Spiers: Memoranda of an autumn tour in 1836

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CONT. AUG. 21. SUN.

that in a voyage of two days there was much to amuse & to be enjoyed. Our table d'hote was at 12 o'clock & it was here that the talent & bonhomie of the officer in green were conspicuous for a running [ ] [ ed] kept up, which our young friends the Tennants kindly translated for us occasionally.

In the afternoon we persuaded the French man, German student and 2 Tennants to accompany us across the hills from Berncastell to Trarbach the river making a detour of 15 miles, while our course by land was 3 only. Up thro' vineyards lay our path & many sweet views of this mountainous little country rewarded us. Blackberries too abounded & we arrived at the curious old town of Trarbach which resembles the Rhine villages, in time to allow us to scramble up to a most picturesque ruin of a castle high above it. The ascent was steep but so far better because we could roll stones down the whole distance without their lodging. On returning down a bottle of wine, of seltzer water & sugar which served 5 of us cost 1/6. -

The water is generally very shallow apparently seldom more than 3 feet & generally one. It is at this season, however, at its lowest which accounted for our not arriving at Zell our sleeping place until 10 o'clock. Some good coffee & beds awaited us.

8 miles

AUG. 22. MON. Three o'clock again found us preparing to start. At 6 we found appetite for breakfast & at 11 1/2 for a good little dinner. Our wine was red or white of this country of which we preferred the white. Our handmaid was an industrious little damsel of Bernkastell with a gold spangled flat small cap & a paper knife of silver fastened through the back of her hair; she smiled & replied goodnaturedly to all the fun that was directed at her & was one of our characters.

Today the gun was frequently fired to awaken the echoes of the surrounding mountains. Gymnastics

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