Chapter I: Preface: To the

SECOND EDITION.

Since the first edition of this work was published several gentlemen have called upon me, to inquire whether the navigation by steam has been yet completed from Presburg to Constantinople. It may be useful, therefore, here to state that the steam-boats do not yet regularly proceed further down the Danube than Galacz. The vessel intended to carry on the intercourse from that place to the Bosphorus, had been fitted out, and despatched from Trieste last autumn. But in the mean time, the object which the Danube company had in view, was frustrated by some means that have not yet been explained; and the vessel in question is now employed as a packet between Constantinople and Smyrna.

My own opinion is, that the Russian government has refused permission for the steam-boats of the Danube company to pass through any of the embouchures of that river into the Black Sea. The whole delta of the river became exclusively Russian, under the treaty of Adrianople; and I am informed that military pontons have been recently established across the navigable mouths of the Danube, with a view to prevent vessels of any description from entering the Black Sea in that quarter, without a passport from the Russian authorities.

The traveller, however, who wishes to become acquainted with the most interesting parts of the Danube, navigable by the steam-boats, will have no cause to regret this strange proceeding on the part of the Russian government. The banks of that magnificent river are wholly devoid of interest below Vidin. Its beauties commence at Belgrade; and from Moldava to Gladova, those wild and sublime scenes occur, which I have attempted to describe in the following pages.

I trust, at the same time, that before many months elapse, the Austrian and Russian sovereigns will come to an understanding in favour of the free navigation of the Danube and the Black Sea, as originally contemplated by the company.

M. J. Q.

_September 10, 1835._

CONTENTS TO VOL. I

PAGE
CHAPTER I.

Arrival at Pesth--Embarkation on board the steam-boat--Congress of Hungarian ladies--General appearance of Pesth--Buda--Mills on the Danube--Fruit-boats--Wool-waggons--Wicker carriages--Captain Cozier--Scene on board--Tyrolese emigrants--Tyrolese amusements--Countess N—— —Moldavian adventurer--Servian Jew--Depression of the Danube 1

CHAPTER II.

Dinner--Languages of the party--English groom--State of the neighbourhood of Tolna--System of landowners--English farmers in requisition--Arrival at Tolna--Battle with dogs--Search for a bed--Billiards--Cottage delights--Night scene--Hungarian politics--Group of peasants--Wood-boats--Village of Mohacs--Costume of the natives--Appearance of the streets--Industry of women--Hungarian ladies and their maids 22

CHAPTER III.

Steam-boat aground--Tyrolese melodies--Night scene--“Hanger on”--Auction at cards--Knave of clubs game--How to float a steamer--Military valet--Kamenitz--Odescalchi convent--Parting game--Kissing--Neusatz--Carlovitz--Semlin--Greek church--Plague at Constantinople--Belgrade--Semendria--Magnificent expanse of the Danube--Islands of enchantment--Sunset--Spirits of the Danube 43

CHAPTER IV.

Windings of the Danube--Civility of the Moldavian--Arrival at Moldava--Arrangements for voyage to Orsova--A Wallachian beauty--Flock of geese--Ditto of children--Woodmen--Commencement of mountain chain--Rustic sounds--Peasantry--Removal to fishing-boat--Our equipment--Accusation of robbery--Haunt of Wallachian brigands--Romantic gorge--Caverns 67

CHAPTER V.

Pastoral scene--Echoes--Picture of laziness--Rapids of the Danube--Miller and his men--Pedestrian excursion--Wallachian shepherdesses--Dancing boors--Scene at Swinich--Priest of the parish--The governor--George Dewar--Contest between the priest and the poet--Supper--Musical treat--The Moldavian--Sketch of the inn room--Hospitable invitation--Triple-bedded room--Latin harangue 85

CHAPTER VI.

Domestic arrangements--Count Szechenyi--Milanosch--Works on the Danube--Picture of industry--Auberge--Vedran’s cave--Rocky scenery--Arrival at Orsova--My chamber and its ornaments--Bedroom utensils--Hungarian civilization--Quarantine adventure--Dinner at Count Szechenyi’s--Plans for the navigation of the Danube--Origin of the enterprise 107

CHAPTER VII.

