66 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



final triumphal experiment of the engineer may be 

 related: When his last inspection had satisfied his own 

 expectations, he invited the Senators of Hamburg to wit- 

 ness a public exhibition of his magnificent success. 

 Marked rocks of about three hundredweight each were 

 thrown into the sewer at different points, to test the force 

 of the rushing water, and behold every one of those rocks 

 disappeared and was afterwards discovered at the outlets 

 of the respective conduits; not one had remained in its 

 place. At stated times visitors may inspect the system, 

 and even royal visitors are counted among the eager spec- 

 tators. But let this be enough for to-night. The evening 

 is so beautiful that I am tempted to go out for a walk 

 through the city. 



May 21st, 1851. 

 Somehow I cannot tear myself away from this letter 

 and no matter how often I decide to take it to the post- 

 office I change my mind to add one or the other thought 

 which just happens to cross it. It gives me such inex- 

 pressible pleasure to chat with my beloved ones for half 

 an hour, when and wherever I feel like it, to tell them 

 whatever I may have seen, heard or experienced. Yes- 

 terday I took a walk along the famous Jungfernstieg 

 (Old Maid's Path) toward the Alster-Arcades, after hav- 

 ing enjoyed a cup of coffee at the Pavilion. When I was 

 about to turn into the Grosse Bleichen there appeared 

 suddenly a strange procession of still stranger figures, 

 clothed in the costumes of buried centuries. I thought 

 I was dreaming until I became convinced that it was a 

 reality, that I had a living, though mediaeval picture 

 before me. Two by two, with measured step, they turn 

 around the corner, where Grote-Ipmato's cigar store is 

 located. Solemn as their walk was their whole appear- 

 ance, reminding one of Heinrich Heine's 



"Men of darkened mien and mantle 

 Spanish ruffles 'round their necks, 

 Dangling sabers, long drawn faces," etc. 



