The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-20


proach "'Ts thou, wicked sorce:ess that we come TO
seize,D replied they. "Come on" answered She sm-.
ingand at these words she cast her grjle into the
water. "HeaI my voice." continued she, singing,
shear my voice, powerful father of the waters de-
spatch forthwith thy rapid coursers, that they may
bear away thy daughter in safety the caves" Her
voice was drowned amid the roar Of a violent tenn
pest. The Rhine boiled like stormy sea, and its
dashing covered the shores and the steep rocks
with their white foam. In the midst Of the terrible
| commoton, two waves bearing the form of pair Of
horses Of dazzling whiteness flew with tn. rapidy
Of lightning towards the rock, and mounting to its
| summit, they bore away the nymph into the angry
torrent and she disappeared forever beneath its
| face.
The captain, terr ed at the supernatural spectacle
and convinced that the woodworking nymph
beyond the control of human power, returned to the
palace where he beheld his ineable surprise, the
young count, who had just been thrown upon the
shore by the during the tempest; and, wonder
full to relate, though SO long submerged beneath their
surface he restored to his father safe and sound
! Since thattime the water-nymph Of the Lurley has
never been seen heard to sing although she
tnues to frequent The rock and make sport ofthe sail
ofs by echoing their voices"
| There is a story for YOU quite marvellous any
fable in looks Pantheon, and as worthy of forming
part of the mythology the ancient story Of the
Echo, Of which ii may be considered a variation.
The narrow passage through which the Rhine flows,
after passing Bingen and Rudeshem, and which pre-
sens such rapid succession of grand and picturesque
Objects suddenly ceases Cobenlz, and for time
at least the banks of the liver become level and uni
form, and lose great part Of their charm for
the traveller. Satisfied with what had during
my six hours journey from Mayence, and thinking
it {" glory enough for day." took short ret at
Coblentz. Just above this town. the Rhine elters
the Prussian territory had left forms and kreltsers
behind me, and had now to make my acquaintance
with halers and groschen. Coblentz is a town 4 i'm
portance, the capital of the Rhenish provinces of
Prussia, and as fortress situated as IL is t the
junction of the Moselle and the Rhine. 1t is sur
rounded by forts both sides Of the Rhine and Mo-
selle, and strongly garrsoned: half the population
seem to be soldiers. But the traveller would look il
vain for objects of sufficient interest to render stag
in it agreeable There is thing, however, that
worth seeing, for the sake Of the good practical joe
which it offers. 1t is monumental fountain erected
to commemorate the invasion of Russia by th
French, and bears inscription to that effect Thi
was done of course at the commencement of the EN-
peror's expedition. After his retreat, the Russian
passed through Cobentz in his pursuit, and the com
mander added to the inscription, the fountain the
following words: Seen and approved by the Rus
sian commander Of the town of Coblentz, January
lst, 1914"
l. like most travellers on the Rhine, stopped Al
Cobentz chiefly for the purpose of visiting the fo
tress of Ehrenbretstein the opposite bank Of tie
Rhine, one of the most stupendous objects on tie
whole course of this river, and of the most n
markable examples in the world Of fortifcati0
rendered almost impregnable by the work Of Mature,
it is justly called the Gibraltar Of the Rhine TIE
fort stands the summit of promontory of bare AM
perpendicular rock, four hundred feet in height
which rises maestcally from the edge of the Rhine
Immediately opposite the mouth of the Moselle. III
overlooks the surrounding country to great dis
tance and when viewed from below, at consider
able distance up and down the Rhine its high and rug
ged front forms object Of exceeding grandeur. Ri
ing abruptly it does from the surrounding level, ex
cept tongue Of land which connects it on ON
side with the adjoining heights it would seem to hav
required but little fertilization to render it mpregna
BILE. But the extent and strength of the works artI
almost surprising the vastness and grandeur OIL
the rock itself Its base, its sides, and its summit arr
alike fortified at every point, and military art ha.
done its best to strengthen the few points which Nal
ture has left weak. The fort contains four hundred
pieces of cannon, and is capable of receiving gar
rison of fourteen thousand men. " The magazines
large enough to contain provisions for eight thou
Sand men for ton no rla tIa
top of the rock serving parade, vast arch
ed csterns, capable of holding supply Of water for
three years. furnished by springs without the walls.
There is, besides, well sunk four hundred feet deep
in the rock, communicating with the Rhine Ehren-
breitsein has always been important fortress, and
was occupied as SUCH in fact, by the Romans, but it
was never strong before it is at present The
King of Prussia well aware of its Importance to the
security of this part of his dominons has spent vast
sums Of money in strengthening it. In its present
condition, it is difficult to imagine how it could be as
sailed with success the only possible means of get
ting possession of it would to be to starve out
the garrison and when once the magazines were fill
ed with provisions, this would be no easy matter
Ehrenbretsten well deserves the epithet which By
ron bestowed on it" town of victory"
have already prolonged my letter to an intoera-
BILE length, and must close my narrative for the pre-
sent A little yet remains to be said Of the Rhine,
for some of the finest of its scenery lies below Cob
lentz and then there the churches of Cologne
and Aix-la-Chapelle, the bone of St Mathew and the
tooth of ST. Thomas all these and sundry other things
| will tell of in another letter.
As have little scrap Of paper to spare, will
give you the translation of an advertisement which
copied some time since from the " NATIONAL and
which will give you some idea of French marimony
Madame Saintonge, No %, Rue, is always
prepared to accommodate persons who wish to get
married She has now on hand a number of rich