786 
VISIT TO THE HOSPODAR. 
found myself suddenly seized by the arms and shoulders. To 
look round was hardly possible, I was so immediately pressed 
upon by the multitude of his gaudy attendants, who literally 
hustled me all the way to the great entrance of the palace, so 
pinioned and lifted up, I could neither raise my cap to my head, 
nor feel the pavement under my feet. At a loss to conjecture 
the meaning of this extraordinary mode of exit, I at last thought 
it probable that such might be the ceremony of hurrying a stranger 
to pay his respects to the Princess ; but had I been issuing from a 
Turkish audience, the suddenness and firmness with which I was 
grasped, might have caused me some other apprehensions ; but 
after a while, instead of finding a scymetar at my head, or myself 
at the feet of a fair lady, I saw the Valachian state-coach drawn 
up at the gate: the door was open, into which I was instantly 
thrust, with as little attention to the safety of my legs and arms, 
as if my conductors were cramming a bundle of faggots into an 
oven. The Consul, in following me from the presence, had been 
made sensible, by a similar impressment , of the honour intended 
us ; and also knowing the main spring of so active a proceeding, 
no sooner took his seat by my side, than paying the backshish or 
expected douceur to our escort, the whole party flew away, like 
a covey of carrion-crows with each his morsel in his mouth ; 
leaving none of their fraternity near us, excepting one poor 
ragged fellow, who ran before the splendid equipage, something 
in the manner of our link-boys, but carrying his flame aloft in a 
sort of iron cage, resembling a fire-beacon of old. We thus re¬ 
turned in state to the consulate residence, and this high attend¬ 
ance closed the honours of our visit. 
The same evening I accompanied my host to a ball and 
concert given by one of the principal boyars, (otherwise nobles.) 
