Down The Blue Danube

Ou tiie Danube, July 19, '96. Dear Mk. Editor : We lelt RatisboD witli an appreciative crowd standing on the banks to see us depart. One don't go far on this river without seeing something queer. The land was very low near Ratisbon, and near the shore two boats are anchored, which serve as resting places for the shaft of a large water wheel. To each broad paddie of the wheel is fastened a bucket. The river revolves the wheel and the buckets gather water and dump it at the highest point of their circuit into a trough which runs to land and irrigates the soil. It is like a Ferris wheel, but carries water and runs itself. Some small boys entertained us with the "Dude's ilarch" half whistled and half sung. As for small boys swimming in the Danube ; they are as thick as the leaves "that strew the brooks in Vallara brosia." At Strauburg we passed under the bridge, from which the beautiful Alice Bernauer was thrown. She had been condemned to death because of her marriage with the son of Duke Ernest. The crime consisted in her being the diughter of a barber. The Romanesque church of St. Peter situated on the site of the Roman serviodurmn, is said to contain the bones of the unfortunate bride. The old castle where she lived still exists. But I omitted a stop which we raade before reaching Strauburg. It was at the Walhalla, or the hall of the old Germán gods. 280 feet above the Danube, it stands massive and white and impressive. We climbed up to it and when our weary feet stood finally before its sublime portal my wife suggested feebly that she should think the gods would have found difficulty in geting home after a day of hard drinking and carousal such as they are famous for. I assented to the proposition and we entered the immense hall whose solemnity is increased by the strict regulations which forbid talking or sitting while within. Everyone must put on large feit slippers as they enter. It is rather amusing to see so many people shuflÜDg aboutin those small boats. But the interior with its many colored marble, its galaxy of great names, and aumerous busts of great men is'very -ffecting. AVe left it in a hushed and exalted spirit, and descended to our little boat to drift away while watching it almost reverently. Well, we finished Strauburg by buying provisions. The shop-keepers insist upon giving all bundies to the "frau", and laugh immoderately when I inake a pack-horse of myself so she can go unladen. The lord and master among these people would be much ashamed to carry any bundie. Many shop-keepers have relatives in America, and we have many rnessages to deliver to those relatives, when we return. Some of the peasants ask if we carne froin America in that little boat, but we disclaim the honor. We made camp that night near Deggensdorf. It was a fine place for a temporary home. At midnight I was awakened by husky voices and the sound of paddies. I thrust my head out of the tent and in the dim moonlight saw two men struggling with a clumsy boat in a swift current. They were trying to land near us. Having succeeded they bailed out the boat and swore a great deal. Finally they departed and I returned to my disturbed slumbers. My srnall brother at home used to wonder, while reading Dicken's History of England, when the English got a chance to eat and sleep, since they were fighting all the time. If I dou't raention our camp and specify the times when we eat, please don't wonder how we lived without sleeping and eating. The ferries along this river are a curiosity. There are tall poles at each side of the stream and a strong wire connects thein. A pulley wheel runs along this wire and to the wheel is fastended a wire which runs obliquely down to the boat. The ferryman starts the boat, the pully wheel stands still a few mornents, then seems to have remembered its duty and shoots along a couple of rods. This is continued until the boat reaches the other shore. The eccentric actions of the pulley wheel are very funny. The current of the river is the propelling power after the ferry is once started. Horses, oxen and loaded wagons are ferried in this way. They have a queer way of towing boats up stream. The banks often have a growth of low trees which would interfere with an ordinary tow line. The first scheme which we saw was characteristic of this Teutonic race. In the bow of the boat was a pole about 15 feet high; to its top was fastened the tow rope. On land the other end was attached to a harness and in the harness was a woman. She tugged along up the stream, while her mighty lord sat in the stern and smoked and steered. Again we saw a larger boat, drawn by 7 men and one woman. As they struggled along, they sang something with a refrain. At Deggendorf, a dead, little, old village, we were surprised to hear a really good orchestra practicing "Lohengrin." But I cannot rnention all the little towns with their quaint or ugly towers, with the village washing hung in strings along the river bank, and the ruined castles. After a camp just opposite a huge stone lion, we carne early one morning into Passau, the last Germán city on the river. There an old, fat Germán fisherman, sitting on the Euder-Yerein raft, promised to watch our boat, while w& walked over tlie chain bridge and visited the cathedral. Mass was in progresa, and we tarried awhile to study the heavy decorations and the much glided ceiling, curiousl)' divided into circles containing paintings. There was a large fine giided organ with silver pipes. On leaving Passau we met a huge riyer monster in the form of a freight steamer like a screw propeller except that instead of a screw there was a huge paddie wheel, which revolved in the rear. It stirred the water into billows and vaneed upon us.