302

THE UPPEK KIIINE GOUGE.

are two— consist of rough waste-ledger-like volumes, theearlier dating as far back as tlie year 1714, and the ink beinglike lines of iron-mould from age, whilo the seals attached tothe names inscribed on the pages are all flattened, so that theimpressions are almost squeezed out of them. One of theearliest inscriptions, written in bad French, is as follows:—

" 3nno 1714 [t 30 Hftrfl, ü ctcj a £t. ffioarl'ouis Bottticbin et prens pour parenaJfSIon cousin ^9f)ilip ^ent £t 3)can,l^enrf £eni et satisfatt la compagnie.STeamoina . . ."

The inscriptions in the second book are of a more moderncharacter, and gradually become less and less grave as theyapproach nearer our own time, tili at last they consist merelyof lines of doggerei verse and would-be jocular effusions.*

ßut the favourite siffht in the nei<?hbourhood of St. Goaris the Lurlei Rock. This is little more than a quarter of anhour's walk from the Gasthof, and the path is a pleasant one,

* One of the latest of these, which bears date 1853, is signed " Mazzini,"and is as follows :—

" Oui ! le pouvoir est une chose amable,Et quand on le tient une fois;Qu'on serait un grand miserableDe le laisser, comme un vain sableS'echapper soudain de ses doigts.

" Mazzini,

" Milano."

Tlie word Hänseln is said by the Germans t& be derived from Hans, John,"prendre quelgu'un pour un Jean-Matläeu;" or a " Johnny-raw," as we say.But such a derivation is obviously erroneous. The fact is, the word Hanselcomes from the Gothic Hansla —a sacrifice, an offering to God—and is the sameas our " Hansel penny"—or " God's penny," as it was sometimes called—whichwas the money given as " earnest " of any bargain, and formerly devoted, per-haps, to charitable purposes; so that, whatever might liave been the origin ofthe curious custom at St. Goar, it is beyond question that it derives its nameof Hänseln from the alms which the traveller was compelled to give to the poor