the city, and will require some time yet to finish it. It will surpass altogether the statue of San Carlo Boromeo, of beaten copper, upon Lago Maggiore, in Italy.

The population of Munich are mostly Catholics, and yesterday being Sunday, I visited the churches, which are not as remarkable, with some exceptions, as in Italy. There is one, the Basilica of St. Bonifacius, which is built in Roman style, after the plan of St. Paul’s, about three miles from Rome. It is of red brick, but the interior is beautifully decorated, and supported by sixty-four columns of marble in four rows; it is divided in four arches, with a nave seventy feet high, and fifty feet wide. The pave is of marble with painted ceiling of blue, and beams carved and gilded with a variety of frescoes.

My valet took me in the suburbs in the afternoon, and, as in all Catholic countries, the Sunday afternoon and evening are devoted to recreation, so here also. The gardens were full to overflowing, the tables were crowded with drinkers and smokers, and a full proportion of the fair sex with their peculiar costume, and head-dress called _Riegel Haube_, which is a small bag of gold or silver tissue, with two points like a swallow’s tail, and is worn on the back of the head to inclose the hair. It costs twelve or fifteen dollars, and it is the height of ambition of the peasant girl to indulge in it. Music was heard in all directions, and waltzes and dances kept up much later than I had a disposition to stay and gratify curiosity.

What a striking contrast between this and our own quiet Sabbaths at home! But such is the result of early education, and we must learn to exercise charity towards those who differ from us from the fact that they have been taught differently. Ever since the reformation of Luther, such is the strong tenacity of the people to Sunday recreations, that, in many parts of Germany, the dance and promenade in the evening succeed the morning services of the Protestant church.

I was at Augsburgh at the anniversary of the birthday of the Bishop, and was much amused at the immense collection of peasants who thronged the streets in costume, and filled the cathedral and vicinity; many of the women wore head-dresses not unlike those of Munich, but the greatest singularity about their dress was the peculiar mutton-legged sleeve, specimens of which may sometimes be seen on the arrival of emigrants in New York.

The town of Augsburg is old; it has a population of thirty thousand, and is quite a manufacturing place. Some fine bronze antique fountains, the Rathhaus, or town hall, the cannon foundry, and a fine collection of richly ornamented brass pieces, are the principal objects to be seen. The old hotel, which is well kept, dates under the sign of the Three Moors for five hundred years. The landlord brags of his old wines, and takes pleasure in showing his cellars. The old register book is a curiosity, with the names of Napoleon, Wellington, Sir Walter Scott, and a host of others, both kings and princes. In one of the rooms Napoleon received the Augsburg magistrates, and told them with sang-froid, that their city was free no longer, and that the king of Bavaria was now their sovereign. There are other incidents related of the house, and valued by the master. This reminds me of the Hotel Fedder where I stopped in Genoa, where they now show the gilded rooms of what was once a palace, where Daniel O’Connell died. Those who wish to make the pilgrimage will find good quarters, but must not be surprised if a small tribute is added to the bill.

XLI.

FRANKFORT, GERMANY, 1848.

From Munich I proceeded to Ulm, the frontier town of Würtemberg, on the opposite bank of the Danube from Bavaria. The Gothic cathedral there is the most curious object for a stranger, and is now a Protestant church. The body of this church is the largest in Germany, and is a second St. Peter’s in size, being four hundred and sixteen feet long, one hundred and sixty-six feet wide, and one hundred and forty-four feet high, with five aisles; the terrace is unfinished, and is three hundred and thirty-seven feet high. There are some fine old stained glass windows, and some remarkable carved work in the building.

I had once tasted of snail soup in Naples, which, during the season of Lent, is considered a great delicacy, but I did not know, until I came to Ulm, that there was a snail market. They say they export millions of them yearly into Austria, and other parts of the country. They are produced in the vicinity, and put up in casks for exportation.

From Ulm I went to Stuttgart, by diligence. It is the royal residence of the king of Würtemberg, who is so celebrated for his love of horses. I saw him driving a fine pair, of the Hungarian Esterhazy breed, through the park, with apparent satisfaction. The manager of the stables of the Prince is an Englishman. The prince married a Russian princess, the daughter of the Emperor Nicholas, and had some Russian carriages and droskys with a Russian driver in costume--the first I had seen.

This Englishman accompanied me through the Crown Prince and King’s stables, and showed the horses belonging to government for the improvement of stock. I counted in all two hundred and ten belonging to the king and his son, and one hundred and eighty for the account of the crown. Arabian, Russian, Hungarian, English, and Persian horses are to be found here. The stables, the harness rooms, and carriage repositories were on a grand scale; but the sovereign people will say when the time comes, “The expenses are too great; we cannot submit any longer to these extravagances.”

