Being practically on the frontier—for the Borgo Pass leads from it into Bukovina—it has had a very stormy existence, and it certainly shows marks of it.

He went, but immediately returned with a letter. Some of them were just like the peasants at home or those I saw coming through France and Germany, with short jackets and round hats and home-made trousers; but others were very picturesque. On the stage they would be set down at once as some old Oriental band of brigands. Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my door, so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then. In the population of Transylvania there are four distinct nationalities: Saxons in the South, and mixed with them the Wallachs, who are the descendants of the Dacians; Magyars in the West, and Szekelys in the East and North. I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina.

Some of them were just like the peasants at home or those I saw coming through France and Germany, with short jackets and round hats and home-made trousers; but others were very picturesque. At every station there were groups of people, sometimes crowds, and in all sorts of attire. (Mem., I must ask the Count all about them.) I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had all sorts of queer dreams. I am going among the latter, who claim to be descended from Attila and the Huns. I was evidently expected, for when I got near the door I faced a cheery-looking elderly woman in the usual peasant dress—white undergarment with long double apron, front, and back, of coloured stuff fitting almost too tight for modesty. It seems to me that the further east you go the more unpunctual are the trains.

I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was “mamaliga,” and egg-plant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish, which they call “impletata.” (Mem., get recipe for this also.) I had to hurry breakfast, for the train started a little before eight, or rather it ought to have done so, for after rushing to the station at 7:30 I had to sit in the carriage for more than an hour before we began to move. Count Dracula had directed me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel, which I found, to my great delight, to be thoroughly old-fashioned, for of course I wanted to see all I could of the ways of the country. They are, however, I am told, very harmless and rather wanting in natural self-assertion. Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my door, so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then. They are very picturesque, but do not look prepossessing. They wore high boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches. The women looked pretty, except when you got near them, but they were very clumsy about the waist.