713 



AUSTRIA. 



AUSTRIA. 



71 i 



Hungary, containing five districts, Presburg, Kaschau, Grosswardein, ) 



Euda-Pesth, Ocdcnburg . . . . . . . . ) 



Voicodschujt of Sereia and Bmiat of Tftnes, including five district?, 



Gross-Becskerek, Lugos, Ncusatz, Temcsvar, and Zouibor . 

 Croatia and Maconia, containing six palatinates, Agram, Fiume, 



Krcutz, Warasdin, Essegg, and Posega . . . . 



Transsyhania, including five circles, Hermannstadt, Carlsburg, 



Klauscnburg, De"es, and Maros Vasarhely ..... 

 Military Frontiers, including Slavonia-Croatia and Banat-Servia . 

 To which, in order to complete the number of the population, must 



be added the Military 



Pop. in 

 1850. 



7,864,262 



1,426,221 



868,456 



2,073,737 



1,009,109 



738,624 



86,514,466 



The Austrian dominions contain, in almost every part, lofty moun- 

 tains, some forming the natural line of demarcation into provinces, as 

 the Sudetsch branch of the Hercynians, ami the Carpathian chains in 

 the north and east ; and others, like the Alps and their branches, iu 

 the south and west, penetrating into the heart of the several countries 

 v.l i form part of the empire in this direction. The plains do not 

 occupy more than about a fifth part of the whole surface ; the few 

 exteacive levels which exist are found next to the northern declivities 

 of the Carpathians, in Oalicia, and in the south-eastern parts of 

 Hungary, between the Matra and the Transsylvanian branch of the 

 Carpathians; they prevail within the Slavonian borders, and from the 

 distinguishing feature of that portion of the Austrian possessions in 

 the north of Italy which lies between the Alps and the Apennines. 



We shall commence our view of the surface with the mountain 

 chains which are most remarkable for their extent and elevation. 



In tb.9 south 1st, the Rhtetian or Tyrolcse Alps, the loftiest range 

 in the Austrian dominions. This chain after forming the northern 

 boundary of Lombardy enters the Tyrol from the Orisons, beginning 

 on the Austrian side with the highest mountain in the whole empire, 

 namely, the Ortelos, or Oertlers Spitze, at an elevation of 2058 Vienna 

 klafters, or 12,811 English feet, near the source of the Adda, and 

 extends in a north-easterly direction, covering the Tyrol with its 

 enormous masses, until it terminates at the Three Lords' Peak 

 (Dreiherrn-spitze), near the borders of Carinthia, and at no great 

 distance from the source of the Salzach, in the province of Upper 

 Austria. Among the branches of the Rhartian Alps is one which 

 bends easterly towards the source of the Muhr, in the circle of 

 Salzburg, and then running northward between the Traun and Ens, 

 divides into several arms of considerable elevation, which subside in 

 the valley of the Danube. Another principal branch stretches in a 

 southerly direction to the Monte Pellegrino, close upon the frontier 

 of the Tyrolese and Venetian territories, and sends forth its arms 

 under the name of the Lesinian Mountains (which lie between the 

 Lago di Garda and the Brenta) and the Euganeian and Berinian hills. 

 In connection with the Rhx'tian chain are 2nd, the Noric Alps, which 

 commence at the Three Lords' Peak, traverse the whole of Carinthia 

 which lies on the left bank of the Drave, then turn eastward through 

 Styria, spread into Lower and Upper Austria, and gradually subside 

 into the plains of Oedenburg hi Hungary. A limestone range to 

 which the Semmering between Lower Austria and Styria belongs 

 accompanies this chain, whose extreme northern arms, the Kahlen 

 and Leitha heights, commonly called the Joseph and Leopold's Berge, 

 look down upon the plain in which Vienna is situated. Connected 

 also with the Rhsetiau, are 3rd, the Carnic or Carinthian Alps, which 

 commence at the Monte Pellegrino, in the southernmost Tyrol, run 

 south-eastward through the Illyrian provinces of Carinthia and 

 Carniola, and gradually subside in the Kiistenland, or government 

 of Triest, on the Adriatic. This chain abounds in iron, lead, copper, 

 and quicksilver ; and many minor branches descend into the eastern 

 parts of the Venetian territory, whilst one of them stretches in a 

 gradually declining elevation from the Terglou in Western Illyria, 

 eastward beyond Carlowitz, where it terminates opposite the con- 

 fluence of the Danube and Theiss. With the Terglou begins the long 

 chain of 4th, the Julian or Camiolan Alps, which run in a south- 

 easterly direction between the right bank of the Save and the Isonzo, 

 until they throw out two arms above the town of Idria in the Illyrian 

 province of Laybach ; the western encircling and traversing the 

 peninsula of Istria to its western shore, and the eastern descending 

 along the left bank of the Calpa in Illyria : the main chain stretches 

 on in a south-easterly line, until it has encircled the Gulf of Quarnero, 

 on the Adriatic, and formed a junction, at the high limestone rock 

 termed the Klek near Zengh, with 5th, the Dinaric Alps, which 

 from this point traverse that part of Austrian Croatia between the 

 Kulpa and Unna, and right bank of the Save, and then enter Turkish 

 Croatia ; whilst a branch turns westward, spreads out hi short ranges 

 to the very borders of the Adriatic, and converts a considerable 

 portion of the narrow elongated surface of Dalmatia into a mountain- 

 region, of which the Monte Dinara (5669 feet in height), whence the 

 parent chain has derived its name, is the most elevated summit. The 

 whole of the Alpine chains which spread through the Archduchy of 

 Austria, and south of it into Styria, Illyria, Croatia, and Dalmatia, 

 as compared with the stupendous elevation of the western chain of 

 the Alps, scarcely attain one-half of their height. 



