1.The river Moselle，often called “The Bride of the Rhine，”is even more picturesque than the Rhine itself.It is more winding and also narrower，so thatthe voyager is nearer the beauty and quaintnes.ofits shores.Its bordering hills，although no higher thanthose along the Rhine，are at least equally impressive ；while the valleys and ravineswhich wind away betweenthem are more irregular and inviting.
2.A rowing trip down the Moselle is safe，easy，and full of pleasure.Onemay start at Metz，oreven at Nancy，but thebest point is Treves.This ancient town，so interesting by reason of its Roman ruins and its quaint oldROMAN GATEWAY，TREVES.
buildings，is reached directly from Cologne in less than six hours by railway，through a delightfully picturesque country.
3.Imagine yourself at last gliding down stream，with Treves fading into the distance as the afternoon shadows lengthen.You are at the oars，pulling with slow，evenstrokes.Your friend in the stern holds the tiller.Youare fairly under way，and already the scenes on either hand begin to interest you.Here，for instance，you passa company of German infantrybathing.They keeptheir ranks，and at signals from the bugle throw off their clothing，plunge，still in line，into the stream，and a fewmoments later emergeand dress.One wonders if theykeep their ranks and move by signal when they eat，drink，and sleep.
4.Now you pass a great foundry on the other bank.Volumes of smoke pour from its tall chimney，glowing furnaces light up its dark interior，and its distant workmen suggest to your fancy fairies working underground in some enchanted cavern.Next you float for a mile or two between green meadows，behindwhich lie villages emboweredin trees.A rude bargecrosses your course laden with peasants returning from work，and singing some evening hymn.There a group of merry girls and boys run along the nearest bank，shouting，“Englander！Englander！”
5.Presently a steamer passes you，one of the regularline from Coblentz，and its passengers look at yousmilingly.Here you come to a chain-ferry，a bargemade fast by a buoyedchain to an anchor far up inmid-stream.When the barge is pushed off，the force of the current swings it over to the other shore like a pendulum；but as the pull straightens the chain，bringing it sharply to the surface of the water between the buoys，you must be careful not to let your boat get caught by it，or you will be capsized instantly.Another sort of ferry is common.A strong wire rope extends from a tower upon one bank to a similar tower opposite.The boat，square-ended and flat-bottomed，is fastened to this cable，and is drawn across by another rope passing over a pulley.
6.By-and-by you land，stroll through a quiet village，buy some fruit，and sketch the picturesque outline ofsome old house.Perhaps you climb a neighbouring hill to gain the lovely view from its summit.Later，in some quiet cove，yon rest a while and bathe.You explore the ruins of a castle upon a height，or rest beneath some sheltering bridge while a sudden shower passes over.
7.Sometimes for miles the hillsides rise almost from the water‘s edge，and are coveredwith well-cultivated vineyards.
Now and then you pass a considerable town，and hear a band playing in the garden of its chief hotel.Charming views succeed each other swiftly，and no one who has any taste for natural beauty can fail to be continually delighted.
8.The Moselle castles are less famous than those on the Rhine，perhaps，but they are quite as picturesque and equally worth visiting.Usually they stand upon high places above the villages.The most striking castle of all is Schloss Eltz，three miles inland from the river，rising upon a knoll above the mass of foliage which fills the surrounding valley，like some great rock above the waves of the ocean.It is one of the best preserved specimens of its kind in all Germany，and many of its rooms still retain their original furnishings.
9.These are only a few of the many pleasures which such a trip affords.On reaching the Rhine at Coblentz，one finds his face browned，his muscles hardened，and his appetite become enormous.He has also learned toappreciatebetter whatever is beautiful in nature orquaint in architecture，and has been entertained andinstructed by his intercoursepeasantry.
