Foreign Correspondence

IXXSBRUCK, IN TntoL, Austria, ) Sept. 24, 1S72. My deaii Pond : Our jjodeetrian expericnco liad proved 80 very satisfaotory that we dotermiued on inaking tho journoy froui Partenkirehen to Innsbruck on toot, as wo oould iu this way oocupy two days or inoro in viewiug tho grand scenery and intoresting object3 on tho wuy, instead of hurrying ovor the road in twulvo hours, shut up in a diligenco or oven in a private post. Tho formaiitius of leaviug Oermany tor Austria with ;moesary baggago involved some dolay. On souding our various pareéis to the office for transmission by post, the roll of extra shawls had to be ro-ticd and duly soaled up and stanipod with. our private seal, aud further a written doularation had lo be made that tho sovoral packages contained nothiug subjoct to a custom's duty. At last wo were roady, but tho bost hours of tho ïnorning woro uearly lost. The road for some throo milos is up a const&ut but gradual ascent, and thim over an undal&.tng ..urfoco till uoar Mittuwald when il doscends considerably. The wholo distanco is mado very intorosting by tho splendid viows of tho entiro terstein rauge, which oxtonded but a few miles at our right in a direction parallel to the road, wbile nearer on our kft wero tho EeAwbcrg, Rotheukopf, lHetscherkopf and others, rising at onco froin .tho roadsidb. A smull open tract íor about a milo, thougii quito undulating, extended northward so ftvr without tho iutorruption of high niountains that had it boen of a good soil it woold have boen moro liko an aiabiê truct thaa wu had seon since leaving Ober Aiuorg.au. An incident illustriiting tho simple hii'uts of the peoplo in this distiiot occurred as we vero nbout five miles on tho rqad. We atojiped for a driuk of frosh Sfálk, which is always to be found, and good too, at tho humbltst house, though tha houso in the present caso was a largo brick of two storios, being ot the best to bo seen out of tho largo villages. In a few minutes an earthon vessel about two quarts of real creainy milk, a pioco of brwri broad, and four spoons vete placod on thu tablo bktovo us, and tho giii disappeared. Stanifesily we wero oxpected to eat trom this oommon dish. Is' o alternativo was lcft but to request tho uso of four glassus, und vhin occasioued un imo-irppi-rt.nd cifn, Oaly ouo glass was at hand, whioh was producod. Vo requested thi-oo more und this causod a whispered consultation iu the noxt room and thcu a hasty running up stuirs to the shelf of wedding and holiday presenta, which every poasant keeps sacredly trom coinmon use, froui whence we were v;:j:' lijd with glasses of thrue difforent pattems. Our lunoh was comploted and having excbanged a few pleasunt words as if nothing had happened, uud luit a few kruutzers, we resuuiod our way. At Kiáü we hoped to get a good dinner, but they had no jleiach, and beer and bread were foroed down, aidod by tho smilü provoking autics of a pack peddler. From this point on, tho road was de.seondiug, and turning more soutbwmd wo had before us tho eastern extremity of tho VCetterstein and opposito the Karwaudle gebirge, w.ith the Isar val ley lyiu between theni. The roadside was lined with beautiful blue forget-nio-nots. Bofore reaching Mittonwald we met a soldier with gun and bayouet, escorting a sorry-lookiug customer to jail at Garmisli. The prisoner was kopt about fifteen 0Dr in advance and did not seem to enjoy the precudonco thus awarded him. Tho roud became very dolightful as we wound our way down tho long hills and through the river valley, and constantly nuared the noblo precipioo vhich presonts a face of naked, porpondicular rook, looking westward and aliuost impending over the village. No sooner did we enter tho street than we discovored that Hittenwald was a quoer oíd iliaco. The general practico in building sooiucd to be to set ono corner of tho hou.su on the strcct lino, letting tho front thcn recedo l'rom two to ten feet, to the othor corner. The next house is set adjoining without any spacc betwoen, with its one corner on tho street line, thus beiug brought four or oightsfeet (as the case ïuight be) farther out than theadjoiniugcoruorof itsneighbor, and then rucoding as the other did a few feet off tho stroot line, and so on, a whole block. In one stroet wo actually countud tuventcen of these projecting corners without a single opening or crevico between the buildings, lookiug