The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-07-19

naly completed in 1880, workmen are still
engaged? This magnificent Gothic struc !
ture, with it's forests Of thousands Of spires
and pinnacles and its army of figures and
images is one Of the finest ecclesiastical
edifces in Europe and is pronounced by
many the finest in the world. Its length
is 450 ieet and its width at the transept 200
feet. From the pavement to the top of the
naYe is so feet aud the south tower is 5ll
feet high. the loftiest work Of man. Uulike
most cathedrals, it has no central choir
screen, thus giving an unbroken and most
impressive view throughout its entire
length. The stained glass windows are
especially fine and represent yarious scrip
tural scenes. The chapel of the Three
Kings contains a gorgeous shrine which
encloses the bnnes of the Magi which were
taken to Constantnople in the 5th century.
afterwards brought TO Milan and from
thence transferred by Frederick Birbarossa
to Cologne Many other costly relics are
kept for EXHIBIT ion in the treasury. The
church of ST. Ursula mot far from the Cathe
dral, is replted to contain the bones Of
eleven thu ,usand yirgins, who, with ST.
| Ursula, were slaughtered by the Huns in
the fifth century, when returning from
pilgrimage to Rome. The bones make
most ghastly exhibit, being distributed
about the church in cases built into the
walls and used for decorative purposes
generally. They may do very well as
relics, but according to Professor Owen,
many Of them are from the lower order OF
animals.
The praises Of the Rhine have been so
often sung and in so many different keys,
that to pass an entirely original opinion
upon it is almost an Impossibly. The
tourist who takes the steamer at Cologne
for the trip, will be very apt to experience
feeling Of disappointment, as from that
place to Coblen,z, almost the only point Of
interest (excent Bonn, with its University
is Dracheniels' or Dragons Rock, which
with its ruined castle rises on the cas-,
bank, about 900 feet above the river. Here
|
, To the legend, once dwet terrible dr"s"n
whose constitution raa~:--I aii-t of bcguti
rul christian maidens. But one day dam,
sci was thrown tn the monster as De spra ne
with open mouth to receive herr and ht
+ was 80 thoroughly disgustsd that according
to one version he forthwith drowned him
self in the Rhine; while others say he was
slam by the maiden's lover who aiterward:
built the castle. This is fair specimen o
the legends which are connected will
almost every castle on the Rhine; but al
scarcely any two versions Of tho samC
, legand can be found which agree, oul
resders can just as well manufacture theil
own legends and spare us the trouble o
repeating them. Alasl however, for The
dragons, alas! for the legends. The whistl,
, of the locomotive is heard in the Siebenge
birge and railway runs to the very top
r where
1.-The castle crag Of Drachenfels
Frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine
Cublentz. one of the most important clIiel
, on the Rhine. is situated at the mouth o
4 the Moselle aud has a population OF abou
q 80 900. 1t is, however, as military posi-
tion that Coblsntz is important. On thu
opposite side of the river rises the nigh y
fortress Ehrenbreits,ein, the "Gibraltar o
the Rhine" 1t is practically impregnabl'
and has accommodations for 10000 men
The garrison at the present time consists q
only 1000. From its walls a fac view oi
the Rhine and Mosslle valleys can be Oh
,ained. From Coblentz to Dngen, a dis
lance Of about forty miles, includes thu
m"st interesting portion Of the Rhine. W.
pass stolsenes, Marksburg-lhe only
Rhine castle never destroyed -Bnppr rd
Sternenhurg aud Liebenslein or the Broth
' ers, Thurnburg. and reach St, Guar on th'
west bank with the Reiniels, the larges
and most inpnsing ruin on the river.on thC
! rocks about 400 feet above the village. Jus
: beyond and on the opposite side Of th'
stream are the rocks nf the Lorelei, wher,
IN ancient times according to the legend
dwelt lovely maiden whose wondrou
beauty lured passing sailors to destruction
in a whirlpool at the base of the mountain
The rocks in the river have been removed
: the mountain pierced by a railway tunne
and the maiden at present maWeJ no NOR
" trouble than is to be expected Of the fai
daughters Of Mother Eve. From this poiu
to Bngen is by far the finest scenery &
: this famous river. The mountains on eithe
, side rise abruptly several hundred feet abov,
the water and the winding course Of tn,
- stream presents new view ct every turn
A hslfdozen or more ruined castles are il
= = sight sll the time, rising from erags ant
peaks Of the rocks, or, like Pfalz, built OF
a island IN the middle Of the river for tn
purpose Of exacting tribute from passini
vessels. Just befnre reaching Bingen w
pass the "Mouse Tuwer," also ou an island
rendered famous by the story of BshoI
Hatto and the rats. At Biugen, "Fai
. Bingrn on the Rhine" the hills reced
rapidly from the banks Of the stream, tn
bed OF the river widens and fertile fields cl
either shore take the place Of the rugge.
% scenery lhroegh which we have just passel
II and from that point to Mavenee, our stop
> ping place, there is but little Of interest
= The Rhine Is frequently compared to tn,
. Hudson, and each possesses some points o
f" superiority over the other. The European
u river is not more than one half or two
thirds as large as the pride OF the Enpir
= State, and consequently has rot that gram
' AID powerful sweep as it rolls oeeauward
; but its course Is much more erractic, thu
. giving a greater variety 0f views with 81