The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-08-28

~ Leaving Cologne by steamer ut 9 q.
M. We arrived ut Mainz at 10p NJ.
The trip along the Rhine will ever
b memorable. On the summit of the
precipices Ill along are seen the ruins
OF castles, once the stronghold of
{ knights who desired to protect their
tnterests from invaders by living far
mp on almost inaccessible heights.
One bomb or cannon ball today would
shatter them, but in thuse days they
were practically secure. Our boat
called at several towns along the
river. Coblentz. with population Of
2, 600, Is most picturesquely situated.
Here are 20 forts capable Of holding
10000 men. Vineyards above the
mountain sides cause one to question
how they can possibly be cultivated,
% tie cliffs appear from the river al
most inaccessible. Almost every cas-
tie and mountain peak has its legenda
Near St. Goar ia sunken ledge Of
rock. Here it is said that q Syren
dWeltin the cliff and by her WON
drous singing so entranced the sailors
that they forgot to steer their boat,
and were drawn into the whirlpool
below, or else she allured them ashore
and dashed them from the mountain
peaks to the rocks below. A short
distance further up the river are
Seven Rocks. A legend says that
seven heartless but beautiful girls
were. because Of their coquetishness,
upset with their boat and were pun
ished by the gods by being changed
into rocks. Near Kaub, a village Of
abont $500 Inhabitants, on the night
Of January 1st, 1914, the PrussIan
'army, under Butcher, crossed the
Rhine. One writer says that to the
Germans Of every age the Rhine has
beensa an object Of alteration, even as|
much 30 as the Nile TO the Egyptian
or the Ganges to the Hindoo. Blngea,
'.Sweet Bingen on the Rhine . was OF
special interest to me. Here, on q
rock, stands the famous "Mouse Tow
err" to which according to legend,
Bishop Hattie, Of Mainz, was driven
and devoured BY mice as Judgment
for having during the famine locked
q number OF poor people In q barn and
set fire toit.
VIne-dressers. mostly women, carry
Ing water, could be seen everywhere
along the vine-clad mountain sides.
Spending the night at Mainz, next
morning I went out early to visit the
city. The principal place Of interest
to me was the old house where Guten.
berg, the inventor Of printing erected
his first printing press. From Mainz
j went to Heidelberg, visiting the
church Of st. Peter connected with
the life OF Jerome Of Prague, and
then up the mountain to Heidelberg
castle, the finest and most picturesque
ruin ia Germany. Amid the ruins
4 took dinner. and after gathering q
few mement0s took the train for Luz
cerne, Switzerland. Time, space and
ability fail me to describe the natural
beauties OF Switzerland. I undertook
TO climb the Rigi, and after 81 hours
hard toillng, looked out over su.h a
view as will ever remain photograph
ed on memory's walls. Snow-covered
mountain peaks with a stretch of 800
miles visible around me, whilst far
below the lake Of the Four Cantons.
" train runs up the mountain at the
fxtes OF four miles an hour. However,
II decided that to climb and descend
hy rail next morning would be more
limpresslve II not ENJOYABLE.
On the mountain are several mag
nlhsenr hotels. 50 here I spent the
might. The sound Of the Alpine horn,
me presencso f the Swiss mountain
scAmbers. tie feeling that comes Of
5s6aIizlng that you ares shove or among
stlss clouds whilst around you are
1pSaks covered with eternal snows''
sSll tend an Undesirable charm to the
occasion. Coming down the mountain
M NIL flls one with wonder when he
c6ll lrs the engineering feat that
MI mountain accessible by
6 M. ncerne there are pumerous
M pg hlef among them the
d Ili a0s = b Lucerne ohiseled In