Servia and the Servians 1862 William Denton

98 SERYI..d. A.ND THE SERYIANS.
appearance. The small amount of rain which falls at
Belgrade, and which ia less than that in other parts
of Servia, makes it very difficult to rear trees of
any size, except in the lower parts of the town. The
trees on the boulevards appear to have scarcely
grown during the three years that they have been
planted, and this want of water hinders any from
being planted in thoee higher paris of the city where
trees would add greatly to the beauty of the city and
to the comfort of the passengers.
On St. Mark's-day the green in front of the cemetery
was alive with a similar throng to that which in
England is drawn ~gether by the attractions of a
country fair. The road, which lies between-the mined
mosque and the gate of the- cemetery, was lined by a
row of canvae booths, at which were sold wine, cream,
Hungarian beer, water, cakes, and gingerbread ; and
where tempting lotteries, in which the stakes were
piastres, and the possible prize spice-nuts, were continually
crowded with youthful gamblers. From the
inside of the booths ca~e the cries of happy, but not
intoxicated peasants, 11hopkeepers, and 11oldien, and
the voices of gipt11y musicians singing national songs to
the few Servian airs which exist, and accompanying the
voice by the beat of the tambourine. Nature is pretty
much the same in most parts of the world, and but for
two or three points of dHFerence, I might have supposed
myself at a well-conducted fair in England. The dreM
was, of course, one mark of difference ; but there were
wo noteworthy matters in wbieh the Belgrade fair was
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