192 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



and to look at them nobody would have thought that such 

 exceedingly pitiful animals could have dragged it even a few 

 hundred yards; but they nevertheless remained harnessed 

 during the entire day, and drew the trap over the heavy 

 ground at a very good pace until the evening, and that with- 

 out once shirking their work. The vehicle itself was a common 

 peasant's cart of the poorest description, its various parts 

 being held together by ropes, while a couple of boards were 

 arranged for our seats. The driver, a true South Slavonian, 

 large and lean, with long, smooth, jet-black hair and droop- 

 ing moustache, sat just in front of us, holding the thin 

 wretchedly made reins, his form being enveloped in a dirty 

 white cloak, which fell to his feet in folds, and his head 

 covered with a broad-brimmed black hat. What we had to 

 endure from the fearful atmosphere of garlic which sur- 

 rounded this worthy coachman of ours is indescribable, and 

 every time we got into the trap we yearned for the moment 

 of deliverance from his nauseous neighbourhood. 



Our cart rattled merrily through the village, and the rain 

 poured steadily down in regular streams, as, wrapped in our 

 waterproofs, we and our jagers sat huddled together in the 

 narrow vehicle, and took stock of the magnificent buildings 

 of Kovil. It was not just the most favourable moment for 

 seeing them, for the heavy rain had softened the deep black 

 loam, and had made the whole place look more like a morass 

 than a human settlement ; but I fancy that this market town 

 can never present a very cheerful appearance, not even in the 

 height of summer. 



On we drove through two very long broad streets, passing 

 by sand-heaps, pools, and mud-huts still more squat and 

 squalid, till we at last got to the open country, where we 

 proceeded along a wide road, bordered with low acacias and 

 running through fields and uncultivated heaths. This high- 

 road, however, was not very well kept, and what with the 



