The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-07-14
up AND DOWN THE RHINE.

uP ANU uUWN lht hHlNt.
As everything connected with the
scenery or history Of Germany is Of
peculiar interest to the public just at
the present time, we reproduce the
following beautifully written letter,
which is from the pen of an old school.
mate and friend Of our boyhood days,
and which we find in the Oskaloosa
uowa) Hsruld Of the 9Th ultimo:
On THE RHINE,
May 10th, 1871.
Before leaving Oskaloosa, two
years since, ! promised many friends
that should / ever visit the river
Rhine, would write them my i'm.
pressions OF it. Now, as want Of leis-
ure will not permit my writing TO all,
how can ] do better than to ask the
Herald to publish the few homely
words / have to say. We, that is,
wife and l, had spent number OF
days visiting some OF the important
towns OF Germany, with their CALLER
les OF Art, beautiful gardens, DC. DC,
before concluding just how far TO go
down the Rhine. At Strasbourg, IA.
nous for its wonderful clock, and
trained apostles, who pass in muster
every day at noon, and now more ia.
nous for its terrible seige, but recent
ly ended, we first crossed the Rhine.
Strasbourg is still half ruins, and grim
cannon almost by the thousands arc
piled along its old.time quiet streets,
while King Williams soldiers, whole
armies OF them, pass through its gates
with banners flying, on their way
home from poor suicidal France. The
great tower on the cathedral was not
seriously injured by the German ar.
tillery; but its tall spire still seems TO
almost pierce the clouds. We both
made the ascent to the very top,
climbing on the outside up the little
stone steps that were scarcely large
enough to hold the foot. The only
protection, even at the highest part, is
a small iron rod; winding around the
tower at short distances like a rope.
To this rod, and his own power OF
climbing, must one trust his life.
Looking down from the top, distance
of five hundred and forty-five feet,
men and horses seemed but pigmics,
while the fair Rhine wound away of
into the distance Of forest like silver
thread. / will say nothing OF the
Cathedral itself, one of the three finest
in the world. All have read of it
| e t.A ha1 N
single letter. From Strasbourg we
went to the Roman baths OF Baden
Baden; thence to Darmstadt, Frank.
fort, Mayence, and then took the
"Crown Prince" Rhine steamer,
and started for Cologne. The Rhine
river, from its source among the Alps
in Switzerland, down TO Aayencc, ID
not remarkable, scarcely beautiful
but below Afayencc it widens and in
creases by the German rivers Neckar
and Main, il grows in volume until at
the Mouse tower by Bingen it mar
rows, concentrates its strength, and
breaks off through the hills and noun
tains, deep. Wild, and rapid stream
And here at B;ngen commences the
Rhine scenery proper; SO wild, sc
beautiful, so historic; every rock q
legend, and every hill tale.
The Rhine waters are more green
than blue; are very rapid, and often
deep. At the whirlpool, under the
rocks of Lurelei the water is nearly
eighty feet deep, and was formerly
very dangerous to descending crafts
The river is net much above SIX hun
dred miles long, but in that distance
makes descent or fall nearly two
thousand feet from its source in the
Alps. The Rhine steamers are little
single decked beauties, and the fares
from Mayence to Holland reasonable
OF course we stopped over at Bin
gen, and wandered about the little
town, so full of legend and song, fol-
nearly day. We visited the hospital
and found some of King Williams
soldiers there, who were wounded al
Gravelotte and Sedan. We encour
aged tho patient fellows while we
thought OF the Bingen soldier of the
Legion who once lay dying in Algiers
and OF whom Mrs. Norton so sweetly
sang:
Take messnre and a token to some distan
| frieLds Of mine.
For was born at Bingcn. sweet Bngcn on tn,
Rhine"
Here, too, at Bingen, commence.
the famous Rhine vineyards, the wine
of which surpasses all others. We
tried it, OF course, as who does not
and were pleased with its remarkabl,
pleasant flavor, sweeter, better thar
any We had known. 1t is free from
the oily taste of the Spanish wines
the disagreeable acid of nearly all the
Swiss, and some Of the French, ant
contains none of the alcohol or cog
MAC so often found in American wines
These wines are usually cheap, som,
OF the rarest, however, bring immens,
prices. The vineyard of the Austrian
prince Metternich, produces what il
known as Johannesburg wine, which
sells as high as twenty-five dollars
. hottie, even when new, and then onl,
to be had by royalty itself. The Mo
selles wines are often as low as on,
franc per bottle, but good ordinar,
wine costs about four francs. Grea
sums OF money are required to man
age good vineyards, and much labor
r too. Fabulous prices are paid for tn
J stony sleeps where man can scarcel,
: climb. Stone walls and terraces ar
3 built every few feet, from four to 81.
r feet high, from the water up to th
s top OF the mountain, presenting to th
n / view n series of stone stems lead ,not fro,,