Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-05-06

water. That poe. must have discovered
lust such treasure, tlaked his thirst,
wiped his brow and overhowed with graft
tue, when he wrote
Fair dweller by the wayside high,
Sweet saint within mossy shrine,
The tribute Of heart to day
Weary and worn is thine.
We almost envied the good little boys
who sat near the spring, eating their SEM
mel trolls) and hard boiled eggs, sweetened
with this delicious beverage. But "hights
are not obtained by sudden fight, so on we
plodded up the winding road, till gradually
the rocks bowed their majestic heads, and
finally the sentinels disappeared from our
side entirely; the trees became shorter,
the path grew broader, and we knew that
we were almost at the goal. Here we
found little rustic house, where the in
evitable "bier" is furnished, with tables
and seats invitingly placed in the cool
shade Of the trees. Near this is danger.
ously fascinating point of view. Down a
dizzy hight, hundreds of feet below, we
saw the trees, moses, ferns and rocks in
deep dark caverns, while directly opposite
were castellated peaks, majestic columns
by side, like battalion of
GIGANTIC SOLDIERS,
While the straight, dark trees against the
light, rocky shapes completed the fancy
and supplied the guns. German caution
here, as everywhere else, is observed. a
strong railing is built around this wicked
point, to prevent rash adventurers from
yielding to the fascination and venturing
too far over the edge The light covering
of moss is exceedingly treacherous. and
where to all appearancesi it is perfectly safe,
one can slide off SO easily. Here we
laughed, shouted and sang. The faithful
sentinels on the other side caught up the
sound, and the sweet echoes reverberated
from point to point, till finally, far away
in the distance, only the faintest whisper
was heard. But this was only prepara.
tion for the grandeur of scene which
awaited US at the Bastei, the aim and OBJ
ject of our two hours climb. Saxon -Bohe-
mian Switzerland is district of about 60
square miles, which lies between Bohemia
and Saxony, earlier known as the Meissen
1t embraces the southeast of
Saxony and the northeast Of Bohemia.
There is fat rock at the boundary line,
where you can sit on one side in Saxony.
and go around on the other side and sit in
Bohemia. 1t is a peculiar sandstone
formation elevated high above the
surrounding country. This and similar
district found in France are said to be
the only known districts of the kind. The
Bastei, the chief point of attraction, is a
colossal rock which rises almost perpendic-
ularly 600 feet over the right bank of the
Elbe. There hotel is situated, furnished
chairs are arranged outside near wall
along one side of the rock, where you can
refresh body and soul at the same time.
The enjoyment of the beautiful panorama
stretching far out before your gaze is
heightened by the weird strains from the
Bohemian band at your left.
NEXT IN ORDER
Is the grand view from the point of the
Bastei. Here again all danger is removed
by the presence of a firm iron railing which
surrounds the point, space of
about twelve square feet. Here is a place
=" for thought and not for speech, and even
now words come slow to describe either
the transporting prospect or the accom-
panying sensations. Far down in the
depths below, the Elbe winds about and
in and out like beautiful silver thread,
and up and down ply the clumsy little
steamboats,. The banks on either side are
dotted with tiny villages, between which
charming little patches of cultivated fields
are seen, while far as the eyes can reach
the everlasting hills and rocks rear their
mighty heads. In the distance are
discerned the celebrated points, known
as Schandau, Kuhstall, Llien-
stein, konigstein and Schneeberg
But the lengthening shadows warned US
that the descent was yet before US, so with
many "long lingering looks behind, we
to follow the example of those
threading their way among the trees and
rocks below US. Not far frsm the summit
a point juts out, on which nature has pro.
vided sort of round tower, from which we
looked down upon labyrinth of caverns,
trees and isolated rocks. Here we longed
to linger, but time forbade, SO on we went
TO the gigantic stone bridge, which is 270
feet long and u feet wide. This bridge is
entirely from rock and sup.
ported by heavy arches of stone masonry,
built up from the recesses in the rocks be-
low. Both sides of the bridge command
MAGNIFICENT VIEWS
At the right is the Elbe and valley, and
at the left long sweep of the Saxon
Switzerland. One immense perpendicular
rock, with its smooth surface facing the
bridge and forming portion of the wall,
is completely covered with the signatures
of those who are unwilling that their names
should perish with them. One tablet on
the rock is sacred to the memory of two
pastors, Nicolai and Gotzinger, who were
the first to call attention to the charms of
this delightful region. Fascinating views
met the gaze at every turn during the
entire descent; true, some were marked
"gefahrlich (dangerous) and friendly
rail prevented us from realizing the extent
of the danger, but this only increased their
We passed one lonely spot
known as the Rosenbett," which ought
TO be designated inspiration point. There
the poet Tiedge, chiefly known from his
Urania, loved to muse. Cut in rock are
the words "Zur ErinneruDg an Tiedge den
Sanger der Urania In remembrance of
Tiedge the Singer of Urania). And thus
on we went spying wonders; first one, then
another, calling attention to the attrac-
tions we were leaving in the shadowy
past, pointing out figures in the
rocks above, and around US. Finally a
shout of delight went up as " Msry's little
lamb was discovered perched comfortably
on the top OF fat rock, natural as life
and forty tunes the size" But in half an
hour we ma. completed the short steep de-
scent, and ed at the little village of
Rathen, and again waiting for the
boatman tn tee us over the Eibe. Soon
again we were le the charge of the iron.
bound horse h4ul- ward bound, feeling hap
pier, better, ami fully realizing that there
are books in the running brooks, sermons
in stones, and good in every thing"