The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-06
THE WONDERS OF THE RHINE.

Mr.. C. c. Fulton thinks the poets have
very tame river. The part between Bngen
and Coblsntz being the only portion worth
a trip, and six hours out of the nine, the
time required to make tho trip by steam
boat between those points, is nothing better
than common river steamboating We clip
the following sketches from one of MIR.
Futons letters.
FROM BINGEN TO CoBLENTz
This is the only portion of the river that
can be called attractive. We passed Bin
gen at eleven o'clock, and at one o'clock
the majestic Fortress of Ehrenbreitstien,
directly opposite the city of Coblentz, LOOM
ed up before us, which is justly termed the
Gibraltar of the Rhine. Thus the beauties
of the Rhine are all viewed in two hours
travel as below Coblentz, the river widens
to the extent of about one milo, and with
the excep ton of the seven mountains, as
we approach Co logne, it's shores are gener-
ally low and flat. Most of the German
tourists stop few days at each of the prom
inent points on this portion of the river,
changing their location after pedestrian
tours amog the ruins of the old castles and
the surrounding mountains.
Opposite Castle of Klopp, near Bngen,
on a rock in the middle of the Rhine is the
Mouse Tower, which derives its name from
the well known legend OF Bishop Hattie,
who built this tower as sort of custom
house, where tolls were forcibly levied on
all passing vessels. He was great tyrant,
and during famine which prevailed bought
up all the food in the district, and sold it
at such exorbitant prices that the people
soon had no more money, and were in a
starving condition. They sent to the
Bishop a large delegation, begging for
bread, limiting that they would take it by
force if he did not give it to them. He re-
| ceived them very kindly, and told them to
60 to barn, where they would DO supplied,
| but no sooner we're they in the doors, than
he closed and locked them, and set fire to
the barn. On hearing their bowling cries
of pain, he exclaimed clear how the corn-
mice squeak. treat rebels as l do mice;
when | catch them l burn them.' The
legend goes on to say that out of the ashes
of the barn came legions of mice, which
swarmed through the castle, compelled his
retainsrs to fly, and finally to escape them
! the BISHOP pTOCeeueu 10 his lower Ill tlle
river, but the Unsuitable mice followed him,
and finally gnawed the flesh off his bones.
This is about a sample of the legends of
these old Rhine castles, but there stand tho
ruins of the castle and of the tower, and if
| the story be true, the old fellow deserved to
| be eaten up, even if he was not.
The next tower is Ehrenfels, which was
erected in 1910. The steep slopes of the
neighboring mountains is one of the finest
wine districts of the Rhine These noun
tain sides look from the river as if planted
almost to their SUBMITS with pea vines.
Of this castle of Ehrenfels there is a love
story legend, in which horse is the hero.
His mistress being taken to church by her
cruel father to marry her to wicked
knight Just as they reached the church
door, the horse, instigated by the Saints,
to whom the giil had prayed, ran away and
carried her to the castle of her true love,
both the father and the bad knight having
fallen and broken their necks in the effort
to overtake her.