received as the price of his labour 58,400 thalers. Here is also the largest piece of onyx known, 6 in. by 24 in.

In this room is the Saxon Regalia, including the Electoral Sword borne by the Saxon princes at the coronations, and a large and costly collection of chains, collars, and orders formerly worn by the Saxon princes, including the Garter, the Golden Fleece, Polish Eagle, &c. One case is filled with sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and pearls, another with diamonds, among which is the famous green brilliant, weighing forty carats.

We

PUBLIC PROMENADES. have already mentioned the Bruhl terrace; the alleys which separate the town from the suburbs; the Botanical Garden and Japanese Palace Gardens, besides which is the GROSSE GARTEN, laid out in the 17th century, and embellished by Augustus II., being the most extensive public park in Saxony. It lost a great part of its statues in the wars of the present and last century. It is the principal pleasure-ground of the people of Dresden, containing several cafés and a summer theatre. The basin of the swans, and some groups and vases in marble, are noticeable.

MONUMENTAL STATUES. In the Neustadt, near the end of the bridge, is an equestrian statue of Augustus II. In front of the theatre is the statue of Carl von Weber. In the Neumarkt, close by the Hotel de Saxe, is the fine bronze statue of Frederick Augustus II., surrounded by figures of Piety, Wisdom, Justice, and Strength. In the Court of the Zwinger (Museum) is the statue of Frederick Augustus II., with figures of Piety, Wisdom, Justice, and Clemency.

ROUTE 131.

THE SAXON SWITZERLAND.

PLAN OF TOUR.-First day-Railway from Dresden, three quarters of an hour, to Potzscha, cross the river to Wehlen, where guides and horses are to be had (guide, 4 marks per day,

horse, 2 marks per hour), then by the gorge (Grund) of Wehlen to the Bastei,

hour, by Amselgrund to Hohenstein, 2 hours, and by Brand to Schandau, 3 hours. Second day-By carriage to the cascade of Lichtenhain, three quarters of an hour, then to the Kuhstall, half an hour, to the Grand Winterberg, 13 hour, to Prebischthor, 1 hour, to Herrnskretschen, 1 hour, then by steamer or rail to Königstein, then to Dresden.

NDER this name (in German, Sachsische Schweiz), is comprehended that part of the mountain district of Meissen which extends on both banks of the Elbe, from Liebethal to the frontier of Bohemia, and from Falkenberg to Schneeberg, occupying a surface of 23 German miles. These mountains are remarkable for their calcareous formations, which admit of much variety, and add to the picturesqueness of the country. The rocks are in part bare, in part their slopes are covered with foliage and firs. The highest summits are: on the left bank of the Elbe, the Zschirnstein, 1,870 ft.; the Hartenstein, 1,855 ft.; the Kotzstein, 1,572 ft.; the Königstein, 1,870 ft. Upon the right bank: the Grosse-Winterberg, 1,883 ft.; the Kleine-Winterberg, 1,640 ft.; the Prebisch Thor, 1,440 ft.; the Lilienstein, 1,368 ft.; the Falkenberg, 1,952 ft.; the Borsberg, 1,210 ft.

Saxon Switzerland is a favourite

summer rendezvous of tourists. Dresden is the starting-point for excursions to this interesting region, whence the most attractive localities may be reached by railway or by steamer. The best plan is to go by railway and return by steamer, descending the Elbe.

The most interesting points are: the Bastei, the Kuhstall, the Grosse-Winterberg, the Prebisch Thor, and Königstein. Inns and hotels are found everywhere. The Porsberg, near Pillnitz; the Lilienstein, the Burenstein, and the Papst stein, are also much visited.

Guides are found at the various stopping places, who are paid 4 marks per day; 2 marks for half a day. Horses, carriages, and ponies may be hired at all the principal places.

