BULGARIA. 



BULGAUIA. 



____ Thk district at Bulgaria extod southward to the point 

 where Uw Eminch Balkan, the Dpoto-D*gh. and the Khojah Balkan 

 wt Mar UM sourc* of the likcr and the Sulu Derbend, or Pa** of 

 Trajan. TUI*lMt traverse* a beautiful plain, in which stands the 

 DOBotoos and well built city of Sophia, famous for iu hot springs. 

 Into tfc* plain from the north-wort a high valley screened by the 

 Kbojah Balkan and Mount Tenoritch opens; in its northern part 

 stands the city of Nwna. in a fertile country watered by the Nisaava, 

 a feeder of the eastern Morava, Near Nissa is the Tower of Skulls 

 erected as a trophy of victory gained over the Serrians by the Turks 



Tto plain* of Bulgaria arc in general well cultivated, and the hill- 

 sloDM are covered with vineyarda. On the Thracian side of the 

 Balkan (excepting the valley of the Maritia) cultivation is generally 

 fngfliyrf to the immediate circuit of the Tillages ; but in Bulgaria 

 wide tracU are subdued by the plough, and large quantities of corn 

 are produced by the industrious inhabitant*. Tho largest quantities 

 of corn are crown in Silistria and in the plains near the Danube. 

 A good deal of flax, hemp, and tobacco are grown, large quan- 

 tities of wine are made, and fruit* are abundant Roses arc culti- 

 vated vary extensively for making perfumes. Timber cut in the 

 mountain fonets is floated down the rivers for export to the towns 

 on the Danube. For want of good roads however Bulgaria, like 

 all other part* of the Turkish empire, has comparatively but a 

 Basltad trade. The Bulgarian* however seem to enjoy a rude 

 trBwiHTO- ; it is rare to see a beggar, and their well-built dwellings, 

 and neat Acids and gardens present a most favourable contrast to the 

 mod-plastered huts of wattles and the neglected or rudely-cultured 

 steppes on the Wallachian side of the Danube. 



The soil of Bulgaria is in general fertile and well watered ; the 

 action between the town of Sistova and the Balkan however is defi- 

 cient in water, although it yields grass abundantly. The best culti- 

 vation is seen in the district* extending from the western part of the 

 paahalio of Silistria to the pashalic of Widdin : thin region is inhabited 

 chiefly by Bulgarians, a race always remarkable for industry and for 

 their pacific disposition, notwithstanding their long oppression under 

 the Turkish feudal system and the rapacity of the pashas. But the 

 Tanomat has now put the Bulgarian on a level in point of law with 

 the Turk (in other respect* he was always his superior), and the feudal 

 system ha* been swept away ; BO that Bulgaria, at all times confess- 

 edly the best cultivated part of Turkey, will probably soon reach a 

 high degree of prosperity and improvement. 



That part of Silistria which skirts the Black Sea is sometimes called 

 the pashslir of Varna, and is inhabited chiefly by Turks and Tartars, 

 who barely raise enough corn for their own consumption, and are 

 chiefly occupied in rearing cattle. The fine plain south from the 

 Baba-Dagh to the neighbourhood of Kustenjc" is inhabited by Bulga- 

 rian*, and by a goodly number of Russian colonist* from Bessarabia, 

 who raise large quantities of hard wheat of very superior quality . In 

 th rest of Hilutria the country in well cultivated throughout, and 

 yield, an abundant supply of provision* of all kinds. Hard wheat of 

 two kind*, distinguished by Uw name* of 'arnauf and ' colosa,' is 



very abundantly. Barley also of fine Quality is extensively 

 grow*. The other crops are maim, beans, and hemp, which in years 

 of drought do not succeed so well. Several thousand oxen are 

 slaughtered in the city of Silistria for the tallow, which is sent to 

 Constantinople. 



The nutrrn part of the paahalio of Nicopoli is well wooded as far 

 a* the neighbourhood of Rustchuk ; it also possesses abundant pas- 

 turage, and in ordinary years, when not visited by long drought*, it is 

 very productive in corn. Wood for building and oak planks of supe- 

 rior quality are exported. Between Rustchuk and Sistova the plain 

 of UM Danube u occupied densely and solely by Bulgarians, and 

 a fertile and plsasing aspect Beaid** corn the chief product* 



an Iksap. flax, alter of rose*, and tallow. SUtova is considered the 

 capital of UM Bulgarian.; it i* one of the most important towns on 

 UM right bank of UM Danube, and carries on a considerable trade 

 with Wallactta.Wa*t ard fn.m Nicopoli, and throughout the greater 

 Bart of UM pashaHc of Widdin, the country is more thinly peopled, 

 habitation* bong m*t with only where there is water, and agricul- 

 taral prodnot U rawsd merely sumdent for the local consumption. 

 Tfc. plain of UM Daaub. h*n parUke* of the nature of a steppe, and 

 HrraUoa prrraU* mort fa) the mountainous district*. Indent the 



mountainous district*. Indeed the 

 of eorn for export wa* long effectually checked in thi* part 

 by a ras*rict!v* syitem, ' 



by which the farmers could not 



I * 



I food* imported from Austria. 

 TIM tallow trad* own UM rearing of large numbers of cattle in 



a depot at Varna for th* tallow aad 



UM province. 



Owing to the difficulties, tediousness, and expense of the river navi- 

 gation, and vexatiousness of the Russian quarantine regulations, the 

 corn and other product* of Bulgaria are generally brought by land- 

 carriage to Varna for export even from the plain of the Danube. 

