wealth or good living. The greater number of the inhabitants are Arnouts, easily distinguishable from the Rayahs by a dashing, soldier-like, dauntless manner; the surrounding country is very fine, and apparently well cultivated; the sides of the hills were covered with vines, and the banks of the Toplitza with corn-fields and meadows.

My pandour conducted me to the kiosk of Veli Bey, the Governor, who kindly entertained us, and gave me a billet for the night in the house of a wealthy Zinzar merchant.

The gasdalik, that is, billeting travellers, who may be furnished with an Imperial firman, or who may be employed in the service of the Sultan, is a grievance which falls heavily upon the Rayah, especially when the party is numerous, as he is obliged to furnish lodging and provisions free of expense, and even horses to the next station if required. In some cases, it is the custom for the starachin of the Rayahs, or the kiaia of the Mahometans, to render this compulsory hospitality at the general expense of the commune.

In a country where the hans are destitute of every accommodation, the gasdalik can hardly be dispensed with, and may be necessary for the better class of travellers in Turkey: unfortunately, the system gives rise to many intolerable annoyances by which the Rayah is always the sufferer, owing to the facility it affords to any brute of a Turk, furnished with his Imperial firman, to invade the sacred privacy of a home, when, not content with exacting everything his necessities may require,

he too frequently exhibits the most disgusting rudeness towards the women.

The Franks, however, are always welcome; those who visit these provinces being generally, if not always, men of character-taught to respect and observe the decencies and proprieties of social life, never returning hospitality with baseness, at least I never heard of an instance; their generosity, or, as we term it, justice in remunerating their host, or his servants, for the trouble and expense they occasion, causes their visits to be regarded not only as an honour, but a source of profit. The Turkish authorities, aware of the Frank's disposition to pay generously for what he has, always billet him upon some Rayah, for whom they entertain a special regard.

Various arguments might be urged for the immediate abolition of this privilege, it not only irritates the Rayah inhabitants, but tends to prevent the improvement of the hans, whose hanjis, if they were certain of being visited by a higher class of travellers than caravan-drivers, would find it their interest to be prepared to meet the demands of their guests. To this we may add, that so long as the Rayah has to complain of this, and other grievances and humiliations, to which we shall allude hereafter, at once oppressive and irritating, so long will there be in Turkey, Haiducs and Ouskoks, and a sufficient degree of general discontent to produce a rebellion without the exciting harangues of Panslavism and Heteria demagogues.

My good Zinzar, Christo Manchet, knowing his

The scene

guest to be a Frank, received me with great courtesy, and after some conversation, conducted me through an inner court-yard, filled with packages of merchandize, into an elegant apartment, on the first story, furnished with some taste. To my great surprise, a violin and a guitar lay on the table; and to my increased astonishment, the wife of my host, a lady-like woman, welcomed me, in the Italian language, and this in Orkup in the wilds of Upper Moesia. Three fine children were also playing around mamma. altogether forcibly reminded me of home, and caused me to wish I could by some means abridge the distance; but as I could not, I commenced chatting with Madame, who was the first intellectual, conversable woman I had met with since leaving Belgrade. She was a native of Salonica, and her husband, who was accustomed to visit the great annual fairs of Germany, was extensively engaged in commerce, and spoke German and Italian remarkably well.

I need not say that I passed the evening most agreeably, and, in addition to the various courtesies rendered me, I must not omit to mention, I enjoyed the comfort of a European bed-what an exotic in Turkey!

CHAPTER X.

Departure from Orkup-Valley of the Toplitza-A colony of Arnouts-Sketches of the inhabitants-Novel mode of crossing a river-Thunder-storm-Perilous travelling-Scene at a mountain han-Hanji cookery-Aspect of the country-An eventful forest-Bivouac-How to procure a supper and cook it-A characteristic sketch of national prejudice.

In my route to Vrania, through Orkup, I intended to visit the famous battle-field of Cossova: this would be somewhat circuitous, but highly interesting from historical recollection, since that part of Upper Moesia is celebrated as being the theatre on which all the great and decisive battles have been fought from time immemorial between the Servians and their invaders, and where they made their last desperate stand against the Turks, under Amurath II.

This route had now become somewhat dangerous, owing to the excitement among the Arnouts of the mountain district, through which I had to pass, who, it appeared, had taken up arms to oppose the introduction

of the conscription for the Nizam y Djedid. Such being the state of the country, Veli Bey declared he would not be answerable for my safety if I travelled through it. Even had I been inclined to tempt danger, though I very much doubt if any existed to a peaceable Frank traveller, neither pandour nor guide would accompany me; I was therefore obliged to relinquish my intention, and quitting the banks of the Toplitza again steer my course towards the Morava, the home of the peaceable Rayah.

We travelled some time up the beautiful and fertile valley of the Toplitza; rich fields of maize and tobacco everywhere met the view, together with luxuriant orchards, in which the cherry, the plum, the pear, the apple, the chesnut and walnut, seemed to arrive at the highest perfection. Nature, bountiful nature, had done everything, man but little. Gigantic weeds cast their noisome shadow over the young and verdant grain, and the trees appeared to have been utter strangers to the pruning-knife; neither were the cultivated fields protected by any fence from being trampled by the horses of the caravan. Georgy's konies seemed abundantly contented with the dainty morsels they cropped from the tender maize, in spite of all our efforts to restrain their dishonest propensities.

The villages were numerous, and dotted about in every direction—not like those of the Rayahs, hid from view in some sequestered nook-which at once proved that the inhabitants must have belonged to the privileged-the ruling class. This was apparent in their