59$ LETTERS FHOM A CONTINENTAL TOlMUST. 



a few kreutzers on this lion, and should recommend every one to 

 avoid a similar expense, inasmuch as no pleasure is to be derived from 

 its disbursement. They show you too the knight's hall, and the inte- 

 rior of the chapel, and an ivy tree the stem of which is as thick as a 

 man's thigh a famous plant of the species. From the bridge over the 

 Neckar is the best general view of the ruins, but it should be visited 

 when the sun shines on them, so as to enlighten a little the dusky 

 masses, which appear much too heavy when viewed from this spot. 

 By far the most interesting object to me in Heidelberg was the 

 Gasthof zum Ritten, or the Knight's Inn, which is the oldest house in 

 the town, and is built as usual of red stone, but in a style of architec- 

 ture as light and elegant as it is picturesque. I am surprised that it 

 is not more frequently noticed by tourists. But let any traveller who 

 admires its exterior be careful not to be Jed away by external beauty, 

 for its accommodations are said to be worse than are commonly met 

 with even in the worst hotels. 



My compagnon de voyage overtook me again this evening. His 

 journey had been the reverse of agreeable. Heavy rains, which 

 amended not the appearance of a very uninteresting road, which 

 offers but one good view in its whole course, namely, Colmar, on the 

 other side of the Rhine : and no one to exchange an idea with, for the 

 postilion knew but one word of French or English, which was, "Yes.-' 

 Of this he was so proud, that he used it upon all occasions. Thus in 

 answer to the oft-repeated question, " This Heidelberg ?'' he invari- 

 ably replied " Yes ;" though, to the inexpressible mortification of the 

 enquirer, he found the director of horses was only displaying his 

 abilities as a linguist, and his acquaintance with the principles and 

 practice of the English language. 



September 14th. 



WE left Heidelberg shortly before noon, and arrived at Mannheim 

 in time to embark in the steam-boat for Mentz. These Damp- 

 schiffs, as they call them here, boast of a vastly superior degree of 

 comfort and convenience to that of any other German public con- 

 veyance. In the first place, smoking; is actually forbidden in the 

 cabin. Now, though in the paper they give you on securing your 

 place in the diligence they insert among other bye-laws that no 

 smoking is permitted without the consent of all the passengers, the 

 rule observed is to ask the leave of the ladies present, and if they do 

 not object, out comes the tinder-box, and one is forthwith stunk to 

 death with the noisome vapour these worthy Deutschers puff from 

 their smoke-sodden tubes. I suppose the dry smoke is a necessary 

 correction of the grease and sauer kraut, that is, rotten cabbage and 

 other messes with which they cram their stomachs at their meals. 



The country between Mannheim and Mantz, that is, the banks of 

 the Rhine, are utterly devoid of interest flat and muddy. The ca- 

 thedral of Worms is the only noticeable object, and that is seen from 

 too great a distance to be properly estimated. Something of the 

 general outline may be made out, but the details of course are not 

 discernible. 



At Maintz we had some trouble in procuring rooms, but ultimately 



