Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-26
Some GlimpSes Of the Country Along
the Banks of the Rhine.
A WARNING TO FUTURE TOURISTS.
Never Make the Trip Prom Dover to Calais
Except BY Daylight.
MAKING USE OF MONEYS MAGIC POWER


London houses, with odd places where peo-
pie seek rest and quiet away above the roar
and rumble of the street, with sparrow
houses and dovecotes, with miles upon miles
of rows of chimney pots, looking, one hall
fancies, like quaint dragons on guard in
faded Vandyke uniforms-indeed, even with
the architecture of the roofs of churches and
cathedrals, rich with the historic associa-
tions of centuries-come before and into the
vision with glowing and imagery, that
bring the olden tales of this mother city of
the English race back to the memory and
heart, like sweet old songs resung.
As we neared the channel not only did the
scenery become bold and rugged, but the
night came down with a storm, and as we
rushed through the last long tunnel and
sped along the feet of the white chalk
cliffs, the roar of the sea was louder upon
the great stone quays than the din OF this
fast mail train, as we rushed in upon old
Dover town. Sorting Us like sheep, we
were at last huddled aboard the Foam-most
appropriate name, as even alongside the
docks the spume of the sea was dashed over
us-the luggage and continental mail some
how taken on, and, with great lurch, from
which she only recovered to stagger in
another direction, our steamer began
ricochetting across the channel.
A FRIENDLY WARNING.
You who are to come after, listen to the
voice of experience and never cross from
Dover to Calais save by day. 1t is weird
experience by storm and night. Through
the noxious vapors could be seen, at either
side of the little cabin, in tiers, the one
slightly above another, capacious hunks,
each provided with leather cushion and
surge-covered pillow, and nearly all occu-
pied by men and women in all imaginable
attitudes of human suffering, or preparation
against torturing experience. Over yonder
were a party of Americans, evidently an en-
tire family, cursing everything outside of
America, and struggling with each other as
their physical convulsions increased.
Beyond were three old friars, evidently
from some of the cloisters in France, beyond
Amiens, sober and grave in their brown,
rough dress, but ever and anon compelled
to be as other humans, and bearing their
miserere with holy fortitude. Opposite were
highty Frenchmen, full of antics in their
torture, and Frenchwomen graceful and
pretty even in this most pitifully leveling
of all ills, sea-sickness. The horrible air
and scenes of the cabin force you back on
deck, where all are knocked about fearfully.
There is no escape. All bravery. resolution,
supreme will power, are of no avail. You
succumb. For a good hour every aspiration
and ambition of life is swept away. But at
last utter exhaustion comes; and then the
storm which sweeps up the channel pounds
new life into you; the salt spray dashes into
your face and revives you; and, crawling
slong the deck to where the four grim
wheelmen are, the head wheelman comforts
you with the consolation:
"Doan't mind it, mon. The best there be
doan't be able to stand on their legs herea-
boutl'
A LONG WAIT.
1t is well for travellers passing through
Cologne to know that all trains, for some
inscrutable reason, remain for nearly two
hours. This gives opportunity for a deli
cious lunch at the station, brief drive
through the principal streets of the old
walled city, and, as the great Cathedral is
not stones throw from the railway, a fine
ramble about this stupendous structure. 1
confess it did not fill me with the awe many
profess to experience. There has been a
wondrous amount of work about the place;
but that they have been at such cycles of
years and infinite pains in finishing the
X
rather than great accomplishment. This
much is certainly true. There is faulty pro-
portion in the exterior of the structure; for.
with its mighty and lofty spires. and with
the inccnsiderable buildings all about the
Cathedral, affording fine contrast, the ma
jestic in effect has been very far from
reached.
Again on our way, the valley OF the
Rhine is spread before us, a noble pano-
rama for nearly 100 miles; indeed, during
all the distance from Cologne to Mayence
there are constant beauty, never-ending
picturesqueness, occasional grandeur; but
place the same legendary and historic inter-
est along the Hudson, upon the shores of the
upper Ohio, along the upper Mississippi,
and in either of the three latter localities
there would live an equal charm. Al
though to the right and left there are num-
berless castles in ruin, partially restored, or
fully restored and occupied, regarding each
of which a volume, rich with interest, might
be written, after the Castle of Godesburg-
which was erected in the thirteenth century
by the Archbishop OF Cologne, destroyed by
daughty Bavarians just 800 years ago, and
is now the property of the Empress dowager
of Germany-is passed, the most interesting
view is given as the great valley of the
Rhine narrows near the old and ancient city
sity with its fine faculties, its interesting
cathedral, museum, famous coin collection,
and great monument to Beethoven. the
immortal creator of symphonies
There to the left stretches the grand range
of mountains called the Siebenbirge-Seyen
Mountains-crowned by the lofty Koulgs-
winter. They are long-drawn mountain
ridges, like softly outlined majestic bill
lows, which, as we speed along their bases,
ever changed in beauty and grandeur. At
every point where oUtiuts a precipice, or an
apparently inaccessible crag, is gray old
ruin or lofty fortress, from which ever float
Ii3e colors of some member of the German
L3obility. The poet, the artist, the dreamer,
Teed 60 no further in the Rhine country
than Bonn and the Seven Mountains.
LAND OF LEGENDS.
Soon-after scores of villages; of lofty
crags, surmounted by ruined castles: of
quaint churches; of pleasant groups gather |
ing the late crops, or plowing anew the |
fields; of every fashion of life in lowly garb |
and mien, doing all things still in the olden. |
burdensome way-you reach Coblenz where |
the legend haunted Mosel flows into the |
Rhine. CobleDz is entitled to veneration.
1t was founded, so the story goes, eight years |
before Christ. Quite long time this to de- |
velop its 1000 inhabitants. But being the |
capital of the Prussian Rhenish Provinces. |
it is very stately and formal;a and, am told, |
one has soldier instantly at his side here in |
Coblenz should ne dare converse above a |
whisper. But as one looks out through the |
blue sky in the heights of Ehrenbreitstein |
and its splendid castle, built nearly CEN
tury ago at cost of 5000, 900 thalers, the
artists instincts are certainly touched. Near
by is Fort Sayn, destroyed by the French |
in the 30 years war, the abbey Sayn, and |
the splendid castle of Sayn; while at the