Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1844-03-28
Letters from Abroad. /. . No, VII.
From Mrs. @. Of .NesC. YOvk, addressed tOhcv cEil-
dren at the Young Ladies' School, Litek6eLG.


dreD at the Young Ladies' School. LitehfeLd.
Linz is pretty town with population of abou
$4,000, the capital of Upper Austria, and on tn
upper side Of the Danube. Our Hotel is in tn,
great market place, in the centre Of which 10 larg
handsome monument called the 60 Trinity Column,
placed there to commemorate the escape of tn
town from the threatened attacks Of the Turks ant
the plague. The women here wear a very singu
lar head: dress (shaped like helmet) Ofgold tissue
or black lace. Some weat black silk shawls tieG
about the head, with the ends falling down behind
We left Linz at 7 A. NJ, by railroad for Ichl, q
German watering place much frequented during
the summer by all the Court as well as all the
" 6eG" monde" Of Austria, to battle and drink the
salt water Of the mine well as the sulphuroua
water of the springs of the mountains Of the Salts
kammergat. 1t is small place consisting princi-
pally of Hotels and Lodging houses, Cafes and
bathing houses, with place similar to the one at
Saratoga where they 60 before breakfast to drink
the salt water and species of whey made Of milk
and the salt water. Though the town (IschD is
small its location is most delightful situated in
richly cultivated valley, bounded on every side by
immense high mountains The eye in every direc-
ton rests on the snow.clad chain of the Salzburg
and Syrian Alps. Conspicuous among them is
the Traunstein whose rugged face looks down, and
itself reflected in the beautiful waters of the
Traun Lake, one of the loveliest scenes which the
Saltskammergat presents. On our way from Lint
to Ischl we went few miles ofthe road to see the
falls of the Traun river abeautiful and picturesque
fall, which, though somewhat dinnutive to .1naer-
lean eyes, was well worth visit. The water falls
from height of AZ feet over projecting ledge "
la Niagara" so that from the extreme end you may
see behind the sheet of water falling over. Its
waters think are the most beautiful color Of any
that have seen, of clear transparent beryl
green" By the side of the Fall, along the bank is
a curious wooden canal, an aquatic inclined plane
water railway, by which boats descend the Fall.
The descent is made almost in the twinkling of an
eye, and with perfect safety, though the boat is
tossed and tumbled about not little.
The railroad takes us into the town of Gmunden,
a pretty town whose houses the guide book tells
us look quite English, but in my opinion more f.
,nesiean, with their neat white exterior, green
blinds and doors, and pretty grass plas and flowers
in front. At this place we take steamboat to
cross the Traun lake, the approach to which is
magnificent. The mountains rise one above anoth-
er to towering height in the form Of an amphithe-
atre, and the light feathery clouds Of evening were
yelling them from the base to the summit. As far
as the eye could reach tall forest trees covered the
sides of some, while others presented bare and
rugged face of stone, particularly the Traunstein,
which has the appearance Of having been cleft in
twain. At Gmunden the streets were almost inn
passable from the number Of people gathered in
them 1t was fete day, and all were attired in
their holiday dress, the women in their Prettiest
helmets with CAV colors, jacket, skirt, apron and
shawl each different in color. The men IN their
black or yellew leather breeches, stceple crowned
hats Of green felt with broad green ribbon band
with sometimes bo9uet of flowers, and others with
a bunch Of feathers like the wing Of a partridge
stuck with jaunty air in the band little one side.
They all looked happy and merry, but am sorry
to saw many of them were distigured BY that hide
Gus dcfor,nty the Goitre caused it is said by drink
ing the melted snow waters Of the mountains, the
SUBMITS Of most of them being covered with per
petual snow, through which on the tops Of some
If the highest grows pretty little flower which is
gathered brought to Ischl to SELL The Traun lake
Is about miles long, its sides are one continued
range of mountains, with here and there an open
ing where smiles lovely valley rich in vegetation.
The waters Of the lake, we'll as the Traun river
are of the same beautiful green as the Fall. 1t is
not 50 transparent as to admit of seeing the bottom
like Lake George, but seems sufficiently cool and
lucid to be drinkable. Near the center Of the lake
is beautiful island on which is chateau, church
and chapel, shrine and crucifx, each placed on
seoarate knowl rising above the other all pair.
ted white which conrasted with the rich green ISL
and, has pretty effect. There is pretty story at
tached to it similar to that Of Hero and Leander
and which is also the subject of a German Poem.
As we neared the other extremity Of the lake we
passed a number of rocks above the water on which
were placed crucifxes, to which the Catholic pas.
sengcrs with US took off their hats and inclined
their heads. At the end Of tho lake we took an
omnibus coach and passed though continuation
of the same beautiful mountain scenery, said to lua
that of Switzerland. The road is on the banks of
the Traun river all the way to Ischl. IL miles
There is an immense quantity Of timber and lumber
foatcd down this river 1t is cut on the sides Of
the mountains, from whence they slide 1t down in-
to the river where the current is very strong and
rapid, which takes it floating in this loose way to
the lake here long booms are fastened together,
extending from the mouth ofthe river to the other
ucfN ha 1akn IN then
other across the lake collects 1t together, and 50 II
is secured. The SditskdDnsergat. as 1t is called.
Is a mountainous country, in which mountains a
vast quantity of salt abounds, and the name tneans
{" chamber money" equivalent to 'pin money" 1t
il the property Of the Emperor, from which he re-
ceiycs an immense income for his own private use,
and for which he is not expected to account. The
country all about this region abonnds in beautiful
and picturesque scenery, but we had not time to
explore it. A lady who had spent three weeks in
making excursions told me she had seen no less
eleven lakes in the vicinity and that on some OF the
mountains they had been in snow Up to the breasts
Of their horses Our Minister to Austria told me
he had been on some Of these mountains and looked
down upon valleys where the snow was 100 feet
deem. The mode of life at these springs IS similar
To that at Saratoga The ladies rise betimes in the
moaning walk to the saloon where there is boy in
attendance to hand them wheyor salt water as they
choose They take few turns ON the piazza OF TINS
saloon, Of on an esplanade near ny, where band
of music is stationed every morning for an hour
They then take another glass which seems to sui
fee. They repair to mass in the cathedral which
is opposite. after which they breakfast about p
Then some 90 to ride, some take book or tneir
work and sit or walk in the esplanade. and others
whose health requires it take bath. which is only
done BY order and with the prescription Of ply
stefan, and which is diluted according to his drec
ton They ate either salt alone, salt and sulphur
mixed, and kind called mud baths, the draining
slime and sediment from the chambers Of the sail