The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-12-16
sMistell W..
LETTERS FROM GERMANY.
The River Rhine and it's Sights.

ST.. JOHANN, on the river Saar, Prussia.
Nov 18th, 1870.
MEssRs. EDITORS: In my last prom
ised to give you some account of the inter-
been up and down it, at three different
times, for over ten hundred miles, (English)
and as my letters upon the subject would
not be complete unless l gave Its history,
from one end to the other, wish it to be
distinctly understood, that it is not all
original, but made up from my notes and
from panoramic views Of the same.
Upon all the known earth the Rhine is
surely the most interesting river. Its ORR
gin is not exactly known, nor does drop
of its powerful waters run into the sea; for
in the Netherlands it loses its name and is
called the "Wall.n 1t rushes down from
the high Central Alps of Switzerland,
three days journey from this place. The
Front Rhine streams out from the Toma
Lake, on the east side of st. Gothard's
Mountain the Back Rhine emanates from
the Observation-Disclosures. The whole length
of the Rhine, from Basil to Krinzen, before
Rotterdam, is calculated at 900,062 metres,
or 119! German miles. Almost all the
water-stores OF Switzerland flow into it,
Three hundred and seventy glaciers and
more than 2,700 larger and smaller secon-
Diary streams raise it to one of the most
majestic rivers. At Mentz it has a breadth
of 1880 feet, at Cologne, of 1919. The
greatest breadth it takes is at Schenkcn-
schanz, on the Dutch frontiers, where it is
2,544 it. in width; the smallest it offers is at
Basel, where it is 52S feet wide. Its depth
at a middling proportion of water height
is very different, and raises from 3 to 70
feet. At Mentz and at Bonn its depth has
Il rise of from to n feet at Cologne from
10 to 30 feet. From Mentz to Cologne is
S4,252 rods, which have travelled, and shall
try to complete the most interesting sights
on both banks.
Mentz was founded in the year IA before
Christ, by Urusus, the step-son of Angus
tus. The first foundation was called Cas-
tellum Magontiacum; opposite to it Drusus
likewise founded small castle, from
which the small town castle has its origin
and name. great many monuments,
dating from the time of the Romans, have
been found there, among which particu-
larly remarkable one is the Eigelstein Ca
gelstone,) derived from aquilG-aigle. The
construction of the Cathedral was begun
in 97S, under the Archbishop Willisgis'
reign. The curiosities here are Monuments
of Gutenberg and of Schiller, railway
bridge, the Palace of the Grand Duke, the
Armory or Arsenal, the Cathedral of Saint
Stephen, the Theatre, the Corn Hall, the
Kartrich, &c. The number of inhabitants is
$4,000, among whom are 1000 protestants,
and 5000 Jews.
Starting from Bicberich, where the boat
from Maycnce is taken, and the descent of
the Rhine commenced, nearly all the inter
est centres between this point and Cologne.
The beauties of the Rhine have been ex-
tolled in poetry and set forth in prose and
many, have no doubt, like myself, who,
having high anticipations, have been dis
appointed with their first trip upon this
beautiful river, forgetting that, not so
much In the river itself is the beauty, but
in it's surroundings-its vine-clads, old
castles, and picturesque ruins. l need
hardly state that, in these lines, only the
principal points of interest can be named !;
nor can tell the tourist what length of
time should be consumed in making the
trip. From the boat at Beiberich, an
excellent view of the summer residence OF
the Duke OF Nassau is obtained, the pal
ace standing close to the river, on the right
bank of the Rhine. This castle was built
in 17O6, in the Renaissance style, aud has
length of220 yards. Adjoining Bic brich
is Mosbach, with 400 inhabitants. Nieder.
walluf on the right bank of the Rhine,
where the vinous Rheingau commences,
has 1000 inhabitants. Biebrich, on the
right bank, an old place of pilgrimage,
with Saint Michael's Chapel, built in 1440.
Eltvjlle or Elfield, on the right bank of
the Rhine. Already, in the year 1866, in
the very lifetime of Gutenberg, a5 years