Stuttgart is a well-built and interesting city, surrounded by hills covered with the grape, with fine palace-gardens and a park, traversed by carriage roads and promenades for some miles.

I went to Kannstadt, some four or five miles from the city, to the mineral springs, which are much frequented by the inhabitants. The railroad passes through the place, and there are agreeable walks to return, for pedestrians, along the valley of the river Neckar, and through the palace park to the city.

From Stuttgart I made my way by diligence to Carlsruhe, and here struck the railroad for Baden Baden. Carlsruhe has not much of interest for the traveller. It is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden, is dull, with sandy soil, but being a royal residence, has a very fine park. It is curiously built, and is described by a writer as being in the form of a fan, or rather a wheel--the main streets, like the spokes, all radiate from the Palace, which terminates the vista in every street, so that the citizens who wish to know which way the wind blows need only look to the palace weather-cock.

Everybody has heard of Baden Baden, so famous as a fashionable watering-place, and all who have visited it can speak of the beauty of its locality, surrounded by hills and mountains, and its narrow valley with its delightful shady walks; but this year they are quite deserted. The princes have enough to do to take care of their subjects; citizens remain at home to look after their interests; the blacklegs find their avocation almost gone. There is not one-third the usual number of arrivals, consequently the balls, concerts, and gaming tables are less frequented.

Baden Baden is certainly a lovely spot for the invalid, or the man of pleasure; combining the advantages of public life, or solitude in the dark woods, which can be reached in a few minutes. As I before observed, all have heard of Baden Baden, so all have heard of the Castle of Heidelberg, which is a magnificent ruin, and formerly the palace and fortress of the Elector Palatine. It is situated upon a high hill, and approached by a winding footpath on the side of the city. It was one of the strongholds of the middle ages, and is of different styles of architecture by different founders, and has been burnt at different times and rebuilt. It was last burnt by lightning, and remains a ruin, although parts are quite perfect.

One guide takes you through all the castle, and shows the relics and implements of war yet preserved, mounts the bastions and towers, from which the view is unsurpassed; another conducts you into the cellar of the castle, to see the famous Wine Tun, which is the largest in the world, and contained eight hundred hogsheads, or nearly three hundred thousand bottles, and, it is said, in former times, when filled with the fruit of the vintage, they danced on the platform. This tun will not compare with a vat I once saw in the immense brewing establishment of Barclay, Perkins & Co., of London, which contained four thousand hogsheads of porter.

Mannheim is only a short distance from Heidelberg, and is a city of some twenty thousand inhabitants, but possesses nothing of sufficient interest to the traveller to detain him long. The gardens behind the palaces, and terraces along the banks of the Rhine, are quite pretty. It was once a walled city, but was besieged by the French and reduced to ashes, and now has no protection, which, as experience has proved, saves a city from the horrors of a siege.

The city next on my route to Frankfort was Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duke. The gardens of the palace are beautifully laid out, and all through this section of country vegetation is very luxuriant. The rides through the country with the villages and towns prettily located at the foot of the mountains, overhung with clusters of grapes, and surrounded with orchards, make it very interesting for the traveller.

This free city of Frankfort, which I visited some years ago, has more the air of life and bustle, I find, than many other German cities, which may in part be attributed to the fact that there are now many strangers from all parts of Germany, as members of the Confederation, and for the reception of the new Vicar General of the German Union, the Archduke John, of Austria, who has just been received with great honors by the military, succeeded by an illumination of the whole city--a very splendid affair. The immense circular church--now converted into an Assembly for the representatives of the whole German Empire, comprising six hundred, and which with the galleries extending all around, will hold perhaps more persons than the Tabernacle in New York--was filled to overflowing on the presentation of the Prince to the Assembly. I could with difficulty procure a seat by going early, and immense numbers were obliged to withdraw for want of room. Numerous addresses were delivered, to which the Archduke responded. He was dressed in uniform, and accompanied by the whole force of the National Guard to the National Assembly. He looked calm and dignified, with a good expression of face, and is sixty-six years old. His task will be arduous, as well as that of the assembly, to amalgamate the different races and sects of the German and Austrian Empire, and will not be accomplished until more blood flows.

