Part 18

We have excursions up along the river to Nassau, about six miles, which can be made by carriage or donkey. Among these, are rides to Kenmau, back of Ems, which can be accomplished after dinner, and where one has a very expanded view from the top of the mountain of the whole country lying below. One goes to Coblentz in about two hours by omnibus, where passengers arrive coming up the Rhine to visit Ems. This, the great bulwark of Germany, and the castle of Ehrenbreitstein, the Gibraltar of the Rhine, standing on the summit of a rock nearly eight hundred feet above the level of the river, opposite Coblentz, together with the defences on both banks of the Rhine, and the Moselle, which there falls into the former, are capable of containing a force which might resist any attack, and are considered impregnable. The road hence to Coblentz is very pretty, and the residents at the Baths frequently go down to do their shopping. In passing the turnpike gate I was amused at the manner of receiving the tolls. The turnpike keeper, instead of coming out and taking the fee, sits smoking his hanging meerschaum pipe, and with a slow movement rises with his pipe in his mouth, and in his hand a long stick with a box on the end, which he shoves forward and receives the coin, he then draws in his prize and closes the window.

The Germans are a quiet, patient, forbearing, good-natured people, but the revolution in France awoke them to a sense of their rights, and the despotism of kings and petty princes, which they are trying to shake off. At Ehrenbreitstein castle I saw them making preparations for the Schleswig Holstein war with the Danes, having just received orders from the Prussian king to send on a body of troops.

These waters are of great service in most pulmonary cases, but I find the free use of them and strict regimen in eating is calculated to weaken the stomach and appetite, and the associating with invalids and hearing their repeated complaints and sufferings, is anything but agreeable, and calculated to operate upon the spirits, as mind has a great effect over matter.

XLIII.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, 1848.

I floated down the Rhine from Coblentz to Cologne, reviewing my recollections of the localities of that beautiful river, rendered doubly interesting from its historical associations and old legends, with all its varieties of wild and picturesque scenery; towns and villages and fertile plains upon its banks; thick forests and vine-clad hills, and old chateaus, and rivers in the distance.

I remained but a single day in Cologne. The great Cathedral, which was begun in 1248, and which would have been, if completed, one of the finest Gothic monuments in Europe, with towers five hundred feet high, has been left in an unfinished state for centuries, but of late years the king of Prussia has made large appropriations towards its repairs and gradual completion. I find the work has progressed moderately, and the king of Bavaria has made a splendid present of stained glass windows, which will be exhibited publicly in a few days, when the centennial anniversary of the Cathedral takes place, and there will be a great re-union of kings, princes, and plebeians. A few years since when I was in Prussia, and travelled by private post, or the conveyances of the country, it occupied much more time in making distance, but one saw the country to better advantage; now the railroads are constructed in many parts, and the traveller is transported from one city to another with locomotive speed.

I came from Cologne to Hanover and Brunswick, and then retraced my steps in order to visit Bremen, and from thence returned, via Hanover, to take my departure for Hamburg, accomplishing the entire distance by railway with less fatigue and in less time than if I had crossed the country, which is a much shorter way; but one is exposed to night travel and the want of pure air, as the Germans have a horror of an open window, and are constantly enveloped in a cloud of smoke. On some of the German railways they have third and fourth class cars. In France and Belgium, and in fact all over Europe, the genteel traveller takes the first class car; not so in Germany, for there the second class is almost as well mounted as the first, and is part of the same car with partitions; the third class receives those who like more air, free smoking, economy, and hard seats. The Germans say that none but princes and fools take first class cars; but if one must pass a part of the night on the railroad, and wishes to be quiet with a car to himself, without society, then they are preferable. On some of the German roads no luggage is carried free; on others from thirty to fifty pounds are allowed the passenger; in some instances for five pounds overweight of the scale, which varies on the different roads, I have paid as much as an American dollar--a caution to those who make long voyages with much luggage.

Hanover, the residence of the old king Ernest, is on the river Leine, with a population of some thirty thousand inhabitants. It is a curious old town, with peculiar Gothic houses, and is remarkable for a superfluity of windows, which, if they were subject to the light tax of England, would soon ruin their owners. The Esplanade, in which stands the Waterloo Monument, a column one hundred and fifty-six feet high, with a statue of Victory, dedicated to the Hungarians who fell in that conflict, presented a gay scene, on the occasion of a Sunday parade of all the troops, prior to the reception of the king of Prussia, who was expected to halt there while on his way to the Cologne celebration.

