Round About the Carpathians

amer-Basiash-Drive to Oravicza by Weisskirchen-Ladies of O

heart, for the world was all before me, stepped on board the Rustchuk s

, and there catch up the steamer, saving fully twelve hours on the way. This time the man in a hurry is not so far wrong; the Danube between Buda-Pest and the

. You are wafted swiftly onward through pure air and sunshine; you have an armchair under the awning; of course an amusing French novel; besides, truth to say, there is plenty to amuse you

are Magyars, Germans, Servians, Croats, Roumanians, Jews, and gipsies. They are all unsatisfied people with aspirations; no two are agreed-everybody wants something els

ted, play cards, drink coffee, and smoke. There is a good opportunity of studying the latest Parisian

for though the "Danube Steam Navigation Company" have been running their boats for nearly half a century, they are in difficulties, "chiefly," says Mr Révy,[1] "from the neglect of all river improvements between Vienna and Buda-Pest, and between Basiash and Turn-Severin." He goes on to say that the dearest interests of the Austro-H

at Basiash at nine the following morning. We were fortunate in not having been

it is a dep?t for coal brought from the interior, and though

in till the evening. I did not at all enjoy the prospect of knocking about the whole day amongst coal-sheds and unfinished houses, with the alternative refuge of the inn, which was swarming with flies a

lack, for such he was, wore an enormous sheepskin cloak with the wool outside, as though ready for an Arctic winter. I followed him a few steps to see what he wanted me to look at; the movement was quite enough, he regarded it evid

nough with the carts of the country; they are long-bodied, rough constructions, wonderfully adapted to the unev

four hours. The time was one thing, but the charge was quite another affair. His demand was so outrageous that I supposed it was an implied compliment to my exalted rank: certainly it had no adequate reference to the services offered. The fellow asked enough to buy

agglers in the place assisted at the conference, taking a patriotic interest in their own countryma

ds with the public, which the interest in our proceedings had gathered about us. Presently with an air of triumph he took his seat

kable; fine scenery under the circumstances would have been quite superfluous, for the dust was two feet deep in t

e. He was not communicative to me; his knowledge of German seemed limited to the bargaining process, a lesson often repeated, I suspect. As time wore on the heat became almos

y to become towns. The houses are mostly of one story, standing each one alone, with the

d noisily over the crown of the causeway, and suddenly makin

's answer. This was my first experience of a Wallack's idea of time, if indeed

ut "small;" however, one must be somewhere, and in Hungary waiting comes a good deal into the day's work. I was rather afraid my Wallack w

children even of ten years of age, lean, mop-headed creatures, were to be seen running about absolutely naked. As Mark Twain said, "they wore nothing but a smile," but the smile was a grimace to try to extract coppers from the travell

the drive of twenty-five miles had taken eight hours

orses were dead beat, and neither the pressure of public opinion nor the sugg

he whole way, I thought the street would never end. There are very few Magyar inhabitants in this place, which is pretty equally divided between Germans and Wallacks;

s, when I came upon another group of young ladies, who were laughing and talking together. I think they grew merrier as I approached, and I am quite sure I was hotter than I had been all day. "Confound the fellow! can't he turn into an innyard-anywhere out of the main street?" thought I, giving my driver a poke. He knew perfectly well where he was about to take me, and no significant gestures of mine hastened him forward in the very least. Presently, without any

argain after all), I was at leisure to follow mine host to inspect the accommodation he had to offer me. A sanitary commissioner would have condemned it, but en voyage comme en voyage. With some difficulty and delay I procured water enough to fill the pie-dish th

garden. Seats and tables were placed under the lime-trees, and here the happy people of Oravicza enjoy their amusements

nd there, sauntering under the greenery, gay with lanterns; and many a blue-eyed maid

er quite peculiar, though favourite pieces from Wagner and other composers are also given by them with great effect. I heard on this occasion one of the gipsy airs which made an indelible impression on my mind; it seemed to me the thrilling utterance of a people's history. There was the low wail of sorrow, of troubled passionate grief, stirring the heart to restlessness, then the sense of turmoil and defeat; but u

learly marked in the distance, and in the foreground quaint gable-ends mixed themselves up with the s

I was immediately received in a very friendly manner. This accidental meeting was rather curious, for on comparing notes we found that we had been schoolfellows together at Westminster. H-- being my senior, we had not known each other well; but meeting here in the wilds, we were as old familiar frien

za, and my friend invited me to accompany him. Dancing is one of the sins I compound fo

evening I soon discovered my merry critics of yesterday. I was duly presented, and we laughed together over my "first appearance." It was one of the pleasantest evenings I ever remember. I hate long invitations to anything agreeable; this pa

f the Hungarians, favoured by prince and peasant alike. The figures are very varied, and represent the progress of a courtship where the lady is coy, and now retreats and now advances; her