Journey from Paris to Vienna. 39 



tains much higher still. Towards Reichenhall, the country 

 assumes an aspect altogether wild, and the valleys are inter* 

 sected with rocky precipices perpendicularly steep. 



Along the road across the mountains, between Itzel and 

 Reichenhall, we meet with a number of aqueducts that convey 

 the salt water to Traunstein, as also conveyances of fresh 

 water passing in an opposite direction. The machines and 

 pumps are numerous, and are worked with singular precision. 

 A machine does not occupy a space of more than four feet 

 square, but the movements are executed with such punctuality 

 and facility, that you scarcely hear the noise of the piston and 

 suckers of the pump within it, at the distance of a few feet; a 

 person outside can form no idea of the enormous effort that is 

 exerted. The engineer that constructed these works is M. 

 Reichenbach, of Munich, the author of many other ingenious 

 inventions. 



The object of my excursion to Berchtesgaden was to visit the 

 salt mine. The director could not accompany me himself, but 

 sent me his secretary as a guide. The entrance to the gal- 

 leries is at a little distance from the town. I was rather sur- 

 prised to see the miners bring me a white cassock, like a 

 combing cloth, being accustomed, in all my previous visits to 

 mines, to throw a black cloth over me ; a large bougie was 

 next put into my hands, in lieu of a miner's lanthorn. Those 

 who accompanied me had the same costume ; thus accoutred, 

 each with a bougie in his hand, and bis tunic on his back, we 

 marched in procession into the mines. They led me to all the 

 windings, remarking on every interesting particular, and at- 

 tending, with infinite complaisance, to all my goings and 

 comings, so that I had every opportunity of studying the nature 

 and variations of this depot that I could desire. 



My first views encountered an argilous matter, replete with 

 fissures, filled occasionally with veins or nests of salt. I came 

 next to a mass of salt, very potent and nearly in a pure state ; 

 we pursued the track of this down to the deepest part of the 

 labours, it growing purer and purer as we proceeded. This 

 mass is reduced to powder, and detached portions are convey- 

 ed into reservoirs, where, by solution, the salt is cleared of its 

 earthy particles. The water is then made to pass to Reichen- 

 hall and Traunstein, for evaporation. 



The interior of the saline regions of Berchtesgaden, cannot 

 but prove interesting to any that would study the nature and 

 structure of those depots of ancient seas, but I experienced 

 also, the satisfaction of a general traveller, in surveying the 

 most beautiful scenery imaginable. 



After passing through a long gallery, we came to one of those 





