The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-27
Correspondence Of the Madisonian.
SKETCHES FROM ABROAD.


1t has seemed to me since my arrival in Europe,
that most travellers have felt very great repug-
to stating the plain simple truth respecting the
countries they visit. They think, perhaps, if they
to describe things as they are, their readers
would think them tame and unnerestng this will
account for the poetic license they venture to take.
So far hardly single description have ever read,
corresponds with the facts they really exist. !
had read much pretty poetry in prose about "vne-
clad hills" that really imagined they were second
onlysto the Elysian fields; judge of my modification
and disappointment, when the reality was placed be-
fore me. Let any one in America stick row of
raspberry bushes in a barren sand-bank, and he viii
have an exact counterpart of the rine-eidd hills
about which much fuss has been made. As
monuments =. Industry, entor pr,so s,n
they are richly deserving of admiration The inge-
nuty of man has converted these, otherwise barren
rocks, into productive vineyards. In many places
the vines planted in baske;s and inserted in the
crevices and assures of the rocks and by that means
abled 10 retain their positions Most of the
mould has TO be carried up the rugged steep by bak-
cts 1t is preserved from being washed away by
walls of stones In this respect, rine clad hll is
truly beautiful and deserves the highest praise but
in this respect alone.
Near ST. Goar the river bends so abruptly, that
you seem TO be entirely shut in no appearance Of
egress any more than if it were a lake. The effect
IS delightful a number of castellated ruins in sight
the almost perpendicular cliffs frownng upon YOU
from every side, and no apparent outlet Near this
is rapid, and below 1t a whirlpool the one not
quite equal to those above Niagara Falls the other
falling hHe short of Hurl Gate.
The ruined castles Of Reichenberg, Schonberg
Guteniels, Stahlek Nolingen, Furstenburg, Heinz
berg, are the principal that excite notice until
you arrive at Msyence. In the middle Of the river
opposite Goub, ia castle built in 1900 for toll
house, by the Emperor Lewis Of Bavaria II is en-.
tered by ladder, and this only passage closed by
port-cullis. The dungeons are below the bed Of
the river and we're formerly tenanted by persons OF
rank. forgot TO mention that at the church on the
summit OF the krensberg, among other relics, they
boast Of possessing the identical stairs which led up
to Pilates Judgment Hall, still bearing the stains OF
blood which Tell from the Saviour's brow The
vaults contain the still undecsyed bodies Of the
monks who were buried in them hundreds Of years
ago.
Most of the castles have some wild legend
connected with their history. The Mouse Tower
IS renowned by the tradition of a bishop who shut
up his heart at the cry of the poor, during sea.
son Of famine. At last wearied by their entreaties,
he appointed day for their relief They were di.
rected to repair to his great barn, where they would
be supplied with food as soon it filed, he or
dered the doors to be made fast and set on fire
During the conhigraton, amid the dying shrieks of
the hapless victims, he rubbed his hands in great
gee, exclaiming, the country is greatly Obliged 10
me for Kidding it Of the RATS that consume the corn
lie returned 10 his palace, and slept that night for
the last time. In the morning, as he came into the
hail. he saw that the rats bad eaten his picture out Of
the frame while he stood gazing there came a man
from his farm, his face white with fear, who said
My lord, the rats have eaten all your cornn I'm.
mediately after this another comes in breatble..
haste, who exclaimed" Fly, fly, nv lord bisbon
fly the rats by thousands are coming this way
The bishop fled with all haste TO his castle upon the
Rhine; barred all the windows doors, and oop-boles
with the greatest care but the swarm followed tbsy
swan the broad river, climbed the steeo cliff and
poured in through windows and doors and crack, in
the floor, and pouuced upon the bishop and picked
his bones
Z" They gnaw'd the flesh from every limb
For they we're sent tn do judgment on him.
Bingen, Bacharach, Boppsrt and Bibericb are
towns which will interest the stranger for short
time. The most celebrated vineyards are in this vi
cinity The seat Of the Duke Of Nassau is at Bibe.
rich The gardens attached to the palace are ex.
ceedingly pretty, and are open to the public.
Mayence contain. population Of 30 600. and /,
one Of the strongest towns 10 Germany II has
large garrison OF soldiers. The cathedral. which
wa, begun in the 10th century, is massy s,rctur.
and has two eboin and two high altar, beside. M.