reclaimed from the watery invader.*、 The wild mountain scenery, the sudden developments and contractions of the river, and the peculiar play of the waters, with the small villages of Gorni Liapkava, and Dornukava, which are separated from the immediate scene by a fertile valley, claim particular notice here.

Drenkova is another station for the night, and the steam-boat that will have made the voyage thus far, is obliged, in consequence of some impediments that yet remain in the navigation of the river, to consign her passengers, on the following morning, to a neat covered boat, rowed by four pairs of oars. This may, however, be considered an advantage, as it affords a better opportunity of examining many objects of interest. On the left, stands an unsightly ruin, formerly a fishing-house of the Hungarian kings; and here, the agitation of the waters, and the strong currents occasioned by the rocks and springs beneath, are again remarkable. Nearly opposite to a solitary public-house, at Swinitzka, is

Milanowitz, a new town, built by Prince Milosch;

* The Banat comprised, according to Rufus Festus, the present Transylvania or Siebenbergen, Moldavia, Wallachia, and all the countries between the Theiss, The Carpathian Mountains, and the Danube. Ptolemy and other writers add Besarabia; but Ovid, who lived in exile on the right bank in Bulgaria, mentions the Goths as the possessors of that tract of country.

and nearly opposite, on the left, at Tricolo, are the ruins of a champion's castle. The boats in use on this part of the river are cut out of solid trees, and resemble canoes, as do the natives that class of people accustomed to their use. Thirty miles, rowed with the current, in an almost incredibly short space of time, conducts to

Kazan, a place chosen by the Diet as a depôt for the materials employed in carrying on their improvements. Besides having nearly rendered the river navigable to steam-boats, they have made considerable progress in the formation of a new road, through projecting rocks, whose bases are in the river-from Moldava to Orsova. The expense

already incurred in these works has been enormous, but it is estimated that a further outlay of at least £200,000. will be necessary to complete them.

The Servian mountains, which have an abrupt altitude of two thousand one hundred feet, are pleasantly covered with foliage, except where occasional rocks thrust themselves through, in fantastical forms, and add much to the picturesque beauty of the scene, which for some distance, partakes strongly of the features of the Rhine,

"Making its waves a blessing as they flow

Through banks whose beauty would endure for ever." Between Drenkova and Kazan, the width of the river varies from five hundred to five thousand feet; the fall of the water, from Pesth, being half an

inch in 600 feet; the depth, from three to one hundred and eighty feet. The echo from blasting the rocks, resembles the reiterated discharge of artillery. A natural curiosity is seen in the form of a tunnel, running completely through the mountains a distance of one thousand five hundred feet. Near to this, is The Veterans' Cave, where a few soldiers defended themselves against the whole Turkish army, and protected the river both ways, for a considerable distance, obtaining provisions from the interior, by means of the tunnel, of the existence of which their enemies were ignorant. It was enlarged by an Austrian general named Vedran, during the last war.

Lower down, on the Turkish side, is

A Roman Tablet, three feet square, cut in the rocks, supported by flying genii, and having on each side a dolphin, encompassing the Roman eagles, and a Latin inscription: IMP. CAES. D. NERVAE FILIUS NERVAE TRAJANUS GERM. PONT. MAXIMUS. At the foot of this, is a stage, also cut out of the rock, twenty feet wide.

Traces cut in these rocks for some miles, have ever borne the name of Roman roads; and the perpendicular descent of the rocks into the water, leads to a belief that their bases were cut away to widen the bed of the river, whose rocky sides, shooting forth at intervals lilacs and, other blooming shrubs, form a striking contrast to the opposite

banks, where the unpretending village of

Ogradina, retiring behind a pleasant valley, takes its station on the brow of a chain of hills, which are backed by the summits of the Carpathian range,

On the Hungarian frontiers, called the Military Granze, the natives form a barrier against the inroads of the Turks. They live under a complete feudal system, holding all their lands upon condition of taking the field, or relieving the guard, when called upon to do so. This system commenced with Croatie and ended with Transylvania; and in time of war it furnishes one hundred thousand effective men, who, for strength and courage, form the flower of the Austrian army. On the left bank of the river, further on, stands

Orsova, a clean-looking little town, where the traveller will find tolerable accommodation, in a comfortable hotel, called "The Roman Emperor," at incredibly low charges.* Wallachian, Illyrian, and German, are the languages spoken by the inhabitants. As the traveller will be detained here a day or two, awaiting the return of the Argo from Galatz, he may embrace the opportunity of visiting the environs, and of examining the various objects of interest in and near the town, whence may be

*The charge for a bed is 10d., for breakfast 6d., for dinner 18., for supper 9d. A barrel of good wine, containing eighty bottles, may be had for a dollar.

seen the possessions of four powers; i. e. Servia, Wallachia, Hungary, and Turkey.

Near the water-side, wooden buildings have been erected, for effecting an exchange of commodities with the people of the adjoining states, under such restrictions as are likely to preclude the chance of contagion. There is a Greek church well worthy of notice here, as also the Lazarette, part of which is appropriated to the reception of merchandize, and the horses and men engaged in its transport, the rest being set apart for the reception of travellers, who will have little beyond the confinement to complain of, though the place is not equal in convenience to the Lazarette at Semlin. The Austrian government having reduced the term of quarantine to six days, has called forth a remonstrance from Russia, who alleges that travellers avail themselves of this establishment to evade the sanitary regulations which she has thought proper to impose upon persons entering her dominions.

We should state, that coal has been discovered at Orsova, and that the steamers now obtain a supply of that article here.

Persons having descended the Danube thus faran. extent of 600 miles through the Austrian dominions-may return when they please; but should they cross the frontier, but for a single moment, they must submit to the quarantine regulations.