On the railway, stoppages are made at the following stations: Pirna, Potzscha, Rathen, Königstein, Schandau, and Herrnskretschen; these stations are upon the line from Dresden to Prague. The steamboats stop at the following_places: Loschwitz, Pillnitz, Pirna, Wehlen, Rathen, Königstein, Schandau, Herrnskretschen, Medergrund, and Tetschen. Two days are required to see all of the most interesting places, and they may be best seen in the following

manner:

From Wehlen, the route lies through the Grund, a rude ravine, enclosed between two woody mountains; and upon leaving the ravine by the road to the right, the Bastei is reached in ten minutes. There is an inn close to the Bastei.

The Bastei, 760 ft. above the Elbe, the most interesting point of Saxon Switzerland, is a precipitous rock, terminating in several peaked summits. A tower has been erected upon the platform, whence one of the most extensive views of the Elbe and

the bordering country may be obtained.

Russell says of it: "The prospect is, of its kind, unique in Europe. You hover on a pinnacle, at an elevation of 600 ft. above the Elbe, which sweeps round the bottom of the precipice. Behind, and up along the winding river, on the same bank, rise similar precipitous cliffs... The striking feature is, that in the bosom of this amphitheatre -a plain of the most varied beauty - huge columnar hills start up at once from the ground, at a great distance from each other, overlooking, in lonely and solemn grandeur, each its own portion of the domain. The most remarkable of them are the Lilienstein and Konigstein, which, nearly in the centre of the picture, tower 900 ft. above the Elbe.'

From the Bastei, in half an hour, Rathen, a town on the left bank of the Elbe, opposite the railway station, may be reached. The road descends by a stone bridge, which clears the points of the rock, and from which the tourist looks down the precipice beneath him. Arrived in the valley, he bears to the left, through the Amselgrund towards Rathewalde.

The road on the right leads to Hohnstein.

From Hohnstein, the ascent is made to the Brand, a rock like that of the Bastei, whence also a charming view is obtained. Descending from the summit by a ravine, and partly by steps, the high road from Hohnstein to Schandau is reached. From this point the banks of the Elbe are reached in three-quarters of an hour, and in twenty minutes more, Schandau, a small town on the Elbe, and on the Bohemian frontier (Hotel: Forsthaus).

Mules may be hired at Schandau

for excursions to the Kuhstall, to the Kleine Winterberg, to the Grosse-Winterberg, to the Prebisch Thor.

The Kuhstall (1,060 ft.) presents the form of a door pierced through the rock, 23 ft. high, from which we look down into the deep ravine called Habichtsgrund. This place served, during the Thirty Years' War, as a refuge for the cattle, and it is thought that from this circumstance it derived its name, which means "Cow stall."

The descent is made to remount anew, in the first place, the little Winterberg, 1,640 ft., and afterwards, the great Winterberg, 1,883 ft. From the summit can be seen the mountains of Saxony, Bohemia, and Silesia.

An hour will suffice to take the

here to Frederick the Great. The French formed around its base in 1813 an entrenched camp. There is a fine view from the summit.

From Königstein, the valley of Bielagrund, interesting for its geological formation, may be visited; the Schweizermuhle, and the villages of Eilund and Schneeberg, from which last may be undertaken (with a guide) the ascent of the Schneeberg (2,415 feet).

ROUTE 132.

BERLIN TO HAMBURG.

Prebisch Thor (1,440 ft.), similar in formation to the Kuhstall, where there is a magnificent view.

Hence to Herrnskretschen, where steamer is taken to KÖNIGSTEIN, a small town situated at the foot of the rock which is occupied by the fortress of the

same name.

The fortress is the only one in Saxony. It was put in possession of Prussia after the war of 1866. It is half a league in circumference, and contains a well-cistern 616 ft. deep. In time of war the treasure and the archives of the kingdom are taken there. The garrison consists of 400 men. A fee of 2 m. 50 is paid for every party of eight persons. There is a fine view from the ramparts, and the ascent and promenade occupy usually two hours.