I had a view from the top of the column of a rich, fertile, and beautiful country lying in the distance, with the turn-out of the citizens and peasantry in holiday attire, after the church service of the morning, and the evolutions of the horse, artillery, and infantry, near the base of the column, and an imposing sight it was. I had seen most of the monarchs of Europe in my journeyings, except King William, who was absent when I was at Potsdam, his residence; but here I had the opportunity of seeing his reception and all his courtiers, with all that famous troop of cream-colored and black horses, of the English breed, from the royal stables.

Brunswick, the capital of another of these German princes, who have so long tried to outvie each other in the splendor of their palaces, parks, &c., to the detriment of their subjects, is a very old city of thirty-five thousand inhabitants. The palace is a tasteful and splendid building. It is said that the old one was burnt by some of the citizens, who were obliged to replace it by a much more costly and beautiful edifice, and the Duke is now sumptuously quartered. The antiquity of the city strikes the eye of a stranger, particularly the gable-ends of the houses to the streets, steep roofs with rows of windows in them, and the immense number of windows in the fronts. The famous corps of Black Brunswickers was parading in the palace grounds--the first of this uniform I had ever seen--and looked frightful. They wore black cloth uniform, slightly relieved, and black horsehair plumes with death’s-head and cross-bones; they are said to be valorous, and particularly attached to the Duke.

The railroad depot at Brunswick is very splendid; in fact, in several parts of Germany the depots are furnished in the most sumptuous style, the buildings in some places being like palaces of Gothic architecture, some with towers, and the waiting saloons of the first and second class passengers furnished with sofas and divans, covered with rich stuffs; in short, they have spent too much money for the interest of the shareholders.

On visiting Bremen, I was struck with that air of cleanliness and comfort which one finds in Holland. It is one of the free cities of Germany, lying on the river Weser, and one with which we have a growing trade. I expected to find the steamer Washington there, as her commander, Captain Johnson, came from our section of country; but she lay down the river, at Bremerhaven, and was just about departing. The city has a population of some forty-five thousand, and has fine new white houses upon the streets, which front the walks, and boulevards which extend around the city.

The quantity of tobacco imported from America is immense; it is manufactured here and sent through all Germany, and one sees the names of all our states and towns noted for “the weed” figuring in the shop windows.

The old town is quite like the other German towns, and has some curiosities. The old cathedral has a vault which contains some bodies which have been preserved from decomposition for centuries. But an exhibition of this kind at Bordeaux is most curious; for there are the remains of some twenty persons, whose history is known from the tombstones; when disinterred they were found, from the peculiarity of the soil, with the flesh only wasted. The mummies were placed around the low vault, lighted by torches; and among the number was a colossal man who killed himself by a trial of strength; another, a girl buried in a trance, and now exhibiting all the horrible forms and agonies of starvation and despair, with a portion of her own body devoured.

On my arrival at Hamburg, I found the river Elbe, upon which it stands, blockaded by the Danes, and the merchants complaining bitterly. This city is eighty miles from the mouth of the river, and is divided in many places by canals and crossed by bridges; and in the old town, the houses, bridges, and quays reminded me of Amsterdam. The city has a population of some one hundred and forty thousand, and possesses an immense amount of commerce. The great fire a few years ago has been the means of beautifying that portion of the city which was destroyed, for now the burnt district is rebuilt, and will compare for splendor with any of the continental cities. The old fortifications and ramparts around the city are now, as in many other capitals, thrown down, and covered with trees, plants, and flowers, which afford a breathing-place for the inhabitants, and a delightful promenade.

There are no remarkable collections of art, or curiosities for a stranger, in Hamburg. The promenades in the gardens, the cafés crowded with both sexes, the sight of the water parties, in their gaily painted boats, a stroll through the gardens in the evening, listening to the music, and viewing the dances and waltzes of all classes, is quite sufficient to occupy the time of a traveller. I met here, at the same hotel, an old travelling acquaintance, who left me in the West Indies some three years ago, and who had since made the campaign of Mexico. I allude to Mr. Kendall, of the _New Orleans Picayune_, who is now writing a history of the war. In walking out together, said he, “_Do you see that coffin? There goes another coffin!_” And in fact so it appeared to be. The servant girls and cooks rarely go out without being gaily dressed; at all events, a splendid shawl is arranged under the arm so as to cover a basket in the exact form of a child’s coffin; and it matters not whether it is fish, butter, cheese, or dirty clothes for the wash, it must always be covered with a shawl.

Altona, a populous town and a part of the Duchy of Holstein, belongs to Denmark, and is now in dispute; it is in the immediate vicinity of Hamburg, so that the two cities have almost grown together. I there found troops collecting together from the different German states, to go forward to Schleswig and Holstein.

The distance from Hamburg to Lubeck, where I took the steamer for Copenhagen, is about forty-five miles, and is made by diligence. We were three in the coupé, or front apartment of the vehicle; and to my surprise, for the first time in Germany, my companions did not smoke either pipe or cigar.

