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, he then complained loudly that I had wasted his precious time, that he had given up every other occupation for the sake of finding me a horse.  I dismissed this Jew, telling him pretty sharply to go about his own business for once, adding that nothing should induce me to buy a horse in Oravicza.

One day H——­ informed me that he was going over to Servia on a matter of business, and if I liked to accompany him, I should see something of the country, and perhaps I might find there a horse to suit me.  The Servian horses are said to be a useful breed, strong though small, and very enduring for a long march.

I was very ready for the expedition, so we hired a leiterwagen, which is in fact a long cart with sides like a ladder, peculiarly suitable for rough work.  I was much surprised to find the Hungarians far less often in the saddle than I expected; it is true, nobody walks, not even the poorest peasant, but they drive, as a rule.

We started one fine July morning in our machine for Moldova on the Danube.  The first place we came to was Szaszka, a mining village.  Close by are copper mines and smelting-works belonging to the States Railway Company.  I was told that they do not pay as well as formerly, owing to the fact that the ore now being worked is poorer than before; it yields only two per cent. of copper, a very low average.  Nothing could well exceed the dirt of Szaszka; we merely stopped long enough to feed the horses, and were glad to get off again.