Morning journal and courier., 1894-06-05

ASeo, "AA akeSA S1ofAiS oh hhV &1ooAAbbo - man with very long oar conducted us for fully mile through the intricacies of the famous "Edmunds Klamm"-s long mar TOW passage of water, which was literally worn right through the solid rocks, which were perpendicular on either side; in fact 1t was a canal of sixty feet width, and the sides smooth precipitous rocks, fringed with ferns and mosses. After passing along for mile or more We soon found the trail and gradually came to the open ing of the.grund, and In a half hour we came safely to Herrenskretchen. We had walked more thaa twenty miles and were glad to stretch our legs at the river sta ton for a rest, and again having crossed the Elbe to Schons, we took the train and arrived at the picturesque town of Konig- stein just as the sun was setting.
 We put up at pretty hotel called the "Konig Albert" where tired and weary VIC went early to bed, and "the world forget ting and by the world forgot" we snored bravely away till daylight.
 Konfgstein is town of four thousand inhabitants, and is commanded by large fortress of the same name. It is the strongest fortress in Saxony and perhaps In Germany. It is twelve hundred feet high and some nine hundred years ago was a castle of Saxon noble. From its ramparts the view Is very extensive, one of the most beautiful to be found in Ger many. We visited 1t in the morning and were 8 long time in making the ascent, but were amply repaid for our trouble, for there are many items of interest to be seen there.
 In time of war the Saxon treasures and archives have always been carried to this fortress, where they have been safely pro- tected.
 There are on the summit many large trees, almost forest and pasture for herds of cattle.
 The we'll which supplies the garrison with water Is six hundred and twenty feet deep, and there are sixty-five feet of water in this well. 80 garrison can stand pro trscted seige within its walls. Imagine a tall stone cone twelve hundred feet high, by some convulsion of nature snapped right of half way to the top, with rough jagged rocks protruding upwards on all sides, and there you have Konigstein. It Is somtehing like East Rock were that precipitous on every side, having It's rough edges built to dizzy height with massive stone walls, strongly fortified and brist ling with many guns, while above all the tops of great trees are to be seen.
 In 1913, when Nspolton wss marching through Ssxony, he set up his batteries OA tnJ LII aAa oAa1sd away with seige guns and mortars at Ko- nigstein, but Of courss his efforts to re- dues the fortress were in vain. After bid ding adleu to the 'fsstung" or stronghold We descended to the town below, and were in time to take the steamboat "CG- rola" for Rathen, pretty town about five miles distant; the view was extreme ly pleasant and striking as We passed along the great "ox bow" which the "Eibe" makes here. With "Lillienstein" on one side and "Kopigstein" on the other side, the effect was grand indeed. Soon after leaving Konigstein we landed at R.then on the left bank of the river, and we at once prepared to ascend through the Amsel-Grund to the Bsstei, which lowered precipitously above us. AS We turned to enter the valley we saw in 8 small yard a sight which staggered us-s startling sight; 1t was nothing less than sn immense porous white as snow, calmly sitting upright in large tub, with his short fore legs athwsrt his al derman!c corporosity, and with 8 delight full smile over his far features, 8 pie ture of composure and calm resignation. and the whole range of Saxon STitZer- land" stretching far away in front of him.
 Upon advancing to inspect closer we discovered that the poor fellow mad just yielded up his sweet life. and had taken his last hot bath preparatory to being turned into the omnipresent German ssusage so abundant in this land.
 Poor fellow! death Is the destiny of all his kind, and as he could not escape the hand of the destroyer, he was indeed for tunate to cIose his eyes forever on such glorious surroundings.
 One of Enslsnd's grestest writers has said. "We are wont to love the hog chiefly in the form of hamI" But then he had never lived in Germany, where the ssu- sage reigna supreme and well nigh divides Its supremacy with its great competitor, beer. After a sharp ascent of su hour and three quarters we found ourselves once more at the summit of the Bastei, more beautiful and glorious than ever; here among other relics of a past age we saw some perfectly round stones weighing one hundred pounds or more; there was 6 large supply of these stone balls at the Bastei (5astiop) six hundred years ago They were thrown by the "Robber Knights" by mesns of cstspults, and other engines, down upon the helpless boats ss they rounded this great promontory of the ''Elbe." Through the fear which thesa heavy missiles inspired, the ssilors gladly paid heavy tolls to the knights who lived a ll1c ol uika lcfCAty tAc hoAAo NA tAo ~es tel. In the afternoon we descended 10 the email village of Wehlen through delightful paths, passing on our way the Devils kttch- en, 6 singular formation or rock resem- bling 8 great open freplses.
 We caught many views of the distant mountains, and saw exact reproducti ms Of East and West Rock in New Haven, only on far grsnder scale; but we were both struck with the exsctness of the represen- tstiop.
 We slept at Wehlen in the very com fortable hotel Zum Deurschen Reich, and on the following morning started to walk along the road to Plrns; this road lead us all day along the river bank, and We were interested to note the immense amount of navigation on the Elbe river. A very large number of area. decked bargss of great capacity descend the river to Dres- den and as far as Hamburg, floating along with & six knot current, and covering a long distance in g single day. Many steamers with passengers or freight psss and repass up and down the river, while long freight and passenger trains or cars are every few moments seen passing into and out of Austria and Ssxony.
 The steam tugs are of great power, and tow up against the six knot current twelve to fourteen large barges deeply laden; these latter are loaded with beet sugar, tobacco, woolen and cotton goods, and all kinds of manufactured articles. Many of these bsrges carry cargoes worth fifty thousand dollars or more; one came to grief lately by running against the Augustus Bridge at Dresden; her cargo was valued very highly, being largely beet root sugar. 4 heavy iron chsin extends the whole length of the Elbe, or rather from Hamburg far into Bohemia; 1t rests on the river bottom, and some of the freight cleaners ascend with heavy tows by gripping this chain and running 1t over the deck fore and aft and dropping 1t astsrp, a sort of endless windlsss. This method of ascent is due to the strength of the opposing current.
 Towards noon We passed the old sand stone quarries which have for centuries furnished the building stone for Dresden, Meissen and many of the cities of Ssxony.
 There are many lofty shoots running from these qusrries to the river bank where the boats load the stone, great sledges carry ing ten tons or more come laundering down the slides, and from the smoke caused by the friction, one would think ] the stones were actually on fire. We dodged along by these long shoots, with some trepidation, but the descent of the sledges was generally signslled before hand, and we met with no harm.
 In the ancient sandstone quarries at at "Hagar SilsiliE" in Upper Egypt on the right bank of the Nile as you ascend the river, just bsfore you come to Syene, I saw the marks of chisels which are stnl distinct, although cut more than 1 .OOO years sincs, (possibly even longer ago than that, ,)thsre are still to be seen the holes cut