I spent the morning in our room writing, but, after dinner, we took the train to the Steinerne Renne where we arrived at 3:15. We had to ascend a pretty steep path through beautiful pine woods.

The last quarter-hour was especially steep and rocky, walking along a narrow pass which was quite an undertaking for Mama, but she was in good condition, however, and, after about one hour and a half, we reached the summit where we sat in a restaurant around a big flat rock which served as a table, and we all enjoyed a cup of hot coffee.

The scenery was very romantic, the mountain brook Holzenne rushing down over and past immense rocks in a narrow gorge. The slopes on each side are strewn with immense boulders and altogether it is very picturesque.

The descent along the pretty stream was much easier after the rocky path had been passed, and we reached the R.R. station in time for the 6:20 train. Here a gentleman stepped up to me and asked me whether I did not recognize him, and I had to confess that I did not. He proved to be the Engineer of the Barbarossa, the steamer on which we crossed, and, of course, I was much pleased to meet someone from the good old steamer.

He told me that they are laid up for three months and that they will make their first trip on Oct. 14th (my birthday), so we may leave on the day if we can get a good cabin.

We spent the evening packing, and the ladies did some washing and ironing and went to bed at one o’clock in the morning.