nd Western empires. His
journey was regulated by the guides, who obliged him to halt, to hasten
his march, or to deviate from the common road, as it best suited
the convenience of the king. The Romans, who traversed the plains of
Hungary, suppose that they passed _several_ navigable rivers, either
in canoes or portable boats; but there is reason to suspect that the
winding stream of the Teyss, or Tibiscus, might present itself in
different places under different names. From the contiguous villages
they received a plentiful and regular supply of provisions; mead instead
of wine, millet in the place of bread, and a certain liquor named
_camus_, which according to the report of Priscus, was distilled from
barley. Such fare might appear coarse and indelicate to men who had
tasted the luxury of Constantinople; but, in their accidental distress,
they were relieved by the gentleness and hospitality of the same
Barbarians, so terrible and so merciless in war. The ambassadors had
encamped on the edge of a large morass. A violent tempest of wind and
rain, of thunder and lightning, overturned their tents, immersed their
baggage and furniture in the water, and scattered their retinue, who
wandered in the darkness of the night, uncertain of their road, and
apprehensive of some unknown danger, till they awakened by their cries
the inhabitants of a neighboring village, the property of the widow of
Bleda. A bright illumination, and, in a few moments, a comfortable fire
of reeds, was kindled by their officious benevolence; the wants, and
even the desires, of the Romans were liberally satisfied; and they seem
to have been embarrassed by the singular politeness of Bleda's widow,
who added to her other favors the gift, or at least the loan, of a
sufficient number of beautiful and obsequious damsels. The sunshine
of the succeeding day was dedicated to repose, to collect and dry the
baggage, and to the refreshment of the men and horses: but, in the
evening, before they pursued their journey, the ambassadors expressed
their gratitude to the bounteous lady of the village, by a very
acceptable present of silver cups, red fleeces, dried fruits, and Indian
pepper. Soon after this adventure, they rejoined the march of Attila,
from whom they had been separated about six days, and slowly proceeded
to the capital of an empire, which did not contain, in the space of
several thousand miles, a single city.

As far as we may ascertain the vague and obscu