Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/64

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14
ADVENTURES OF

and it is then specially covenanted that their husbands shall not prevent their going to their baths, which the men dare not enter under pain of death. They obtain this privilege upon the ground that a command is given upon the subject by the Prophet Mahomet, and that women are bound to have a special love of cleanliness.

On Friday, Oct. 11,[1] a day which the Turks hallow like our Sunday, we saw the pasha go to divine worship with great pomp. First rode about 300 janissaries, then a number of chiaouscs, and then came some hundred spahis or foot-soldiers. After these rode the pasha himself in a dress of gold brocade. He remained about two hours in the temple, and then returned home with a similar procession.

fter dinner we went up into the town, which, as well as the castle, is situated on a hill with the Danube on the right hand, and there are ancient Hungarian buildings still standing in it. It would be tedious to write an account of this town; I will only notice what I saw myself. The town of Buda is situated in an extremely agreeable and pleasant spot, in a very fertile and fruitful region, and is built on a rocky hill, so that vineyards adjoin it on one side, while on the other there is a view of the Danube, and beyond the Danube you see the town of Pesth. Behind and around it lie wide and extensive plains, where there was a certain spot specially chosen for the election of the kings of Hungary. In the suburbs of Buda splendid houses were formerly

  1. The month here changes in the original from Zari, September, to Rijen, October; the German translator has Weinmonat, October, throughout.