Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-09-28
LIFE ON THE DANUBE.
Picturesque Scenes Along That Beautiful
River.

inlIes-7y which, by-the-way, we padded
IA less than two days and a half-thert
are only three towns on the river, Cibal
Palanka, Rahova, and Nicopolis, and
these are all Bulgarian. There are two
or three busy grain-shipping stations
on the Roumanian side, however, and
we could see on the edge of low
plateau, miles back from the river, fre-
qtfent prosperous-l looking places, and
opposite Nicopolis, the church towers
OF Iurnu Magurete. one of the most i'm.
portant towns in southern Roumania,
rising above the trees. This shore Oh
the river is, for almost the entire dis
tance referred to, broad low marsh.
lntersected by numerous lagoons and
shallow, irregular laiSes, often ten
miles or more in length. The lonely
picket stations are the only hui
man habitations along the bank.
In agreeable contrast to this dull
ana desolate waste of marsh
and willow swamp is the rich pastoral
country of Bulgaria opposite. Although
villages and farm houses are not very
numerous, we saw everywhere abund-
ant signs OF life. The meadows Were
dotted with hay stacks, and great net
works OF deeply worn cattle paths
scored the smooth slopes of the hills,
ali burned yellow by the summer sun.
Before the greatest heat of the day
came on, immense herds of cattle and
buffaioes, driven by Turkish cowboys,
rushed painting down the hill-sides in a
cloud of dust to cool themselves in the
stream The buffaloes wallowed in the
muddy places and then lay down with
the tops of their heads alone visible
above water, like uncouth amphibious
ANIMALS. Great fioclZs of sheep stood
ON the shore by the waters edge, crowd
Ing together in a solid mass and hold
ing their heads close to the ground to
escape the heat from the direct rays of
the sun, and multitudes of goats were
scattered all over the steep and arid
slopes. The shepherds dig little shall
low caves in the mud bluffs, with steps
leading TO them, where they lie and
sleep for hours in the daytime; others
curl up in the gullies-so that every
yard OF shade on the rough bank has
It's human or its animal occupant, and
sometimes men and goats, both seeking
to avoid the sun, lie down peacefully
together IN the same narrow cleft or in
the shadow of the same projecting cor
ner
In the broad straight reaches of the
river the frequent sand banks were COW
cred with waterfowl Thousands upon
thousands Of noisy wild geese, hosts of
ducks, plover and other game birds.
rose into the air as we approached, al
most deafening us with their cries.
wheeling round in broad circles. they
settled down again before we had fair
ly passed them. Ranks of solemn peli-
cans awkwardly Topped into the water
and swan ahead OF us in stately dig
nifty scarcely out Of pistol-shot, turning
their huge Unbalanced beaks from side
TO side, and if we came too near. flew
up with a tremendous splashing and
huttering. Tall herons scared awav
out Of the shadows on every side. and
swans and storl1s sailed overhead in
graceful flight. Sometimes we padded
IN the full light of MONDAY up to with
IN few yards of slender white cranes
wadlng among the water-grasses, and
once approached within a paddles
length OF large gray heron standing
ON one leg and blinking in the brilliant
glare OF the sun. The flora of the river
bank IN this region is best described in
a quotation from Alfred Parsons
note book: by the camp opposite
kalafat was very handsome
sedge with brown flowers, a mass
of blossoms of the Towering rush
and plenty of excellent dew-berries.
fiat below LON Palanka was covered
with thorny, leguminous shrub. tufts
of small purple flowers and prickly red
seed pods, small yellow asters, tall
scabious with pale blossoms, and chic
cory, which has been a constant flower
for long distance down the river
The slopes above the limestone cliffs
he low 2ahoya were covered with feather
sumac and lilac bushes. Wild prape
vines grow all over the willows on an
island above Sistova, and the marshr
lake near there had great yellow
patches of villarsia. On the edge of
this lake grow arrowhead and flower
ing rush, and where the land is drier
are seen purple and yellow dwarf this
ties, small scentless heliotrope, and q
white scutellaria- Tamarislz grows Gu
the sandy flats"
The river life was mostly confined to
the larger craft; very few small boats
were seen, and almost no fishermen
The great clouds of canvas on the
Turkish vessels cleaned above The trees
behind the islands far in the perspec-
tive, and the black smoke of tow-boats
with their trains of loaded lighters was
A constant feature in the ever, CHANGING
landscape Occasionally a huge fat
boat OF the toughest build, piled high
with cargo of red and yellow earthen-
ware, melons sacks of charcoal. and
1ther miscellaneous merchandise. fioated
Town in the gentle current, steered bv
Turks in costumes of varied hue. tn
Shole reHecting mass of glowing
;olor IN the stream. Each of the river.
owns we passed was the center of
great activity. Crowds of peasants, carts |
aden with grain covered the broad |
strand in the vicinity of the steamboat
andlng, waiting their turn to DISCHARGE
heir loads into the lighters. When the |
rra1n IS harvested and thrcshed the !
armers load their rude carts, and lead /
he slow and stupid buffaloes. after |
several days journey, to the nearest |
iver town, where they find a GER
ain market for their produce. The
Whole country is covered with trains of /
reaking carts and peasants bivouacs /
re scatterel all over the scorched hill |
ldes and everywhere along the dusty |
highways. They carry no tents nor
heiter OF any sort. and only the sim
lest food for themselves aud their
'easts. When night overtakes them
hey lie down on the ground beside
heir carts, and, wrapped in their rough
oats, sleep as peacefully as their tired
ken. Their whole outfit is as rude /
nd uneoath as it was centuries ago.
nd the native carts have not improved
. build since they transported the sup
lies al Trajan's armies. Tie only iron
sed III their construction is the inch
ms and the rings which bird together
he great hubs; the roughly hewn fell
'es, the different parts of the body OF
ne cart, AMI Of the yoke as vel, are
Il held together by wooden pegs.-F.
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