sold every year at auction in casks of 1200 or 600 litres. In good years the Prince of Metternich reserves several casks, which are bottled 5 or 6 years later. These wines are sold for from 3 to 20 florins per bottle; they are of equal value and merit; the Johannisberger is distinguished for its great freshness and bouquet, and the Steinberger for its body, warmth, and peculiar aroma. In second order come the Marcobrunner, Rauenthaler, and Hockheimer wines.

Rudesheim, on the same side of the river as the castle of Johannisberg, also produces fine wines.

A short distance farther down we see the town of Bingen, which does an extensive business in wine. It contains 7500 inhabitants, and is beautifully situated at the mouth of the River Nahe. This river divides Prussia from the duchy of HesseDarmstadt. Near the mouth of the river, and opposite the Castle of Ehrenfels, is a small square tower, immortalized by Southey in the following tradition:

66 BISHOP HATTO.

"The summer and autumn hath been so wet,
That in winter the corn was growing yet;
'Twas a piteous sight to see all around
The grami lie rotting on the ground.
"Every day the starving poor

Crowded around Bishop Hatto's door,
For he had a plentiful last year's store;
And all the neighborhood could tell
His granaries were furnish'd well.
"At last Bishop Hatto appointed a day
To quiet the poor without delay :

Ile bade them to his great barn repair,

And they should have food for the winter there.

"Rejoiced at such tidings, good to hear,
The poor folk flock'd from far and near;
The great barn was full as it could hold
Of women and children, and young and old.
"Then, when he saw it could hold no more,
Bishop Hatto he made fast the door;
And while for mercy on Christ they call,
He set fire to the barn and burnt them all.

"I' faith, 'tis an excellent bonfire!' quoth he,
And the country is greatly obliged to me
For ridding it, in these times forlorn,
Of rats that only consume the corn.'

"So then to his palace returned he,

And he sat down to his supper merrily, And he slept that night like an innocent man; But Bishop Hatto never slept again. "In the morning, as he enter'd the hall, Where his picture hung against the wall, A sweat like death all o'er him came, For the rats had eaten it out of the frame.

'My lord, I open'd your granaries this morn, And the rats had eaten all your corn.' "Another came running presently,

And he was as pale as pale could be: 'Fly! my lord bishop, fly,' quoth he; "Ten thousand rats are coming this way; The Lord forgive you for yesterday!' "I'll go to my tower on the Rhine,' replied he; 'Tis the safest place in Germany;

The walls are high, and the shores are steep, And the stream is strong, and the water deep!' "Bishop Hatto fearfully hasten'd away, And he cross'd the Rhine without delay, And reach'd his tower, and barr'd with care All the windows, doors, and loop-holes there. "He laid him down, and closed his eyes; But soon a scream made him arise; He started, and saw two eyes of flame On his pillow, from whence the screaming

camé.

"He listen'd and look'd: it was only the cat, But the bishop he grew more fearful for that; For she sat screaming, mad with fear, At the army of rats that were drawing near. "For they have swum over the river so deep, And they have climb'd the shores so steep, And now, by thousands, up they crawl To the holes and windows in the wall. "Down on his knees the bishop fell,

And faster and faster his beads did he tell, As louder and louder, drawing near, The saw of their teeth without he could hear. "And in at the windows, and in at the door, And through the walls by thousands they

pour,

And down through the ceiling, and up through the floor,

From the right and the left, from behind and before,

From within and without, from above and below

And all at once to the bishop they go.

"They have whetted their teeth against the stones,

And now they pick the bishop's bones;
They gnaw'd the flesh from every limb,
For they were sent to do judgment on him."

