book fm- that .permiffion were obliged to compound for leaving the
— \— remaining'eight in their original polition.
In this manner we proceeded; and flill found great difficulty
in forcing our way through the wilderneft, which
was fo overgrown with thick underwood, as in many parts
fcarcely to admit the breadth of an ordinary carriage.
In fomè places we were obliged to take off two, in others
four of the horfes ; and not uncommonly alighted, in order
to aflift the drivers and fervants in removing fallen trees
which obftruâed the way, in direéting the horfes through
the winding paths, and in finding a new track along the
almoft impenetrable foreft. We thought ourfelves exceedingly
fortunate, that- our carriage was not fhaken to pieces,
and that we were not frequently overturned.
In various parts of the foreft, we obferved a circular range
of boards fixed to feveral trees about twelve feet from the
ground, and projecting three in breadth from the trunk.
Upon inquiry we were informed, that upon any great hunting
party, ladders were placed againft thefe fcaffoldings ;
and that when any perfon is clofely prefled by a bear, he
runs up the ladder, and draws it up after him : the bear, although
an excellent climber, is flopped in his afcent by the
projection of the boards.,
We were very happy at length to reach Naitza, although
we took up our ftation in one of the moft wretched of all the
wretched cottages we had yet entered. The only article of
furniture it afforded was a fmall table, and the only utenfil a
broken earthen pot, in which our repaft was prepared, and
which ferved us alfo for dilhes and plates. We'eat our *
meagre fare by the light of a thin lath of deal, about five
feet in length, which was ftuck into a crevice of the wain-
fcot, and hung over the table : this lath, thanks to the tur-
3 pentine
p entine co n ta in e d in it, fe r v e d u s in fte a d o f a c an d le , o f ch a p .
w h ich th e r e w a s n o t on e to b e fo u n d in th e w h o le v illa g e o f . _' .
Na itza . It is fu r p r iz in g , th a t th e c a re le fs m e th o d o f u f in g
thefe lig h t s is n o t o f te n e r a tten d ed w i th m o r e d r e a d fu l e f fe
c t s ; f o r th e co ttag e r s c a r r y th em a b o u t th e h o u fe w i th
fuch lit t le c a u tio n , th a t w e f r e q u e n t ly o b fe r v e d ip a r k s to
drop f r om th em u p o n th e f t r aw w h i c h w a s p re p a re d fo r o u r
b e d s : n o r w e r e w e a b le , b y th e ft ro n g e f t e x p r e f iio n s o f fe a r ,
to aw a k en in th em th e i l ig h t e f t d e g r e e o f c ir cum fp e d t io n .
For fome time after coming into this country, we ufed to
ftart up with no fmall emotion in order to extinguiih the
fparks ; but, fuch is the irrefiftible influence of cuftom, we
became at laft ourfelves perfectly infenfible to the danger of
this praCtice, and caught all the indiflerence of the natives.
I once even £b far forgot myfelf as to hold a lighted ftick
for a confiderable time over an heap of ftraw, while I was
negligently fearching for fome trifle. This fupinenefs,
which I fo eafily acquired in this particular, convinced me
(if I may compare fmall things with great), that I could live
with the inhabitants at the foot of Mount Vefuvius without
dread of an eruption ; or fit unconcerned, with the natives
of Conftantinople amid the devaftations of the plague.
It is inconceivable how few are the wants of the L ithuanian
peafants ! Their carts are put together without
iron; their bridles and traces are generally plaited from
the bark of trees, or compofed merely of twifted branches.
They have no other inftrument but a hatchet, to conftruCt
their huts, cut out their furniture, and make their carts.
Their drefs is a thick linen fhirt and drawers, a long coarfe
drugget coat, or a iheeplkin cloak, a round black felt cap
lined with wool, and ihoes made from the bark of trees.
Their huts are built of trunks of trees heaped on each other,
ifeftl h H h and