New-York daily tribune., 1857-08-25
JOURNEY TO THE ECNINE.
III-THE DANUBE-AUSTRIA.

For many miles below HatlsbOn the Valley OF
the Danube (the Donau it is called here), is wide
and rich, the slopiDg bills beyond cultivated as well
I some places, the range approaches nearer, as If
on purpose to give view Of the river to the old
church or castle on its summit, and harbor to the
village at its base. Bogenberg, church of pill
erimaee. ia situated on one Of these obligng noun
tains, around which the river curves, giving 1t two
amo.t perpendicular faces. Looking back from
the boat after passing it, one sees the winding In
land path by which it is ascended. One pilgrim,
in blue shirt ard white apron, was toling up at the
time, but lie paused to look on the passing steamer
with worldly interest, just as if he We're gong on
some ordinary business. Perhaps, alter ALL he
may have been only door keeper. The ruined
Stauf Castle is another thus placed in the Thirty
Years War" it was taken by the Swedes, after
. brave defense by its Bayarlan pOssessors during
three months siege, and by them destroyed IN 1914
For two centuries and quarter, it has been de-
serted ruin yet enough of its walls remain to make
an interesting feature in the landscape. Below the
influx Of the Inn and Iltz at Passau, the scenery
changes entrely the hills heretofore easy of cul'
ture, smiling at each other across the level valleys
here approach en- either side with threatening
aspect, and the river, compressed between them to
little more than half its width rushes past as If fear
ing an encounter. Huge masses of granite over
haug the pass; precipi,es vailed with black fir rise
hundreds of feet from the very water Hero and
there, ruins, old and gray and weather-beaten as
the rocks which bear them, look down on us from
their lonely hight. In one OF these (hrempen-
stein) an Austrian huntsman at present has his
den It stands on the top of bare and
marly perpendicular rock, midway between the
river and the summit of the precpitous Cliff
from which it projects. We could see, from
the river, no way of ingress; the path
must be long by which it is reached, and come from
inland. Occasionally the wooded mountains relent
little giving space for farm and cottage at the
waters edge, or for wood-cutter's hamlet, where a
torrent has cut its way down, and We see beaten
path leading up the winding gorge. Then, f1r
miles they rise in lonely majesty 80 near, 30 silent;
their example, in this respect is infectious, and one
invOluntarily speaks if at ALL In tones suppressed
The river has more varied aspect, being now
rushing stream, and now quiet lake. At the end
of the pass stands ths fine castle Neu Haus just
below this the mountains recede from the river,
and dwndle presently to lnc0nsdera0le mus; level
grainfeds intervene; the river widens and IS dotted
with numerous green islands, amons which tne
steamer threads its way with care. we see, M tne
distance, range of Alpine peaks where rests per-
petual snow We we're all familiar with the Hud-
son and the Mississippi and had Just come from the
Valley of the Rhine; but the Highlands must DO
piled above the Palisades before the Hudson can
equal this in subEmity.
We staid all night at Lintz and changed boats.
Chef was detained at the Customs more than an
hour, while they made out the rate OF duty 10 De
paid on the extra fine. cut with which he had pru.
dently provided himself; these duties, added to the
original cost have made the tobacco cost about four
dollars per pound. lie was much disguised with
Austra that the Captain thought he might be cured
of his love of tobacco by being compelled to import
supplies through Austrian territory. Russian
gent eInan who came down with US on his way 10
the Crimea, had, on former OCCASION attempted
to carrya handsome pcture-frame home from Paris,
by this route; he paid duty several times with pa
tience but the eIOrbitant rates at this point having
doubled the original cost of the article, he paid the
demand and in wrath, threw it into the river
while the officials looked on in surprise. This gen
tleman was accompanied by his family; his wife
was the bsndsomcst woman have seen in Europe
Russian OF English psrentage. She had com,
plexion the hue Of rOse-pearl, brown eyes, ana
masses of amber-coored hair. Her four children
(.he is only twenty scyen) Nere beautiful pirltuehe
little creatures, speaking French and Russian in the
tone Of birds One, particularly, listened 70 py
the hafhour; though understanding little OF what
she said have no doubt il was the same as b0po'
link would talk, were one to converse with MN;
and then sh looks into ones eyes the while, in such
wisi,ll, earnest way, as if reading deeper, III their
expression, than is given to chlldhood; an the
names OF such are early written on grave stones
Between Lintz and Vienna, We pass the majestic
defle named " The Wachau." Here the inoIntsln-
walls, high and wild, rise again abruptly from the
water; on either side gigantic masses OF granite
are piled, hight upon hight; molderuS palaces
above. thrifty stone cutters cottages below;
decayed grandeur and perennial industry-iaen
~ h. nj
gorge stand the remains Of Drrenscl, the PRISON oi
Richard C9ur de. Lion, on the top of bare, many
peaked Cliff SO steep and rugged that not even the
black fir could Rnd roots all around it lie immense,
blsck-broWed mountains OF granite; and on these
poor Richard gazed, il, indeed they allowed him to
leok out from his granite cage, for Eiteen weary
months.
This fortress Wa. also taken by the Swedes under
TOrstenson, in 1915, and by them destroyed (blown
UP with powler) en- leaving.
The steamer stops at Nussdorf three or four
miles from Vienna, and passengers 90 thence into
the city in carriages. We disembsrked here, abou
five O'Clock on Sunday evening, and learned tina
the weekly Express 4" boat for ConstantnOple
direct had left that morning at six o'clock, instead
of starting on Monday, az we had been informed
prevouslv and 80 had eleven hours start OF us: II,
however, We could take the seven 2. m express
train on the railroad, we might, by riding all mshi'
jntercept the steamer at Pesth. We had nenyt t"o
hours, but, before leaving Venns, the passports mIs
be yised for the dozenth time, by somebody (the
Turkish minister, beEeve); besdes, the baggage
must be looked alter. There seemed little hope oi
getting of, but week was long TO wait aud they
resolved to Try. 1t was arranged that each party
should use al possible Dispatch and meet ~ tle de
pot in time, if might he. Chef was to proceed 70
The depot direct, Captain l.. to attend to the pass
ports, and Boston--in whose case some spe1.l
iornalitics were requisife-to accomplish his bls'
nc,s, if possible. The latter having no iBeuin-
brarces Ieit for tie city in acre, Immediately on