A Visit to the Holy Land, Egypt, and Italy | Page 9

the plague--The
steamer Ferdinand--Entrance into the Black Sea--Stormy weather and
sea-sickness--Arrival at Constantinople--Picturesque appearance of the
city--Mosques--The dancing Dervishes--The Sultan and his barge--
Pera--The great and little Campo--Wild dogs--Dirty state of the
streets--Preparations in case of fire.
March 31st.
We started early this morning, and at eight o'clock had already reached
Giurgewo. This town is situate on the left bank of the Danube, opposite
the fortress of Rustschuk. It contains 16,000 inhabitants, and is one of
the chief trading towns of Wallachia. We were detained here until four
o'clock in the afternoon; for we had to unload above 600 cwt. of goods
and eight carriages, and to take coals on board in exchange. Thus we
had time to view the interior of this Wallachian city.
With what disappointed surprise did my fellow-passengers view the
ugliness of this town, which from a distance promises so much! On me
it made but little impression, for I had seen towns precisely similar in
Galicia. The streets and squares are full of pits and holes; the houses
are built without the slightest regard to taste or symmetry, one perhaps
projecting halfway across the street, while its neighbour falls quite into
the background. In some places wooden booths were erected along
each side of the street for the sale of the commonest necessaries of life
and articles of food, and these places were dignified by the name of
"bazaars." Curiosity led us into a wine-shop and into a coffee-house. In
both of these we found only wooden tables and benches; there were
hardly any guests; and the few persons present belonged to the
humblest classes. Glasses and cups are handed to the company without
undergoing the ceremony of rinsing.
We purchased some eggs and butter, and went into the house of one of
the townspeople to prepare ourselves a dish after the German fashion. I

had thus an opportunity of noticing the internal arrangements of a
house of this description. The floor of the room was not boarded, and
the window was only half glazed, the remaining portion being filled up
with paper or thin bladder. For the rest, every thing was neat and
simple enough. Even a good comfortable divan was not wanting. At
four o'clock we quitted the town.
The Danube is now only broad for short distances at a time. It is, as it
were, sown with islands, and its waters are therefore more frequently
parted into several streams than united into one.
In the villages we already notice Greek and Turkish costumes, but the
women and girls do not yet wear veils.
Unfortunately it was so late when we reached the fortress of Silistria
that I could see nothing of it. A little lower down we cast anchor for the
night. At an early hour on
April 1st
we sailed past Hirsova, and at two o'clock stopped at Braila, a fortress
occupied by the Russians since the year 1828. Here passengers were
not allowed to land, as they were considered infected with the plague;
but our officer stepped forward, and vouched for the fact that we had
neither landed nor taken up any one on the right bank of the river;
thereupon the strangers were allowed to set foot on terra firma.
By four o'clock we were opposite Galatz, one of the most considerable
commercial towns, with 8000 inhabitants,--the only harbour the
Russians possess on the Danube. Here we saw the first merchant-ships
and barques of all kinds coming from the Black Sea. Some sea-gulls
also, heralds of the neighbouring ocean, soared above our heads.
The scene here is one of traffic and bustle; Galatz being the place of
rendezvous for merchants and travellers from two quarters of the globe,
Europe and Asia. It is the point of junction of three great
empires--Austria, Russia, and Turkey.

After the officer had repeated his assurances as at Braila, we were
permitted to leave the ship. I had a letter of recommendation to the
Austrian consul, who accidentally came on board; after reading my
letter he received me very kindly, and most obligingly procured
quarters for me.
The town promises much, but proves to be just such a miserable dirty
place as Giurgewo. The houses are generally built of wood or clay,
thatched with straw; those alone belonging to the consul and the rich
merchants are of stone. The finest buildings are the Christian church
and the Moldavian hotel.
Though Galatz lies on the Danube, water for drinking is a dear article
among the inhabitants. Wells are to be found neither in the houses nor
in the squares. The townspeople are compelled to bring all the water
they require from the Danube, which is a great hardship for the poor
people, and a considerable expense for the rich; in winter a small tub of
water costs