New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26
DOWN THE DANUBE.
FROM LINZ TO BELGRADE.

CAPITALS OF AUSTRIA AND nUNGARY-THE
pAssESGERs AND TIE sCHNfRY-A PICTURESQUE
FILTRATION.
iTRon AN OCCASIONAL CONFECTIONERY OF TIRE TRBuFE'
VIENNA Nov. 20.-Passcnger travel on the Dan
nhe aurins the last few years has been admirably
systematized bv the Danube Steam Navigation
Company that there is now no pleasanter route for
tourists 10 be found in Europe. There u.s. in fact, a
growing impression that before long the central
,o;nt for Continental excursions will be Vienna in
stead of Paris with the lovely Tyrol to usurp the
place OF Switzerland and the Danube to suppiant
the Rhine in popular estimation.
One must travel on the Danube for three or four
DAYS in order to realize what wonderful river IL
is True, the maps and guide books tell MS that IL
rises in the Black Forest and enphes into the BLACK
Sea 500 miles distant We can see on any atIas
that il traverses two-thirds OF Europe from near
the eastern borders of France the further confines
of Turkey. Yet, for all that to appreciate It's eX-
tent aud the variety and grandeur of its scenery
one must take a steamboat trip down this Amazon
of Europe No Murray Baedeker can convey
any fair idea OF tie enchanting of the con-
stantly changing phases of locality, costume. and
types which greet the traveller who. starting at
Linz. near the German frontier, JOURNEYS for three
or four DAYS down the stream to OrsOya and the
Iron Gate. where Hungary, Servia, Roumania and
Bulgaria meet.
The Danube Navigation Company, for the con-
yenience of travellers have laid OIL their route INTO
sections of about one days journey each. Passau
IL the point on the upper Danube at which steam
boat travel begins and the trip from that city to
LINZ. tho capital of Upper Austria, is made in
day. 1t is however, at Linz thai most tourists
take steamer leaving at ESQ q. M and reaching
Vienna at 5 the sarle evening. For most of the
distance the stream is narrow, with rocky noun
famous banks and treacherous current. Al one
point the Strudel the steamer shoots rapid very
much in the style of ST. Lawrence River boat,
but minus the Indian pilot at the helm The entire
region is rich IA historic relics, IN ancient rotDer
strongholds, and in castles and converts some
gone to decay and others still maintained IN all
the grandeur of medieval times Persenoeug, WEI
teneee and Melk are each of them imposing masses
of castellated masonry, directly overlooking the
stream. aid AT Aggstein Lofty and almost mac
eessible r-clad erag stand the crumblng walls of
castle from which a once famous rObber chieftain,
uadmor III for years controlled the passage of the
Danube At Marbach on an eminence some DIS
lance inland. stands monster church edihce Visi-
bic many miles away. 1t is the pilgrimage chulch
Of Mariataierl, and at the Marbath landing saw IL
hundred o. so OF the most ignorant and Squaud
looking peasantry come on board, returning home
ward om the shrine. bearing charm, d anuets and
crosses in their hands and gtotesque packs OF bed
arc the crumbng walls Of the fortress in which the
faithful Bobde discovered his imprisoned master,
Cplr de Lion; at Wallsce bold blum directly
over the landing is the castle OF the Duke OF SAKE
Cohurg-Cctha; at Tillysburg is the fortress pre-
sented BY Ferdinand ii. TO lilly as reward for the
destruction of Magdeburg and, opposite Pan aeon
Il the Convent CT ST. Peter III Erla, dating back
500 years
The boats plying above Vienna are of light bur
den owing TO the nature OF the river; Dut they
are nevertheless rOOmv and comfortable, both for
first and secondclass travel Meals are served d IA
oo,ie and there is fair table dh0te dinner 70:
about 60 cents at o'clock. Passengers OF course,
spend most OF the day on the upper deck, and
ningle their conversation in friendly and ill.,
formal way. Here, as everywhere else on the Con
tincntal lines of travel, the English in the
majority, and does not need to catch their Ian
guage TO establish the question OF their nation
Atty Z" Ces sont des AH0ldiS is remark one hears
a dozen times as many hours OH a Danube boat,
for French, after all, is the most general medium
of conversation. i reoOllect one elderly female
BrtOn. in an immense coascuttle hat ana capa-
cious waterproof. who suddenly made her appear
ance on deck like a spectre, as we passed certain
famous castle and producing a portable easel
waterpot cardboard. colOrs and brushes. cOolly
enseooced herself in the midst of crowd OF staring
Germons and proceeded to paint the scene. They
continued staring harder and harder as the work
advanced but the old Lady, apparently unconscious
of their presence, imperturbably kept Oh until it
was completed.
NIGHT VIENNA.
The approach to Vienna Just as the sun is sinking
low in the west is delightful close to the days
sail. Directly ahead and bounded on the right by
the precipitous slope OF the Klosterneuberg,
stretches a WIDE fertile plain, and poepng above
.,rfor ha hor rise
golden sunli ght. the domos and spires and moDu-
ments of the Imperial capital of Austria. No words
can do Justice to the beauty of the spectacle. Pop
ular geography locates Vienna directly on the south
bank of the Danube. Practically it may be, but in
point of fact il Is sort OF canal or cu-on IeaV-
ing the river three miles above the city, and joining
ii again at about the same distance below
Through this canal the steamer runs in and lands
its passengers the quay, right IN the heart OF the
city. As ii is only o'clock in the afternoon when
the boat arrives there is time for run around
town a dinner. and a good nights rest before con-
timing the journey down the river next morning.
The boats running between Vienna and Budapesth
are Of heavier tonnage than those in use above
Vienna They cannot consequently enter the canal,
but await in the river outside It's lower mouth the
arrival of the little transfer boat which brings pas
sengers down from the quay IN town. On emerging
from the canal, one percelves what mighty river
the Danube has already grown TO he. l he rapIdlty
of the current rushing with silent but Irresistible
force past the low green sedgy banks seems some
thing frightfc as the little transfer boat shooting
forth from the still waters of the canal, Is first
caught in the eddes and swept along at accelerated
speed to the side Of the steamer awaiting it. In
ten minutes passengers and baggage are trans
ferred, and the Vesta shoots away down stream at
railway speed This is the neighborhoOd III which
Napoleon ]. fought his battles OF Lobau, Essling'
and Wagram. In natural beauty 1t Is counter
part of the Acadie of Evangeline; soft, we'll
watered meadOwland with here and there clusters OF
wide spreading ancestral trees and numerous herds
dOtting the green.