Except for the honour and glory of
driving, I would as lief have walked, and I think have done the journey
nearly as soon; but my friend observed, "It was no good giving into bad
roads down in this part of the world."
At one of the worst turnings we met several bullock-carts filled with
iron pyrites from the copper-smelting. The custom of the drivers of
these carts is to stop at the bottom of a steep bit of hill, and then
put five or six pairs of oxen to draw up one cart. The process is a slow
one, but is better for the oxen. We had great difficulty in passing in
safety, for unluckily at the spot we met them the trees were so thick
that they literally walled up the road, and on the other side there
chanced to be a very uninviting precipice, and of course we had the
place of honour.
Soon after this little excitement was over we came upon a fine view of
the Danube, with a long stretch of Servian forests beyond. On we jolted,
till at length New Moldova was reached: this place has
smelting-furnaces, and in the neighbourhood are extensive copper mines.
The district is known as the Banat of Temesvar, an extensive area of the
most fertile land in Europe; rich black soil, capable of growing any
number of crops in succession without dressing. This part of Hungary
supplies the finest white flour, so much esteemed by the Vienna bakers,
and now sought after by the pastrycooks in England.
There was a fair going on at New Moldova, which afforded me an
opportunity of seeing the peasants in their gala dresses.
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