Van der Helst, and "The Night Watch," by Rembrandt. There are many others of the highest order of merit. The Fodor Museum also contains some good pictures, and the Historic Gallery of Pictures should be visited. The Old Church (Oude Kerk) has a very fine organ, considered by many connoisseurs to be equal in tone to that at Haarlem. It also contains some good painted windows. The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), built in 1408, is a remarkably handsome building. It contains a fine screen of brass, and several monuments. The New Exchange, near the Palace, is a fine structure. In the Botermarkt is a fine statue of Rembrandt. The chief branches of industry are woollen and cotton manufactures, refineries of borax, and diamond cutting. Of the two last-mentioned this city has almost a monopoly. The docks and quays are extensive, and there are pleasant promenades along the dykes, or banks of the canals, many of them shaded by fine trees.

Amsterdam now communicates with the sea by the North Holland Canal, which is 51 miles long. It has been found inadequate and a new canal is being cut directly to the sea. It will be 14 miles in length, and the cost is estimated at £2,000,000. The artificial harbour in process of construction at the northern extremity of the new canal will cover 260 acres.

[An interesting excursion may be made by steamer, leaving Amsterdam six times a day, to Zaandam (sometimes called Saardam), noted as the place where Peter the Great worked as a shipwright in 1696. The house or hut in which he lived is still standing. It was purchased by the late Queen of Holland, who, for the purpose of preserving it, caused it to be

covered by another building. The hut consists of two rooms on the ground floor, over which is a loft where Peter kept specimens of ship building. The first room on entering is the sitting room. It still contains his oak table, three chairs and the recess with folding doors which served as his bedstead. Over the chimney is the inscription, placed there by the Emperor Alexander in 1814, "Petro Magno, Alexander;" and near it is another inscription placed there by the government of Holland. Opposite the door, on an oval tablet, is a third inscription by the Emperor Alexander, which may be translated "Nothing is too small for a great man." Zaandam has 400 windmills.

The interesting village of Broek, known as the cleanest in the world, may be visited on the same day by taking a carriage at Zaandam and returning by it to Buiksloot ferry and crossing thence to Amsterdam.

Broek is a singular and beautiful village. Its streets are paved with variegated bricks and shells, and are kept in exquisite order. Carriages are not allowed to enter the town, travellers being compelled to walk through it. The houses are mostly of wood and are generally painted white or green, and are roofed with tiles of different colours. The shutters are usually closed, and the principal entrance is seldom opened except on the marriage or death of a member of the family.]

ROUTE 74.

ROTTERDAM TO UTRECHT, ARNHEM AND COLOGNE.

168 miles; 1st class, 10.25 guilders; 2nd, 6.45 guilders; 3rd, 4.78 guilders.

EAVING Rotterdam, the first place of interest is GOUDA (13 miles), (Hotels: Herthuis, Zalm), population, 15,350. It is a town with few attractions for the tourist. The church of St. John is supposed to contain nearly the finest series of stained glass windows in Europe, more than forty in number. They are the work of the brothers Dirk and Wouter Crabeth and their assistants, 1560-1603, excepting one, which was destroyed in a storm, and restored in 1655, which may readily be distinguished from the others. They mostly represent scriptural subjects. One represents the taking of Damietta by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa; another, the Last Supper, with Philip of Spain and Mary of England kneeling. There are some monuments and a good organ, of which the vox humana stop is much admired. The Hôtel de Ville was the residence of Jacqueline of Bavaria. The chief source of industry is the manufacture of bricks. Good cheeses are made in the neighbourhood.

The Rhine is connected with the Yssel and Meuse by a lock on the canal at Gouda.

We next reach WOERDEN (23 miles), only remarkable for the cruelties practised on the inhabitants by the French troops under Marshal Luxemburg, in 1672. Voltaire alludes to them.

