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Geographical and Geological Observations on some parts of 

 European Turkey, namely^ Masia, Bulgaria, Romelia, Al- 

 bania, and Bosnia. By Dr A. Bouk. Communicated by 

 the Author in a Letter to the Editor.* 



In the general view of the Orography of European Turkey, 

 communicated in the preceding volumes of this Journal, I 

 could only enter into a few details regarding Servia, Macedonia, 



* We remark with pleasure the interest excited in Germany by the series 

 of papers by Dr Bou^ which have appeared in this Journal. The following 

 observations accompany a copious abstract of the first portion of our friend's 

 discoveries, published by Mr Berghaus in his interesting and deservedly po- 

 pular " Almanach ; den Freunden derErdkunde gewidmet," for 1838: " We 

 may, with justice and propriety, tenn Boue's journey through European 

 Turkey a journey of discovery for Geography as well as for Geognosy. For, 

 although our maps of Turkey are filled up with the most minutely delineated 

 chains of mountains, and exhibit a perfectly complete hydrographical net of 

 serpentine rivers and streams ; yet, we know well, that these apparently ac- 

 curate representations belong, for the most part, to the phantasmagorical class, 

 and can scarcely deceive the most credulous. Most of the other countries of 

 Europe have been surveyed and described, but we grope in profound dark- 

 ness, when we inquire into the natural external form and the geognostical 

 constitution of the Turkish possessions. Christian prejudices and mercan- 

 tile interests are undoubtedly the chief reasons that have, to so great an 

 extent, prevented Europeans from travelling in a country which, now that 

 many portions of it enjoy the blessings of peace, and that the early fanaticism 

 of its inhabitants has begun to disappear, does not present the great dif- 

 ficulties formerly encountered. The indefatigable Boue, who has examined 

 the geognostical structure of nearly all the countries of Europe, and who saw 

 in Turkey an entirely unexplored field for new observations, resolved to de- 

 vote from three to four years to its investigation, and to associate with him 

 in his enterprize, naturalists who prosecuted other departments of natural 

 history. In the year 1836, during a portion of his journey, he enjoyed 

 the society of two French geologists, MM. Montalembert and Viquenel, ot 

 Mr Friedriehsthal, a botanist, and of Mr Adolf Schwab, a zoologist, the two 

 latter being originally from Moravia. It is to be regretted that Boue did not 

 take with him a measuring geographer, that is, a person, provided with the 

 requisite instruments, who should have been able to determine positions, 

 and to ascertain the three co-ordinates of a great number of points, so as to 

 furnish a foundation for a new and accurate map, of whose want, our travel- 

 ler, as we shall soon see, bitterly complains These are the facts 



collected by Boue, during the first year of his journey of discovery, so far as 

 he has made them known in Jameson's excellent Journal. The services 



