Kelheim, backed by the forest, is on the low land at the foot of the hill on which the Befreiungshalle stands, and at the junction of the Altmühl with the Danube. Here too the Ludwig Canal which joins the Main with the Danube, reaches the latter river, thus, as it were, enislanding the town. Kelheim is an old place with remains of an old Roman tower, a castle of the Dukes of Bavaria, now used for government offices, and other visible evidences of its one-time importance. From Kelheim to Ratisbon is about twenty miles--the railway keeps fairly close to the river for most of the distance--of pleasant scenery along the winding stream. The first half of the journey is flat, the second between low hills. Opposite Kapfelberg with its limestone quarries on the left bank--whence was taken the stone of which Ratisbon cathedral and bridge are built--is the Teufelsfelsen. Shortly before reaching Abbach on the right is to be seen the memorial erected in 1794 to commemorate the making of the road along the river here. This memorial takes the form of a large tablet inscription on the rock face, with in front, on the bank raised upon massive pedestals, two large couchant lions carved in stone, “one looking into the river, the other apparently trying to make out the inscription.” Abbach itself is an attractive village amid greenery dominated by its slender-spired church, with the remains of an ancient castle--one of the “common objects” of a long Danube journey. This is Heinrichsburg, or King Henry’s Castle and is interesting as the birthplace of Henry the Second (canonized for his many benefactions to the Church) and as one of the seats of his splendour as King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor. In his age the monarch turned to the consolations of religion, in expiation it is suggested in the following lines of earlier crimes: “With guilt and grief oppressed, to soothe his pain, The leech prescribed--but he prescribed in vain. Then came the priest. ‘Arise,’ quoth he, ‘unshod In pilgrim weeds approach the house of God! There, prostrate to St. Emmeram, confess How thou hast revelled in unrighteousness-- Denied thy heart nought that thy heart could crave! And ask his help to snatch thee from the wave Of heavenly wrath! Nor grudge, if he demands Some small accession to our Abbey lands; That gift alone shall purge away thy crimes, Blessed in thy life, renowned through after times, _If for each crime one acre thou wilt pay_.’ ‘An acre! saidst thou? By our lady, nay! If thus I pay--priest! Where were my domains! Thy cowl, methinks, might cover what remains!’”