64 A CONTINENTAL TOUR. 



ingloriously terminated my excursion to the Danube. I 

 arrived at SchafFhausen in the evening, having taken a near 

 cut through a small forest in the neighbourhood, at the in- 

 stigation of, and in company with, a German peasant. We 

 descended upon the town from an elevated ridge of land, 

 from which I had a noble view of the old Khine and the 

 surrounding country. About a quarter of a mile from 

 SchafFhausen, I passed close by a small mount surrounded 

 by a stone wall, which altogether reminded me of the 

 druidical temple I had erected near Basle. My attention 

 was more particularly attracted to it by a group of children 

 on the top, who seemed intently examining something on its 

 surface. I accordingly ascended, and found to my surprise 

 the verdant sod covered with blood. On inquiry, I found 

 that this place was what the natives call the Mappenstein* 

 which is the place of public execution. The blood I saw 

 was possibly still warm, as an unhappy malefactor had 

 been executed that afternoon. Their heads are chopped 

 off with a two-handed sword, and this, by a dexterous exe- 

 cutioner, is accomplished by a single blow. 



"Sept. 20. — .... Immediately below the fall, the 

 circling waters of the river form a broad expanse, in which 

 there is a little island. On this there is a house, one room 

 of which is fitted up with an excellent camera obscura. 

 This gives a beautiful picture of the foaming cataract, 



* That is, Rabenstein, the raven's stone. 



