The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-09-28
ALONG THE DANUBE.
Its Beautiful Valley, Mountains, Cliffs, Bays
and Foliage.
Life and Letters of F. W. Faber.

No language can possibly describe the
superb scenery of to-day's journey. 1t far
transcends anything ever saw or conceived
of woodland or of river scenery. It is the
part of the Danube where the waters break
from the great basin of Hungary through
out the mountains. When we first left Or
soya, the hills were one great wilderness OF
massive and unbroken foliage, and the
views up the valley were very sweet indeed.
But soon huge and shadowy cliffs began to
show themselves among the woods, and
once or twice the Danube pressed its waters
through walls of sheer preeipice. At first
/ thought it like the Rhine, only much,
very much superior, because of the woods,
instead of miserable, tame, formal vine-
yards; but presently the magnifeence and
almost fearful grandeur of the scenery
drove the Rhine utterly out of my thoughts.
The woods were principally deciduous trees
with an immense profusion of walnut, and
they were all matted together with wild
vines, clematis and very large white con-
volvulus, while between its banks the river
writhed and boiled over bars of rocks, ef-
fectually forbidding all navigation. But
now the cliffs receded, and there came some
miles of incessant wood, with beautiful val
leys, through whose woody gates we OBJ
tanned exquisite glimpses up the mountain
GUS glens. One IN particular I remember
of consummate loveliness. It was on the
Servian shore, and far inland there rose
hugo mountain, in shape like crouching
lion, and the valley broadened out and left
the mountain standing alone against the
sky. Then came large sea-lke bay, with
a Servian village and church on tongue of
green field. The broad river went by gent
ly, wheeling solemnly in glossy eddies. 1t
was scene of perfect loveliness. Not a
feature could be heightened or improved.
Then came the cliffs again, no longer white
and hoary, but deep mottled red. For
the next hour was well nigh beside my
self; had it been the time of many-colored
autumn, instead of brown-leaved June,
with its heavy green, should have lost all
my senses. Red cliffs, masked in infinitely
various degrees by foliage, or standing
abrupt like walls, or shooting up into spires
and pinnacles like castles here receding
from the view, there throwing themselves
forward, and shutting the waters up into
narrow turbulent rapid-these were the fea-
lures of the scenery. To describe them is |
quite impossible. At last we turned from
the cliffs and saw the deep-wooded hills |
above Drenkova, backed up by the deep, |
dull crimson of stormy sunset, and we
arrived absolutely wearied with the strength |
of the impressions made upon us by the
Such glorious and divine ming
ling of grandeur aud loveliness Of natures
smiles and frowns as decks the royal Dam
ube all this days journey I never saw in
my life, and believe I shall never forget
the silent astonishment in which travelled
for many hours. almost envied the birds
who were free to drop anywhere in the
eafy wilderness, or on the rocky lodges, or
to suspend themselves in the air over the
middle of the Danube.