t of those same years. The exact
date, the figure, circumstances of it were, most likely, never written
anywhere but on Conrad's own brain, and are now rubbed out forevermore;
but the event itself is certain; and of the highest concernment to this
Narrative. Somewhere about the year 1170, likeliest a few years before
that, [Rentsch, _Brandenburgischer Ceder-Hein_ (Baireuth, 1682), pp.
273-276.--See also Johann Ulrich Pregitzern, _Teutscher Regierungs-und
Ehren-Spiegel, vorbildend &c. des Hauses Hohenzollern_ (Berlin, 1703),
pp. 90-93. A learned and painful Book: by a Tubingen Professor, who
is deeply read in the old Histories, and gives Portraits and other
Engravings of some value.] this Conrad, riding down from Hohenzoliern,
probably with no great stock of luggage about, him,--little dreams of
being connected with Brandenburg on the other side of the world; but IS
unconsciously more so than any other of the then sons of Adam. He is
the lineal ancestor, twentieth in direct ascent, of the little Boy
now sleeping in his cradle at Berlin; let him wait till nineteen
generations, valiantly like Conrad, have done their part, and gone out,
Conrad will find he is come to this! A man's destiny is strange always;
and never wants for miracles, or will want, though it sometimes may for
eyes to discern them.

Hohenzollern lies far south in SCHWABEN (Suabia), on the sunward slope
of the Rauhe-Alp Country; no great way north from Constance and its
Lake; but well aloft, near the springs of the Danube; its back leaning
on the Black Forest; it is perhaps definable as the southern summit of
that same huge old Hercynian Wood, which is still called the SCHWARZWALD
(Black Forest), though now comparatively bare of trees. ["There are
still considerable spottings of wood (pine mainly, and 'black' enough);
HOLZ-HANDEL (timber-trade) still a considerable branch of business
there;--and on the streams of the country are cunning contrivances
noticeable, for floating down the article into the Neckar river, and
thence into the Rhine and to Holland." (_Tourist's Note._)] Fanciful
Dryasdust, doing a little etymology, will tell you the name ZOLLERN is
equivalent to TOLLERY or Place of Tolls. Whereby HOHENZOLLERN comes to
mean the HIGH or Upper TOLLERY;--and gives one the notion of antique
pedlers climbing painfully, out of Italy and the Swiss valleys, thus
far; unstrapping their pack-horses here, and chaffering in unknown
dialect about TOLL. Poor souls;-