THE LUIiLEI TASS.

293

Another moment and we are at Welmich; there being butone hill between it and Ehrenthal. Of this you see, inpassing, but two or three of tbe houses and tbe countrifiedchurch-steeple, peeping over tbe stone embankment witb tbered-sandstone bridge—for tbe village itself creepsup tbe valleybetween tbe rocks. Here, high above tbe bandet, upon a flatledge of the crag at tbe mouth of the ravine, Stands the weather-stained ruins of the u Iiaub-Schloss" (robber-castle) of Thurn-berg —or Falkenburg, as it is sometimes called, after theArchbisbop of Treves who built it—tbougb, more frequently,it is styled " Mouse Castle," in Opposition to tbe Castle of" Katz" which is a little beyond it. Tbougb it has neitberroof nor Windows, the walls are still so high, and the roundtower so tall and perfect, that from the want of battlementsat the angles, and the coping being no longer castellated, yournigbt imagine it to be some deserted factory, witb a bugehalf-demolished chimney-shaft rising from one side. Never-theless, the sight of the pedestal of ramparts below soon destroysthe first Impression of its resemblance to any modern structure,and at a second glance it looks more like the ruins of somemartello fort guarding the neighbouring valley.

Before the eye has finisbed admiring this tottering strong-bold of the ancient Rhine-bandits, the boat rounds anotherrocky " Eck," and immediately afterwards the loveliest bit ofall the Rhine bursts in a flood of beauty upon tbe eye. Weare then but a few twirls of the paddle-wheels from thecharming village of St. Goar. So the bell of the steamerjangles loudly, and the next moment we are deposited on thelittle landing-pier in front of the " Vorder Rhein-strasse "there.

At the " Gasthof zur Lilie " (an excellent halting-place,by the by,) a deligbtful week may be passed in exploring theriches of the country round about; for St. Goar lies in the

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