nts; ‘the remainder* js scattered over 
country, and is satisfied with an 
‘abode in the open air, near the spots 
there they work in the day time.” At 
Ui Palanka our traveller left his car- 
fiage, while he took an excursion on 
re Danube, the particulars of which 
he has very agreeably related. The de- 
of curiosity which this carriage pro- 
eed here and in some other of the vil- 
es, is astonishihg: the people had 
er heard of such a vehicle, and when 
‘mained at any place a day, they 
om different parts, two or three 
nd, to see it! At Temeswar 
inter wished to purchase a book 
is Hungary, which had been 
/ recommended to him. This 
shich contains many thousand in- 
bitants, does not afford a single book- 
er’s shop ! 
} | At Mezzo-Hegyes Mr. Hunter saw 
‘the imperial stud, which was founded 
by Joseph II. for the improvement of 
i Gre ‘Hungarian horse, by introducing 
breeds from other parts of Europe, and 
' .; them with the native stock. 
~ « The number of horses amounted alto-~ 
gether to one thousand and twenty, of 
hich nine hundred were brood mares; and 
the ground allotted to their nourishment is 
poet square miles. Part of this 
isemployed in the growth of oats, hay, 
a few other general foods. The rest is 
in pasturages. ‘Ihe houses, stables, 
oflices, are erected on the most 
| 6 ent spots, and are constructed both 
| w Pagesn: and taste. There is one long 
. Be Consisting of seventy wide stalls 
_ whieh, at this season of the year, is allotted 
to the most valuable stallions ; and the mares 
Bat, are reserved for them, to the number 
four handred, graze in enclosures, and in 
Winter are taken up: ‘ibe remaining five 
dred horses are perfectly wild, and range 
Jarge., The stallions belonging to these, 
are in the proportion of one to nine or ten 
mares, and they have dreadful contentions 
with each other for favour and superiority. 
¢ had an opportunity of witnessing one of 
eir battles. A herd of about one hundred 
mares was collected together, among which 
vere only three stallions. They were al- 
eady covered with wounds received in for- 
combats, which however, did not pre- 
them from immediately commencing 
st consistent in the use of it. 
Li. p. 24 l.. viet per 
HUNTER’S TRAVELS IN HUNGARY. 
75 
anengagement. One of them was soon com- 
pletely beaten off the course, and, quite cone 
scious of his insuflicieney, slunk away unat- 
tended by a single companion. ‘The remain- 
ing two then begam an attack, and never I 
suppose, in times of chivalry, was a fiercer 
contest carried on, in the presence of the 
fair, by two enraged knights. The mares, 
however, had more compassion than the la~ 
dies of those days; and, as if fearful of the 
consequenees, vger many dreadful wounds 
had been by each party given and received, 
~y general consent they interfered, and di- 
vided themselves nearly between them, I 
obseryed that every time the mares were 
driven promiscuonsly together, as soon as 
they were left to themselves, all those of the 
same colour separated from the others, and 
assembled in parties. 
«©The manner in which these wild horses 
are caught is very curious. A gréat many of 
them are first hunted into an enclosed place 
ot. a circular form, and, when you have 
fixed on any horse you wish to have brought 
out, a man approaches with a long hair rope 
that has a slip knot at one end. They are 
then driven round pell-mell, the man’ with 
the rope running afier them, and narrowly 
watching the horse that is wanted. The 
moment he sees an opportunity, he flings the 
rope, which is done with such expertmess, 
that it generally secures him by the neck. 
He ls immediately pulled out by main force, 
and five or six other grooms, who ave always 
in attendance, running up, in one moment 
he is so fastened and pinioned on every side, 
that all resistance is completely vain. An 
exact list and pedigree is kept of every horse, 
ee the colts are all marked at three years 
old.” 
This establishment in the course of the 
last war supplied the huzzars and light 
dragoons with upwards of ten thousand 
horses, for which the emperor allowed 
a hundred florins each. The annual con- 
sumption of oats alone is estimated at 
100,000 florins; and three hundred and 
fifty men (whose number, in. the spring 
is augmented to five hundred) are em- 
ployed all the year round. 
The concluding letter in these vo- 
lumes is interesting and full of matter: 
after some general remarks on the coun- 
try and its inhabitants, Mr. Hunter en- 
larges on the political institutions of 
Hungary. We have compared this ac- 
count with that given by Dr, Townson, 
Mr. Hunter uses the verb singularly aftera noun of Aumber: Mr Gibbon, to whose 
ory we are often referred, and from whom, perhaps, this 
affectation was copied, is at 
_ Mr. Hunter is not so: speaking of the plain of Rakosch, 
here the kings of Hungary were formerly elected, he says, «1 felt while I was beholding 
it a mingled emotion of veneration and terror : 
whicha people administers when they place an 
veneration forthat awful exercise of power 
equal on the throne ; and terror,” &c. 
w.) the 2 79 | a 
