s fortress. They were
stopped a few minutes at the bridge, by a steamer going through. There
was a large company of soldiers stopped too, part of the garrison of
Ehrenbreitstein that had been over to attend a parade on the public
square at Coblenz, and were now going home, so that Rollo was not sorry
for the detention, as it gave him a fine opportunity to see the
soldiers, and to examine the Prussian uniform. It consisted of a blue
frock coat and white trousers, with an elegant brass-mounted helmet for
a cap.

The way up to the castle was by a long and winding road, built up
artificially on arches of solid masonry. This road was every where
overlooked by walls, with portholes and embrasures for cannon, and all
along it, at short distances, were immense gateways exceedingly massive
and strong, which could all be shut in time of siege. When Mr. George
and Rollo reached the top of the castle, they found a great esplanade
there, surrounded with buildings for barracks, and for the storing of
arms and provisions. The view from this esplanade was magnificent
beyond description. You could see far up and down the River Rhine, and
far _up_ the Moselle, while all Coblenz, and the two bridges, and the
town below the castle, and three other immense forts that stood on the
other side of the river, were directly beneath.

Rollo went into some of the barracks, and also up to the top of the
buildings. The buildings were all arched over above, and covered with
earth ten feet deep, with grass growing on the top. The men were mowing
this grass when Mr. George and Rollo were there. The object of this
earth on the roofs of the buildings is to prevent the bombshells of the
enemy from breaking down through the roofs and killing the men.

On the afternoon of the same day that Mr. George and Rollo visited
Ehrenbreitstein, they went up the river a few miles in a boat to see a
smaller castle, which has been repaired and changed into a private
residence. The name of it is Stoltzenfels. They rode up the mountain
that this castle was built upon on donkeys. The road was very good, but
the place was so steep that it was necessary to make it twist and turn,
in winding its way up, in the most extraordinary manner. In one place it
actually went over itself by an arched bridge thrown across the ravine.
In fact, this path was just like a corkscrew.

Rollo was exceedingly delighted with the castle of Stoltzenfels. A man
who was there conducted him and hi