Hungarian reforms--Security of property--Orders of nobility-- Advantages of steam navigation--Reformers--Auxiliary improvements-- Club-house--Newspaper--System of Entails--Censorship--Sybaritism-- The Count’s pursuits--Hungarian language--Verses on the vintage 130

CHAPTER VIII.

First appearance of Wallachia--The Iron Door--Trajan’s road--Reform of the Hungarian representation--Corporations--Finances--Education-- Justice--Wallachian Gladova--Servian Gladova--Trajan’s bridge-- Navigable stations on the Danube--Wonders of steam--Speech of Prince Milosch--Neighbourhood of Gladova--Wallachian hut--Matrimonial speculation--Tea-drinking--Music--Charms of procrastination-- Departure from Gladova--Bends in the Danube--Approach to Vidin-- Magnate’s costume--Visit to Hussein Pacha--The pacha’s deputy--An interpreter--Explanations--Pleasures of disguise 142

CHAPTER IX.

Hussein Pacha--Hussein’s son--Group at the interview--Commencement of conversation--Conversation prolonged--Steam expedition--Cool reception--Pacha’s harem--Wallachia and Moldavia--Treaty of Adrianople--Silistria--Boat aground--New delays--Zantiote boat-- Adventurous changes--Separation--Ionian luxuries--A grave mistake 177

CHAPTER X.

Zitara Palanka--Turkish hospitality--Interior of a caffiné-- Mahometan devotee--Orisons--Race of Tartars--Social variety-- Turkish khan--The nargillé--Supper--Woman--Seclusion of the sex-- Eating in the dark--Visiters astonished--A general invasion-- Return to the boat--New acquaintances--Nicopoli--Night scene 196

CHAPTER XI.

Sistow--A delusion--New friends--Good fortune--Greek civility-- Wallachian merchants--Supper--Amicable discussion--Gil Blas-- Wallachian ambition--Chief of the Tartars--Striking a bargain-- Equestrian preparations--Greek _v._ Greek--Shops of Rutschuk-- Valley of Repose--Bulgarian peasants--Gipsies--Going astray-- Cogitations--Resolutions--Bulgarian girls--An alarm 219

CHAPTER XII.

A boorish group--Night quarters of a caravan--Shumla--An intrusion--An angry Turk--Balkan roads--Difficulties of the way-- Forests of Hæmus--Banditti--Terrors--Descent of the Balkans-- Dinner--Karnabat--Gipsies--Catching a Tartar--A fiery bedroom-- A decent khan--Supper 244

CHAPTER XIII.

My companions--Kind attentions--Famine--Annihilation of a Fowl-- Living upon nothing--Disturbance--Still life--Consternation--A desolate town--Turks at prayers--Dinner--Alarming rumours--Chorlu-- The sea of Marmora--Silivria--Street scene--A factotum--News of the day--Tartar generosity--Negotiations 264

CHAPTER XIV.

A white cock--Russian agency--Specimen of cookery--Dining in state--Departure from Silivria--Mahometan causeway--Perilous roads--Knowing horses--First view of Constantinople--Advantages of its position--Extent of its capabilities--An abstracted goose-- Entrance of the capital--Pera--Vitali’s hotel--The plague-- Character of the malady--Armenian funeral--Associations--Funeral of a Greek 285

APPENDIX A.

Treaty of Alliance concluded between Russia and Turkey on the 8th of July, 1833 303

APPENDIX B.

Treaty between Russia and Turkey, concluded at St. Petersburg, by Achmet Pacha, on the 29th of January, 1834 308

LIST OF PLATES.

PAGE
FRONTISPIECE, Vol. I. PESTH

BUDA AND PESTH 6

KAMENITZ 52

PETERWARDEIN 54

NEUSATZ 56

SEMLIN 58

BELGRADE 61

THE AUTHOR’S ROUTE FROM PESTH TO RUTSCHUK 220

FRONTISPIECE, Vol. II. TOWING BOATS ON THE DANUBE