like a hugo step ladder lallen upon its -side, whosu stejis wero all of varying width, froni two feet to ten. Our stroll about the ourious yillngo was full of interest. In tho iniddie ages it had boon a placo where morchaudise, umi whatbver ontorcd into tho traifio botweon Qermany and Northesn Italy, was stored upon the way. The oxtent of this trado, and the substajtial mauner iu which the buildings of that day woro consitructod for warenoüse purposos, is apiarout in the heavy vaulted and arched coiliugs of all tho old buildings, under tho fint and oftcn tho socond stories, so massivo that no weight could possibly crush thom. Not only aro they as good as over, but centuries heneo those walls will stand whilo the stono itself endures. Tho ancient custom of frescoing tho exterior was doubtless copicd frora Augsburg, with which it was conimcrcially so intimately related. Sevoral largo fronts are quito covered with designs, principally after subjects from Scripture story. Tho tendeucy of certain arts requiring peculiar Uiechauicul and tochnicíil skill to concéntrate is apUy exhibitdd hero at M. In the windows of shops and private dwellings, hanging by hooks in tho open air and piled away by tho cord in boxoa and , show cases, ovurywhere, on back streets and front streets, wero to be seen violins, guitars, and all varieties of that class of musical instrumenta, comploteil and in all stagus of growth. It was tho single and all engrossing business of tho place. Tho instruments aro often oxportod to Eugland and America. M. is a placo of great ago, but these mountain villages eannot grow Lato cities without adventitious circumstance'sgreatly favor, aud to-day its population islimited. lts situation is at a high level, 288 foot, aud very beautiful, npon tho loft bank of the Isax, beneath the vory shadow of tlio Kuuwondelspitzc, which, rising with its perpendicular faco of naked rock to a height of nearly G,000 feet above and just across the river, actually seems to impend ovor the village. Tho suimuit exteuds quito unbroken for some two milos, of the same height, and presents a very narrow, alinost sharp edge upward, yet with a glass we could seo three crosses standing out cloarly against the blue sky at threo points widuly asunder, üxod there by somo daring niountainoor. Tho Wettorstoin also terminates just west of Mittonwald, with abrupt and precipitous suddenness. Along tho hill-sido ascending to a considerable ominence is to bo suon tho strios of stations that lead toa much froquentod Gothic pilgrimage ohurofa. An altar near tho frout is supposed to bo upon a rock anciontly usod :'or heathen sacrifices, aud a marvelous story or logend is told about a rich man named Milser, who boing unwillint; to knoei whon receiving the coumumion, sank at onoo through the floor as far a9 his knoes, and in the effort to recover hiuiself placed his hand upon a rock which itn.mediatoly softened uud the imprint of the hand was left and is still shown in solid stone. The scène is so important that it has botii duly reprostmted on the windovv at the right of the altar, and that the world should all be onlightonod the incident is recordod in twelvo languages on tableta iu tho church. Kuins of an old castlo were soon in tho forest at our right soon after leaving M. The road continuos noarly at tho samo level for four or íivo railes, but with fine uiountaiu scenory on eithor hand. 'Whilo our attontion was suddenly engrossed by the appearunco of very extensive ruins upon tho right, and whioh seoined also to havo ouee extended aoross the river, tho road and tho narrow spaco which hore formed tho whole valloy, we found ourselves close upon threa square posts about ten feet high. Tho earesst was paintod in the Bavaiïan coloi-s of white and bluo, and supDortnii a transverso nnfi ■-■-' -o that wo wero in the province of 'Wordenfels Kónigreich Bayera ; tho next, six fot furthor ou, had no distinctive color or notioo ; the third, just boyond, was bandod with black and orange, the sombro colors of Austria and informed us that it stood in tho province of Scharnitz. Two of us marched bravely over, and shaking hands across the inysterious line assisted the others over, and ,thus passod from the dominion of Bavaria in Gormany iuto tho Tyrol and under the jurisdiction of the Austrian oaglo with its anomalous two beads. Wo took tho path at our right and orossing the Isar, whioh ia