This cathedral is remarkable for the numerous allegorical figures about it, intended to expose the licentious and crafty characters of the Monks of former times. We had the works of the renowned clock, once one of the wonders of Europe, laid open to us, and which describes the various revolutions of the heavenly bodies. On our return, we found a military parade in the _place_ where our hotel stood, the band of which played a variety of fine airs. On inquiring respecting conveyances down the Rhine, they informed us, that the Coche d’Eau, which only goes once a week, had unfortunately set out the morning of our arrival; and as the diligence goes but twice a week (on Mondays and Thursdays) we lost no time in securing our places for the morrow, as far as Spire, being led to hope that we should find water conveyance, from that place to Mayence. We might indeed have gone down the river in a trading boat, numbers of which are frequently going from, or passing by Strasburg; but the accommodations are not to be depended upon, and there was some uncertainty in their arrival and departure. In the evening, after securing our places, we walked into the public gardens, from whence a balloon was sent off, and which was constructed in the shape of a wine cask, with a Bacchus astride it. This was succeeded by a display of fire-works, with music and dancing. CHAP. XXVIII. STRASBURG TO COBLENTZ. We left Strasburg at half after six in the morning still in company with our former French companion. In addition, we had, in our diligence, two elderly French ladies, who were very chatty and agreeable; they quitted us, however, in the afternoon, when in lieu of them, we took in a very nice young woman going to her husband at Gemmingen; and a merchant’s clerk, who had previously been occupying the cabriolet. At eight in the evening we arrived at Landau, were we slept at a most comfortable inn. The whole of the next day was alternately fine and showery. When we had travelled two leagues from Landau, the spring of the carriage broke down, and detained us two hours. We noticed that the wife of the blacksmith, who repaired it, assisted her husband throughout the process, and appeared even the more dexterous of the two. On entering Gemmingen, however, their work gave way, and we were in consequence detained two hours longer; even this afterwards broke out again, but fortunately just as we reached the end of our journey. These delays were mortifying enough, as we did not reach Spire until three in the afternoon, instead of nine o’clock in the morning, as we had expected.