524 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



friends, and soon after breakfast embarked on 

 board a small steamer commanded by an English- 

 man, and passing Traunkirchen, where Count 

 Harrach has a snug-looking marine villa close to 

 the lake, in about an hour arrived at Ebensee, a 

 village at the south extremity of the lake, which is 

 about nine miles long. Here taking a carriage, 

 after a drive of about a couple of hours along a 

 good road winding along the valley of the Traun, 

 I arrived at Ischl, which is delightfully situated at 

 the junction of the Ischl and the Traun, in an 

 amphitheatre from which five valleys radiate. 



Ischl, more than any place I know, combines the 

 gaieties of a capital with the recreations of country 

 life. Those who prefer society will find balls, 

 concerts, a casino, and, indeed, every kind of dissi- 

 pation, whilst the lover of nature will be en- 

 chanted with the great variety of wild and grand 

 scenery. It is the heau ideal of a sportsman's head- 

 quarters, for in the surrounding forests are to be 

 found red deer, roe, wild boar, capercailzie, and 

 black game, whilst chamois are not scarce on the 

 higher ranges, and there is the finest of fishing on 



