Dr Boue on the Mode of Travelling in Turkey. 151 



the pacha's authority was very little respected, I heard the 

 people say that the Ghlaurs or Christians had now the power, 

 and that it was necessary to submit to them. Servia, through 

 the admirable strictness of Prince Milosch, has been rendered 

 as secure as any civilized country ; and one may travel day 

 and night through the vast forests of that country, without any 

 danger. I must add that Turkey is far from being, like Spain, 

 favourable to robbers ; for if in Spain one finds many towns or 

 large villages, and few isolated farm-houses, the contrary is the 

 case in Turkey. Besides, the slave population in Servia and 

 Bulgaria, are a good race, and well disposed to European tra- 

 vellers. The Turks also, are the same, although less commu- 

 nicative. The Albanese are wilder, but yet not at all a bad 

 people, especially when one knows their language. The Greeks, 

 however, are cunning, and often employ their cunning for bad 

 purposes. 



By following my advice, and taking proper precautions, one 

 may be assured of making a pleasant and comfortable journey 

 in Turkey, without the least danger, at the rate of twelve francs 

 a-day ; but if one hurries into that country in the same foolish 

 manner as Quin, without servants or interpreter, and ignorant 

 of the language ; if he will not live like the Turks, but ask for 

 tables, beds, potatoes (which are scarcely known in Turkey), 

 and veal (which is not used there) ; if he feel himself only hap- 

 py in London and Paris, he will bring from Turkey very sin- 

 gular fancies, like our friend Quin,* and it would be better that 

 he had remained at home with his tea and toasted bread. I 

 should be happy if these lines shoitld induce some Englishmen 



I was much amused with the political views of Quin on the regeneration 

 of the Turks, and his idea that the Roman Catholic religion would soon pre- 

 vail in Turkey, and the like. But his fancy of a canal being cut from Pan* 

 chova to Cladova, through the hills of Servia, to avoid the rapids of the Da- 

 nube, reminds me of the Frenchman who was travelling in Switzerland, and 

 who, being annoyed by the number of mountains, asked why the Swiss did 

 not entirely level their hills ! His fear of walking alone near Moldawa, be- 

 cause the dress of the Wallachians was unknown to him, is a sure proof of 

 his ignorance ; for that country is as safe as the neighbourhood of London, or 

 more so, and even the umbrella was not necessary, Quin's work owes its 

 success to the novelty of the voyage, and some good descriptions of the cus- 

 toms and dress of the Turkish people. 



