The most remarkable mountain in Lower Austria is Schneeberg (snowy mountain), which is distinct ly seen from the ramparts of all elevated points of Vienna every clear day. Its height is not very con siderable when compared with that of many. other -mountains pertaining to the range of which it forms a part, being only 5200 English feet above the Danube at Vienna, or 6000 above the level of the Mediterranean ; but being insulated, almost always covered with snow near the summit, and of a beauti ful and majestic contour, it strikes a stranger more than any other mountain in the duchy.
The points, however, from which the traveller, who loves magnificence in natural scenery, ought to take a view of the Austrian mountains, are the fol lowing. • 1. The bridge over the Trasen, a little to the east ward of the town of St Polten, nearly SO English miles to the west of Vienna.
2. The rampart, or what is so called, of the town of Ens, a little to the north-east of the square, or market-place.
3. The summit of a pretty high hill, which rises from the eastern bank of the Gmunden Lake, about four miles to the southward of the beautiful and ro mantic town of Gmunden, in Upper Austria.
It is impossible to conceive any thing finer in moun tain scenery than these points exhibit. They defy the power of language to do The lake of Ginunden, just mentioned, with the fine river Traun running through it, and the two charming towns of Gmunden and Ebsdorf at each'end, about twerve miles distant from one another, is much fre quented by Austrian travellers, both by reason of the scenery of its banks, which is variegated and strikingly picturesque, and also on account of the salt springs and salt manufactures, which are found there. From this lake, And its vicinity, Austria is supplied with salt to the value of 4.00,000 pounds per annum. The Wolf-gang, the Aber, the Hall statter, and many other lakes of inferior note, are the boast of the Upper Austrians, and unquestionably afford as fine and varied landscapes as any in Ger many. Therall abound in trout, (there called florel len) pike, (hecht), and a variety of other fishes, of which the natives are excessively fond ; and they greatly facilitate the carriage_of wood to the salt pans, and of all sorts of commodities to the numerous population which dwells along their shores. Let not the traveller who visits them and Upper Austria trust to any map of this country hitherto published, not even to Kinderlin's, who pretends to have drawn his from actual observation and real survey. They
arc all absurdly wrong and false, and will infallibly mislead any one who depends upon them. The best map is Chauchard's, and yet it is also extremely de. ficient with regard to this 'rarely frequented, and yet interesting, portion of Germany.
'Besides which rolls in' great and rapid 'majesty through the heart of the whole duchy, se veral other rivers of considerable size, and which -would be called large in Britain, enrich and adorn 'the Austrian circle. Of these the principal run from the southward, such as the Traun, the Ens, Ips, Tra sen, &c. and are studded with rich and flourishing towns or villages 'on their banks. Wooden bridges are generally used, but they are well contrived, strongly built, and perfectly safe. Vast quantities of timber are floated down these rivers annually from the higher country forests, for fuel to the inhabitants of the Champaign districts. The carriage and pre paration of this fuel yields employment during win ter and spring to one fourth of the population. The -Austrian rivers vary greatly in colour, not only from one another, according to the nature of the channels in which they run, but also from themselves at dif ferent seasons of the year. The Danube alone re tains a yellow colour all the year round. No green •can be more lively•or beautiful than the waters of the Traun and Ens, until they begin to be affected by the autumnal rains. Near their sources, amidst high -mountains, of from six to seven 'thousand feet above the level of the Danube, their waters are always green, and impregnated with fine particles of schistose .and calcareous sand, which are supposed, in those exalted regions, to produce the swellings of the glands of the neck, which are here so common, and in Switzerland, as well as in Austria, are called •ropre, in France goitres. We met with some fami lies in the higher vallies, who observed the constant custom of boiling the water, and allowing it to sub side and to deposit this sand for many hours before they drank of it. This precaution they allege to be perfectly necessary, and also effectual in prevent ing the swelling and deformity in question.