We soon reached St. Goar, lying at the feet of rocks on the western
shore, with its ramparts and fortifications spreading far along the
water, and mounting in several lines among the surrounding cliffs, so
as to have a very striking and romantic appearance. The Rhine no where,
perhaps, presents grander objects either of nature, or of art, than
in the northern perspective from St. Goar. There, expanding with a
bold sweep, the river exhibits, at one coup d'œil, on its mountainous
shores, six fortresses or towns, many of them placed in the most wild
and tremendous situations; their antient and gloomy structures giving
ideas of the sullen tyranny of former times. The height and fantastic
shapes of the rocks, upon which they are perched, or by which they are
overhung, and the width and rapidity of the river, that, unchanged by
the vicissitudes of ages and the contentions on its shores, has rolled
at their feet, while generations, that made its mountains roar, have
passed away into the silence of eternity,--these were objects, which,
combined, formed one of the sublimest scenes we had viewed.
The chief of the fortresses is that of Rhinfels, impending over St.
Goar, on the west shore, its high round tower rising above massy
buildings, that crown two rocks, of such enormous bulk and threatening
power, that, as we glided under them, it was necessary to remember
their fixed foundations, to soften the awe they inspired. Other
fortifications extend down the precipices, and margin the river, at
their base. Further on in the perspective, and where the east bank of
the Rhine makes its boldest sweep, is the very striking and singular
castle of Platz, a cluster of towers, overtopped by one of immense
height, that, perched upon the summit of a pyramidal rock, seems ready
to precipitate itself into the water below. Wherever the cliffs beneath
will admit of a footing, the sharp angles of fortifications appear.
On another rock, still further in the perspective, is the castle of
Thumberg, and, at its foot, on the edge of the water, the walled tower
of Welmick. Here the Rhine winds from the eye among heights, that close
the scene.
Nearly opposite to St. Goar, is Goarshausen, behind which the rocks
rise so suddenly, as scarcely to leave space for the town to lie
between them and the river. A flying bridge maintains a communication
between the two places, which, as well as the fortress of Rhinfels, are
under the dominion of the Prince of Hesse Cassel.
The number of fortresses here, over which Rhinfels is in every respect
paramount, seem to be the less necessary, because the river itself,
suddenly swoln by many streams and vexed by hidden rocks, is a sort
of natural fortification to both shores, a very little resistance
from either of which must render it impassable. Whether the water
has a subterraneous passage from Bingen hither or not,--there are
occasionally agitations in this part, which confound the skill of
naturalists; and the river is universally allowed to have a fall. Near
St. Goar, a sudden gust of wind, assisted by the current, rendered our
boat so unmanageable, that, in spite of its heaviness and of all the
efforts of the watermen, it was whirled round, and nearly forced upon
the opposite bank to that, on which they would have directed it.
St. Goar is a place of great antiquity. A dispute about the etymology
of its name is remarkable for the ludicrous contrariety of the two
opinions. One author maintains, that it is derived from an hermit
named Goar, who, in the sixth century, built a small chapel here.
Another supposes that Gewerb, the name of a neighbouring fall in the
Rhine, has been corrupted to Gewer, and thence to Goar; after which,
considering that there is an island called _Sand_ in the river, and
that a great quantity of that material is hereabouts thrown up, he
finds the two words combine very satisfactorily into a likeness of the
present denomination. The former opinion is, however, promoted by this
circumstance, which the advocates of the latter may complain of as a
partiality, that a statue of St. Goar is actually to be seen in the
great church, founded in 1440; and that, notwithstanding the robberies
and violences committed in the church by a Spanish army, the following
inscription is still entire:
S. GOAR
MONACHUS GALLUS
OBIIT 611.
St. Goar is one of the largest places we had yet passed, and has a
considerable share of the commerce carried on by the Rhine. Having
in time of war a numerous garrison, and being a little resorted to
on account of its romantic situation, it has an air of somewhat more
animation than might be expected, mingling with the gloom of its walls,
and the appearance of decay, which it has in common with other German
towns. We were here required to pay the fifth toll from Mentz, and
were visited by a Hessian serjeant, who demanded, that our names and
condition should be written in his book. These being given, not in the
Saxon, but the Roman character, he returned to require another edition
of them in German; so that his officer was probably unable to read any
other language, or characters. This being complied with, it seemed,
that the noble garrison of St. Goar had no further fears concerning us,
and we were not troubled by more of the precautions used,
"Lest foul invasion in disguise approach."
The fortress of Rhinfels, which commands St. Goar, is frequently
mentioned in the histories of German wars. In the year 1255 it endured
forty assaults of an army, combined from sixty towns on the Rhine. In
1692, the French General Tallard besieged it in vain, retreating with
the loss of four thousand men, and nearly two hundred officers; but,
in 1758, the Marquis de Castries surprised it with so much ingenuity
and vigour, that not a life was lost, and it remained in possession of
the French till 1763, when it was restored by the treaty of peace.