TO BUKOREST. 253 
guages, and in the midst of a crowd of tra- chap. 
vellers helpless as are the Turks. Horsemen, ^-' ' 
carriages, guards, Janissaries, Tahtars, peasants, 
postilUons, baggage-waggons, and baggage- 
horses, were presently all huddled together, 
impeding every operation, and adding, by 
their uproar, to the noise of the waters. The 
rain at the same time continued to fall in tor- 
rents. An escort, sent by the Prince of VVa- 
iachia to meet the Ambassador, had arrived upon 
the opposite side ; but all their attempts to 
Tnake themselves heard by the members of .the 
Embassy were vain ; yet they continued bawlf 
ing, although they might as well have called to 
the cataract. In this manner we remained 
until towards midnight ; when, by means of a 
jope and a canoe, a passage became practicable 
-to the remaining piers of the bridge upon the 
opposite side ; and we gladly availed ourselves 
of the opportunity to cross over. The Ambas- 
sador, however, would not venture. When we 
reached the other side, we found the persons 
whom the Prince had sent, owing to their dread 
of the Turks, more busily employed than they 
Avould else have been, working with the pea- 
sants towards the repairs of the bridge. We 
returned, therefore, to the Ambassador, to make 
known this circumstance,, and the prospect 
