The Park in Muskau 177 



surrounded by the sea of forest which covers the 

 whole region. After refreshments at the vine- 

 dresser's hut, we follow the hillside by a zigzag 

 drive which encloses the alum works, cross the 

 wooden chute by which the ore is conveyed, and 

 maybe alight once more from the vehicle, to visit 

 some of the shafts, which are illuminated on cer- 

 tain days during the bathing season, decorated 

 with colored alum crystals, and inspect the huts 

 and other works in detail, if we take an interest 

 in such things. 



Nature is wild here, and although the soil is 

 sandv and for the most part covered with firs, it 

 is much interspersed with colored gravels, black 

 ore, or brown coal deposits which rise to the sur- 

 face, and many very picturesque aspects are shown 

 in the precipitous, abrupt character of the ground, 

 which seems as if it had been hurled about in 

 an earthquake. We even find in one spot a sort 

 of small volcano, yet not an artificial one, but a 

 fire in the earth, which is shown by a perpetual 

 wreath of smoke and occasional bursts ot small 

 flames from the subterranean glow of a brown 

 coal deposit, causing a good deal of anxiety to 

 the miners. 



In striking contrast to the chaotically torn 

 strata, directly behind the foundries are the gar- 

 dens of the baths, which come as a pleasant sur- 

 prise with their wealth of roses. 



A convenient drive leads from the *' Kur- 

 haus" (//) round an extensive "pleasure-ground" 

 to the mineral baths (riim), the moor baths, and 