ibero but a good sizod creek, begau to climb up the bank, ovax walls lavelod with tho ground, througli archod gatoways still roiuaining, aloiig wal Is witli port-holüs significant of " brassen dogs of war," peoring through suspicious crooked passages and looking down some of tho moro dizzy heights where wall and precipico woro soarcoly distinguishable trom each otlicr. The ruins aro complete and vory extensivo - reaching far up tlie steep slope of the mountain and litorally still furthor, enibracing sovoral acres now much overgrown with au invasión of overgreons. Abutting agaiust the mountain opposite, which is quito perpendicular, are the fraginents of the old wall, and inidway botween it and the rivor the reraains of heavy oarthworks, now littlo more than a niound perhaps cight or ten feet in height' ïhis is one of those spots which may truly be olaiined ,to be historie ground, and no demaud is made upon one's credulity as to preciso locality. The dclilo is liore not excooding about 2" rods in entire width, and constitutes oue of thoso natural gatoways through this mountain region betweon tho North and the .South, which has tbr oighteeu centuriea and more made it aliko au unuiistakablo thoroughfare in time of peace or war. Seated upon tho broken masonry, and overlooking tho narrow gorge as it opened somowhat more upon tho north and south, who could help musing upon tho long panorama of the Ages as they here coucentfated in two endless processions, urged on by the resistless spirit of commercial gain or by the terrible impulse of territorial acquisitiou. Undpr tho llómans it was known as Mansio Scarbia, and was fortificd probably about the beginiiiiig of tho Christian era, under Augustus or Tiborius by whom this región was subjugated and formed into thoprovince called Hhatia, and their conquest made more secure by tho construction of roads and bridgos nnd by occupying tho stroug positions. Aloug this pass in tho 3d and 4th centuries carne tho heralds of that new Christianity which was to sup-; plant tho barbarous superstitions of a still earlior day. Through this defilo poured a part qí that avalanche of Northi in tribes, which at last overwhelmcd tho weakcnod and exhaustod Empire. During' the thirty yoars' war tho defenses at this point wero mado quito impregnablo and bocame historically famed as tho Porte Claudia, successfully withstanding the attacks of tho French and of the Swodes. Uuring tho üpauieh war of succession it carne undor tho control of tho Bavarians, whoso interests wore best subserved, it seems, by ita dostrucüon. This was a shrewd movement of tho Empeior Maximillian, who waived his own proteudod claims upon tho Spanish throno in cousideration of Frcnch aid to acquire the Tyrol. With this aid ho was onablod to sond 15,000 Bavarians under Max Emanuel iu 1703 who took thia fortres when Austria was occupicd elsowhore But thoy in turn wero ezpelled by tho pa triotic Tyroleso without any valuablo aid from the government at Vionna, and tli ovonts of 1703 are proudly remembered in thuir local history. Tho defonsos wor again reconstructed by Austria, and in 1S05 would again, with only G00 dcfond ors against 13,000 Fronch under Marsha Ney the " bravest of tho brave," have withstood tho furious and rcpeated as saults but for inforuiation and aid troach orously given tho assailants. The presen ruins aro tho result of that utter destruc tion whieh tho exasperated French sough to niako of this fanious fortruss. As wo camo down to resume our jour noy, we had to follow tha road passing at this point betwoon two governnien customs offices, and further obstructed by a niovablo bar made to cross the high way. As a certain distinguished. profes sor usod to ejaculato to his class, so with equal fitness did wo exclaim in our im aginury dilemma, " hero is richncss." W had often hoard and read of Austrian vi giliince and the bull-headedness of her of ficials. Our passports liad been sont for ward by post, and hero we were, four do i'cufcless Amerieans, with no protection but innoceuce, and of oven that wo were in otr ignoranco, not quite suro ; but tho storm was threatening from behind and on wo must go. Putting on the appear anco of an entiro unconsciousness of fear wo boldly passed the open door and with out interruption prosecuted our way into tho straggling villago scarce a half milo distant. Scharnitz has not moro than three hundred