The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-11-12
A TURKISH WATCH TOWER


A little below McldAva the "Babakai
rock rises from the head OF the river, about
the middle Of the stream; and standing
upon its high platform is q watch tower,
connected with which Is also very sad le-
gend-but then You must remember that it
is only legend A. one time-so the story
gOes-a very handsome Turkish maiden,
having run away with gallant Hungarian
knight, was overtaken and brought back by
the Agas JGnissaries, who led her to the
Babakai rock to be put TO death. Her spirit
was often seen wandering over the ruins Of
the old tower and leaping over the cataracts.
But steam navigation, with other marks Of
progressive civilization. have dissipated for
ever these silly Turkish stories After pass
ing this rock the shores close in again with
granite ellis on one side and lovely green
hills on the other. On the right bank are
seen the beautiful ruins of Castle Columbacs
in Turkish, GogeTVischinik-which was
the key Of the navigation OF that section Of
the Danube .as far as the Iron Gate. The
Iron Gates of the Danube are not iron, but
acontinuation Of rocks and heavy boulders
That obstruet the channel by nearly closing
it in some places, causing powerful eddies
and immense whirlpools, that make It a very
difficult and dangerous passage to navigate.
Soon after leaving Columbacs- the steamer
clears the first in the numerous np;ds
which, as far as the Turn SEVERN, form
quite q series Of natural impediments; and
the high pointed rocks that loom up every
where must be passed with great caution.
As soon as these rapids are crossed and we
have rounded giant rock on the edge OF q
sharp prOmontory, the river expands until
It forms quite an inland sea-calm and
EmOOth-untl you near the famous passage
called "Greben." Then on both shores
rise abruptly two tremendous walls of rock,
with lofty peaks and precipitous inclines-
showing mighty cracks and rents ike the
cycloPean gunwales of q volcanic citadel.
Hanging boldly over the waters edge, they
seem ready to pOunce upon the river and
gulp it up in one supreme, herculean
draught But our steamer is equal to the
task and runs through the narrow pass and
comes out into broader water unframed
and ready for another trial A few miles
further down the stream, on the left shore,
we pass Trecule, which appears to have
been one of the eliminating points of RO-
man domination in these parts, and directly
after Trecule you reach the imposing en-
trance of the Kasam Pass-the graadest and
most remarkable sight On the Danube.
The stream hers-as If driven by some un-
accountable power-cramped in a space of
about two hundred yards, rushes with a
violent roar of despair into a natural pas
sage, which resembles q breach made by
giants through wall of lofty rocks, and |
for nearly half a mile it rolls its groaning /
waves over granite bed two hundred feet |
deep, bounding and leoping, striking and |
lashing the obstructing enemy with its I
mighty breakers and shimmering spray. /
The comparative darkness, owing to the |
height of the hideous cliffs, which hem
in the narrow channel, and the mysterious /
stiffness. broken only by the convulsive
moan of the rushing stream, gives an as
pect of indescribable grandeur and fright
ful beauty, and the whole scene is so i'm
pressive that it can never be fOrgotten.-
Bdltim0Te american.