Page:Early Reminiscences.djvu/76

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
48
EARLY REMINISCENCES

that had been only partially burnt, and 525 held skeletons that had not been subjected to fire. Something like six thousand objects were found. Stone implements were rare. The weapons were either of bronze or of iron, some amber and some glass beads; the iron weapons were the most abundant, but their form reproduced those of the earlier bronze weapons. Among the representations of human beings on the bronze ornaments, some wear Greek helmets, some wide-awakes, some broad-brimmed clerical hats such as are worn by Spanish priests, and some are stark naked. A good view of Hallstadt may be had in Hoerne's Die Urgeschichte des Menschen, 1892, showing the basin in which the finds were made, half concealed by a height that is surmounted by the Rudolph's Thurm, now occupied by the director of the mines, and containing a collection of the curiosities found in these prehistoric graves. In the foreground of the view are given representations of some of the objects from the necropolis.

We left Salzburg on August 23rd. "We had passed two months in the comfortable house of Herr Kurz, whom we found a most amiable man, and his wife a most kindly creature, but such a talker! We quitted these warm-hearted people with much regret, and I believe that they felt no little sorrow at our departure. Their dear little child Hedwig had also by her pretty prattle endeared herself to us all, though the poor mite had been confined with inflammation of the eyes during a great part of our stay."

To my father's indignation the parents took the child on pilgrimage to Maria Zell, and he felt quite resentful against Providence because, when they returned, her eyes were distinctly on the mend. He thought Providence behaved very badly in encouraging the superstition of the people, and ought to have known better.

From Salzburg we drove to Linz, which is 128 miles from Vienna by the Danube. We arrived early at Linz, and during the evening had ample time to see what there is to be seen in the place—which is nothing. A less interesting place, save for its distant view of the mountains, could hardly be found. My father resolved on going to Vienna in the steamboat, and accordingly engaged our places, and saw to the shipping of our carriage on deck.

My father wrote of Linz: "The fair had just concluded,