SWINEMUNDE, PRUSSIA, _Sept. 20, 1858_.
In my last communication from Denmark, space did not permit a
description of many objects of attraction in and about Copenhagen,
which might afford pleasure and information to the tourists, most of
whom, however, wend their way to the south of Europe.
The celebrated Danish sculptor, Thorwaldsen, left his fortune for
the founding of a museum, in the court of which repose his remains,
surrounded by the models and many of the originals of all his great
works of art. The government collections of antiquity, from the
earliest occupation of the country, when hatchets and weapons of
stone were only known, marking the various periods of civilization,
and improvements from wood and stone to iron and steel, are of great
interest.
The visitor can form a pretty accurate idea of Iceland, Lapland, and
Greenland life from the many objects of costume, boats, sledges drawn
by dogs, &c., in use in those countries. The suburbs of the city abound
with beautiful gardens, and places of public resort for concerts,
summer theatres, and amusements for the masses, who flock thither on
festival occasions. The now gay appearance of the city, and the air of
comfort among the people, struck me favorably, having seen them first
during the Schleswig-Holstein war, under disadvantageous circumstances.
By steamer I came to this place, from which I write, lying upon the
island of Usedom, about fifty miles from Stettin, upon the river Oder.
It is a harbor, bath, and garrison city of five thousand inhabitants.
The abolition of the Sound duties has proved of great advantage to
Stettin, to this place, and indeed to all the Prussian ports of the
Baltic. They should thank our government for the initiative measures in
the matter. Denmark felt aggrieved, without doubt, at our obstinacy,
but eventually it will probably be for her interest, as the revenue
fund, the respective sums contributed by different powers, will perhaps
quite equal the former receipts, particularly after passing through the
hands of many office-holders.
The communication daily between this place and Stettin, up the river,
the departure and arrival of sailing vessels, steamers for Sweden,
Denmark, and Russia, gives an additional interest to bath guests,
whose numbers amount to perhaps a thousand at some periods of the
season. The bath-houses for both sexes lie about a mile from the
town, upon a beautiful sandy beach, and are reached by shady walks
for those on foot, or by good carriage roads. The excursions are by
steamer to the island of Rugen; by carriage to another bath called
Herrings Dorf, prettily situated among leafy groves, with a delightful
and invigorating salt atmosphere. A village of fishermen is found in
the vicinity, who furnish a good supply of the eatables of the briny
sea. The weather is still mild, the water sufficiently warm, and the
baths are considered serviceable until the first of next month. It
being however late, the majority of the guests have departed, leaving
the theatre players with a light audience, and the weekly balls
thinly attended. The house owners can repose for the winter upon the
summer harvest, until spring, when the whitewashing, painting, and
little flower gardens must be looked after, and made as attractive as
possible, to the eye of the tenant.
The new fortifications here are of remarkable strength and beauty,
effectually protecting the narrow entrance to the harbor. The brick
lighthouse, two hundred feet in height, ascended by a spiral staircase
of three hundred steps, is provided with the French Reflectors, and
can be seen for many miles. A view from the top over the sea, the
river, and the surrounding country, well repays the climber. Our worthy
German vice-consul, Herr Krouse, and his excellent family, have offered
civilities tending to make my sojourn very agreeable. The soil is
sandy, the streets unpaved, and in some respects I am reminded of Cape
May; but an excursion a few miles brings one to dense pine forests,
then to fertile pasture fields, where fine crops of hay have been
gathered; then come turf meadows, with inexhaustible quantities of
fuel, which, strange to say, after being dug over a few years is found
to be renewed. These belong to the Crown, that leases them out for a
term, for extracting or cutting, and derives a large revenue therefrom.
Then we ascend a high hill covered with beech trees, affording an
extensive and enchanting view of the neighboring country. At one point
some four thousand acres of land are covered with water, or shallow
lake, which is in process of being reclaimed, or pumped out, after the
system of Holland. Altogether, the country has attractions for one
accustomed to sights where nature is more lavish of her gifts; but
those from the flat lands of the north of the kingdom, who smell salt
water for the first time, are quite in raptures, and chant the praises
of the baths of Prussia’s most prominent watering-place.
On inquiry I find the laboring classes are better paid here, as is the
case in most sea-ports, than they are in the interior. In Denmark the
condition of that class seems easier, and there are less dispositions
to emigrate. The female portion of some parts of Germany are the most
entitled to sympathy. They are made slaves and beasts of burden, and
ill paid for their services. Even in hotels where the wirt, or master,
taxes in his bill eight silben groschen (or twenty cents per day) for
service, not including the _porter_ or _boots_, the poor domestics
get in many cases only twenty-four thalers (or eighteen dollars) per
year, and where the good will of the traveller makes a donation in many
cases it is extorted from them under penalty of dismissal. More would
emigrate if they had the means to get away, and would be industrious
and valuable citizens in any country. The tender feelings of Europe,
through incendiary works and pamphlets, have been so excited that, as
Americans, we are called upon to rebut the charges of inconsistency
of slave-holding under our republican system, as if _we_ at the north
were responsible for the south, and can only reply that millions on
the continent might well envy the well-fed negroes upon southern
plantations.
It is to be regretted that our laws are so lax in the punishment of
crime, and that so many high-handed examples of public outrage occur,
all of which are portrayed in glowing colors in the European journals.