I assure you I was greatly rejoiced to arrive at Frankfort, which is an interesting city, and has many sights to interest a stranger. I was pleased to arrive in a city where I could so agreeably repose myself. The gardens and pleasure grounds which encircle Frankfort, occupy the place of former fortifications, and make a delightful retreat for the inhabitants during the warm weather. The principal garden among the number was beautifully illuminated the night following the reception of Prince John, and as the German bands always afford good music, all the élite were found sipping coffee and partaking of ices, and other refreshments.

This is the residence of many bankers, and here the Rothschilds were born, in the Judenstrasse or Jews’ street, and when I was last here I went to see the house where the mother still resided, and refused to give up the old confined quarters for the palace of her son. The condition of the Jews has been much ameliorated here as well as in all parts of Europe.

When I first saw the Jews’ quarters in Rome, under Pope Gregory XVI., they were confined within small limits, in narrow, dark, dirty lanes and streets, where the sun’s rays scarcely reached them; a population of about six thousand huddled together in filth, by daylight, when the gates were open, carrying on their trade in old clothes, second-hand articles of all kinds, readymade clothing, &c. But thanks to the liberal mind of Pope Pius IX., the gates have been beaten down and the Jews may now be seen locating themselves in other parts of the city, although the mass prefer to keep together.

My health not being yet established, I have consulted a celebrated physician, of the race I have just spoken of, who advises me to drink the waters of Ems, recommended highly for all pulmonary and bronchial diseases, and I shall go via Wiesbaden and Schwalbach to the above-named place, and make trial of them.

XLII.

BATH OF EMS, DUCHÉ DE NASSAU, 1848.

After leaving Frankfort I came to Wiesbaden via Mayence, by railroad, which is rapidly accomplished, but being familiar with those places my stay was short, and I took the diligence to the Baths of Schwalbach, and from thence to this place, where I bought a Bohemian stained glass goblet, an indispensable article to every water drinker, and took up my position at the fountain in the line of invalids.

Ems has been entirely quiet and tranquil, and seems to stand aloof from the Revolutions all around us. Almost every house is a lodging-house or hotel, and the people and peasantry have an interest in keeping quiet.

About one thousand strangers are here at present, the larger portion in pursuit of health, and society is more select and less gay than at the other watering places. The balls, concerts, and gaming tables are less frequented than in Baden Baden and Wiesbaden. The musical band commences at seven in the morning in the promenade, and continues playing until eight, during which time the drinkers swallow their three or four glasses at intervals of fifteen minutes, while the physicians are mingling with their patients to inquire after their health, and give counsel, if needed. One o’clock is the table d’hôte, in all the hotels, when everybody dines; after which the company adjourn and take coffee in the walks in the garden, listening to the music; or go in parties of pleasure along the banks of the beautiful river Lahn, or cross over the bridge of boats to the opposite side and branch off among the hills and cliffs, by the footwalks which extend in every direction. Droves of donkeys with their drivers are always at hand, and are all numbered, which is a good idea, as they are not all sure-footed, and when one is proved can always be engaged in advance, which is important for the ladies, as large numbers scale the hills and vine-clad heights in this manner.

From six to eight in the afternoon, when the heat is less intense, Ems is seen to best advantage. Then all the visitors appear upon the public walks, and the ladies, of whom there is a large proportion, as it is considered essentially a ladies’ watering-place, are promenading in the garden, en grande toilette, or seated under the shady trees listening to the music from the band.

Almost every house has its name, and where I am living, upon the banks of the river Lahn, it is called Lust Garten, or in English, the Pleasure Garden. The high walls with a sort of terrace separate us from the river, with a beautiful garden adorned with plants and flowers, which gives the house its name; in the rear of the garden rise the cliffs to a great elevation, which are walled, and covered with the clustering grape. The town is so shut in by hills that sometimes the heat is oppressive, but in a few minutes one may escape into the woods and winding paths on the opposite side.

Notwithstanding among so many persons there are numbers in good health who accompany their friends thither, and who can enjoy life, and many whose ailings are trivial, and who need not deprive themselves of luxuries, still there are many, very many, real sufferers, who naturally put the best foot foremost, and keep up appearances; but the hollow cough and the hectic flush tell too truly of the ravages of that disease which is so flattering.

One of the vices of these watering-places is that of gambling. The new Kursaal built by the Grand Duke, has a handsome Café, gambling rooms, with hazard tables, and is open from eleven to one o’clock and from three to ten in the afternoon. A large ball-room is attached, with marble columns, sofas, and rich furniture. Although there is less gambling here than at other places, still there is too much, and it is curious that some ladies have also a great propensity for gaming. At a public festival the other evening, on the occasion of the birthday of the Grand Duke (in the Kursaal), I was in company with several ladies, and the husband of one of the number, whom I considered a decided invalid and a man of fortune, was at the gaming table. He had previously won, but fortune had turned against him; he continued to lose; his friends begged him to desist; his wife watched him with tearful interest; I saw the hectic flush upon his cheek, and the perspiration starting from his forehead; he staked the last piece of gold in his purse; suffice it to say he lost, and in an agitated state we induced him to leave the room. A few days later he left for Switzerland.

