the State.

Oravicza was so seductive--with its pleasant society; its "land
parties," as they call picnics; its evening dances, enlivened by gipsy
music--that I remained on and on from want of moral courage to tear
myself away. I had thoughts of changing my plans altogether, and of
devoting myself to a serious study of the minerals of the Banat, making
gay little Oravicza my head-centre. Looking back after the lapse of
sober time, I doubt if science would have gained much. Well, well, I
made up my mind to go. "The world was all before me," but I--left my
paradise alone. I had no fair Eve "hand in hand" to help my wandering
steps.

I do think that packing one's portmanteau is the most prosaic thing in
life. Shirts and coats must be folded, and one's possessions have a way
of increasing which makes packing a progressive difficulty. However, at
last I did persuade my portmanteau to shut, and forthwith despatched it,
with some other heavy things, to Hatszeg, a small town in Transylvania,
where I intended to be in the course of ten days.

I was now bound for Uibanya, in the Valea Tissovitza, a few miles from
Orsova on the Danube. There is an English firm down there engaged in
working the coal mines, and I had an introduction to one of the
partners. I rode from Oravicza to Szaszka--the place had become quite
familiar to me by this time--and I slept there. The night was not long,
for I left before sunrise. It is the only way to enjoy the ride; for the
middle of the day in July is really too hot for exertion in this part of
the world, and I found it was best to rest during the great heat of the
day. From Szaszka I pushed on to Moldova, and judging from my former
experience of driving the same road, I must say I prefer the saddle