86 



BULGARIA. 



Bulgaria, with each a capital of the same name, except Sar- 

 ' "/"* ' dice, which is now called Sophia. The other prin- 

 cipal cities arc Cistow, Rousdjiouk, Orsowa, Baba- 

 dag, Toultcha, Rasgrad, Bazardjik, Choumla, Ter- 

 nova, Varna, Lovatz, &c. This province is in ge- 

 neral mountainous, but the plains and vallies, which 

 are watered by the Danube and numerous tributary 

 streams, are rich and fertile. Even in the mountains, 

 nature has spread many of her richest gifts. The fo- 

 rests of Mount Hacmus abound in a variety of fruit 

 trees, particularly cherries, apricots, and vines ; and 

 in its deep glens and uninhabited recesses, aromatic 

 shrub,- and the gayest flowers are as numerous and 

 exquisite, as in the most cultivated gardens in our 

 less genial soiL 



The chief productions of Bulgaria are grain of all 

 kinds, cattle, especially horses, wool, iron, and wine, 

 which form a very extensive and lucrative commerce ; 

 and the navigation of the Danube, which is per- 

 formed by small boats, afford it an easy communica- 

 tion with the neighbouring provinces, and the ports 

 on the Black Sea ; but as the commerce of this pro- 

 -vince, especially its imports, will be more particu- 

 larly considered in the account of its principal cities, 

 we shall confine ourselves in this article to a general 

 description of its productions and exports. The ex- 

 portation of corn out of the kingdom is rigorously 

 prohibited, so that the capital is its principal mar- 

 ket ; and from the immense quantities which are an- 

 nually carried down the Danube, this river is called 

 by the Turks, the Foster-father of Constantinople. 

 Wheat, in common, sells for 36 paras the quilot, 

 which, hi the southern districts of Bulgaria, weighs 

 48 okas ; but, in the northern parts, the quilot 

 weighs 120 okas, and costs there only 60 paras. 

 .Rice, barley, and millet, sells for from 45 to 50 pa- 

 ras, and sesame from 65 to 70. The greatest quan- 

 tity of rice grows in the territory of Philippopoli. 

 It is a farm of the Grand Signior's, and the rice is 

 given away chiefly in the payment of pensions, which 

 are specified by a certain number of quilots per day. 

 The wool that is gathered in Bulgaria is of a very ex- 

 cellent quality, particularly that of Nicopolis, which 

 sells for from 8 to 10 paras the oka ; and which, by 

 proper management, might be made even to equal 

 the wool of Spain. What is produced in the south- 

 ern part of the province, passes to Constantinople ; 

 but that of the north is spread over Germany and 

 the .ports of the Adriatic. Its silk is also very abun- 

 dant, and constitutes an important article of com- 

 merce with the capital. The silk of the best qua- 

 lity, which comes from Zagara, Tchirpan, and Ki- 

 y.anlik, is nearly ten piastres the oka, while the silk of 

 Haskeni sells for eight. The Bulgarians owe the in- 

 crease of this article entirely to the inhabitants of 

 Brousse in France, who have come to settle in the 

 country, and who have planted a prodigious quanti- 

 ty of mulberry trees. The honey of this province is 

 superior in quality to that of Wallachia or Moldavia. 

 The best comes from the neighbourhood of Yambo- 

 li, which sells for about eight paras the oka ; but its 

 exportation is prohibited, except to Constantinople; 

 and though very abundant, it is with great difficulty 

 that it can be smuggled into any of the ports on the 



Black Sea. Wax is sold here pure and unadultera- Bulgaria^ 

 ted. It is yellow, and of an excellent quality i,ri is 

 gathered in great quantities at Ternova, Y mboli, 

 Nieboli, Cistow, Rousdjiouk, Toutraka. SihbtTia, 

 Prevat, Bazardjik, Zagara, Tchirpan, Choumla, and 

 Rasgrad. The tobacco of this province varies great- 

 ly in quality. The best, which comes from Yenidje, 

 sells from 12 paras to as high as a piastre the oka ; 

 that of Koumarlu, from eight to ten paras ; and 

 that of Kirdjali, a little cheaper. The fourth qua- 

 lity, which is called kisil deli, is a very strong tobac- 

 co, which is exported to Egypt and Arabia, and 

 sells at eight or nine paras the oka. The wine of 

 Bulgaria is rather of an inferior quality. It is, how- 

 ever, made in considerable quantities ; and between 

 five and six thousand waggon loads are yearly car- 

 ried to Russia and Poland, which commonly costs 

 about 50 paras the quintal. The immense quantities 

 of tallow, which are collected in this country, is con- 

 traband every where throughout the kingdom, ex- 

 cept at Constantinople, Adrianople, and Rodosto ; 

 and butter, which is made in great plenty on the 

 shores of the Danube, is horded up entirely for the 

 use of the capital. Bulgaria carries on a consider- 

 able trade in hides. Those of the buffalo weigh from 

 18 to 70 okas, and sell at from 2 to 13 piastres ; and 

 the price of ox-hides, which weigh from 12 to 25 

 okas, is from 1^ to 3^ piastres. It has also consi- 

 derable manufactures of Morocco leather, and sheep 

 skins of all colours, particularly at Rousdjiouk, on 

 the Danube. Its horses, particularly those of Do- 

 broge, are very much esteemed. They are small and 

 strong, like the Tartar horses, but much better sha- 

 ped. Iron is a principal article of commerce in this 

 province. The mines of Samakow and Keustendil 

 are very extensive, and supply Constantinople and all 

 the districts on the Black Sea. These mines are 

 farmed by the Grand Signior, and the metal sells up- 

 on the spot -for from 4-^ to 5 piastres the quintal. 

 Its wrought iron is also greatly sought after, parti- 

 cularly the pistol and musket barrels of Selimna, 

 which are equal to those of Constantinople ; and the 

 prodigious quantities of horse- shoes and nails which 

 are made at Sophia, are scattered over the whole Ot- 

 toman empire. Saltpetre, of a very good quality, is 

 gathered at Philippopoli, Bazardjik, and Yamboli. 

 A new branch of commerce has lately been formed 

 in Bulgaria, consisting of hare skins, of which great 

 quantities are exported from Adrianople to France ; 

 and such is the demand for this article, that at Mar- 

 seilles it brings from 4 to 5 livres per pound. But 

 if the demand continues, the quantity must soon be 

 diminished ; for the Bulgarian peasants, who find 

 hare-hunting such a lucrative concern, will not stop 

 until they have considerably lessened their numbers, 

 perhaps destroyed the species. 



The commerce of Bulgaria was long in the hands 

 of the Ragusians, who had large establishments at 

 Rousdjiouk, and Sophia, and several other places. 

 These establishments, however, have almost entire- 

 ly disappeared ; and the few Ragusian houses that 

 remain, seem to have very little trade. They were 

 succeeded by the French, who, within these last 

 thirty years, had extended their merchandise over 