With the exception of a Russian family whom I met in Nice and Genoa, I have not found any of the Italian travellers of last winter; but one is not at a loss for acquaintances, for here are French, Germans, Russians, Hollanders, English, and a few Italians, and as I have been a sufferer myself, and was in possession of some medical works and treatises for the diseases of the chest and bronchial tubes, which were new, my physician adopted them for his patients, which brought me in contact with them.

We have excursions up along the river to Nassau, about six miles, which can be made by carriage or donkey. Among these, are rides to Kenmau, back of Ems, which can be accomplished after dinner, and where one has a very expanded view from the top of the mountain of the whole country lying below. One goes to Coblentz in about two hours by omnibus, where passengers arrive coming up the Rhine to visit Ems. This, the great bulwark of Germany, and the castle of Ehrenbreitstein, the Gibraltar of the Rhine, standing on the summit of a rock nearly eight hundred feet above the level of the river, opposite Coblentz, together with the defences on both banks of the Rhine, and the Moselle, which there falls into the former, are capable of containing a force which might resist any attack, and are considered impregnable. The road hence to Coblentz is very pretty, and the residents at the Baths frequently go down to do their shopping. In passing the turnpike gate I was amused at the manner of receiving the tolls. The turnpike keeper, instead of coming out and taking the fee, sits smoking his hanging meerschaum pipe, and with a slow movement rises with his pipe in his mouth, and in his hand a long stick with a box on the end, which he shoves forward and receives the coin, he then draws in his prize and closes the window.

The Germans are a quiet, patient, forbearing, good-natured people, but the revolution in France awoke them to a sense of their rights, and the despotism of kings and petty princes, which they are trying to shake off. At Ehrenbreitstein castle I saw them making preparations for the Schleswig Holstein war with the Danes, having just received orders from the Prussian king to send on a body of troops.

These waters are of great service in most pulmonary cases, but I find the free use of them and strict regimen in eating is calculated to weaken the stomach and appetite, and the associating with invalids and hearing their repeated complaints and sufferings, is anything but agreeable, and calculated to operate upon the spirits, as mind has a great effect over matter.

XLIII.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, 1848.

I floated down the Rhine from Coblentz to Cologne, reviewing my recollections of the localities of that beautiful river, rendered doubly interesting from its historical associations and old legends, with all its varieties of wild and picturesque scenery; towns and villages and fertile plains upon its banks; thick forests and vine-clad hills, and old chateaus, and rivers in the distance.

I remained but a single day in Cologne. The great Cathedral, which was begun in 1248, and which would have been, if completed, one of the finest Gothic monuments in Europe, with towers five hundred feet high, has been left in an unfinished state for centuries, but of late years the king of Prussia has made large appropriations towards its repairs and gradual completion. I find the work has progressed moderately, and the king of Bavaria has made a splendid present of stained glass windows, which will be exhibited publicly in a few days, when the centennial anniversary of the Cathedral takes place, and there will be a great re-union of kings, princes, and plebeians. A few years since when I was in Prussia, and travelled by private post, or the conveyances of the country, it occupied much more time in making distance, but one saw the country to better advantage; now the railroads are constructed in many parts, and the traveller is transported from one city to another with locomotive speed.

I came from Cologne to Hanover and Brunswick, and then retraced my steps in order to visit Bremen, and from thence returned, via Hanover, to take my departure for Hamburg, accomplishing the entire distance by railway with less fatigue and in less time than if I had crossed the country, which is a much shorter way; but one is exposed to night travel and the want of pure air, as the Germans have a horror of an open window, and are constantly enveloped in a cloud of smoke. On some of the German railways they have third and fourth class cars. In France and Belgium, and in fact all over Europe, the genteel traveller takes the first class car; not so in Germany, for there the second class is almost as well mounted as the first, and is part of the same car with partitions; the third class receives those who like more air, free smoking, economy, and hard seats. The Germans say that none but princes and fools take first class cars; but if one must pass a part of the night on the railroad, and wishes to be quiet with a car to himself, without society, then they are preferable. On some of the German roads no luggage is carried free; on others from thirty to fifty pounds are allowed the passenger; in some instances for five pounds overweight of the scale, which varies on the different roads, I have paid as much as an American dollar--a caution to those who make long voyages with much luggage.