The

next place of interest is UTRECHT (33 miles), (Hotels: Des Pays Bas, 'P Kasteel van Anterwerpen), population, 57,300. This city, called by the Romans Trajectum ad Rhenum, is situated at the confluence of the Vecht with that branch of the Rhine which passes Leiden, and which, previous to 839, was the principal course of the river. The treaty which put an end to the war of the Spanish succession, known as the Treaty of Utrecht, was signed here in 1713. From the tower of the cathedral, 321 feet in height, a beautiful view is to be had. It was erected in 1382. Part of the nave of the cathedral was destroyed by a storm in the seventeenth century, and the tower is therefore detached from the main building. The oldest part is the choir (1251-67), a beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture. The crypt and cloisters deserve notice. The University, dating from 1636, contains some collections of various scientific specimens; the anatomical series is especially interesting. The National Observatory and the Mint are established at Utrecht. The Mall is a triple avenue of lime trees, and affords a delightful promenade. The sect of the Jansenists have their stronghold at Utrecht. We now proceed through a wellwooded country and reach DRIEBERGEN (40 miles), where there is an interesting Moravian settlement, and, passing some smaller stations, next arrive at ARNHEM (68 miles), (Hotel: Belle Vue), population, 31,800. It is noted as the place where Sir Philip Sydney died of the wound received at the battle of Zutphen, 1586. The Groote Kerk contains the handsome monumental tomb of d'Egmont, Duke of Gueldres. The neighbourhood of Arnhem abounds in fine country-houses,

with parks and pleasure-grounds, many of the latter open to the public.

Soon after passing ZEVENAAR (77 miles) we cross the Prussian frontier, the first station beyond which is ELTEN (82 miles). The rail to Cologne by Cleves diverges here.

[About five miles from Elten is the town of CLEVES, (Hotels: Maiwald, Robbers), population, 8,700. This place is supposed to derive its name from the Latin word Clivum, being built upon three hills. The ancient castle of the Dukes of Cleves called the Schwanenburg ("Swan's Tower"), was the birth-place of Anne of Cleves, one of the wives of Henry VIII. The principal tower is 180 ft. high. This castle derives its name from a legend to the effect that a knight once appeared there in a vessel drawn by a swan. He married the then Duchess of Cleves, and after ten years was conveyed away by the same swan, and was seen no more. Southey wrote a poem on the subject. The old church contains some good monuments and brasses. The Prinzenhof is a fine building, and the Thiergarten affords an agreeable promenade.]

We next reach EMMERICH (87 miles), (Hotel: Royal), population, 7,550. This is a fortified town, and a place of some manufacturing importance. The Minster is a very old church, the choir and crypt dating from the eleventh century.

The next place of consequence is WESEL (1054 miles), (Hotel : Dornbusch's), population, 18,000. It is situated at the confluence of the Lippe with the Rhine, and is a powerful fortress. The Kathhaus is a fine Gothic building, erected in 1396. The trade of this town with Holland is considerable.

At OBERHAUSEN (124 miles) the railway joins that from Cologne to Hanover, Berlin, Leipsic, and other places in North Germany. There are extensive collieries and ironworks in the neighbourhood. Passing DUISBURG (129 miles), a manufacturing town of 14,000 inhabitants, and some other places, we reach

DÜSSELDORF (1444 miles), (Hotels: Europaischer Hof, Breidenbacher Hof), population, 50,000. This town is situated in the centre of a fertile district, on the right bank of the Rhine at the confluence of the Düssel with that river. It was originally strongly fortified; but after the peace of Luneville in 1801, the fortifications were demolished and promenades formed upon their site. It consists of three divisions: the Alstadt, Neustadt, and Karlstadt. Dusseldorf is considered one of the handsomest towns in Germany. The streets and squares are large and regular and the houses well built. It contains numerous churches, a synagogue, a seminary, two hospitals, a theatre, and extensive barracks. It also possesses an academy of sciences, a Catholic gymnasium, an observatory, a library and a museum. Its School of Painting is very celebrated.. Every summer, in July or August, an exhibition of paintings, by native artists, is held here. The castle contains a gallery of paintings by the most eminent masters,. and also a good collection of sketches and water-colours. Hofgarten is one of the finest public gardens in Germany. The principal manufactures are those of cloth, cashmere and tobacco. In 1806 it became the residence of the Grand Duke of Berg, and in 1815 was ceded to Prussia with the Duchy of Berg. Leaving Düsseldorf, we see, on the left,

The