TO BUKOREST. ' 25S 
far as Bulcorest, appeared to us to be little chap. 
better than one of the steppes of Russia, and /- ' 
more likely to remain a desert ; because the 
steppes, although uncultivated, are very capable 
of culture ; but the Walachian plains exhibit 
an incorrigible soil. Some accounts, however, 
represent the country as very capable of pro- 
ducing grain ; and it has been stated that the 
Turks call it Cara bogdana, or The Land of 
Black Corn. It is abandoned to woods or to 
pasture ; but in many parts so destitute of fuel, 
that the inhabitants, as a substitute, use cow- 
dung, or any kind of dried weeds. The whole General 
of Walachia may be described as an inclined don of 
plane, sloping towards the Danube, and tra- 
versed by very numerous rivers, flowing almost 
in parallel courses, so as to meet that river 
nearly at right angles. In the sands of these 
rivers the Gipsies find gold-dust, which they put 
into quills, and thus bring it to the towns for 
sale. Owing to the general flatness of the 
country, perhaps the roads may be excellent in 
any other season of the year than that in which 
we travelled ; because the steppes of Russia, 
which it so much resembles, are particularly 
favourable for expeditious travelling, but they 
become nearly impassable when the rainy 
season sets in. That Walachia was once more 
