The Traun Stein Rock. 223 



Art. IV. — The Traun Stein Rock ; in a letter from an officer in 

 the American Navy. 



The Danube I wishing to see it to better advantage than in its 

 divided state at Vienna, I determined that we should be companions 

 for a day or two and so set out for a walk along its banks, as far up 

 as Lintz, the capital of Upper Austria. The country in the whole 

 distance was in a high state of cultivation, and the river itself and 

 its shores, resembled very much the Susquehanna, where we crossed 

 it a few years ago, just below the valley of Wyoming. There is 

 this exception, that the shores of the Danube are dotted with villa- 

 ges, castles, palaces, and now and then with a large monastery ; and 

 as the buildings are uniformly white, the views are more varied, 

 but perhaps not more pleasing. On the 28th August I break- 

 fasted at the little city of Ens, romantically situated on the top of a 

 high ridge, and commanding a very superb view : from this place the 

 road led through rich meadow lands for ten or twelve miles ; when 

 ascending another eminence and passing through a pine forest, it 

 brought me to a point of view that arrested my steps and produced 

 an impression that will not soon be effaced. I cannot stop to de- 

 scribe the views further than to say, that Lintz was in the distance, 

 just at my feet the village of Ebbelsburg and the Traun river, with 

 large boats shooting like arrows down its swift waters ; and far off 

 on the left, a range of broken mountains with a high and curious 

 looking rock standing nearly isolated on the plain. A genteelly 

 dressed man who was ascending the hill, was polite enough to describe 

 the various objects of local interest: at the village just below, a battle, 

 he said, had been fought with the troops under Massena — the signs at 

 two of the public houses still continuing as they then were, riddled 

 by the French bullets : — and in answer to my question respectino- 

 the isolated rock, he said that it was called the Traun stein, (Traun 

 rock) and that, as I was going to the Gmunden lake, my road would 

 bring me in front of it, where I should see on its edge a very remark- 

 able likeness to the profile of Louis XVL 



I visited Lintz, where is the commencement of a rail road sixty 

 eight miles long, the only one I saw in Germany : it was made two 

 years since and is an unprofitable concern, bringing only 2 per cent ; 

 but they are commencing one to the Gmunden lake, which is ex- 

 pected to be more profitable. 1 turned from Lintz to the left, nearly 

 at right angles to my former course, and at ten the next morning 



