The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-11-09

unobj jectionabe Almost every one who
goes TO Vienna goes a little further and
sees Pesth. This part OF the l. lnube,
between the Austrian and Hungarian
capitals, is, OF course, not equal to the
Rhine, or Hudson, or st. Lawrence, or
the Mississippi. There is really no
scenery. Pesth bids fair to soon rival
Vienna. Its situation is far superior.
Since the situation Of the two towns on
either side of the river there has been
immense enterprise shown in building,
and every year the city growsin extent,
in the magnificence of its public edl-
fees and In the beauty of its arcAi-
lecture.
The steamboat leaves Pesth for Sem
| lin three times a week. At the advice
| of the Captain went on board the night
before, as he said "the Russians filed
up the berths early in the morning" 1t
was not hard to understand the caution
when, on the following morning, soon
after sunrise, about two dozen subjects
OF the Gar and allies of the Servians
came scuff1ing on board to secure places
in the cabin. The presence of the Or
able on small river steamer.
Their table manners are, to say the
least, not appetizing, nor do they occu-
py the cabin and conduct themselves
during the hours OF repose in either a
graceful or attractive manner. To re-
lieVe the monOtony, however, we had
the pleasure of the company OF several
Servian dignitaries, attired In long black
robes ana gorgeous blue sashes. The
language of the Servians and Russians,
combined with sprinkling OF hungary
and Germany, afford good idea OF the
confusion Of tongues" al the Tower Of
Babel. The most invigorating and eX-
hilarating thing was TO see the ablu-
tions of these gentlemen in a moderate
sized basin. The absence of any towels
on the steamer added lively interest
to the scene.
The Danube below Pesth is not
familiar to the ordinary European traV-
eler. The river is quite broad, the banks
low, and the country good deal
wooded, but, in many spots, very fertile.
Considering that the river Is naYlRaOle
all the way, and the water power toler-
ably good, it seems extraordinary that
there are SO few towns of any size along
the banks. Often, for miles and miles,
the only signs OF life and activity are
the floating grist-mills, of which there
are twelve thousand in Hungary, on the
Danube and its tributaries. The ap-
pearance of the peasantry Is strange,
mingling of the Western and the
Oriental.
The men wear long flowing white
robes, like petticoats, except the shep-
herds and herdsmen, who dress i'll sheep
skins and look like Asiatic n0mads.
The women are less extraordinary In
their attire. They are chiefly noticeable
for their brilliant red petticoats, which
are very conspicuous in the fields or
along tho river. Belgrade, as regards
its situation, is decidedly attractive.
On approaching, you imagine it to be
one or the prettiest of towns. 1t is built
on the slope OF a hill running down TO
the Danube.
At the most prominent point is the
fortitication, famous historically from its
connection with the Turkish conquests,
now almost deserted, not sentry Wis
ible, not cannon frowning on the river
below. A little below Is the Greek
Church, outside plain, almost homely,
inside rather richly decorated. Farther
on is the English hospital. with the Eng
lish and Servian flags floating over it.
All these buildings stand conspicuouSly
above the town.
Below them and around them are the
ragged, ill-paved, dirty oriental streets,
the badly-built, yellow-looking houses,
the steep alleys connecting with the
street along the river by steps, on which
the half-naked beggars sit and beg for
aims. at one end Of the town are the
remnants of one or two broken-down
mosques. The shops are dark, mean
and dirty, with signs in the odd Russian
like letters of the Selvian alphabet, in
some cases in German and Hungarian.-
Correspondence n. Y. World.