commodation at
Duesseldorf, from the Park Hotel on the Cornelius Platz, at Waldorf
prices, to the modest and characteristic little German inn by the
name of Prince Alexanders Hof, which is as cheap as a French hotel of
its class, and about as good.

[Illustration: The Road By The Rhine]

It is at Duesseldorf that one comes first into touch with the German
institutions in all their completeness. Immediately one comes to the
borders of the Rhine he comes into the sphere of world politics. The
peace of Europe lies buried at the mouth of the Scheldt where the
Rhine enters the sea, and not on the Bosphorus. "The Rhine is the
King of Rivers," said a German politician, "and it is our fault if
its mouth remains in the hands of foreigners." This is warlike talk,
if you like, but if a German prince some day rises on the throne of
Holland, there may be a new-made map of Europe which will upset all
existing treaties and conventions.

Duesseldorf is a veritable big town, for, though it shelters two
hundred and twenty-five thousand inhabitants, it is not "citified."
It is one of the most lovely of Rhine towns, and is the headquarters
of the Rhenish Westphalian Automobile Club.

To Cologne is thirty-seven kilometres, with the roads still
bad,--shockingly so we found them, though we were assured that this
is unusual and that even then they were in a state of repair. This
was evident, and in truth they needed it.

The twin Gothic splendours of Cologne's cathedral rise high in air
long before one reaches the confines of the city. Cologne is the
metropolis of the Rhine country, and besides its four hundred
thousand inhabitants possesses many institutions and industries which
other Rhine cities lack.

Of hotels for automobilists at Cologne there are five, all of which
will treat you in the real _tourist_ fashion, and charge you
accordingly,--overcharge you in fact. We did not have time to hunt up
what the sentimentalist of the party always called "a quaint little
inn," and so we put into one almost under the shadow of the cathedral
(purposely nameless).

The sights of Cologne are legion. "Numerous churches, all very
ancient" describes them well enough for an itinerary such as this;
the guide-books must do the rest. The Kolner Automobile Club will
supply the touring automobilist graciously and gratuitously with
information. A good thing to know!

The beer and concert gardens of Cologne's waterside are famous,
almost as famous as