The free town of Lubeck is a very antiquated place, with its Gothic churches, and venerable public buildings, and has not changed very much in general appearance since the days of its prosperity. Its population is not one half of what the city is capable of containing; and the lifeless streets, in many parts overgrown with grass, tell the story of deserted commerce. There is sufficient, however, of interest here to keep the traveller a day or two, to look at the old paintings and other works of art in the churches, some of which are very superior. One of the paintings upon wood, of the style of the fifteenth century, would compare with those at Florence. It was a representation of the events of the Passion of our Saviour, from the agony in the garden to the resurrection, depicted in twenty-three distinct groups introduced in the landscape, in the background of which appears Jerusalem. Another very curious painting, occupying three sides of one room, was The Dance of Death, with the Pope, the bishop, the king, the merchant, the banker, and others, all in appropriate dress, with dialogues inscribed above them; but the skeleton Death always had the advantage. It has been preserved since the fourteenth century, and is only valuable for the design, which is curious.

The passage from Lubeck, by steamer, to Copenhagen, was made in less than twenty-four hours. This residence and capital of the King of Denmark is a large commercial city, with a population of some two hundred thousand inhabitants. The Danes, being surrounded by water, have naturally become good sailors, and their greatest strength in carrying on the war consists in their fleet, with which they have captured and now have one hundred and ten German vessels in port. It is quite amusing in going from one country to another to look at the caricatures in the shop windows; in Germany, the Danes are escaping from the battle-grounds in awful plight, but here the tables are turned and the Dutchmen have got the worst of it.

The palaces and parks are not very remarkable, but there are some fine gardens and places of resort for the multitude, one of which, the Tivoli, is fitted up with much taste. Those who want amusements, in the way of theatres, jugglers, singing, miniature railroads, or a look at the zoological collections, can have their choice here. The grounds of the cemetery are very extensive and beautifully laid out, as is the case in most parts of Germany, and I have in very many cases visited them. The greatest respect is paid by friends to the ashes of the dead; it is gratifying to see mothers and sisters quietly employed in plucking the weeds from among the blooming flowers, and watering the plants growing over the graves of those they loved. They have a custom here of embanking the borders of the grave with white sand, while on the top are presented beautiful little flower gardens under the shade of the weeping willow and other trees.

This was the birthplace of the celebrated sculptor Thorwaldsen, whose studio I visited in Rome some years ago, and who has since died, leaving the bulk of his property to found a Museum for his vast collection of art. In one of the churches is seen his colossal figure of Christ, elevated on a pedestal behind the altar, with the twelve apostles ranged on both sides of the body of the church, and in an apartment of this same building rest the mortal remains of this great artist, until the museum is complete, when they will be transported thither, and rest with the wonderful works produced by the skill of his hands. It is a large building, centrally situated, with spacious halls and apartments filled with the originals in marble and plaster, or copies in marble of the great works of this man which are found in Italy and all parts of Europe, and it appears only surprising that even in living to an advanced age he could have executed so much in one lifetime.

XLIV.

CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, 1848.

From Copenhagen to Gottenburg, in Sweden, is about one hundred and twenty-five miles. The steamer strikes up and through the Straits of Cattegat, touching at Elsinore, the stronghold of the Danes, where there is a beautiful citadel. Helsingburg, on the opposite shore, is visible to the naked eye. The Danes yet adhere to an old custom, and demand tribute of all vessels navigating the North Sea and the Baltic, traversing the Straits, but without a shadow of justice.

Gottenburg is considerable of a commercial city, with a population of forty thousand, and carries on a large trade with England and other countries in lumber from the interior of Sweden, via the canals and lakes. They have here some large cotton mills, sugar refineries, and the largest porter brewery, for the supply of all Sweden, that I have seen on the continent, except in London, and which strangers are directed to as a curiosity. I saw here a full cargo of cotton just arrived from New Orleans, and also one hundred bales of American hops. Our treaty with Sweden is a bad one. They have all the advantages of the carrying trade, and in return they tax our products at a high rate. We are taking large quantities of iron annually from that country, and some attention should be given to our trade with Sweden by those whose business it is to attend to such matters.

The Danes and Norwegians speak one language, but the latter give more force to the words, and are not so effeminate as the former. The Swedish is another language, but it bears resemblance to that, similar to the affinity between the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese tongues. I have met with many persons who spoke English, as might have been expected, there is so much trade with that country.

From Gottenburg, by steamer along the coast of Sweden, one enters the Gulf of Christiania, with its innumerable islands; touching at the little towns which are engaged chiefly in the lumber and fishing trade, and finally at the head of the gulf is seen the town from which I write, with a population of some thirty thousand, carrying on an extensive trade in lumber, fish, iron, &c. This whole northern country, in the interior, from which I have just returned, having made an excursion to the iron works, reminds one in many respects of the state of Maine. The ship building, pine forests, and salmon fishery, bear analogy to our northern latitude.

