While we were there, his waiting, and drinking, and hunting were nearly all brought to a sudden termination; for one night, while sitting at supper, a tremendous smell of sulphur began to pervade the apartment, and following our noses, we found that it came from a small room to which the old waiter retired between courses to indulge in a sip. By this time the smell was so strong, and on opening the door the air became so dense, that it was all we could do to drag the old fellow out. It then appeared that some visitors had given him a parcel of fire-works to put safely aside, and he had for safety placed them among matches and candle-ends, and somehow the whole had exploded.
Adjoining the inn is the bath-house, and around it a garden and promenade. Close by is a fountain, where the public drink the waters for nothing. The baths cost one shilling each, and are most delicious. The water flows through all the time you are in, and bubbles and seethes round your body: the after-effect is to freshen and strengthen the frame, while the nerves are all soothed.
The Herr Director is an old officer of engineers or artillery, and speaks excellent English. He is a man of great taste, and has laid out (at the expense of the Government) the walks and extensive grounds of the place.
All over the woods and the valleys these walks wind through the shade; and at all the best points of view are seats of wood or stone, covered with bark. Often, too, summer-houses, with roofs that will keep the showers from wetting the visitors, are met on the hills.
Bad Bertrich was well known to the Romans, who, in the fourth century, erected a bath-house and other fine buildings. Remnants of these are often turned up, and some are preserved.
In the fifteenth century these baths again became noted, but fell again into disuse; but in 1769 the last Elector of Trèves had the springs properly managed, and built the Kurhaus, which now stands.
The bathing establishment, hotel and village, are clustered together at one end of a circular valley. Precipitous cliffs shut in this beautiful valley, round which a brooklet runs singing. The cliffs are covered with forests of oak, beech, and other fine trees. The little paths that wind round them are bordered with mountain-ash, through whose red clusters of berries the green carpet which lies in the valley, with the water splashing around it, is seen.
Two eminences in the green valley are surmounted by the two churches: one is Protestant, and the other (the old one) is for Roman Catholic worship.
A pleasant little society of Germans collect at this place, and music enlivens the air; but the season is considered quite over in September, and the music then goes away.
Water to drink and water to bathe in, and plenty of fresh air and exercise, will render a stay at Bad Bertrich most pleasant; added to which there are plenty of excursions to make, plenty of pleasant walks, and objects to sketch; and wild flowers and rocks to examine; or shooting for those so inclined.