The eastern and north-eastern territory of Austria is characterised 



by its own independent mountain system. The Carpathians, which 

 commence near Presburg on the Danube, near the north-western 

 border of Hungary, are connected by their northward slope with the 

 Sudetsch branch of the Hercynian chain ; and when they reach the 

 district where the boundaries of Austrian-Silesia, Moravia, and 

 Hungary meet, attain a great elevation. From this point the prin- 

 cipal mass sweeps in an arch to the east, and then follows a southerly 

 course until it reaches the south-eastern extremity of Trangsylvania 

 at Mount Mosa Mika, from which point it turns towards the west, and 

 then deviating a little to the south, terminates a course of between 

 650 and 700 miles on the left bank of the Danube near Old Orsova, 

 close upon the frontier of Wallachia. In this course, the Carpathians 

 form a boundary line, separating Hungary from Moravia, Austrian- 

 Silesia, Galicia, and the Buckowine in the north ; Traussylvania from 

 Moldavia and Wallachia in the east and south ; and the military 

 frontier of south-eastern Hungary from the western confines of 

 Wallachia, and the northern confines of Servia, on the right bank 

 of the Danube. 



The principal groups into which the Carpathians are usually sub- 

 divided, are: 1. Thn Tramsylvanian Alps, consisting of a number of 

 parallel ranges stretching first north-eastward through the Austrian 

 Banat and then across the province, whence they have their name, 

 from Uipalanka, below Weisskirchen (about 70 miles east of Semliu), 

 and subsiding gently at Mount Pietrozza, a little to the north of the 

 sources of the Theiss in the Hungarian circle of Marmaros. No 

 summits in this group exceed 4000 feet in elevation until they have 

 reached the territory of Moldavia. They slope gently on the west 

 into the plains of Hungary around Temeswar and Wardein, and 

 occupy a surface of which the greatest length is about 350 miles, with 

 a breadth varying from 25 to 95 miles. 2. The Waldyelirye, or Forest 

 Mountains, the main chain of which takes a north-westerly course 

 from the sources of the Theiss in Hungary and Pruth in south- 

 eastern Galicia to the banks of the Hernad and Popred in Upper 

 Hungary. They form a series of low flat masses of sandstone and 

 flinty rock, extending in length from 140 to 160 miles, and in breadth 

 about 50 or 60 miles, on the northern or Galician side of which the 

 Dniester springs. On this north side they descend, covered with 

 forest and swamp, into the Galiciau plain, their base being terminated 

 by those enormous banks of rock-salt, between 700 and 800 feet deep, 

 which appear to spread eastward almost to the verge of the Ural 

 chain in Southern Russia. Their southern slopes fall into the plain 

 of the Theiss in Hungary, and where the line of forest ceases they 

 are well cultivated, and highly favourable to the growth of the vine. 

 3. The Central Carpathians, or Tatra Mountains : these not only con- 

 stitute the loftiest mass of the whole Carpathian system, but are the 

 only mountains of Eastern Europe, north of the Alps, which approach 

 the Alps iu character. They extend for about 80 miles along the 

 northern confines of Hungary, between the Upper Popred and 

 Dunajec, which lie at their south-eastern end, between the Arva and 

 the Upper Waag. The average elevation of this stupendous mass of 

 granite is between 6000 and 6500 feet ; but that of the highest summit, 

 the Peak of the Lomnitz, is 8133 feet. They are characterised by 

 alpine glaciers, snow, lakes, and deep chasms, chiefly however in the 

 more northerly regions. In the north they stretch out their arms 

 towards the banks of the Raba and Bialka in Western Galicia ; and 

 in the south, as far into the heart of Hungary as Waitzen on the 

 Danube, and Erlau on the stream of that name, which is tributary to 

 the Theiss. In both directions they are bordered by a range 2000 feet 

 high, and these again are bounded by a margin of low hills. 4. The 

 Hungarian Erzgebirge, or Mountains of Ore, which rise to the south 

 of the Tatra, consist of numerous groups, divided by the valleys of 

 the Neutra, Gran, and other streams ; they slope down into the 

 plains of Hungary, and at their western declivity, facing Gran and 

 Waitzeu, approach the Danube. Their breadth varies from 50 to 

 60 miles. One of the branches of this chain, the Matra, which forms 

 the central group next the plains, is celebrated for the excellence of 

 its vineyards. 5. The Besleides, the highest point of which is the 

 Babia Gura, at an elevation of 5400 feet, abut eastward on the Wald- 

 gebirge, and encompassing the northern range of the Central Carpa- 

 thians spread along the frontiers between Moravia, Austrian-Silesia, 

 Galicia, and Hungary. Towards the north they extend into Gnlicia, 

 and descend into the elevated plains of Tamowitz and Cracow, in the 

 region of the Upper Vistula, whilst their southern range subsides on 

 the plains of Hungary. Their western extremity, from which the 

 Beczva springs, stands in immediate contact with 6. the Lesser 

 Carpathians, or Jaworina Mountains, which commence between 

 Haimburg and Presburg, on the left bank of the Danube, and form 

 the most westerly group of the parent chain. Thence they take a 

 north-easterly course, crossing the district between the March and 

 Waag, and next form a line of demarcation between Moravia and 

 Hungary. Their greatest elevation does not exceed 2000 feet, from 

 which they decline with thickly-wooded slopes as they approach the 

 March and Waag on the western and eastern sides. 



The sides of the Great Carpathian chain are generally covered with 

 forests to a height of 3600 and even 4200 feet, above which there is a 

 succession of naked colossal masses of rock, whose surface is unrelieved 

 by any sign of vegetation beyond a scanty sprinkling of rock-moss. 

 The highest points aro everywhere composed of grauito, and the less 



