1914II Down the Danube 



were swarming. Nevertheless, after a struggle with 

 the customs office, we were allowed to pass over the 

 bridge, though without any prospect of finding 

 accommodations. So as a steamer lay at the wharf, 

 just about to start down the Danube, we quickly 

 decided to take passage upon it. 



Scenically the striking features on this trip were The iron 

 the Rapids of Kasan and, just beyond, the fa- ^'^'^ 

 mous Iron Gate, where the river, cutting through 

 the Transylvanian Alps, is confined between high 

 walls of rock and thus grows suddenly narrow and 

 swift. About noon we stopped for a time at the 

 picturesque Roumanian town of Turnu-Severin on Tumu- 

 the western frontier, and finally landed early on the f^""^""' 

 second mornmg m a swampy district irom which and 

 the river had just receded, at a little mud-smeared -^^^"'» 

 Bulgarian station. There we took the train to Plevna, 

 a town of importance and the scene in 1877 of a 

 famous battle in which the Turks were defeated by 

 Russians and Bulgarians. In Plevna we expected to 

 wait for several hours, but a thoughtful gentleman, 

 finding we were bound for Sofia, kindly explained 

 that the train from Bucharest was two or three hours 

 behind time, so that by changing stations quickly we 

 were able to catch it. 



The Bucharest-Sofia line passes through a rich farm- 

 ing land dotted with villages consisting of wide-set 

 low houses, those near the Danube and on clay soil 

 being built of adobe, those nearer the mountains of 

 stone. The streets are well shaded with native oaks, 

 elms, beeches, and birches, besides the American 

 locust, which has spread widely through southern 

 Europe. Some of the newer towns show attractive 

 two-story, white-stuccoed buildings. After a while 



C 573 3 



