Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-01-14

Asfiues<y syhcelman,s hide Acros.
khu Bnllxans.


the trip around the world on q bicycle,
trayersed the county which has since be-
come the seat Of war in the conflict Just
broken ont between Seryin and Bulgaria.
He wheeled from Belgrade up the valleys
OF the Mornvn and Nissava rivers across
the Balkans by way of Nissa, Bella, Pa
iankA, Prot and Zaribrod to the Bull
garian frontier at zaribrod; thence
through Bulgaria and East Roumelia by
way OF Sofia aud phiiippopolis to Con-
stantinople. HIS Article in the forth
coming December number of the Outing,
rs devoted to a description of his journey
through Slayonia and Servia. His ex-
periences in the latter country are of par
tieular interest ut this t;iue. At Belgrade
he In the following To say about the
Sergian army: "Ihe view from the ram
parts of the Belgrade fortress is mag
nificent panorama, extending over the
bread valley OF the Danube which here
winds about as though trying to bestow
its favors with impartiality upon Hum
gary, Servia and Slavonia of the
Save. The Servian soldiers nre camped
in small tents in various parts of the fort
ress grounds and its environments, or
lolling under the shade of q few scantily
gerdured trees, for the sun is to-day boil
ing hot With population not exceed
ing ], 800, 900, Seryia supports standing
army of 100000, and, when required,
every man in Servia becomes soldier.
am inclined to regard the above estimate
Of the regular army as exaggerated, how
ever since, although the cost of their
maintenance is doubtless as little as men
can possibly be supported for, can't see
how a small, poor nation like the Ser
VANS can possibly afford to support that
number, even if they had uny use for
them. AS one lands from the ferryboat
and looks about him he needs no inter
prefer to inform him that he has left the
Occident on the other side of the Save,
and TO the observant stranger the streets
Of Belgrade furnish many novel and in
teresting sight in the way of fanciful
costumes and phases of Oriental life here
encountered for the first time"
He was magnifoently received in the
Seryian capital by the members of the
local bicycle club, the most eastern organ
ization of the kind. He noted local
popularity in the appearance of these
young men, who were sons of leading
citizens and business men: while they
dress and conduct themselves as becomes
thorough gentlemen, one fancies detecting
certain wild expression of the eye, as
though their civilization were scarcely
yet established; in fact, this peculiar ex-
preston is more noticeable at Belgrade,
and is apparently more general here than
at any other place 1 visit in Europe. /
apprehend it to be popularity which has
become hereditary with the citizens, from
their city having been so often and for SO
long the theatre of uncertain fate and dis.
tracing political disturbances. 1t is the
half-startled expression of the people
with the ever-present knowledge of inse-
curity." The Belgradians, he says, turned
the leading Turkish mosque into gas
house, among other practical lnethodsIoi
manifesting their feeling about the depar
ture of the dominating crescent
He gives the following ACCOUNT of the
journey up the Moraya valley: "At Bel
grade we wheel through The battlefield of
the same name, Where, In 1876, Turks
and Servians We're ar1nyed against each
other. These battle scared hills above
belgrade Command a glorious view of the
lever Morava valley, Which is hereabouts
most beautiful, and Just broad enough to
bC COLupICu6lutbs 4 AG k1Gl Nlltlb NOu lllG
battle of Belgrade, and, as pause to ad-
mire the glorious prospect to the south
ward from the hills, methinks, their gen.
eral showed no little sagacity in opposing
the invaders at spot where the Morava
vale, the jewel of Servia, was spread out
like a panorama below his position, to
fan with loneliness the patriotism of his
troops-they could not otherwise than
win, with the fairest portion of their we'll
beloved country spread out before them
like picture. A large cannon, captured
from the Turks, is standing ON its car.
riage by the roadside, a mute but eloquent
witness of Servian prowess. A few miles
further on we halt for dinner at Alexinatz
near the old Servian boundary line, also
the scene of one of the greatest battles
fought during the Servian struggle fol
independence. The Turks were victorious
this time, and $4,000 Servians and 1000
Russian allies yielded up their lives her,
to superior generalship, and Alexinat;
was burned to ashes. The Russians hay,
erected granite monument on hill
overlooking the town in memory of theii
comrades who persisted in this fight.
'tAn avenue of thrifty prune treel
shades level road leading out of Niscl
for several kilometers, but heav,
thunderstorm during the night has made
it rather slavish wheeling, although tn,
surface becomes harder and smoother also
hitler, as we gradually approach tn,
Balkan Mountains, that tower well III
toward cloudland Immediately ahead
The morning is warm and muggy, indi
eating rain, and the long steep trundle
hlometer after kilometer, up the Balkan
slopes, is anything but child's play ,albei
the scenery is most lovely, one prospec
especially reminding me of a view in til,
Big Horn Mountains of Northern Wyom
ing Territory. On the lower slopes W,
come to mehanA where beside plenty o
shade trees we find springs of mos
delightfully."- cool water gushing out o.
crevlees in the rocks, and, throwing oul
freely perspiring forms beneath the CRATE
full shade, and letting the cold water pla,
on our wrists, (the best method in thu
world of cooling ones self when over
heated), we both vote that il would be d
most agreeable place to spend the heat OF
the day. But the morning is too young
yet to think of thus indnlging, and the
mountainous prospect ahead warns us
that the distance covered to day will be
short enough at the best. The
Balkans are clothed with green foil.
age to the topmost crags, wild pear
trees being no inconspicuous feature
charming little valleys wind about be.
tween the mountain spurs, and last nights
downpour has impaired a freshness to
the whole scene that perhaps it would
not be ones good fortune to see every
day, even were he here. This region 81
intermingled wales and forest clad noun.
tains might be the natural home OF
brigandage, and those ferocious LOOKING
specimens of humanity with things like
long guns in hand, running with scrnm
bling haste down the mountain sid
toward our road ahead, look like verita
BILE brigands, heading us off with yiey
to capturing us. But they ure peaceabl,
disposed goat herds who, alpen stocks il
hand, are endeavoring to head us Oh, nnt
see what in the world those queer look
ing things are coming up the road. Til il
tuneful noise, as they are playing on
some kind of an instrument. greets on
ears from dozen mountain slopes roun,
about us, as we put our shoulders to Tia,
wheel and gradually approach the sun
NIT. Tortoises are occasionally surprised
basking in the sunbeams in the middle O.
the road; when molested they hiss quite
audibly in protest, but if passed peace
fully by they are seen shuiiiing oil int,
the bushes, as though thankful to escape
Unhappy oxen are toiling patiently up
ward, literally inch by inch, dragginl
heavy, creaking wagons, londed viii
miscellaneous importations, prominen
among which | noticed square cans o
American petroleum.
''My ride through Servia, save owe
Balkins, has been most enjoyable, unC
the reetis, am agreeably surprised t.
= have to record, have averaged as good a
any country in Europe, save England ant
France thouph being for the most por