Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-16
THE WAR PRIMER
BY National Geographic Society


The Argesch River Region 81 Rou-
Misunderstanding a war geography
bulletin issued by the National Geo
ographic Society there are few more
picturesque spots in Southeastern Eu-
rope than that region which lies adj
jacent to the Argesch River, and which
has been feeling the heavy hand of
war 1atterly. The bulletin says:
For beauty of landscape, pictur-
esquenesz of native costumes, attract
iveness of the peasants cottages, there
is no section of Southeastern Europe
more pleasing than the Argesch River
Valley.
1.-THE cottages are simple little one
storfed affairs, with broad yerandas
covered by roofs projecting over them
and supported by wooden pillasters.
The windows are small, but the Wal
lachian housewife attests her love of
beauty and color by the window boxes
Of flowers and the blossoming creepers
for which the whitwashed walls afford
such a simple setting.
As one wanders out of Bucharest in
| times of peace and turns his face to-
| ward the northwest of Kronstadt. there
Is first a dreary plain to be crossed
with that unending sameness that one
encountered on our own prairie land
In generations gone by and that Is met
with when one sails close inshore along
| the western coast of western Mexico.
| But ere long the plain begins to
become green, unduiating, pastoral
that delightful piedmont type OF
country that lies always between the
unbroken plain and the rising noun
tains. Villages and homesteads en-
comprised with trees dot the sur
rounding hills, great cornfields are en-
countered. and every prospect pleases
| Down to the way stations trooI
women and girls in their native cos
/ tunes. If it be summer time they
4 Ho OH rr-ta e. - n
traveller; if it be winter hot drinks an6
| tidbits.
"As one travels on the reflection
cannot be escaped that Roumania i.
a land of wells, for they are to be seer
Everywhere, most of them with fork.
ed stick set up and surmounted by {
long sweep. Few force pumps are tt
bee seen, for Roumania peasant-lant
gets along still with the primitive
equipment America used a hundred
I years ago. and above.al it is land O
| the old oaken bucket" still.
/ In the heart of this region lies thu
village of Argeseh, once the proud cap
/ ttal of Wallachia, but now content il
| normal times of peace, to be the queer
city of a beautiful little valley. Their
are encountered the ruins of the an
Gent castle of du-Negru, the found
er of Wallachia. In the thirteenth cen
fury he removed his castle from Kim
tpolung to Argesch.
1 "The town is richly endowed witt
interest by the ecclesiastical role
played in the earlier centuries of Wal
lachian history. Here is a cathedra
which is the pride of Roumania- ]
/ stands at some distance from the town
bare upon the ground, without setting
but none the less grand and imposing
1t was restored and rededicated to tn
worship of the Most High in. 1877, A
ID, on which occasion the patriarcl
was assisted by five archbishops an,
| nearly a thousand priests.
But the magnificence of the struc
ture had entirely overtaxed the we've
nues of the Wallachian treasury avail
able for ecclesiastical purposes. and
was only by the munificence of Mi
litza daughter of the King of Serbia
and wife OF the King of Wallachia
who gave her Jewels to the cause, tina
it could be completed.
War seems supremacy out of plac