IN AUSTRIAN TURKEY 199 



them out while the wheelers took their 

 turn. A bucket would have saved five 

 minutes at least, but time is not of much 

 value in these provinces. It must be 

 said, however, that the diligences and 

 post-carts show a rate of speed infinitely 

 superior relatively to the disgraceful per- 

 formances of the local railways. In fact, 

 they go about half as fast as the latter. 

 Presently we passed a new church of large 

 size — not yet finished indeed ; and picked 

 up a passenger, whom two jolly friars 

 had come to see off. He did not go far, 

 though, for he left us about half an hour 

 later at a han, where we stopped for ten 

 minutes. The staff consumed beer ; and 

 I had one of the excellent pots of black 

 coffee one gets everywhere in this country 

 for a penny. Then we went on again. 



