ON THE DANUBE. 
793 
month of March ships begin to make their appearance again ; and 
as they have not the inconvenience of a tide against them, they 
come up close to the wharfs, and there remain till their business 
is finished. Galatz is the great market for the produce of the 
two principalities, and accordingly is well stocked from them 
both. It is chiefly inhabited by commercial men, who, notwith¬ 
standing the rigour of the prohibitive measures, often find the 
means of exporting wheat and other contraband articles ; but 
their principal trade is that of importation which articles, such 
as coffee, sugar, &c. are transported thence, throughout the pro¬ 
vinces, and even to Bucovina, Transylvania, and other districts 
round. “ Most of the merchants carrying on trade in Valachia 
and Moldavia are natives or Greeks. Some have been naturalized 
in Russia or Austria, and receive protection from these powers; 
an advantage which is of no small consequence to their affairs, 
(it yielding them the necessary security.) In fact the natural 
richness, and the various resources of these two principalities are 
such, that if they could enjoy the important advantages of a 
regular government and a wise administration, under which in¬ 
dustry and agriculture should receive their due encouragement; 
the trade of exports laid open, the commercial intercourse with 
foreign nations set upon a proper footing, and finally the mines 
explored; they would in a short time become the most flourish¬ 
ing and most populous provinces of Europe. The harbour of 
Galatz would soon stand in rivalship with all the ports of the 
Black Sea, not excepting Odessa. In short, nature seems to 
have furnished them with every possible means of becoming 
prosperous ; but men have ever proved themselves the deter¬ 
mined enemies of their prosperity.” 
5 i 
VOL. II. 
