And yet, the residue of our Journey was not without Peril. After we had passed the Country of the _Thracians_ and _Bulgarians_, which reaches as far as _Nissa_, and came into the _Servians_ Country, reaching from _Nissa_ to _Simandria_, where the _Rascians_ Country begins; we came at last to _Belgrade_, the Weather being excessively hot and parching, for ’twas the hottest time of the _Dog-days_.
At _Belgrade_, upon one of our Fish-days, we were presented with abundance of choice Fish, and amongst the rest, with large full-bodied _Carps_, taken in the _Danube_, whose _Carps_ are very much commended: My People did eat very greedily of them, and that was either the cause, or the occasion, which cast many of them into a Fever; yet all that quantity of Fish, which was enough to satisfy forty Men, cost but half a Dollar; and the Truth is, other Things are as cheap. As for Hay, ’tis little or nothing worth; the Meadows are so laden with it, that every Man may take what he will, provided he pay for the Mowing and Carriage; which made us admire the Wisdom of the old _Hungarians_, after they had passed the _Save_, who chose so fertile a Country, as _Hungary_, to dwell in; where there were all manner of Conveniences for Human Life. We passed over a great Tract of Land, both beyond and on this side the _Save_, and we found the Grass, Barley, Oats and Wheat, almost parch’d and withered with Drought; but as soon as we entred _Hungary_, the Grass was so tall, that a Coach, that went before, could hardly be seen by another that came after; which is a great Argument of the goodness of the Soil.
The _Rascians_, as I told you before, begin at _Simandria_, and reach as far as the River _Drave_; they are reputed to be a fudling sort of People, and not very faithful to Strangers. Whence they had their Name and Original, I do not certainly know; but truly they were kind enough to us; we passed through some Villages of theirs of less Note, and at last arrived at _Esseck_, which is almost inclosed with muddy Marshes, and is famous for the slaughter of _Catzianerus_, and the overthrow of the _Christians_. Here I was taken with a _Tertian Ague_, I was so parch’d with Heat, in travelling the open Fields of _Hungary_; and at _Esseck_ we passed the _Drave_, and came to _Lasque_, where being weary with the Heat of my Journey, and my Ague, I laid me down to Rest. There the chiefest of the Place came to me to bid me welcome; and presented me with large Melons, Pears, and Plumbs of several Sorts, besides Wine, and other Provisions, all of them very good; the noted Country of _Campania_ in _Italy_ hardly bears better. In the Room where I lodged, there was a long Table all furnished with these Viands: My Servants desired the _Hungarians_ to stay to Supper, excusing my Absence, because of my Sickness. As soon as I awoke, and saw such a full-spread Table before my Eyes, I thought verily I had been in a Dream, and ask’d my Physician, how that came about? He told me plainly, that he himself had caused the Table to be furnished, that so the very Sight of it might refresh me. But must I not taste of it, said I? Yes, said he, but you must only taste; and so I eat a little of it, and seem’d to be much the better for it. The Day after the _Hungarians_ came to me again to present their Service, desiring me to represent their Condition to the Emperor, in regard of the Wrongs they received from some of their Neighbours. From thence we came to _Mohatz_, noted for the Overthrow and Death of _Lewis_ King of _Hungary_; not far from that Town, I saw a River whose Water was deep, and its Banks very steep; here that unhappy Prince leapt in with his Horse, and was drown’d, being for his Fall as much to be lamented, as for his Imprudence, in venturing with a small and newly rais’d Army of his Country-Men, to cope with the more numerous, veteran, and well-disciplin’d Forces of _Solyman_.