CHAPTER II.

THE RIVER ENZ. — WILDBAß. — ITS EXTERNAL APPEARANCE. — HISTORY. — SOCIAL AND LITERARY RESOURCES. — CL1MATE AND STATE OF HEALTH.

FirreBN miles sonth of WiliVbad, on a wild mountain lieight, more tlian two thousand feet above thc sea-level, a small rivulet rises to the light of day from amidst dark moss-grown rocks, likc an cnchanted princess stroggling to get free from the grasp of her giant keepers. Joyously the hardy daughter of the forest bounds away from the place of her long thraldom. They arc trying to stop her by a lake they have thrown into her way, but boldly she plunges in and quickly rises again on the opposite banks. Thence she sallies fortb to the bright world below, of which the Mummele of the lake has told her many a won- drous tale. Down she rushes merrily witli the exuberant spirit of youth, and, though at times she plays with the peb- bles in her bed, or mischievously drags along somc stem that Iazily dozes on her border, yet she never stops, but on she goes, winding her way through opposing rocks or leaping precipices with the agility of a yonng fawn. Sometimes indeed she wants to ask the way from the tall pines at the road-side, but those solemn wise-acres are shaking