They have a great abundance of lobsters of the best quality. Very little fruit is found here, except green apples, and the August cherry, which is yet scarcely ripe; there are fewer flowers than in Italy in the month of May. Such is the difference of duration of heat between the climate of the sunny south, and the more rigid regions of the north. They have yet no fear of the cholera, which is still remote; but at Gottenburg we were kept in suspense for half an hour by the quarantine officers, who suspected the disease had appeared in Copenhagen, although we had a clean bill of health. The potato disease has reached this country, and I see its ravages in many places.

The light summer nights--the day scarcely obscured--the Aurora Borealis, or northern lights--the wild and romantic country of the north--these things strike an inhabitant of the south of Europe who visits this country for the first time.

The Norwegians are a fine race of men, of light, ruddy complexion, and are capable of hard service. They are much attached to their country and pine groves, yet the charm of freedom has drawn away many to our own land. This is the only part of the world that I have yet visited, where there are no Jews. Such is the horror of the race, that ancient laws, interdicting their settlement here, have not been repealed, although repeated efforts have been made. A Jew can only remain twenty-four hours in the country.

There are no curious sights here, as in other old countries; things are more premature, but there are some fine points of view, and nature puts on her gayest attire. I was gratified, however, in visiting an immense new prison in process of erection, for solitary confinement, to find a faithful copy of one in Pennsylvania. A new palace for king Oscar, who is obliged to pass a certain portion of the year here, is now completing. It is a large structure, and for Norway, does very well. The two governments of Norway and Sweden are subject to the one king, but the former has many privileges secured to her.

One peculiarity I noticed along the Norwegian roads. Every owner of land is obliged to keep his part in repair, and the line is marked by stakes with a flat board, on which the name is painted; so that if the road is impassable, the traveller knows of whom to make complaint.

The currency is all silver, with the exception of bank notes to the value of about one dollar, and the expenses of life are nearly double those of Denmark, as all the luxuries of life come from abroad. The currency of Sweden, on the contrary, is almost all government paper, and the rag currency reminds me of our shin-plaster days. A paper rix-dollar is about twenty-five cents, and they have notes as low in value as eight cents of our money; the consequence is, that in getting a piece of coin changed of the value of an American dollar, you have a pocketful of rags in exchange.

The steamers employed on these routes this season are more indifferent than usual, as there are few passengers, and the best class of boats have been hauled off for the use of the government. King Oscar is now at Malmö, on the coast, within five hours of Copenhagen by sea, and has his army all prepared for a move in case the Germans enter Denmark. For the affair of Schleswig Holstein, which is debatable ground as to the rights of the two countries, he will not interfere; but if the Germans move an inch further into Denmark, then Norway and Sweden consider the cause their own.

XLV.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 1848.

Since I wrote you from Norway, I have, by means of private post, and public vehicles on the land route, and steamboats upon the lakes and canals, travelled entirely through Sweden; a country of which so little is known, and which is so beautiful and picturesque that I could not help being delighted. This country has been much favored by nature in the development of its internal resources, for its lakes, by the construction of immense canals and locks, which will compare for solidity and beauty with any in the world, have been connected with rivers in such a manner, that vessels of good size with their cargoes, as well as small steamboats, can traverse the entire width of the country, from Gottenberg on the west to Stockholm on the north-east coast. It is less tedious and more interesting for the traveller to vary the means of conveyance.

A few hours’ ride from Wenersborg, a small town situated upon a large lake which bears its name, and where it falls into the river Gotha, are the cataracts of Trolhatta, celebrated in all the north as the Niagara of Sweden. There are several falls which are separated by islands, and the scenery is wild and savage, and reminded me of the Niagara, although it is less majestic; I think it preferable to any of the cascades of Europe.

There is a sail by steamer of fifteen hours upon lake Wener, almost the entire length, to Holt, where stages take passengers to Örebro, a fine town, which has the peculiarity of most of the country towns in Sweden, the houses being built of wood and painted red, as well as the outbuildings and fences. There one takes the steamer and passes through a chain of small lakes and canals, amid numerous and picturesque islands, varying in form, with wild and enchanting scenery, bearing some resemblance to the groups of islands in the St. Lawrence.

The approach to Stockholm through the beautiful lake Mälar, with its banks richly cultivated and covered with villas, and occasionally a village, old chateau, or palace, is certainly very beautiful; and the city itself, situated upon seven islands, is only surpassed as a commercial port by Constantinople and Naples, and I consider the locality, in point of natural beauty, the third in Europe.