From Vienna to Prague, we paid 10 fl. 10 kr.
from Stockerau to Prague, without reckoning expense of omnibus and
railway. It was certainly a dearly-bought half-hour. {3}
The little town of Znaim, with its neighbouring convent, is situated
on a large plain, extending from Vienna to Budwitz, seventeen miles
beyond Znaim; the monotony of the view is only broken here and there
by low hills.
Near Schelletau the scenery begins to improve. On the left the view
is bounded by a range of high hills, with a ruined castle,
suggestive of tragical tales of centuries gone by. Fir and pine
forests skirt the road, and lie scattered in picturesque groups over
hill and dale.
April 11th.
Yesterday the weather had already begun to be ungracious to us. At
Znaim we found the valleys still partly covered with snow, and the
fog was at times so thick, that we could not see a hundred paces in
advance; but to-day it was incomparably worse. The mist resolved
itself into a mild rain, which, however, lost so much of its
mildness as we passed from station to station, that every thing
around us was soon under water. But not only did we ride through
water, we were obliged to sit in it also. The roof of our carriage
threatened to become a perfect sieve, and the rain poured steadily
in. Had there been room for such a proceeding, we should all have
unfurled our umbrellas.
On occasions like these, I always silently admire the patience of my
worthy countrymen, who take every thing so good-humouredly. Were I
a man, I should pursue a different plan, and should certainly not
fail to complain of such carelessness. But as a woman, I must hold
my peace; people would only rail at my sex, and call it ill-
humoured. Besides, I thanked my guardian-angel for these
discomforts, looking upon them as a preparation for what was to
befall me in the far North.
Passing several small towns and villages, we at length entered the
Bohemian territory, close behind Iglau. The first town which we saw
was Czaslau, with its large open square, and a few neat houses; the
latter provided with so-called arbours (or verandahs), which enable
one to pass round the square dry-footed, even in the most rainy
weather.
Journeying onwards, we noticed the fine cathedral and town of
Kuttenberg, once famous for its gold and silver mines. {4} Next
comes the great tobacco-manufactory of Sedlitz, near which we first
see the Elbe, but only for a short time, as it soon takes another
direction. Passing the small town of Collin, we are whirled close
by the battle-field where, in the year 1757, the great King
Frederick paid his score to the Austrians. An obelisk, erected a
few years since to the memory of General Daun, occupies a small
eminence on the right. On the left is the plain of Klephorcz, where
the Austrian army was drawn up.
