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CHAPTER VIII. 



Leavixg the valley of the Sieg, let us follow the new 

 road that leads by way of Altenkirchen and Driedorf to 

 Neuwied. We follow the foot of a chain of heights that 

 constitute a remarkable boundary, as dividing two valleys 

 of very different climate from each other, both opening 

 at no great distance from each other upon the Hhine. 

 The valleys are those of the Wied and the Lahn. The 

 former unites with the valley of the Sayn at Neuwied. 

 The Lahn falls into the Rhine a little below Coblenz. 

 The hills that divide them are called the Westerwald, 

 and although the highest summits scarcely attain 2000 

 feet in elevation, yet the extent of rocky soil and moun- 

 tainous declivities which the range contains, makes the 

 whole region bleak and unfruitful. On these heights the 

 winter is very severe, yet their elevation is not sufficient 

 to conserve a supply of moisture to promote vegetation in 

 a dry summer. The higher region is thinly peopled, 

 and little appearance of cultivation is evinced by the soil 

 in the spaces that intervene between the forests. Exten- 

 sive pastures, that early in the year show a tolerable 

 covering of grass, but which in summer are soon fed bare, 

 are frequent, and on these large herds of cattle may be 

 seen feeding. Cattle-breeding is the chief productive 

 occupation of the farmer in the Westerwald. A race of 

 small cows very much resembling the Devon breed, like 

 these, too, good milkers and easily fattened, is indige- 



