use of religious art, though
in former days the abbey of Pfeffers was of great renown. Its foundation
dates from 720, but the building as it exists to-day was only erected in
1665. The church, in part of marble, contains some good pictures. The
abbey was formerly very wealthy, and its abbot bore the title of
prince. The convent is to-day occupied by the Benedictines, to whom also
the baths belong.

From this point on, as one draws near the Lake of Constance, the Alpine
character of the topography somewhat changes.

The Lake of Constance was known to the Romans as _Brigantinus Lacus_ or
the _Lacus Rheni_. It has not so imposing a setting as many of the Swiss
or Italian lakes, but its eighteen hundred square kilometres give the
city of Constance itself an environment that most inland towns of Europe
lack. The Lake of Constance, like all of the Alpine lakes, is subject at
times to violent tempests. It is very plentifully supplied with fish,
and is famous for its pike, trout, and, above all, its fresh herring.

From Basel the Rhine flows westward under the last heights of the Jura,
and turns then to the north beneath the shelter of the Vosges, and, as
it flows by Strasburg, first begins to take on that majesty which one
usually associates with a great river.

At the confluence of the Main, after passing Speyer, Worms, and
Mannheim, the Rhine first acquires that commercialism which has made it
so important to the latter-day development of Prussia.

At the juncture of the Main and Rhine is Mayence, one of the strongest
military positions in Europe to-day. Here the Rhine hurls itself against
the slopes of the Taunus and turns abruptly again to the west,
aggrandizing itself at the same time, to a width of from five hundred to
seven hundred metres.

Shortly after it has passed the last foot-hills of the Taunus, it enters
that narrow gorge which, for a matter of 150 kilometres, has catalogued
its name and fame so brilliantly among the stock sights of the
globe-trotter.

No consideration of the economic part played by the Rhine should
overlook the two international canals which connect that river with
France through the Rhone and the Marne.

The first enters the Rhine at Strasburg, a small feeder running to
Basel, and the latter, starting at Vitry-le-Francois, joins the Marne
with the Rhine at the same place, Strasburg.

On the frontier of the former _departement_ of the Haut-Rhin, one may
view an immense horizon from t