inhabitants and no great wealth ap parontly, but its buildings aro substantial and in thoir small yards we saw the greatesl profusión of ñowers we had seen sinco leaving Munich. Wishing to lay in a small supply for lunch beforo reaching Seefield we ascertained thut the place boasted of a baker, but that ho had no buns or bread. Bread is always brown or black and in shape is about thioefourths of a yard long, round, and about three or four inches in diameter. On, thoreforc, we went, bidding a final goodby to the Isar, and boginning very soon a gradual ascent to the watershod between this valley and that of tho Iun. Fine views of the nearor mountains, enveloped in clouds at thcir summits, were ahvays to be soen ; but bof oro wo had mademoro than three miles from Scharnitz our eujoymont was litorally dampened by WiC lililí IVAU&1I I4OW u xnuv whotmwH ■- To avoid the first largo drops we stopped beneath tho sheltering eaves of one of the mauy hay shods which are over in sight. Tho owner has ero this scon the autographs of his grateful American frieuds, which were recorded on the door with tho dato of our arrival and doparturo. The rain continued, and we feit compelled to do the same, though as a general thing wo did not find the circumstances favorable for pedestrians during next two hours. Once we took our rest in tho vestibule of a small church - onco ia a wayside oratorio, the iron grated door having been unlocked beforo our arrival - and but for tho nocossity of going on, the dense firs along the highway would havo furnished the be'st shelter and the softest of scats. The manufacturo of petroleum is carried on among the hills of the vioiuity, froin the bitumiuous shalcs which are abundant. We passed severul of thoso odorous manufactories and we can certify to the presenco of the true Canadian ctfluvium. Boveral ruins would havo enhanced the interest of tho latter part of tho way had tho weather favored our stopping for such antiquitics. As we neared our destination the road became laboriously stoop in places, as niay be inferred from the fact that in u distance of about fivo miles wo had to make an ascent of over 1,000 feet - -uiuch of it, as is usual, occuring at three or four gradea inuch moro stoep thau all others. Seefield was a wolcomo sight, though our joy was a little premature, for tho villago is only about six rods wido, including the road, and, as wo at tho time thought, about two milos long (more accurato measuremont mado it only ono mile), with tho gasthof at tho end farthost from our entrance. It occupied a considerable opening of tableland of moderate fertility, and notwithstanding its elovation, 'J,lJÜO fcet, is rathcr lovt'l and low in places. lts immediate viciuity is less attractivo than any of tho mountain villages we had seen, yet at a short distanco the wooded extreniity of tho toworing Solstein descended to the plateau and the white walls of Maximillian's hunting lodgo wero plainly visible far up uinoiig the Lrs. An extensivo Monastcry onco occupiod is hero, butsuppressed oarly in tho present oentury is xut to tho profano use of beorbrewiug. Tho rain proventod our soeing mucU of the place had thero been much to seo, but kinder troatmont or bottor faro tliuu we rcooived at t.his sniall, out of way and unfrequeutod placo, it has uot beca our fortuno to meet anywhcro. And when wo took our doparture the next day after dinner, with our clothes, boots and shoes all dry and ole&ned, and paid tho very rcasonablc bill, wo feit for once gratoful to a hotol-keoper, if such a thing can be. Though it had rainnd bard tho day boforo and, notwithstanding tho roally gorgeous sunsüt, during the night as well as at intervals during the forenooii, we did not rind the walking very muddy or disagrceablo. In America wo should uot have dared to attempt our brief walk of ten milos, yet hcre our shoes woro not soiled abovo the solos, such i tho porfection to which tho construotion and preservation of tho principal highways is carriod in this country. Soon aftür loaving S. WO begau tho descent which was oftim quito tapid, making in tho aggregate I about 1,900 feet in tho ten milos. AVith the mouutain sconcry at our left stantly ncar, and soon after our start witH the surpassingly beautiful valley of tho Inn f ar bolow us at our right, our walk tbat day was a constant delight. Our furthcr experienco must be rcserved tu uuothcr timo. Ever yours,