Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-11-08
THE TURKS CELLAR.

THE TURKS CELLAR.
enter the old town of Vienna from Leo
polstadt by the Ferdinan Bridge and, walk
ing for few minutes parallel with the river.
come into hollow called the Tiefer Grund !:
passing next under broad arch which itself
supports street spanning the gully, find on
the left hand rising ground which must be
climed in order to reach a certain open space
of triangular form, walled in by lofty houses,
called ssDie Freiung,'' the Deliverance. In it
there is an old wine-house, the Turks Cellar,
and there belongs to this spot one of the le-
gends of Vienna.
In the autumn OF the year sixteen hundred
and twenty-seven, when the city was so close
iy invested by the Turks, that the people were
half famished, there stood in the place now
called sFreiung" or Whereabouts, the militia
ry bakery for that portion of the garrison
which had its quarters in the neighbourhood.
The bakery had to supply not only the SOL
diers; but bread was made in it to be doled
out to destitute civilians by the municipal au
thorities; and, as the number of the destitute
was great, the bakers there employed had lit
tie rest. Once in the dead of the night while
some of the apprentices were getting their
dough ready for the early morning batch, they
were alarmed by hollow ghostly sound as of
spirits knocking in the earth. The blows
were regular and quite distinct, and without
cessation until cockcrow. The next night
these awful sound were again heard. and
seemed to become louder and more urgent as
the day drew near but, with the first scent of
morning air, they suddenly ceased The ap-
prentice gave information to the town author
tiles; military watch was set, and the cause
OF the strange noises in the earth was very
soon discovered. The enemy was under
ground the Turks, from their canlp on the
Leopoldsberg, were carrying mine under the
city; and, not knowing the levels, had ap
preached so nearly to the surface that there
was but mere crust between them and the
bakehouse floor.
What was to be done The danger was i'm
minent-the remedy must be prompt and de-
cisive. a narrow arm of the Danube ran
within hundred yards of the place; pick and
and spade were vigorously piled, and in q
short time canal was cut between the river
and the bakery Little knew the Turks of
the cold water that could then at any time he
thrown upon their undertaking. All was still.
The Viennese say that the hostile troops al
ready filled the mine, armed to the teeth. and
awaiting only concerted signal to tell them
that proposed midnight attack ON the walls
had diverted the attention of the citizens
Then they were to rush up out of the earth
and surprise the town. But the besieped
forewarned and forearmed, suddenly threw
the hoor-gates open and broke way for the
water through the new canal under the bake
house floor; down it went bubbIinc. kissing
and gurgiing into the dark cavern, where if
swept the MussulmaHs before it, and DESTROY
ed them TO man.
This was the origin of the Turks Cellar . |
and although the title is perhaps uniustlv an
propriated by the winehouse 1 have mention |
ed, yet there is no doubt that the tale is true
and that the house at any rate is near the snot |
from which its name is taken Grave citizens
even believe that the underground passaoe
still exists, walled and rooted over with stone
and that it leads directly to the Turks, camn.
at the foot of the Leopoldsberg. They even
dimensions as to admit the marching through
1t OF SIX men abreast. OF this / know nothing.
but know from the testimony of a venerable
Old lady-who is not the oldest in Vienna
that the bakers apprentices were formerly al +
lowed special privileges in consideration of /
the service once rendered by some of their
body to the state. Indeed, the procession of
the bakers, on every returning anniversary of
the swamping of the Turks, when they march
ed morse and foot from the Freiung, with ban
ners, emblems, and music, through the heart
Of the city to the grass-grown camp outside
me city walls, was one of the speetacles that s
made the deepest impression on this ehattv q
Did Lady in her childhood. T
The Turks Cellar is still famous. IT tis +
loted now, not for its bread or its canalwater. I
'ut Tor Its white wine, its baked veal, and its
ayoury chickens. Descend into its DEPTHS b
for it is truly cellar and nothing else1 late n
n the evening, when citizens have time and Il
honey at their disposal, and you find it full Of
ply company. As well as the tobacco-smoke b
Ill permit you to see what the place resem- "