THE ROBBER-CASTLES.

375

Nor are the houses facing the river less picturesque thanthe ruins that overhang the town froni behind; for no soonerhave you set foot on the rüde, uneven shore, than you find thequeer old dwellings built upon the high rampart walls, afterthe fashion of those we noted at the old part of the town ofCaub. Here the ground-floors are set back under the samekind of colonnade, but the openings in the walls before themnow consist of rüde arches like pigeon-holes; and there aregateways in the ramparts leading from the lonely shore to thedesolate streets behind. Moreover, you will discover here—ifyou put up, as we did, at one of the country inns, and have noobjeetion to rub Shoulders with a blouse in order to come atthe characteristics of the people—that the Citizens of Bacharachlong for the return of the French to the Rinne ; and they willteil you in a whisper—■ while they look round about to makesure that no spy is IJstening—that they bear the present Prussianking no love, and that they will have the French back beforelong, for that they were never so happy or well to do aswhen Napoleon ruled them.

Beyond Bacharach the banks of the Rhine are set withCastle after Castle all the way to Bingen, and though thejourney by the steamboat is but little better than an hourlong, the scenery is so grand on either bank of the river, andthe villages and ruins flit past one in such rapid succession,that it is as much as the eye can do to notice all that is to beseen by the way; for while you are gazing at some prettytown on one side, there is some historic castle or legendary rockhurrying by on the other; and thus the trip secms muchshorter than it really is, so that you are at your dcstinationlong before you expected or even wished.

No sooner, for instance, have you been hurried from thelittle ferry-boat up the steps of the steamer that is to carry you