Hanover, the residence of the old king Ernest, is on the river Leine, with a population of some thirty thousand inhabitants. It is a curious old town, with peculiar Gothic houses, and is remarkable for a superfluity of windows, which, if they were subject to the light tax of England, would soon ruin their owners. The Esplanade, in which stands the Waterloo Monument, a column one hundred and fifty-six feet high, with a statue of Victory, dedicated to the Hungarians who fell in that conflict, presented a gay scene, on the occasion of a Sunday parade of all the troops, prior to the reception of the king of Prussia, who was expected to halt there while on his way to the Cologne celebration.

I had a view from the top of the column of a rich, fertile, and beautiful country lying in the distance, with the turn-out of the citizens and peasantry in holiday attire, after the church service of the morning, and the evolutions of the horse, artillery, and infantry, near the base of the column, and an imposing sight it was. I had seen most of the monarchs of Europe in my journeyings, except King William, who was absent when I was at Potsdam, his residence; but here I had the opportunity of seeing his reception and all his courtiers, with all that famous troop of cream-colored and black horses, of the English breed, from the royal stables.

Brunswick, the capital of another of these German princes, who have so long tried to outvie each other in the splendor of their palaces, parks, &c., to the detriment of their subjects, is a very old city of thirty-five thousand inhabitants. The palace is a tasteful and splendid building. It is said that the old one was burnt by some of the citizens, who were obliged to replace it by a much more costly and beautiful edifice, and the Duke is now sumptuously quartered. The antiquity of the city strikes the eye of a stranger, particularly the gable-ends of the houses to the streets, steep roofs with rows of windows in them, and the immense number of windows in the fronts. The famous corps of Black Brunswickers was parading in the palace grounds--the first of this uniform I had ever seen--and looked frightful. They wore black cloth uniform, slightly relieved, and black horsehair plumes with death’s-head and cross-bones; they are said to be valorous, and particularly attached to the Duke.

The railroad depot at Brunswick is very splendid; in fact, in several parts of Germany the depots are furnished in the most sumptuous style, the buildings in some places being like palaces of Gothic architecture, some with towers, and the waiting saloons of the first and second class passengers furnished with sofas and divans, covered with rich stuffs; in short, they have spent too much money for the interest of the shareholders.

On visiting Bremen, I was struck with that air of cleanliness and comfort which one finds in Holland. It is one of the free cities of Germany, lying on the river Weser, and one with which we have a growing trade. I expected to find the steamer Washington there, as her commander, Captain Johnson, came from our section of country; but she lay down the river, at Bremerhaven, and was just about departing. The city has a population of some forty-five thousand, and has fine new white houses upon the streets, which front the walks, and boulevards which extend around the city.

The quantity of tobacco imported from America is immense; it is manufactured here and sent through all Germany, and one sees the names of all our states and towns noted for “the weed” figuring in the shop windows.

The old town is quite like the other German towns, and has some curiosities. The old cathedral has a vault which contains some bodies which have been preserved from decomposition for centuries. But an exhibition of this kind at Bordeaux is most curious; for there are the remains of some twenty persons, whose history is known from the tombstones; when disinterred they were found, from the peculiarity of the soil, with the flesh only wasted. The mummies were placed around the low vault, lighted by torches; and among the number was a colossal man who killed himself by a trial of strength; another, a girl buried in a trance, and now exhibiting all the horrible forms and agonies of starvation and despair, with a portion of her own body devoured.

On my arrival at Hamburg, I found the river Elbe, upon which it stands, blockaded by the Danes, and the merchants complaining bitterly. This city is eighty miles from the mouth of the river, and is divided in many places by canals and crossed by bridges; and in the old town, the houses, bridges, and quays reminded me of Amsterdam. The city has a population of some one hundred and forty thousand, and possesses an immense amount of commerce. The great fire a few years ago has been the means of beautifying that portion of the city which was destroyed, for now the burnt district is rebuilt, and will compare for splendor with any of the continental cities. The old fortifications and ramparts around the city are now, as in many other capitals, thrown down, and covered with trees, plants, and flowers, which afford a breathing-place for the inhabitants, and a delightful promenade.

