CHAPTER I.

THE BLACK FOREST. — ITS HEIGHIS AND VALLEYS. — RIVERS AND LAKES. — FORESTS. — RAFTING. — MINES. — THE POPULATION AND THF.IR RESOURCES. — GLASS-WORKS AND TRADE. — MANUFACTURF. OF WOODEN CLOCKS AND STRAW-HATS. — AGRICULTURE.

Thr Black Forest ( Schtcanwald) in whicli Wildbad re- poses, is the natural stronghold of south-western Germany. Beginning on the right bank of the Rliine in the neighbour- hood of Basic and running in a northeastern direction for a distance of about 120 miles, it extends over a surface of ninety-tvvo german square miles between the extreme points ofBlomberg, Seckingen, Basle, Pforzheim, and Weilderstadt. The name under whicli it goes at present, is of comparatively a recent origin, being taken from the dark aspect of its pine- clad hills. The ancient Gprmans possessed for it but the general term of Hart, whicli means a wooded lieight; from tliis expression the Romans, when they conquercd this part of Germany, derived their term of Silva marciana, or hereynia- Tliose prudent invaders early found out the Strategie im- portance of tliese niountains; they encircled tliem with a continuous chain of watch-towers and fortifications, at the same time inter-connecting their several camps by magnifi- cent lines of highroads, drawn over heights and through valleys along all the more important rivers. Thus we find

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