Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

332 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
fifty feet in length, in the centre, which resembles the ridge of a
house, and beneath which the most valuable merchandize and the
passengers are placed. Under this roof the traveller fancies him-
self rather in a house, or booth, than in a vessel : over it there is
a kind of terrace, about seven feet square, which may be consider-
ed as a species of kiosque, and which, as it commands a fine view
of the scenery on each side of the river, affords a pleasing retire-
ment: in the evening. These vessels, which are so deeply laden
that they sink as low in the water as our heavy barges, come from
Vienna with goods of every description for Galatz and lassi in
Moldavia. They are provided, in the fore part,
with twelve
oars of a moderate size; two very large ones, which appeared to
me to be from forty to fifty feet in length, at the bows ; and two
others of the same description at the stern, to answer the pur-
pose of a helm, in regulating the direction of the vessel. Being
destitute of masts and rigging to steady them, they are constantly
anchored near the shore when it blows fresh, as well as in the night
time.
On the west side of the Danube the country consists of fine le-
vels; while, on the eastern side, its banks are skirted by a chain of
fertile hills, covered with fine woodland
scenery.
This river has,
towards its banks, a
very
considerable number of small islands, on
which trees have been planted with a
very agreeable
effect. Its
breadth does not exceed a
greatest
mile and a half.
The weather was so stormy on the 8th that we were detained
until half past seven in the evening, when the anchor was weighed.
We shortly after saw a party of fugitives whom the banditti
had attacked, assembled on the eastern bank of the river; and at
half past eight o'clock were abreast of Rossovat, a small town si-
tuated on the same bank. We anchored at midnight, and reposed
ourselves until three in the morning, when we again prosecuted
our passage down the Danube, with the most agreeable weather
imaginable, but with melancholy reflections resulting from the
wretched condition of the inhabitants, whom we saw dispersed on
each side on its banks. At half past seven o'clock in the morning
we passed Sooda, a small village situated on a hill, on the eastern
side of the river; and at half past eight were abreast of another
village on the same bank, called Chekerge. At ten o'clock we
were off Kersewai, or Girso~c, a small town on the same side of
the river, to which we sent on shore for a supply of provisions and
v/ines. Near this place, on a rocky hill, there is a small and in-