There are no remarkable collections of art, or curiosities for a stranger, in Hamburg. The promenades in the gardens, the cafés crowded with both sexes, the sight of the water parties, in their gaily painted boats, a stroll through the gardens in the evening, listening to the music, and viewing the dances and waltzes of all classes, is quite sufficient to occupy the time of a traveller. I met here, at the same hotel, an old travelling acquaintance, who left me in the West Indies some three years ago, and who had since made the campaign of Mexico. I allude to Mr. Kendall, of the _New Orleans Picayune_, who is now writing a history of the war. In walking out together, said he, “_Do you see that coffin? There goes another coffin!_” And in fact so it appeared to be. The servant girls and cooks rarely go out without being gaily dressed; at all events, a splendid shawl is arranged under the arm so as to cover a basket in the exact form of a child’s coffin; and it matters not whether it is fish, butter, cheese, or dirty clothes for the wash, it must always be covered with a shawl.

Altona, a populous town and a part of the Duchy of Holstein, belongs to Denmark, and is now in dispute; it is in the immediate vicinity of Hamburg, so that the two cities have almost grown together. I there found troops collecting together from the different German states, to go forward to Schleswig and Holstein.

The distance from Hamburg to Lubeck, where I took the steamer for Copenhagen, is about forty-five miles, and is made by diligence. We were three in the coupé, or front apartment of the vehicle; and to my surprise, for the first time in Germany, my companions did not smoke either pipe or cigar.

The free town of Lubeck is a very antiquated place, with its Gothic churches, and venerable public buildings, and has not changed very much in general appearance since the days of its prosperity. Its population is not one half of what the city is capable of containing; and the lifeless streets, in many parts overgrown with grass, tell the story of deserted commerce. There is sufficient, however, of interest here to keep the traveller a day or two, to look at the old paintings and other works of art in the churches, some of which are very superior. One of the paintings upon wood, of the style of the fifteenth century, would compare with those at Florence. It was a representation of the events of the Passion of our Saviour, from the agony in the garden to the resurrection, depicted in twenty-three distinct groups introduced in the landscape, in the background of which appears Jerusalem. Another very curious painting, occupying three sides of one room, was The Dance of Death, with the Pope, the bishop, the king, the merchant, the banker, and others, all in appropriate dress, with dialogues inscribed above them; but the skeleton Death always had the advantage. It has been preserved since the fourteenth century, and is only valuable for the design, which is curious.

The passage from Lubeck, by steamer, to Copenhagen, was made in less than twenty-four hours. This residence and capital of the King of Denmark is a large commercial city, with a population of some two hundred thousand inhabitants. The Danes, being surrounded by water, have naturally become good sailors, and their greatest strength in carrying on the war consists in their fleet, with which they have captured and now have one hundred and ten German vessels in port. It is quite amusing in going from one country to another to look at the caricatures in the shop windows; in Germany, the Danes are escaping from the battle-grounds in awful plight, but here the tables are turned and the Dutchmen have got the worst of it.

The palaces and parks are not very remarkable, but there are some fine gardens and places of resort for the multitude, one of which, the Tivoli, is fitted up with much taste. Those who want amusements, in the way of theatres, jugglers, singing, miniature railroads, or a look at the zoological collections, can have their choice here. The grounds of the cemetery are very extensive and beautifully laid out, as is the case in most parts of Germany, and I have in very many cases visited them. The greatest respect is paid by friends to the ashes of the dead; it is gratifying to see mothers and sisters quietly employed in plucking the weeds from among the blooming flowers, and watering the plants growing over the graves of those they loved. They have a custom here of embanking the borders of the grave with white sand, while on the top are presented beautiful little flower gardens under the shade of the weeping willow and other trees.

This was the birthplace of the celebrated sculptor Thorwaldsen, whose studio I visited in Rome some years ago, and who has since died, leaving the bulk of his property to found a Museum for his vast collection of art. In one of the churches is seen his colossal figure of Christ, elevated on a pedestal behind the altar, with the twelve apostles ranged on both sides of the body of the church, and in an apartment of this same building rest the mortal remains of this great artist, until the museum is complete, when they will be transported thither, and rest with the wonderful works produced by the skill of his hands. It is a large building, centrally situated, with spacious halls and apartments filled with the originals in marble and plaster, or copies in marble of the great works of this man which are found in Italy and all parts of Europe, and it appears only surprising that even in living to an advanced age he could have executed so much in one lifetime.

XLIV.

CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, 1848.

From Copenhagen to Gottenburg, in Sweden, is about one hundred and twenty-five miles. The steamer strikes up and through the Straits of Cattegat, touching at Elsinore, the stronghold of the Danes, where there is a beautiful citadel. Helsingburg, on the opposite shore, is visible to the naked eye. The Danes yet adhere to an old custom, and demand tribute of all vessels navigating the North Sea and the Baltic, traversing the Straits, but without a shadow of justice.

