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Updated: May 2, 2025
In parts we had to pass through a mere morass, into which my horse kept sinking. At last we got back to Toplicza. The forester and the Wallack thought themselves amply compensated by a few paper florins. I daresay they kept off the rheumatism by extra potations of slivovitz.
My friend and I returned to Petrosèny, and the afternoon was occupied in making preparations for two days on the mountains. I supplied myself with a good amount of slivovitz, as a medium of exchange for milk and cheese with the shepherds, who understand this kind of barter much better than any money transactions.
I was rather afraid my Wallack was indulging too freely in slivovitz otherwise plum-brandy a special weakness of theirs; but after an intolerable delay we got off at last. Soon after leaving the town we came upon an encampment of gipsies; their tents looked picturesque enough in the distance, but on nearer approach the illusion was entirely dispelled.
I had also provided myself with some bacon and slivovitz for barter, a couple of bottles of the spirit being turned into a big flask slung alongside of my lesser flask for wine.
He comes probably from Galicia as poor as a rat, he settles himself in the village, and sells slivovitz on credit to the foolish peasant, who, besotted with drink and debt, gets into his meshes; in the end, the Jew having sucked the blood of his victims, possesses himself of their little property, finds himself the object of universal hatred, and then he moves on.
The man took it and painted on the board an X, which the Servians use like S, to show his skill. "See what an artist you are!" Timar said, admiringly, and got him to draw another letter. "You are a clever fellow. What is your name?" "Joso Berkics." "And yours?" "Mirko Jakerics." "Well, God bless you! Let us drink a glass of Slivovitz." They had nothing against the proposition.
The driver who was to take us the first stage came in and asked for a florin to get some oats for his horses. Very foolishly I gave him the money, nothing doubting; and off he went to spend it on slivovitz, the result being that he was soon drunk and incapable. If we had realised the fact at once it might have been better, but we waited and waited, not knowing for a long time what had happened.
Besides the consumption of the fruit in its innocent form of prunes, it is made into the spirit called slivovitz, the curse of Hungary and Roumania. We made a halt at this village, and sent out a man to look up some horses. He brought in several, but none of them were strong enough for my purpose. It was then proposed that we should ride on to the next village. Here we got dinner but no horses.
So much is laziness the normal state with these people that I think they must regard hard work as a sort of recreation. Their wants are so limited that there is no inducement to work for gain. What have they to work for beyond the necessary quantity of maize, slivovitz, and tobacco? Their women make nearly all the clothes. Wages of course are high that is the trouble throughout the country.
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