re I first danced the _czardas_; it is an epoch in a man's life, but
you must see it, feel it, dance it, and, above all, hear the gipsy music
that inspires it. This is the national dance of the Hungarians, favoured
by prince and peasant alike. The figures are very varied, and represent
the progress of a courtship where the lady is coy, and now retreats and
now advances; her partner manifests his despair, she yields her hand,
and then the couple whirl off together to the most entrancing tones of
wild music, such as St. Anthony himself could not have resisted.

[Footnote 1: The Danube at Buda-Pest. Report addressed to Count Andrassy
by J.J. Revy, C.E. 1876.]

CHAPTER II.

Consequences of trying to buy a horse--An expedition into
Servia--Fine scenery--The peasants of New Moldova--Szechenyi
road--Geology of the defile of Kasan--Crossing the
Danube--Milanovacz-Drive to Maidenpek--Fearful storm in the
mountains--Miserable quarters for the night--Extent of this
storm--The disastrous effects of the same storm at Buda-Pest--Great
loss of life.

My friend H---- is the very impersonation of sound practical sense. The
next morning he coolly broke in upon my raptures over the beauty of the
Oravicza ladies by saying, "You want to buy a horse, don't you?"

Of course I did, but my thoughts were elsewhere at the moment, and with
some reluctance I took my hat and followed my friend to interview a
Wallack who had heard that I was a likely purchaser, and brought an
animal to show me. It would not do at all, arid we dismissed him.

A little later we went out into the town, and I thought there was a
horse-fair; I should think we met a dozen people at least who came up to
accost me on the subject of buying a horse. And such a collection of
animals!--wild colts from the Pustza that had never been ridden at all,
and other ancient specimens from I know not where, which could never be
ridden again--old, worn-out roadsters. There were two or three good
horses, but they were only fit for harness. I was so bothered every time
I put my nose out of doors by applications from persons anxious to part
with their property in horse-flesh, that I wished I had kept my
intentions locked in my own breast. I was pestered for days about this
business. There was an old Jew who came regularly to the house three
times a-day to tell me of some other paragon that he had found. When he
saw that it was really of no use,