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extraordinary attitudes." Page 157.]

The sail of half an hour to Coblentz was a continual delight. The rocky
mountains rose abruptly from the water, terraced to their peaks with
vineyards, or stood back to give place to modest towns and villages that
dipped their skirts in the stream. At their wharves we touched for a
moment, to make an exchange of passengers or baggage. Often from the
lesser villages a boat shot out, the oars held by a brown-armed maiden,
who boarded us to take, perhaps, a single box or bale, or, it might be,
some bearded tourist with sketch-book under his arm. The passengers
walked the deck, or gathered in groups to eat ices and drink the wines
made from the grapes grown in these vineyards, with the pictured maps of
the river spread out upon their laps, and the ubiquitous Murray in their
hands.

As we neared Coblentz the villages increased as the hills vanished. Each
had its point of interest, or monkish legend--the palace of a duke, a
bit of crumbling Roman wall rising from the water--something to invest
it with a charm. One--Neuwied--is noted for holding harmoniously within
its limits, Jews, Moravians, Anabaptists, and Catholics. The Millennium
will doubtless begin at Neuwied.

At Coblentz we remained a day, in order to visit the fortress of
Ehrenbreitstein. From our windows at the hotel we could look directly
across to this grim giant of rock, as well as down upon the bridge of
boats which crosses the Rhine here. It was endless amusement to watch
the approach of the steamers, when, as if impelled by invisible boatmen,
a part of the bridge would swing slowly round to make an opening,
while the crowd of soldiers, market-women, and towns-people, waiting
impatiently, furnished a constant and interesting study.

An hour or two after noon we too crossed the bridge in an open carriage,
nearly overcome by the stifling heat, and after passing through the
village of Ehrenbreitstein, ascended the winding road--a steep ascent,
leading under great arches of solid masonry, through massive gateways,
and shut in by the rock which forms the fortress. At various points,
guards of Prussian soldiers, as immovable as the stone under their feet,
were stationed. Suddenly in the gloomy silence, as we toiled slowly up,
echoed a sharp tramp, tramp, and a line of soldiers filed by in grim
silence, each one with a couple of loaves of bread slung by a cord over
his shoulder. In a moment another line followed with a qu