Gottenburg is considerable of a commercial city, with a population of forty thousand, and carries on a large trade with England and other countries in lumber from the interior of Sweden, via the canals and lakes. They have here some large cotton mills, sugar refineries, and the largest porter brewery, for the supply of all Sweden, that I have seen on the continent, except in London, and which strangers are directed to as a curiosity. I saw here a full cargo of cotton just arrived from New Orleans, and also one hundred bales of American hops. Our treaty with Sweden is a bad one. They have all the advantages of the carrying trade, and in return they tax our products at a high rate. We are taking large quantities of iron annually from that country, and some attention should be given to our trade with Sweden by those whose business it is to attend to such matters.

The Danes and Norwegians speak one language, but the latter give more force to the words, and are not so effeminate as the former. The Swedish is another language, but it bears resemblance to that, similar to the affinity between the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese tongues. I have met with many persons who spoke English, as might have been expected, there is so much trade with that country.

From Gottenburg, by steamer along the coast of Sweden, one enters the Gulf of Christiania, with its innumerable islands; touching at the little towns which are engaged chiefly in the lumber and fishing trade, and finally at the head of the gulf is seen the town from which I write, with a population of some thirty thousand, carrying on an extensive trade in lumber, fish, iron, &c. This whole northern country, in the interior, from which I have just returned, having made an excursion to the iron works, reminds one in many respects of the state of Maine. The ship building, pine forests, and salmon fishery, bear analogy to our northern latitude.

They have a great abundance of lobsters of the best quality. Very little fruit is found here, except green apples, and the August cherry, which is yet scarcely ripe; there are fewer flowers than in Italy in the month of May. Such is the difference of duration of heat between the climate of the sunny south, and the more rigid regions of the north. They have yet no fear of the cholera, which is still remote; but at Gottenburg we were kept in suspense for half an hour by the quarantine officers, who suspected the disease had appeared in Copenhagen, although we had a clean bill of health. The potato disease has reached this country, and I see its ravages in many places.

The light summer nights--the day scarcely obscured--the Aurora Borealis, or northern lights--the wild and romantic country of the north--these things strike an inhabitant of the south of Europe who visits this country for the first time.

The Norwegians are a fine race of men, of light, ruddy complexion, and are capable of hard service. They are much attached to their country and pine groves, yet the charm of freedom has drawn away many to our own land. This is the only part of the world that I have yet visited, where there are no Jews. Such is the horror of the race, that ancient laws, interdicting their settlement here, have not been repealed, although repeated efforts have been made. A Jew can only remain twenty-four hours in the country.

There are no curious sights here, as in other old countries; things are more premature, but there are some fine points of view, and nature puts on her gayest attire. I was gratified, however, in visiting an immense new prison in process of erection, for solitary confinement, to find a faithful copy of one in Pennsylvania. A new palace for king Oscar, who is obliged to pass a certain portion of the year here, is now completing. It is a large structure, and for Norway, does very well. The two governments of Norway and Sweden are subject to the one king, but the former has many privileges secured to her.

One peculiarity I noticed along the Norwegian roads. Every owner of land is obliged to keep his part in repair, and the line is marked by stakes with a flat board, on which the name is painted; so that if the road is impassable, the traveller knows of whom to make complaint.

The currency is all silver, with the exception of bank notes to the value of about one dollar, and the expenses of life are nearly double those of Denmark, as all the luxuries of life come from abroad. The currency of Sweden, on the contrary, is almost all government paper, and the rag currency reminds me of our shin-plaster days. A paper rix-dollar is about twenty-five cents, and they have notes as low in value as eight cents of our money; the consequence is, that in getting a piece of coin changed of the value of an American dollar, you have a pocketful of rags in exchange.

The steamers employed on these routes this season are more indifferent than usual, as there are few passengers, and the best class of boats have been hauled off for the use of the government. King Oscar is now at Malmö, on the coast, within five hours of Copenhagen by sea, and has his army all prepared for a move in case the Germans enter Denmark. For the affair of Schleswig Holstein, which is debatable ground as to the rights of the two countries, he will not interfere; but if the Germans move an inch further into Denmark, then Norway and Sweden consider the cause their own.

XLV.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 1848.

Since I wrote you from Norway, I have, by means of private post, and public vehicles on the land route, and steamboats upon the lakes and canals, travelled entirely through Sweden; a country of which so little is known, and which is so beautiful and picturesque that I could not help being delighted. This country has been much favored by nature in the development of its internal resources, for its lakes, by the construction of immense canals and locks, which will compare for solidity and beauty with any in the world, have been connected with rivers in such a manner, that vessels of good size with their cargoes, as well as small steamboats, can traverse the entire width of the country, from Gottenberg on the west to Stockholm on the north-east coast. It is less tedious and more interesting for the traveller to vary the means of conveyance.

