be; on the shoulder, eastern or Elbe-ward
shoulder, of a big mass of Knoll, or broad Height, called of Siptitz,
the main Eminence of the Gau. Shoulder, I called it, of this Height of
Siptitz; but more properly it is on a continuation, or lower ulterior
height dipping into Elbe itself, that Torgau stands. Siptitz Height,
nearly a mile from Elbe, drops down into a straggle of ponds; after
which, on a second or final rise, comes Torgau dipping into Elbe. Not
a shoulder strictly, but rather a CHEEK, with NECK intervening;--neck
GOITRY for that matter, or quaggy with ponds! The old Town stands high
enough, but is enlaced on the western and southern side by a set of
lakes and quagmires, some of which are still extensive and undrained.
The course of the waters hereabouts; and of Elbe itself, has had its
intricacies: close to northwest, Torgau is bordered, in a straggling
way, by what they call OLD ELBE; which is not now a fluent entity, but
a stagnant congeries of dirty waters and morasses. The Hill of Siptitz
abuts in that aqueous or quaggy manner; its forefeet being, as it were,
at or in Elbe River, and its sides, to the South and to the North
for some distance each way, considerably enveloped in ponds and boggy
difficulties.

"Plenty of water all about, but I suppose mostly of bad quality; at
least Torgau has declined drinking it, and been at the trouble to lay
a pipe, or ROHRGRABEN, several miles long, to bring its culinary water
from the western neighborhoods of Siptitz Height. Along the southern
side of Siptitz Height goes leisurely an uncomfortable kind of Brook,
called the 'ROHRGRABEN (Pipe-Ditch);' the meaning of which unexpected
name you find to be, That there is a SERVICE-PIPE laid cunningly at the
bottom of this Brook; lifting the Brook at its pure upper springs, and
sending it along, in secret tubular quasi-bottled condition; leaving the
fouler drippings from the neighborhood to make what 'brook' they still
can, over its head, and keep it out of harm's way till Torgau get it.
This is called the ROHRGRABEN, this which comes running through Siptitz
Village, all along by the southern base of Siptitz Hill; to the idle
eye, a dirtyish Brook, ending in certain notable Ponds eastward: but
to the eye of the inquiring mind, which has pierced deeper, a Tube of
rational Water, running into the throats of Torgau, while the so-called
Brook disembogues at discretion into the ENTEFANG (Duck-trap), and what
Ponds or reedy Puddles