The Argosy — page 70: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

In the Black Forest. 57 doubted, and took her present assurance, like her excellent dishes, with a grain of salt. After a rest of more than two hours, Jehu came round with his ~ equipage, and away we went again; this time bidding a final farewell to Wehr. Once more the sky had clouded ; once more, at the very entrance of the valley, down came the rain. ‘There was no other choice than to bear it; no alternative. On we went, this time con- stantly ascending, and making slow progress. But at length we passed the foundry of Todtmoos Au, and reached Todtmoos itself, with its pilgrim church and primitive inn. Here we were glad enough to escape for an hour’s shelter. The driver, like all sensible mortals in like condition, went in for hot coffee and a deep, deep draught, not of rich Rhine wine, but of kirschwasser. For this latter decoction, or distillation, these Black Forest drivers have a Capacity as surprising as it is inexhaustible. At the end of the hour (oh, kindly clouds, how soon we forget the miseries you cause us, the beauties you withhold!) the rain ceased, and we continued on our journey with fresh hopes and aspirations. And now, to vary our route, we turned off to the left up into the mountains. It was a lovely, desolate way. Here one truly felt in the very heart of the forest. The woods were on each side, ard the road seemed merely a clearance cut through them ; we could see far into their depths; long, green aisles, thick clumps and clusters ; mazes of delicious ferns and flowers, moss and tangle. Up and up we ascended, until at length we found ourselves in the very clouds, then above them, whilst they covered the prospect before us like a sea. It was a strange sight, an exquisite delusion. But I longed to see the weather clear, so that the whole of this evidently magnificent panorama might stretch out in all its beauty. Open sesame! Even as I longed and wished, like a great scroll the mist rolled rapidly away, and in a distance of some two hundred yards the whole obstructing vapour had been left behind. The effect was magical. We were now on a level with the tops of the mountains; the climb had been steep and somewhat long. Before us lay an immense panorama of green, smiling valley and verdant, fertile plain, and far-off wooded hills. Villages reposed here and there ; streams ran their course. It is one of the most striking and most varied views in the Black Forest. Now we began to descend into the valley ; a long pass, steep as the ascent had been. Cows and goats browsed on the hillsides, looxing like flies clinging: to a wall, mere animated dots in the landscape. Down and down we went; first overhanging the valley, then gradually reaching the level, and leaving the tops of the hills far, farabove us. The road was now long and circuitous, shut in by the mountains. We passed way- side villages, small and primitive, where wood-choppers kept time to the sound of the rushing stream. Halted at a wayside inn ; ostensibly CONNICMOOOKS.EO®