Opposite Königstein, on the right bank of the Elbe, is Lilienstein (1,368 ft.). On the commencement of the Seven Years' War, October 15, 1756, the Saxon army, 16,000 strong, surrendered

27 m. 20 pf.; 2nd, 20 m. 10 pf.

EAVING Berlin we proceed by the park of Charlottenburg, and crossing the Spree and the Havel, reach SPANDAU (4) miles), (Hotel: Adler). It is a fortified town, situated at the confluence of the above-named rivers, and is, so to speak, the citadel of Berlin. Its industry is very extensive. It contains cannon and other foundries, military store-houses, a powder-mill, a manufactory of small arms, laboratories for the artillery, &c.

The Church of St Nicholas, of the 14th century, possesses many interesting tombs. The Finkenkrug, in the environs of the town, is a favourite promenade.

At WITTENBERGE (74 miles), the line from Magdeburg falls in, crossing the river by a long bridge. Beyond Wendisch-Warnow (833 miles), we enter the Grand Duchy of MechlenbergSchwerin, and shortly afterwards. reach

LUDWIGSLUST (73 miles), the summer residence of the Grand Duke (Hotel Hotel de Weimar). The Chateau contains a picture gallery, and a collection of antiquities. The park affords agreeable promenades. In the Russian Chapel is the tomb of the Grand Duchess Helena. Passing HAGENOW (116 miles), where there is a branch to Schwerin and Rostock, we reach Boitzenburg (1344 miles), beyond which we enter the Duchy of Lauenburg, and crossing the Stecknitz, arrive at BUCHEN (144 miles). From hence a branch line goes to LUBECK (see Route 130). Passing several unimportant places we then reach

BERGEDORF (1624 miles), a town formerly belonging in common to Hamburg and Lubeck. The district is called Vierlande. The costumes of the peasantry are very striking. The next station is HAMBURG (see Route 129).

ROUTE 133.

BERLIN TO STETTIN AND DANTZIG.

Fares to Stettin, 83 miles, 1st class, 13.50; 2nd, 10.

HE first station after leaving Berlin is BERNAU (14 miles), noted for the defence it made against the Hussites in the fifteenth century. NEUSTADT EBERSWALDE (28 miles) is a manufacturing town, situated on the Finow Canal. The environs are delightful. Some distance beyond Neustadt, near Chorin, we see the remains of the ancient Abbey of the Cistercians, now an hotel. We next reach ANGERMUNDE, near which the line skirts the

lake of Paarstein. Proceeding along embankments through the valleys of the Randow and the Welse, and the marsh of Pommerenzdorf, we pass Passow (561 miles), and near Tantow (70 miles) we observe, on the right, the lake called Dammsche See. After wards, crossing the fortifications we enter STETTIN (84 miles) (Hotels: see "HOTEL LIST"). It is situated on the left bank of the Oder, and is connected with the suburb of Lastadie, on the right bank, by four bridges. It is a fortress, and the capital of the province of Pomerania, and the chief commercial port of Prussia. The Castle is of the sixteenth century. The court contains a bronze statue of the Great Elector of Brandenburg. From the tower there is an extensive view. The Hotel de Ville is of the thirteenth century. Opposite this building is the Bourse. In the Konigsplatz are marble statues of Frederick the Great and Frederick William III.

The out-port of Stettin is SWINEMUNDE, on the left bank of the Swine, one of the three mouths of the Oder, where the depth of water is sufficient for the largest ships. It is a muchfrequented bathing-place (Hotels: Drei Kronen, de Prusse).

From Berlin to Dantzig, via Stettin, is 312 miles. Fares, 41 m. 10 pf., and 30 m. 70 pf. A more direct route is via Dirshau, which is 27 miles shorter (see page 521). Dantzig (Hotels: Englischer Haus, Hotel du Nord) is one of the most important commercial and seaport towns in Germany, owing to its situa tion at the mouth of the Vistula, down which the Polish cereal products come for ocean shipment. The immense storehouses on the Spacheninsel can contain 2 million bushels. The town of Dantzig is of very early origin,