Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-03

Wallachia and Its Inhabitants.
WALLACHIA is one of the most remark
able but also one of the least known of
the countries in Europe, and its vast in
ternal resources, not less than its inn
portant position from political point of
view, entitle it to more thorough atten-
ton than has heretofore been generally
accorded to it.
The country seems to have been set
apart by nature from the surrounding
provinces. The great Crapak or Car
pathian Mountains, impossible except in
few spots, separate it from Transyl-
vania and Hungary on the north, and the
wide, yellow flood of the Danube, bend
ing SO as to form three sides of square,
cuts it off from Servia and Bulgaria on
the west, south and east. Even from
Noldavia, to which it is SO closely bound
by political and chronological ties, and
which adjoins it on The northeast, it is
divided by considerable branch of the
Danube, the river Sereth. The district
included within these limits is one vast
plain, slopiDg gradually downward from
the heights Of the Carpathians to the
Danube's tide. Throughout its whole ex-
tent there are no forests, and few wood
land trees The mountains rise up, bare
and wild, with nothing to break the
monotony of their ashy- gray sides. The
immense, prairie like heaths stretch
away for many miles, affording an un-
broken vista except where the figures of
cattle, horses and sheep, with few at
tendants, meet the eye. In the southern
part vast svamps begin to appear, rival
ing in size but not in fora those of our
Gulf States. Everything seems here to
be in extremes. The summer is almost
as hot as that of the tropics; but, when
1t has gone, severe cold sets in
almost Immediately, and the ground
is covered with snow for four
months. The heaths afford pasturage for
countless herds of domestic animals. The
wild-fowl that frequent the swamps are
numerous enough to shut out the day
light when they rise. The soil in the
great river-valleys and other arabic dis.
tricts is one of the richest in the world;
but the droughts are terribly severe, and
the swarms of locusts that descend on
the growing crops would astonish even a
Kansas farmer. Gold, silver, copper and
salt abound in extensive mines, the sup
ply of salt, especially, seeming to be al
most inexhaustible; but the ignorant,
degraded and thoroughly lazy people of
the country have made few efforts of any
Importance to avail themselves of these
stores Of wealth. Everywhere the re.
suits of their idle and shiftless habits of
life make themselves visible. The mud
built huts of the peasantry look as if
they would tumble down in the first
strong gale, and are full of holes and
h. aJ, I'LL re-
mending. Even in Bucharest, the only
city of any Importance, large proper
ton of the houses are built of mud, and
are hardly less shabby and comfortless
than those of the villages.
The population of Wallachia consists,
in the main, of two great classes, the
boyars, or mobiles, and the peasants. The
only other class large enough to mention
is that of the merchants and tradesmen,
and this has only originated within the
last half-century.
The boyars are almost invariably dis
tinguished by thorough imitation of
Partisan manners and dress. Their
houses and furniture are modelled upon
those of the French metropolis, and in
their conversation they attempt to follow
the style prevalent in the fashionable
salons of that city. But under this thin
veneering of Paris manners there is d.
ways more or less of the true Wallachian
characteristics, and in particular of an
apparently unconquerable distaste for
any regular work. The great occupation
of lite with these boyars is gambling,
and this is usually the nearest approach
they make to anything like an occupa-
tion of any sort. When a boyar finds
his purse becoming very light his only
resource is the gaming table; and, should
he be fortunate enough to win large
sum there, his gains are considered per-
fectly legitimate. Instead of being re-
garded with any less respect on that ac-
count, he is looked upon as one who has
been very successful as financier, and
is admired and envied by all who hear
of his success Besides being lazy and
an inveterate gambler the boyar is vain,
narrow minded and, with regard to those
he considers his interiors in rank, in
clined to be unjust and tyrannical 1t is
not strange, there fore, that little or moth
ing has been done for the country by its
highest class. Yet many of this class
possess capabilities which, under other
influences and with careful training,
might make them useful and honorable
members of society. The men are often
brave and generous, and the women,
who are said to resemble Polish ladies in
appearance, are not infrequently refined
in feeling and manner. tits very unlike
ly, however, that any direct innova-
tons dpon the old ideas and habits
will ever be made among this class
until some strong internal intiu-
ence shall have weakened and partly
broken down the results of centuries of
bad training and exaggerated ideas of
their own Importance. A comparative
familiarity with the rest of the world
will not do it. They accept the various
states of things existing in other coun.
tries as quite proper and natural for
foreigners; but they, the great boyars OF
Wallachia, are law unto themselves.
So they take little Paris gliding for the
general style of their life and manners,
but in ali else they are just such Wsl-
lachs as their ancestors have been for
some centuries.
The Wallachian peasant is absolutely
free from any foreign influence, and is
in every respect an extraordinary char
acter. He is one of the very dirtiest OF
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