Scenes on the Rhine.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1902, 4 June 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

Scenes on the Rhine.

I __ >, < Julian Hawthorne Writes cf Cologne and Bonn. — =»-6 c Tlic Blost Magnificent Specimen of Gofchi;* Architecture in the World— The Mut* latio;i of a IffionK's Corpse and What C.ime of It. . *>—■—< It was quite dark long before we reached Cologne, writes Julian -Hawthorne ; in fact, ii v/a3 near midnight, and nothing could b<scen &s we approuched the city but lights, gradually multiplying. The great cathedral was invisible, but when we emerged from the railway etatioß, behold I there it rose directly over our boads, a mighty cliff of oarven Etono asoendiug to and losing itself in the darkness of the midnight sky. \Ve gazed and clambered into our wpp^ons irtid were driven around the Zulichs P.atz (which contaius not only the cathedral, but tha eFtablisaments of the various firms which profeaa to sell the only genuine cologne water), and through some narrow and cevious streets to our hotel, situated about a quarter of a mile away. After a mouthful of supper there was nothing for tha moment as bed, and to bed we went. Our beds were of the familiar C*erman pattern, uhort and narrow, with a wedge-shr.ped pillow and a wadded coverlid ; but we slept the dreamless sleep of exhaustion. I The next morning we took the train to the university town of Bonn, twenty miles away. Aa we left Cologna and got out into the plain the vast mass of the cithedral, with its twin towers, rose higher and higher above the rnofa of the surrounding city until at length the city sunk altogether cut of Bight and the cathedral alone remained and possessed the horizoD. The proportions of this wonderful structure are so perfect that it is impossible, v/liile, in its immediate vicinity, to realise its caormous dimensions. They are revealed on'y by distanoe, but when they are revealed they almost surpass expectations. It is beyond question the most magnificent of gothic architecture that the world haB ever seen— one ol tnc fGw creations of man that abeoIniely satisfy the craven of the human mini for perfection. Bonn is one of the prettiest of university towns, with long, shady avenues r.nd handsome villas in the outskirts. The college buildings arc of the eimpletl aishiteeture. The broad Rhino, of a yellowish green hue, hurries hj on ono side, and a few miles further up rices the mountain of the Dracboafels, with its ruined caetle on the summit. At tho little church on the hill near Bonn there was a wide view over a broad and fertile plain for the members of the expedition that visited it. The cathedral rose like a distant mountain peak on the horizon. The il'jine flowed through tho landscape in a long curve, and along its banks crept three or I four regiments of hussars engsged in some | drill rnarceuvres. There were masseß of clouds in the Bky and Bhadows and sunshine fl'tted aoroc-8 the faco of the earth. A fre3h westeily brecza waa blowing and the beuiGsphere was exhilarating. We descended in the orypfc of the church, where the dead monts lay in ooffins on each fcido of the dar-k and narrow vault. The flesh had dried and shrivelled upon their bones, and their garments had partly crumbled to pieces with age, but the expression and character of each face was preserved, and Iho sight, etrange to say, was not disagreeable. The withered foccs had an aspeofc ol profound pesce. Each figure lay with his hands foided across his breast. One oi tlem, however, bad died of lockjaw, and hie mouth was wide open, giving him a moßt sinpular and grotesque appearance. There was also a story connected with this indiwdual. An Engliahm&a with a mania foi rolica had broken eff a thumb from this body end carried it away, but many yeiirs afterword he bad sent it back with the request that it be restored to its proper owner, and adding that misfortune had pursued him over since ho had committed the robbery, The ghost of the outraged monk had given him no rest. So the re lies the thumb on the withered breast, and the letter is preserved in the archives oi the ohuroh. Tho amiable little priest who told us the legend smiled Rt us as be told it with a childish pleasure in this ooufkniation of the reality of his religion. It was a memorable seene — the dark crypt, lighted only by the lantern in the bauds of our guide, the dusky corpses in thek open coffins and the eilenfc orowd gazing and listening. Returning to Bonn T?e got into & rivei steamer, under the guidance and by the invitation of the American Consul at Cologne, a gentleman who throughout treated us with tho utmost cordiality and attention, and proceeded up the mer to tbe Draohenfele. The lain of Draohenfclri shows the amas* ing massivenesa with which tho eld buildcre bniit. Only a fragment of the town remains, rising strftig'nt up from the vertical face of tbe ptec:ipiC9 for eixty feet, bat so true Ere tho lines and so ponderous the workmanship that it may well siend aq it is now for enother thousand yeare. Wo olainbfre3 and rambled over it, and the photographer took our photographs, and we made very merry in the old robber stronghold, whero tha noble robbers thecietlres had been merry centuries before. But tho hour camo when we most depart, and before lorg we found ourEelves back in Cologne, with the memory of a day on the lvhine that will never fade away.