Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-11-09

VICE have the Russians threat
ened invasion of that vast ex-
panse of golden cortland, the
great Hungarian plain, and
again 1t was imperiled by the Rou-
manians. Debreczen, Arad, Temesvar,
SZegedin-the important centers of the
plain-all lie in the path of the armies
that might sweep down upon Buda-
pest from the Carpathians and from
the Roumanian frontier. writes J. nj.
Dodington in Country Life. Debrec-
zen, that most Oriental-looking of
towns, with it's fiat-roofed houses in
closing a large, open square across
which the women stroll, yelled in east
ern fashion. DebrecZen, which has
known battles and sieges innumerable,
which was famous as the seat of Kos
suth's short-lived parliament; Arad,
rather commonplace town on the
banks of the River Maros, celebrated
throughout Hungary for its delicious
fish of varied species; Temesvar, the
capital of the Banat, essentially mod
ern, noisy with electric cars and bril-
liant with electric lights; SZegedin,
even more stirring and up-tO-date than
Temesvar, with manufactures of car
pets and frieZes, of ropes and sail
cloth, which render it prosperous ex-
ceedingly.
But all, ancient or modern, are CEN
tiers of the enormous grain trade which
was growing greater every day, as far-
spreading stretches of plain were be-
ing cleared of scrub, vast swamps
drained and turned into ripping corn
fields. Roads were being made, rail-
ways projected, in every direction.
There is an end to such activities
now. One begins to hope that the Hor-
tobagy plain, the happy hunting ground
of sportsmen, native and foreign, will
be left in all its wild charm, safe for
many years to come. from Civilizations
prOSaic hand.
Where Vast Herds Roam.
The great Hortobagy plain lies west
of Debreczen and extends to the I1sza
river. 1t is a vast, uncultivated prai-
rie land over which roam countless
herds of cattle, horses, sheep, swine,
watched over by brownskinned guard
ians whose rank varies according 10
their avocations and Is most tenacious
" kept. Thus that most exalted OF
aristocrats, the csikos, guardian OF
that noblest of animals, the horse, dls'
iains all intercourse with him who
stands upon the next rung OF the so
cial ladder. the gulyas or cattleman
In his turn the gulyas regards with the
almost contempt the shepherd-juhas2
while the juhasz turns with scorn
from that member of the lowest OF
castles, the kOndas or swineherd.
The work of all consists in day and
light watching over their animals, pu'
more especially In the case or the
yulyas-the watering of the herds Is
their hardest task. The drawing up
If bucketfuls of water from deep-sunR
wells for thousands of heads or cattle
Ia no light lob. 1t would be an impos'
sible one during the scorching neat ol
summer. were it not for the slilai'
lakes and ponds which dot the
plain, and also for the Hortobagy rlV'
ar. which flows through 1t from north
to south and whose waters never IAN
There is another fairly big river, the
Arkos, but it dries up during the ho'
season. In it's waters there are, hatuf
allv found none of the fish which are
so abundant in the Hortobagy.
The cSikos of the great PLAIN arr
very fine horsemen. In the war OF Id
dependence, 1s4S-49. they Joined the
bands of the dreaded Alexander ho"
sa and pursued the fleeing Aus'riaiiS
throwing their lassoes from srea
distance and tearing the foe from III
saddle, to lie at their mercy on Ills
ground
Paradise for Sportsmen.
The reedy margins Of the Hortobae.
river abound with snipe ana Hali"i'
but II is among the creeks ana A"Ae
lots of the northern part OF the gfea
nlain when the autumn rains Gauss
them to overflow and unite In shali"N
saas that the sportsman finds his par
adisa There, during October ana NO
vember, the wild geese are iound In hii'
lions. The sodden meadows are Gov
cred by their innumerable hocks' a
If bv snowdrifts. When they rise the
obscure the sunlight, and the noiS
of their wings is like the rush OF
mighty whirlwind. In bitches, In PIT
ding hy the rivers brink, dehant q
rheumatic pangs, the gunner hlde'
and tremendous Is the toll he takes