Journey from. Vienna. 51 



to see an end of this day's toil, for I had been partly on foot 

 and was fatigued, yet had my doubts as to readily procuring 

 lodgings in one of the great cities of Hungary. 



In less than half an hour I had reached Nyitra. I came first 

 to the suburb of the Jews, called the Judenstadt, but from old 

 prejudices, was averse to stopping in a Jewish auberge, and 

 passed on to look out for one in the town. I entered one of 

 very decent appearance, the Golden Stag, but the master, after 

 eyeing me from head to foot, assumed a theatrical air, exclaim- 

 ing, that he neither could nor would provide me with a cham- 

 ber. I then, in my turn, with a lofty demeanour, planted 

 myself in the house, sending my servant out for the judge. In 

 the interval, by shewing these people my port folio, and other 

 parts of my paraphernalia, they found me a chamber, and 

 brought into it a dry mattrass, and an enormous pillow that 

 was to serve for a covering ; no bed-clothes. When I asked 

 for some, and a pullet for my supper, the house became a 

 scene of uproar, which was only terminated by the arrival of 

 the judge. This gentleman, on inspecting the large seals of 

 my passport, and my relays of assignation, (forchepan) took 

 his hat off, with many tokens of respect, and seriously repri- 

 manding my landlord, departed. The latter then was all civi- 

 lity and complaisance. 



In general, throughout Hungary, a person that arrives on 

 foot is but little considered. The reason is, that the lords, the 

 public functionaries, and all that are provided with relays of 

 assignation, have a right, on payment of a small sum, to be 

 conducted by the peasants, who are obliged to furnish a car- 

 riage and horses. Hence, it so happens, that one who can 

 afford to eat a pullet is rarely a foot traveller. The peasants 

 are accustomed to it, being inured to a hard life. In entering 

 an auberge, they do not even ask for a chamber or a stable to 

 sleep in ; if they do not find some corner on the ground floor, 

 they throw themselves down in the middle of the court, wrap- 

 ped up in their bunda. This is a large pelisse made of sheep 

 skin, and their only clothing in summer and winter. In cold 

 weather, they turn the woollen side inward, and the contrary 

 in warm weather. They even prefer this covering to any 

 other. A person travelling in a carriage is every where well 

 received and entertained. This is the case with such as travel 

 in hay- carts, which is very common in Hungary, even with 

 the great lords. 



The reception I had met with, insensibly gave me a dislike 

 to the town ; it has, however, some fine houses, and it lies in 

 a very pleasant situation on the side of a hill. 



My next object was to make an excursion to the mountains 



