The Nevada Democrat., 1857-12-16
Life on the Danube.

Life on the Danube.
DR.. James o. Noyes has just published an ac-
count Of his travels on the Danube, and an ac-
count Of all he saw there. He thus describes
the people of Wallachia:
The Wallaehs Of the interior are a remarka-
bic race, if credit is to be given to the descrip
tions which our author brings together from
his reading among old German authors. Their
manner Of living is rude to the highest degree;
they are destitute Of religion, and arts and sci
ences. Their houses usually consist Of but one
small room, in which old and young, men and
women, are Unfortunately mixed and even
the hogs and fowls are not excluded from the
delectable society. For dress, the men wear
large white trSwsers, of coarse cloth, which
GENE down to the ankles, Of linen in summer,
and wooden in winter. Over these is coarse
shirt, with wide, Open sleeves, and leather CIR
die around the waist. In this they carry knife,
flint, steel, and tobacco pipe. They wrap rags
around the feet and bind over them sandals
Of raw leather, with coarse thongs
The girls 60 bareheaded. EARRINGS of brass
cOlored glass beads, and pieces Of money fast
ened to string and tied round the head or
neck. constitute their ornaments. The women
paint their checks red and their eyebrows black.
"They wear q loag chemse, reaching down al
most to the ankles. From q small girdle are
suspended two aprons. one before and the other
behind. The embroidery upon these eringed
and many y-oOlOred garments il esteemed an inn
portant part of ornamental attire The women
also wear. under the chemise, in winter. wide
drawers Of coarse wooden cloth, and, like the
males, put on the juba, or sheep-skin cloak. with
the wool inside. The front of the chemise is
always open, and serves as q receptacle for cab
bages. meat, and perhaps dozen other articles
thus forming. altogether. most astonishing
protuberance. Nothing can he more ridiculous
than the appearance Of a Wallachian woman
returning from the market with her bosom bulg-
ed out with the purchases Of the day"
No woman is ever seen idle. The PEASANTS
wife goes to market with basket Of goods bal
aHced on her head, an infant on her hack. and
with the dstaff constantly in hand She spins,
weaves makes the dresses Of the family. helps
her husband cut the corn in harvest, and drudg-
es along in the mud while he rides on horseback.
The men are cowardly and lazy, and nv long
course of i'll treatment have been rendered tim
i'd and suspicious. The food Of the Wallachian
PEASANTS IL extremely simple. They eat meal
cakes baked in ashes with milk. cheese. garlic
and beans. Little animal food is used on nc-
ceunt Of the numerous fasts which they observe
dnriug which they abstain from meat. eggs. and
milk, and prepare their scanty food with salt
and water. At their feasts they drink all the
wine and brandy they can get and run in debt
to treat their friends with sheep roasted
whole. Although nominally members Of the
ly Of Judai'm and Pagansm. For instance,
no woman will kill an animal of any kind what
ever. On the other hand thev make no seruple
of employing the most shocking oaths on the
most trihing occasions. Of the Catholic Church
thev have a horror. because the holy water is
sprinkled with brush made of swine's bristles.
II drop should accidentally fall an their dress,
H. cannot he worn again without being washed
The Greek priests disrihntc the consecra ted
water nv means of branch of hvssOp. as direct
ed in the book Of Psalms Murders and robber-
les are the only crimes regarded as IF impert-
ance, and they are not common. When per-
son dies. the corpse is brought with dismal
shrieks to tho grave, into which it is sunk as
soon as the priest has finished his ritual. The
moNrners then rciteratr their dismal cries. and
remind the deceased Of his friends his parents.
cattle and household. and ask them WHY he has
LEFT them. The grave is then closed. and q
wooden cross with large stone placed at the
head 50 that the departed soul NAV not come
back o. n vampire. Wine is thrown npon the
grave. and frankincense burned around il to
scare away witches and evil spirits. They then
70 home bake bread Of wheaton hour. which
they eat in expiatiOn of the deceased and drink
plentifhllv for their own comfort. The solemn
shrieks libations Of wine. and fnmi atons ahont I
the grave. continue for several days. and often
for weeks.