 Corn however for export to Constantinople is frequently conveyed in 

 kirlache*,' or Turkish lighten of from SO to 100 tons, which are 

 very numerous on the river, to Matzin, a small port opposite BrailoflT, 

 and there embarked in larger vessels. From the roadstead of Kustenjeh 

 also large quantities of corn are occasionally exported ; but the ex- 

 posed condition of this port since the destruction of it* mole (built by 

 Constantine the Great) is a great obstacle to it* trade. It* position 

 however has been at all times considered of great importance, as it i* 

 only 30 miles distant from Ccernawoda on the Danube. A canal was 

 projected in 1837 to unite the two points, and to give a short and 

 direct route to the Danube trade by avoiding the great northern bend of 

 that river, and the intricate shoals and mud-banks in its mouth. This 

 project has been recently revived, and will probably be one day executed. 



Beside* homed cattle, including buffaloes, Bulgaria rears a great 

 many horses of inferior breed, sheep and goats in great numbers, and 

 swine for the consumption of the Christian part of the population : 

 pork to the Moslem as to the Jew is an abomination. The manufac- 

 tures of the country are all of a coarse description, and for home 

 consumption. The imports are manufactured goods, coffee, spices, 

 sugar, salt, &c. 



The principal towns of Bulgaria are described in this work under 

 separate heads : WIDDIN, NICOPOLI, SISTOVA, RUSTCHUK, SII.ISIBIA, 

 RABSOVA, TIRNOVA, SOPHIA, VARNA, KUSTEKJEH, SHOULA, NISSA, 4c. 



Bulgaria comprises the greater port of ancient Mcesia, which was 

 occupied in the time of Darius by the Qeto, and iu the time of Alex- 

 ander by the Trili illi. It is a very interesting country for it* historical 

 associations, to illustrate which there is great need of enlightened 

 exploration. General Jochmus, in the work already quoted, has 

 thrown great light upon the history of the expeditions of Darius and 

 Alexander in this country. He suppose* Darius to have crossed the 

 Balkan by the pass to the north-west of Mesembri, and to have 

 marched northward to Issatacha by the same route that Marshal 

 Diebitsch led the Russians in an opposite direction in the campaign 

 of 1828. Alexander, he says, fought the action with the Thracions 

 at the foot of the defile of the Balkan to the north of Aidos ; thence 

 crossed the defile to the Lyginos, near the town of Parawadi ; and 

 after his victory over the TribalK, before mentioned, marched in three 

 days to the Danube, which he is supposed to have crossed at or near 

 Silistria, for the purpose of attacking the Getae. Bulgaria contains 

 name Roman remains : the great Roman road connecting Trajan's 

 Bridge over the Danube with Dyrrachium on the Adriatic crossed the 

 valley of the Timok, the ancient Timacus, above Widdin, and is still 

 in port* entire. On the road from Shumla to Rustchuk numerous 

 ancient mounds covered with forest-trees are passed at a place called 

 Lazgarat, marking no doubt the site of some great ancient battle. 



Mcosia was originally inhabited by a Scythic or Slavonic people. 

 It was subjected by M. Licinius Craraus about B.c. 29 to the Romans, 

 who built entrenched camps along the Danube ; one of these is still 

 visible near Widdin. In the 3rd century it was invaded by the Goths, 

 whose incursions were not thoroughly checked till the time of Aure- 

 lian, who planted several Roman colonies in the province. It was next 

 overrun by the Visi-Goths, to whom Theodosius I., after the defeat 

 and death of Valens at the great battle of Adrianople in A.D. 378, ceded 

 the country ; and a part of those who settled in the western part of 

 it are known in history as the Mosao-Goths. In the 6th century 

 Slavonian tribe* spread over Lower Mtesia, and in the 7th century 

 Upper Mccsia was given by Heraclius to the Serbs and other Slavonic 

 people, to protect the empire in that direction against the Avars. 



The Bulgarians, a Tartar people from the bonks of the Volga, 

 subdued the Slaves of Lower Moroia about the middle of the 7th 

 century ; but became in a short time so blended with the .Slavonic 

 part of the population, that before the commencement of the 9th cen- 

 tury they had adopted the Slavonic language and customs, the name 

 of the race which gave it* designation to the country alone remaining. 

 They were governed by king* who put themselves under the protec- 

 tion of the Oroek emperors. This alliance however they renounced 

 in 1185, their king Asan remarking that the Greek empire needed 

 protection more than Bulgaria. Long wars with Hungary desolated 

 the country between thin and the 13th century, when Bulgaria was 

 subjugated by Stephen IV. about the time that the Turks made their 

 first appearance in Europe. In 1392 the Turks made the Bulgarian 

 king Susman primmer, and the people lost their independence. There 

 are many Bulgarian colonies in Thrace and in the countries along the 

 left bank of the Ixiwcr Danube. 



In consequence of the Ruman occupation of the principalities of 

 Moldavia and Wallachia in 1853, the line of fortresses along the left 

 bank of the Danube and the defiles and fortresses in the Balkan range 

 were occupied by a largo Turkish army, divisions of which crossed the 

 Danube opposite Kalafat and Oltenitzs, and obtained some advantages 

 over the Russians. 



(Arrian, i. 1-5 j Herod, iv. ; Dictionary of Great and Roman Bio- 

 graphy ; General Jochmus, Notet of a Journey to the Balkan, 18S3 ; 

 Macgregor, Commrrcial Statatia ; Frontier iMndt of Ike Chritttan and 

 Turk; Cbicini, Lcttrct tur la Turyuic, Paris, 1853.) 



