SAIL DOWN THE DANUBE.

71

saw at Ischl two peasants from the vale of Ousery, dressed in the Swiss style, white skirts, pretty aprons and tight fitting bodices, immense large brimmed hats, with low flat crowns and gay plaid streamers behind. We returned from Ischl to Lintz, and from thence on the morning of the first of September took steamer down the Danube to Vienna. We were detained in the boat for an hour on account of a thick fog, but as, when leaving, the sun came out, it was dispersed, above we had a beautiful view of the citadel of Lintz, with its towers and its beautiful chateau, church and fortifications. The top of the mountain upon which they are placed was enveloped in light fleecy clouds, the base in an impenetrable mist, so there was nothing seen of it until the sun shining above brought out the citadel distinctly like a Chateau d'Espagne, literally "a castle in the air." The sail down the Danube to Vienna is very beautiful; high mountains on either side, with their sides covered with vineyards, extending upwards till they are lost to the eye in the vegetation at the top. At their base are pretty parterres planted with melons, vegetables and vines, wherever the slope will admit, and clusters of houses with their odd and antique looking churches, entirely unique, differing from any we have yet seen. Beautiful monasteries of great extent, more like palaces than aught else, and convents equally magnificent, possess, as we were told, the country around them for miles and miles.

There are very many ruins of castles, monasteries and churches, in different stages of dilapidation and decay. One of the most interesting, as well as picturesque, is the castle of Durenstein, the prison of "Richard Cœur de Lion," where he was kept in "durance vile" fifteen months by the treacherous and vindictive Leopold of Austria. It is literally a ruin, its fissured top standing in beautiful relief against the sky, perched as it is on the topmost peak of a high hill, from

the summit of which long lines of battlemented walls stretch themselves to the water's edge.

The navigation of the Danube is extremely difficult. In some parts of the river there are rapid eddies and whirlpools, in passing which, the boat seemed to struggle and bend, as if hardly able to contend against such unequal and unusual tactics in aquatic warfare. At other times it shoals so that her keel grated for a long distance against the pebbles at the bottom, and there was an eager and watchful suspense lest we should ground. It is said that the bars and shoals shift their position between the trips of the boat up and down, so that the captain has to depend on his judgment as well as upon his knowledge of the river. The current is very strong, enabling the boat to go at the rate of sixteen or twenty miles an hour, and the voyage down is made in eight hours, while they are twenty-six going up. We reached the landing about five, but with the delay at the barrier, by the custom-house officers, who are very strict, where we underwent the most rigid scrutiny and overhauling our baggage, which is excessively annoying, and then going from one hotel to another before we could find lodgings, it was nine o'clock before we were settled.

Vienna is a charming city; and here too our "lucky star" has been in the ascendant, for we have seen the Emperor, and heard Strauss Lannas, and his magnificent band, and Lanna's too. Lanna himself is dead, but his band in number, twenty-five, still keep together. They play somewhere every night, and we hear them frequently. Notwithstanding this is an absolute government-the people governed by the Emperor, Metternich, and one other individual, are very happy, contented and sociable, and the sovereign very much beloved, as was his father Francis I.," the father of his people," as he was called. We find the better classes whom we meet in the public gardens very affable, courteous

PICTURE GALLERIES.

73

and conversable. Even the English have to allow that the people here seem to be happier than in England, which to all other eyes is plain to be seen.

All the picture galleries of the palaces of the Emperor and Princes are open every day to the public, free of charge, save a small donation to the servant who takes charge of umbrellas, canes, &c., and opens the doors of the different

rooms.

74

ZURICH.

LETTER VII.

ZURICH, ITS LAKE--MAXIMILIAN

TOWNS OF LINTZ-THE

JESUITS—SALZBURG, ITS CATHEDRAL--PEASANTRY, FOUN

TAIN AND SCENERY.

Zurich, (Switzerland,) September 14.

"On the margin of fair Zurich's waters" this is commenced, to be sent from Milan. I would that the beauty of the charming scenery round the loveliest lake we have yet seen, could inspire me with words adequate to the description, but I might exhaust all the epithets of the beautiful, and then fail. I do not think it possible to give by description any satisfactory idea of a beautiful landscape. It must be seen to be realized. I will, however, give you some of the main features, and your vivid imagination must fill up the picture.

The town is situated on both banks of the Linmoth, a small river, the outlet of the lake, which divides the town into two unequal parts. The lake is about twenty miles long, and one and a half wide, and opens directly in the front of the town, within view from which lies, at a little distance from the land, a little isle, prettily planted with trees, under which are placed tables and seats, which serve as a place of resort during the warm days of summer. Around, between the island and the shore, float a number of Gondola-like boats, with their gay canopies, and striped pennons, floating in the air. As far as the eye can distinguish, villages and hamlets are scattered along the banks. Far in the distance, opposite the town, is a range of young mountains covered with the verdure of pastures, and vineyards, or

fir-trees.

DEPARTURE FROM VIENNA.

75

High above these the patriarchs of the mountains rear their frosty summits, some still retaining enough of the raven hue of youth, to show that they were not always thus grizzled or covered with the hoar frost of age. One lofty peak of the Jungfrau in particular, was one mass of white, as if covered with new-fallen snow, and seemed to glisten even at this distance, while gilded with the rays of the setting sun, by which we viewed it from a high point of what was formerly the bastions, now converted into a botanical garden. While I am writing, some one passing, is trilling one of the Swiss airs, like the "Rans de Vache," with the peculiar intonations which are given to the parts repeated.

On our return from our walk to the bastions to view the distant mountains, we were shown the house where Lavater lived, and the church opposite in which he preached. The finest church in outward appearance in Zurich was pointed out, the first story of which was built by Charlemagne, the upper part added by Zuingle (or Zuinglius) one of the great Protestant reformers, and the two towers since added by the citizens. The Canton of Zurich is a Protestant government and people, surrounded by Catholics. Their form of worship is similar to the Church of England, and all, and everything show improvement entering it from a country, (Austria,) exhibiting marks and mementoes of Popery on every side. I must, however, leave, as I said, the rest to your imagination, which I am sure can in no way exceed the reality, and go back to trace the course we have taken.

We left Vienna Thursday, September 14th, after a stay of two weeks, enjoying ourselves exceedingly. We returned to Lintz up the Danube, taking twenty-six hours to perform what is accomplished in eight hours going down the river. We made the acquaintance of a very pleasant gentlemanly man, Mr. P., of Vienna, who spoke English very well, and had with him his little son, who also spoke English. We