We now arrive at Lahnstein, where we disembark and take the cars to Ems: time, 20 minutes; fare 48 kr. Opposite Lahnstein is situated the beautiful and picturesque castle of Stotzenfels. It was built by one of the archbishops of Trèves, both as a residence and fortress, and is one of the most imposing castles on the Rhine. It was presented to the King of Prussia by the city of Coblentz, by whom it was repaired. Many of the rooms are beautifully frescoed. The armory contains numerous relics, among which are the swords of Murat, Napoleon, and Blucher. Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort were en

He had a countenance white with alarm.

1845.

Ems is beautifully situated on the right bank of the River Lahn. The principal hotels are H. d'Angleterre and H. Four Towers. These two houses are kept by the same proprietor. Although Ems can not compete with Baden-Baden or Wiesbaden in the magnificence of its Kursaal, the company is considered much more select than at either of the other watering-places. The season commences in May and ends in September. The excursions are numerous, and the daily routine about the same as at Wiesbaden. Public baths are numerous, and the water is considered very efficacious in all diseases appertaining to females.

From Ems to Coblentz is a lovely ride: you may either take your baggage with you and take the steamer there, or make an excursion to Coblentz, or stop at Coblentz going down and make an excursion to Ems.

Immediately opposite Coblentz, which is on the left descending the river, is Ehrenbreitstein, "the Gibraltar of the Rhine," bidding defiance to almost any assault. It is capable of accommodating 100,000 men, but 5000 are sufficient to man it properly. It stands nearly 400 feet above the level of the river, is defended by 400 cannon, and cost the Prussian government over $5,000,000. It is said that provisions for 8000 men for ten years can be stored in its magazines. It may be visited by procuring a ticket, for which a small fee is demanded.

Coblentz. The river is here crossed by a bridge of boats. The town is built upon a triangular piece of land between the rivers Moselle and Rhine, and is surrounded by powerful fortifications. The streets are mostly regular, and many of the public buildings handsome. Principal hotel, and one of the best on the Rhine, is the Giant, directly opposite the steam-boat landing.

Near the junction of the two rivers is situated the Church of St. Castor, founded in the ninth century, and is the church in which Charlemagne divided his empire among his grandchildren. In front of this church is a fountain, erected as a monument by Napoleon on his march to invade Russia, with an inscription recording the event. A few months later, the Russians, in pursuit of the French army on their way to Paris, passed the monument, when

the commander of the forces ordered the following sarcastic addition to the inscription: "Vu et approuvé par nous, commandant Russe de la Ville de Coblence, Janvier 1er, 1814"-" Seen and approved by us, Russian commandant of the city of Coblentz, January 1, 1814.” The principal building in Coblentz is the palace built by the Bishop of Trèves in 1778. It has been fitted up for the King of Prussia as a summer residence. Coblentz is not a business place of great repute; it is only well known for the production of one article, viz., the sparkling Moselle and Hock wines. Messrs. H. Hürter & Son, wholesale wine merchants, purveyors to the King of Prussia, have the finest establishment and largest wine-cellars here, and well worth a visit. They keep an immense stock of the choicest sparkling Moselle and Hock, far superior to Champagne. Besides these wines, you will find in their cellars a collection of all the choice wines of the country, viz., the genuine Castle Johannisberg, the Steinberg Cabinet, Hockheim, Marcobrunn, etc. The gentlemen of the firm are most happy in showing visitors the whole process of preparing the wines. This house has also a branch establishment at Hamburg, near Frankfort, also one in London, 11 Adam St. Seltzer-water and wine are the principal articles of commerce at Coblentz.

On the left bank, below the junction of the Moselle, stands the monument erected to the youthful and heroic General Marceau, who was killed at the battle of Altenkirchen in 1796.

"By Coblentz, on a rise of gentle ground,
There is a small and simple pyramid,
Crowning the summit of a verdant mound;
Beneath its base a hero's ashes hid-
Our enemy's; but let not that forbid
Honor to Marceau, o'er whose early tomb
Tears, big tears, gushed from the rough sol
diers' lid,

Lamenting and yet envying such a doom, Falling for France, whose rights he battled te resume."