I transferred my
saddle-bags to the spare horse, and we got on much faster, reaching
Orlat by sunset.
Before descending into the plain we had a magnificent view.
Herrmannstadt seemed almost at our feet, though in reality it was still
a long way off; the Fogaraser Mountains stretching away towards
Kronstadt, appeared in all their picturesque irregularity, and along the
plain at their base were scattered the villages of the Saxonland, each
with its fortress-church, a relic of the old time, when the brave
burghers had to hold their own against Turk and Tartar.
At Orlat I found a small inn, but they had no travellers' room in it;
however some of the family were good enough to turn out, and I was very
glad to turn in, and that rather early.
CHAPTER XVI.
Herrmannstadt--Saxon immigrants--Museum--Places of interest in the
neighbourhood--The fortress-churches--Heltau--The Rothen Thurm
Pass--Turkish incursions.
The following morning a ride of ten miles brought me to Herrmannstadt.
Here I put up at the Hotel Neurikrer, a comfortable house; it was a new
sensation getting into the land of inns. The fact is, the Saxons are not
indifferent to the existence of inns; it relieves them of the necessity
of hospitality. The Hungarian will take the wheels off his guest's
carriage and hide them to prevent his departure, whereas the Saxon would
be more inclined to speed the parting guest with amiable alacrity.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160