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 jigers 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 