A few hours’ ride from Wenersborg, a small town situated upon a large lake which bears its name, and where it falls into the river Gotha, are the cataracts of Trolhatta, celebrated in all the north as the Niagara of Sweden. There are several falls which are separated by islands, and the scenery is wild and savage, and reminded me of the Niagara, although it is less majestic; I think it preferable to any of the cascades of Europe.

There is a sail by steamer of fifteen hours upon lake Wener, almost the entire length, to Holt, where stages take passengers to Örebro, a fine town, which has the peculiarity of most of the country towns in Sweden, the houses being built of wood and painted red, as well as the outbuildings and fences. There one takes the steamer and passes through a chain of small lakes and canals, amid numerous and picturesque islands, varying in form, with wild and enchanting scenery, bearing some resemblance to the groups of islands in the St. Lawrence.

The approach to Stockholm through the beautiful lake Mälar, with its banks richly cultivated and covered with villas, and occasionally a village, old chateau, or palace, is certainly very beautiful; and the city itself, situated upon seven islands, is only surpassed as a commercial port by Constantinople and Naples, and I consider the locality, in point of natural beauty, the third in Europe.

I have visited the objects most worthy of notice in the city, viz. the palace of the late king Bernadotte, containing all the relics and souvenirs of that monarch, who was a French General, and governed the Swedes for many years without acquiring any knowledge of their language, and as a natural consequence the French became the court language, which accounts for many persons being found here who speak it. His son, the present king Oscar, is educated with the language of the country. One of the churches is a perfect museum, containing a vast quantity of trophies, from Turkey and other parts of Europe, made in the conquests of Charles XII., together with all the relics identified with that warrior prince--the pride of Sweden; his chapeau, with the bullet-hole therein from which he received his death, as also his uniform, is preserved in a glass case. In the vaults lie the remains of all the Swedish kings, in gold gilded sarcophagi, ending with the last, Bernadotte. There are also a dozen stuffed horses ranged on each side of the building, clad in full coat of mail, with riders covered with armor and shields most elaborately wrought; altogether it is a handsome collection, and would bear comparison with the Turin or Dresden exhibitions. The water excursions to the gardens, and villas, and beautiful points of view, interest the stranger; for my knowledge of them I am indebted to the politeness of our minister, Col. Ellsworth. A steamboat excursion of one day to the Drollingholm Palace and grounds, the favorite residence of some of the former Swedish kings, is very interesting. An excursion by water to Upsala, famous for its university and cathedral, and thence by land to the immense and wonderful Dannemora Iron Mines, returning thence via the palace and grounds of Skokloster, which occupies about three days, is not only an interesting but an instructive one, and should not be omitted by any traveller visiting Sweden.

It would be useless to attempt a description of the contents or beauties of the palaces; suffice it to say then, that I was agreeably surprised to find such collections here in the north of Europe; though when I reflected that they were filled with the fruits of the conquests and robberies of General Bragh, from different parts of Germany, it was easily accounted for.

I chartered a carriage at Upsala and posted thence to the mines of Dannemora. I found the roads good, and horses small but fast. The unusual number of gates appeared singular; each farm or plantation has its own, and I suppose one hundred would not exceed the number passed in this voyage. Either my valet or the driver was continually getting down to open gates, where children were not found running to do so, to earn a small copper coin, which I was glad to throw to them to avoid delay.

Sweden is famous for the quality of its iron, particularly for making steel, large quantities of which go to England as well as America. These immense works, with five hundred men employed in the mines, are eight hundred feet deep; the opening would cover acres, and it is frightful to look into the deep chasm. There are millions of tons upon the grounds in the vicinity ready for smelting, which are transported to the different furnaces through the country. The houses and grounds of the village belong to the company, as also the tracts of land for cultivation, and the workmen live on the spot, having their house rent free, and the privilege of purchasing grain at a low rate; they earn _fifteen cents_ per day. The only wonder is how families can subsist on such pittances as the poor laborers obtain in many parts of Europe; and the question naturally arises, how can we develope the resources of our country, and pay remunerating prices for labor, in competition with the serfs of Europe, unless by a protective duty, which necessity will oblige us yet to adopt? How many millions of poor starving wretches there are in Europe who would rejoice to have their stomachs filled with the corn bread and bacon of the negroes of the south!