CHAPTER IV.

Descriptive sketches of Servia-Roads-Turkish fortressesRoute from Belgrade to Widin-Semendria-Singular fountain at Goulebatz-Mount Mirotsch-Splendid prospect-Austrian commerce-Hints to merchants-Swineherds in Servia-Value of pigs-Mineral wealth of Servia-Agriculture -Productions-Traits and characteristics of the inhabitants.

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As we do not intend this work as a guide-book to the tourist; a lengthened description of all the little towns, villages, mountains, valleys and plains we visited during our excursions in Servia, would neither interest the reader nor bring him acquainted with the country and its inhabitants, since their customs, manners and habits are everywhere the same. we see no populous, wealthy city with its churches and galleries of paintings and sculpture; no large, industrious town, with its enterprizing inhabitants engaged in the strife and turmoil of civilized life. In a word, this is a country, with few exceptions, that bears all the marks of one recently discovered; even the roads, when we find them, appear to have been newly made,

since those of ancient date lie hidden from view by the grass and herbage of centuries. All the little towns, villages and hamlets we pass through are mere huts, slightly constructed on the ruins of those consumed by the de devastating fury of the Turkish troops, when the fanatic zealot of Islamism, and the equally fanatic zealot of a purer faith were engaged in their horrid and deadly strife. It is true there are the ruins, misnamed fortresses to assert the antiquity of the country, and to tell by their battered walls and crumbling towers the fearful tale, that here the hand of man has been raised, with murderous intent, against his fellow man. The Turks still occupy these ruined fortresses, the sole relic of their power, the sole evidence that they still retain a hold on the country, as a guarantee for the faithful payment of its tribute to the Sultan-delusive hope! any sudden outbreak among the warrior population of this principality, and their tenure would terminate; for, shut out from all communication with the adjoining provinces, that still acknowledge the rule of the Sultan, their garrisons must capitulate immediately, or be starved out in a few weeks.

The route from Belgrade to Alexinitz, the frontier town of Bulgaria, is practicable for a carriage, but even this is impassable except in fine weather. I found another road of the same description from Belgrade to Bosnia through Chabats. Bad as these roads are, at least they are a proof that civilization has commenced. Several others are in progress, intended to intersect the principality in different directions; but as the good

Servians, however much they may excel as warriors, are sadly deficient in the railroad energy that characterizes the inhabitants of Western Europe, we fear, if left to their own resources and exertions, the present generation will not witness the completion of a work so necessary to the commercial prosperity of a country.

One of the most interesting tours I made in these provinces, was from Belgrade to Widin, during which the traveller is everywhere presented with a succession of the most splendid vistas. The country, bold and mountainous, is broken into tiny valleys and deep defiles, through which several fine rivers-the Morava, the Jisara, the Timok, and other minor streams—are seen rolling on to the mighty Danube. The frontier, towards Bulgaria, in Turkey, offers many formidable points of natural defence, very valuable to the Servian, if the Turks should, at any future time, attempt an invasion.

Semendria, or, as the Servians call it, Smederevo, is the most considerable town we meet with during our route it probably contains eight hundred houses. The next to this in importance is Pojerevatz, and where it has been found impracticable to carry the road along the shelving banks of the Danube, it is conveyed across several heights of considerable elevation, impassable for any description of carriage. At Goulebatz we find a very singular fountain, which ebbs and flows every six hours-a natural time-piece, by which the peasants note the hours of the day.

Near this fountain is the splendid castellated ruin of

the same name, erected on a precipitous rock of fearful height, and composed of eight ruined towers, joined together by curtained walls. Several inscriptions, in the Turkish language, record that it had been more than once put in repair by that people, and served them as a position of defence. It was taken and re-taken alternately by the Hungarians, the Servians, and the Turks, and ultimately fell into the hands of the latter, about the year 1427. In the walls and outer defences may be discovered numerous points of arrows, proving it to have existed as a fortress before the invention of cannon. One of its lofty towers bears the name of the Empress Helena, who, it is presumed, was imprisoned here.

The road now passes over the precipitous sides of a mountain upwards of two thousand feet in height; here commences the splendid defile of the Danube. Further on, we come to Dobra (the good), with its ancient fortifications and extensive caverns. After this, we soon arrive at the rocks of Donie Demir-capi, which is more generally known, as the iron gate of the Danube. This is succeeded by the fine old castle, Milanowitz.

After passing this ruin, the road is carried across Mount Mirotsch to Berza-Palanka, Negotin, and Widin. From the lofty summit of this mountain-road, the traveller sees spread before him, as if in a map, one of the most picturesque landscapes in Servia, everchanging, ever-varying, as he advances, from the deep defile and verdant valley, to the rugged rock and lofty

precipice. Mountains are seen covered to their summit with the dense forest, tiny plains and dells, each watered with its own limpid stream, occasionally falling in a cascade from the precipitous sides of some jutting rock; and, however wild may be the aspect of the landscape, the soil is fertile, and, for the most part, might be appropriated to all the purposes of agriculture, and the cultivation of the vine; while every height, crowned with its own ever-green plateau, would serve as pastures for innumerable flocks and herds.

In the present day, were it not for the occasional glimpse of a tiny hamlet, partly hid in some deep dell, or romantic forest; or a swineherd tending his half-wild pigs, we might deem the country uninhabited; but that it contained, in remote ages, a numerous population, and was a district of great importance, from its near proximity to the Danube, is attested by the ruins of towns and forts, here so frequently met with. Numerous vestiges of its occupation by the Romans still exist in their well-known paved roads, forts, and castellated towers.

The trifling value attached to land in this principality must appear incredible to those persons accustomed to estimate its value in Western Europe. While While passing over Mount Mirotsch, I had for my companion a wealthy Servian, enveloped in his sheepskin kabanitza, and, as usual with those people, armed to the teeth— pistols in his girdle, and long gun slung across his shoulder. However fierce and warlike might be his aspect, in other respects he was a complete child of