The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-02-27


two or three hours in their societv # seemeJ
10 me that l had known these wingless angels
tor at least forty years.
The guide books give many particulars
ABOUT the Falls, such as their hight, which l
believe is sixty feet and some inches. the
price of looking at a picture of them, and
many Others equally interesting, all of which
l would transcrbe for the benefit of the read.
er' but there exists at this point gap, or as
they say at college, hiatus, in my notes.
was assured that the picture of the Falls was
very wonderful, yet must own that did not
see it, but contented myself with simply look
ing at the cataract itself, from the terrace in
ront of the hotel which faces it. Itwas nine
O'Clock on as beautiful moonlight evening
as ever saw when | arrived As | seated
myself on the terrace, and looked upon the
spectacle before me, the effect was what |
have never before experienced. The moon.
light and the calm of evening give it an air
OF mystery. At this silent hour it is, per-
haps, less for the eye but more for the imagi-
nation. A German has said that the only
way of conveying an idea of this scene is to
set it to music. But he who would succeed.
must have magic Tyre or he touches its
chords in vain. On retiring to my room
placed myself at the open window, and until
long after midnight sat gazing out on this
scene OF wondrous beauty, listening to the
deep-toned music of the waters, and dreaming
gorgeous dreams. The effect of any object
depends very much on the frame of mind,
and the circumstances under which it is seen.
On rising at an early hour the next morning
was almost afraid to look out of the window
lest all my poetry might be turned into prose.
On Venturlns, however, to peep out little,
discovered very prosaical looking building
at the foot Of the Falls, which seen dimlv the
evening before, by the pale moonlight Il had
imag gined might be the abode Of nymphs and
naiads,but was now told that it was some sort
of a mill. This was the last peep. At pres
ent when | think of this night at Schaff hau-
sen, it seem like some magnificent dream. and
might be in doubt if it were not for sundrv
little noets made on the spot, among which,
one by the clerk of the hotel is conspicuous
From Schaffhausen took a route up the
Rhine to Constance, which is situated on the
lake of the same name. The shores of the
Rhine are here for the most part steep and
often rocky, but are covered with vines and
are very picturesque. Near Stein We see the
famous old castles of klingen and Steinklin-
gen, once the pride and power Of their haugh-
ty lords, but now in ruins.
The Lake of Constance is no: large, being
some fifty n,iloo l,us Ly 6,o y, o;A riLo, bet
it washes the shores of no less than five states
Switzerland, Austria, Bavaria, Wirtemberc
and Baden. Before reaching Constance we
pass the island Of Richenan, which in itself is
not remarkable, but to which attaches an in
terestiDg historical souvenir. 1t was here
that the emperor Charles the Fat, who Lad
worn SIX crowns and ruled over the united
empire of Charlemagne, came in his poverty
and distress to ask for an asylum. The con-
vent was thrown open to him and from its
charity he received a subsistence during the
remainder of his life. Among the treasures
of the abbey. molar tooth of the illustrious
beggar is still to be SEEM it is set in gold
and is said to possess the power of curing the
toothache. Here are also some vases which
the monks solemnly assert to be the same
employed at the marriage feast at Cana. AS
ne boat approaches Constance, it presents a
fine appearance, but it is in this as in many
other cases " Distance lends enchantment to
the view" Constance was formerly an i'm
portant town and acted grand part in po-
litical as well as religious affairs. But it is
no longer what it was in the time of the
Council; it has in fact, long been dead, and
stands there like huge carcass, but the same
lake still bathes its feet, and the same sky is
above it as in its day of might. Its popula-
ton was once some forty thousand, but it is
now only about sixth part of that number.
1t is said tina! house is now sold for what
would once have been demanded as yearly
rent A great number of buildings are Who'll
ly or in part unoccupied, and many are half
in ruins. The public edifces have undergone
great change. The celebrated Dominican
convent is converted into mandatory and
the council hall, in which sentence was pro-
nounced against John Huss, is employed as
a custom-house. In the council-hal is a col
lection of antiquities, among which is the
mantle worn by Huss as he went to the stake.
and they pretend to show the remains of the
cart in which he rode. The field in which
Huss was buried is now an orchard and is
named Paradise, but for what reason | did
not learn perhaps on account of its beauty.
or because 1t was here that the martyr passed
through the flames to better land.
While wandering through the deserted
streets Of Constance, where there is 50 much
to remind one of its former prosperity, as
thought Of that day when the people assem-
bled in holiday dress, each bringing a fasot
to heap up the pile of the martyr, and fancied
l heard his mild words of pardon, and their
mad shouts of exultation, could not repress
the thought that, perhaps, for such a work
had this town nroyoked the curse Of the Al