The Traiin Stein Rock. 223 



\ 



Art. IV". — The Traun Stein Rock; in a letter from an officer in 



the American Navy. 



The Danube ! wishing to see It to better advantage than in its 

 divided state at Vienna, I determined that we should be companions 

 for a day or two and so set out fpr a walk along its banks, as far up 

 as Lintz, the capital of Upper Austria, The country in the whole 

 distance was in a high state of cuhivation, and the river itself and 

 Its shores, resembled very much the Susquehanna, where we crossed 

 It a tew years ago, just below the valley of Wyoming. There is 

 this exception, that the shores of the Danube are dotted with villa- 

 ges, castles, palaces^ and now and then with a large monastery; and 

 as the buildings are uniformly white, the views are more varied, 

 but perhaps not more pleasing. On the 28th August I break- 

 fasted at the little city of Ens, romantically situated on the top of a 

 high ridge, and commanding a very superb view: from this place the 

 road led through rich meadow lands for ten or twelve miles ; when 

 ascending another eminence and passing through a pine forest, it 

 brought me to a point of view that arrested my steps and produced 

 an impression that will not soon be effaced. I cannot stop to de- 

 scribe the vieW'S further than to say, that Lintz was in the distance, 



♦ 



just at my feet the village of Ebbelsburg and the Traun river, with 

 large boats shootingr like arrows down its swift waters: and lar bfl' 

 on the left, a rano-e of broken mountains with a high and curious 

 looking rock standing nearly isolated on the plain. A genteelly 

 dressed man who was ascending the hill, was polite enough to describe 

 the various objects of local interest : at ihe village just below, a battle, 



■the signs at 



two of the public houses still continuing as they then were, riddled 

 "y the French bullets : — and in answer to my question respecting 

 the isolated rock, he said that it was called the Traun stein, (Ti-aun 

 ^ock) and that, as I was going to the Gmunden lake, my road would 

 luring me in front of it, where I should see on its eige a very remark- 

 able likeness to the profile of Louis XVI. 



I visited Lintz, where is the commencement of a rail road sixty 

 ^»gbt miles long, the only onel saw in Germany: it was made two 

 y^ars since and is an unproBtable concera, bringing only 2 percent; 

 but they are commiencing one to the Gmunden lake, which is ex- 

 Pwted to be more profitable. I turned from Lintz to the left, nearly 

 at right angles to my former course; and at ten the next morning 



he 



