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46 RIESBECK’s TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
Charles iffues to walk by night, the ftream precipitates itfelf with a loud noife, and falls
in a variety of cafcades down the deep and narrow gully which it feems to have dug
itfelf in the hard marble. Here and there it has hollowed out bafons of marble by its
fall, which no power of art could have given a better polifhto. Indeed they are fo
nicely conftructed, that the lovers of antiquity in the neighbourhood have aétually been
at the pains to prove that they are ancient baths, Quite below, at the foot of the moun-
tain, behind a mill, the fall prefents a molt pitturefque appearance. It is not very high
at this point, but very fingular, becaufe the water is divided into innumerable threads,
which crofs each other in fuch varied and ftrange ways amid{t the fragments of the rock
which have fallen from above, that no imagination can deyife acafcade fo fanciful and
capricious. Here on the detached rocks are {mall pine-trees, which infinitely increafe
the beauty of the fcene. The water of this {tream is fo cold, that you could nct hold
your hand in it ten feconds ; and yet in the greateft fweat and perfpiration, you may
drink as much as you pleafe, without the {malleft danger, as you digeft it as eafily
as air. When! am perfectly faint, I do not know a better cordial than this water.
That part of the principality of Saltzburg which lies to the north of thecapital, is likewife
very mountainous, but it produces fufficient grain for the fupport of its inhabitants. But
about fix miles from the town there is a long narrow valley which ftretches itfelf firit
fome miles fouthward and then weftward, is bounded by vaft mountains, is watered by
the river Saltza, conftitutes the greateft part of the principality, but fcarcely bears one
third part of the neceflary grain. The entrance to this valley is called the Pafs of Lueg
or Luhk, a word which in low Dutch and Englith fignifies /cok, and an{wers to the watch
tower of many Imperial towns and territories. ‘This pafs is a deep narrow hollow be-
tween naked, fufpended, perpendicular rocks of granate, which hang over on each fide,
rife to an enormous height, and through which the Saltza pours with great impetuofity.
Above the river they have cut a path in the rock, and there is a gate with hardly room
enough for a fingle carriage to pafs, protected bya battery, fo that a few people here
could withftand a whole army. ‘The other approaches to this valley are equally well
guarded, and nature feems to have fortified it as well as Wales.
Befides this large valley there are feveral lefler ones adjoining, which belong to this
principality. They are of the fame nature as the other, and the inhabitants of them live
chiefly by breeding cattle. In many places you may find very rich farmers, who own from
fixty to fourfcore head of great cattle. ‘They export fome cheefe and butter, but not near fo
much as they might do, if the inhabitants wereas induftrious, frugal, and difpofed for trade
as the Swifs. Befides horned cattle they alfo breed great numbers of horfes which are
very ftrong, and are exported to great diftances for the purpofes of heavy burden and
draught ; their fhape is not handfome; their heads are too thick, and their hind quar-
ters too high; but J remember well to have feen in fome towns on the Rhine, a fingle
Saltzburg horfe drawing a weight of forty quintals, and a very heavy cart befides from
the river to the town. ‘The farmers ufe them to hard labour at three years old, and
this is the caufe why they foon become ftiff, and cannot ferve for coach horfes. The
Emperor gave twelve pounds for one for his artillery. The dominions which this prince
has in Carrthen, are, in point of natural advantages, much the fame as thefe; but what
he poffeffes in Auftria is too inconfiderable to be mentioned. Upon the whole, this
country draws near the half of its neceflary corn from Bavaria.
The peafant of this country cannot content himfelf with cheefe and potatoes, as the
Swifs does ; but muft always have his meat, which, however fat it may be, he conftantly
dips in hog’s lard. He muft have an abundance of good bread, beer and brandy.
Confidering the natural fituation of the country, this too expenfive mode of living would
make them the pooreft people in Europe, if the extravagance was not counterbalanced!
by
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