



IUI.I/K. 



BALKAN MOUNTA 



centre, and extend* through the inland from east to wort ; nt the 

 imlun extremity is a volcanic mountain called the Peak of Bali, 

 which u estimated to be above 11,000 feet in height. 



There are numeroiu small streams and rivuleU running from the 

 mountain* to the ooaiit on all aides, and affording abundant facilities 

 for irrigation, by which mean* the land* are rendered highly produc- 

 tive. These stream* probably originate in the inland lakes mentioned 

 by Captain Keppel in his ' Indian Archipelago.' The inland lake* or 

 HKKiiTiiirn of water, he says, " are situated several thousand feet above 

 Uw level of the sea. They contain excellent fresh water, and are said 

 to have tides whose rise and fall correspond to that of the sea." 1 

 The lakes are of great depth, varying from forty to several hundred 

 fathoms ; and however much water maybe drawn from them they are 

 said never to decrease. 



The soil produces two crops in the year. The chief vegetable pro- 

 duction* are rice, maize, sweet potatoes, and cotton. Cocoa-nuts, 

 oranges, and citrons are also very abundant, but are not cultivated. 

 Great numbers of cattle and swine are reared, and, notwithstanding 

 the prevalence of the Hindoo religion, form a large part of the food of 

 the common people. Oxen are sold at a very low price. In addition 

 to the cotton grown on the island a further quantity is imported from 

 the island of Sumbawa, and the whole is spun and a great part woven 

 by the females. Cotton-yarn and cloths are purchased by the Chinese 

 traders who visit the island. 



The external trade of the island is carried on by Chinese or by 

 prahus from the island of Celebes. Besides the cloths and cotton-yarn 

 already mentioned the traders of Bali furnish cocoa-nut-oil, edible 

 birds' -nests, hides, and a few other trifling articles, receiving in 

 exchange opium, betel-nuts, ivory, gold, and silver. A considerable 

 export trade in slaves was carried on formerly with the Chinese 

 traders. The persons sold were prisoners taken in war, insolvent 

 debtors, and thieves. 



The entire island is nominally under one chief, who is styled the 

 Soesochoenan of Klong-Kong, or Emperor of Bali and Lombok. 

 It is divided into eight small states, each governed by a rajah. 

 The population U estimated at about 800,000. The Balinose are 

 a finer race of men than the Javanese, and indeed are superior 

 in stature and muscular strength to the generality of Eastern 

 islanders. "The Balinese," says Captain Keppel, "are an inde- 

 pendent and comparatively civilised race, and very jealous of the 

 encroachments of their powerful neighbours" the Dutch of Java, 

 They have of late years had two campaigns with the Dutch ; " in 

 the first," says the same authority, " the Balinese had some advantage ; 

 in the second they were reduced, but by no means humbled. Never- 

 theless, they are in a fair way of becoming a Dutch dependency." 

 Indeed by a treaty agreed to in 1849 between the prince of Klong- 

 Kong and the Dutch, the former declares the kingdom of Klong-Kong, 

 which forms the central part of the island, to make part of Netherlands 

 India. 



The inhabitants profess the Hindoo forms of religion, Brahminism, 

 and Buddhism. " This is the only island in the whole Indian Archi- 

 pelago where these two forms of the Hindoo religion exist together 

 undisturbed." But the Mohammedans have here, as in most of the 

 neighbouring islands, become the ruling class ; the absence of division 

 however between the two great sects which comprise the great bulk 

 of the inhabitants, ha* prevented them from completing their schemes of 

 conquest The Hindoo village system prevails throughout the island. 

 The Brahmin* are viewed with great respect by the other castes, 

 and are entrusted with the administration of civil and criminal 

 justice. Women are held to be on an equality with men, and are 

 treated with consideration, so that they are not called upon, as among 

 many other half-civilised people, to perform degrading offices of labour. 

 The people are also in a remarkable degree free from the vices of 

 drunkenness and libertinism, but are much addicted to gaming and 

 cock-fighting. The practice of women sacrificing themselves at the 

 obsequies of their husband* or chiefs i* very common, but female 

 Brahmin* do not follow this custom. 



The revenue* of the rajah* are derived in a very small part from 

 landed possessions, the greater portion being made up of a share in 

 the produce of the land* of their subjects, and the harbour .luti, -. 



No European power had mode any permanent settlement 

 island until 1845, when the Dutch planted a colony at Port Badong, 

 one of the three principal towns in the island. These are Badong, on il,, 

 south coast ; Illilling, on (! north coast ; and Karang- Assam, on the 

 eastern aide of the island. In 1814 some English troop* were sent 

 to Ba]t, and temporarily occupied the town of Illilling. 



(Raffles'* J/utory of Jara ; Crawford's Indian Archiittlago ; Koppel's 

 India* Arckipdayo, London, 1853.) 

 l:.VI.I/.r.. [BWJM.1 

 BALKAN MOUNTAINS, is a name which properly belong* to 

 that range of mountain* in Turkey in Kurope which, lying between 

 the 42n<l and 43rd parallel, and the 23rd an.l Inn, divi.l.-, 



the nlain* on the Lower Danube from the rivers running southward 

 to the Archipelago. The name has been extended so as to comprise 

 the whole mountain chain, which mn from the Adriatic Gulf to the 

 Black Hea, between Uw parallels of 42 and 43. Thi* chain begin* 

 *J* re* of " A^tfc Onlf, with the rocky peninsula of 

 Hahionoells, opposite the Uland of Curzola, and soon assumes an 



extremely wild and alpine character in the mountain* of Czcrna- 

 Gora, or Montenegro. Proceeding farther eastward between tin- 

 provinces of Servia and Albania it seems to increase in height iu the 

 mountains of Perserin, which join the Tchar-Dagb, or Kara-Dagb, 

 the Mons Scordus of the ancients. The highest part of the range 

 lies still farther to the east, where it receives the names of < ;iiuU<lin. 

 Argentaro, and Kgrisu. To the west of the town of Sophia, near the 

 sources of the Inker, a tributary of the Danube, and those of the Stmma 

 (Strymon), is Mount Orbelus, or Kgrisu, 9000 feet above the sea, as 

 it is conjectured, which is the highest known summit of the whole 

 system. From Mount Orbelus the range declines to the south-east, 

 and is called Dupinsha-Dagh, but it resumes its eastern dir< 

 again at the sources of the Maritza (the Hebrus), and from this point 

 to its termination on the shores of the Black Sea it is called Balkan, 

 or Emineh-Dagh : the latter name is derived from Cape Emineh. with 

 which it terminates on the Black Sea. This portion of the range is 

 considerably lower than that farther to the west, and is thought that 

 its mean height does not exceed 3000 or 4000 feet above the sea. It 

 forms the Hicmus of the Greek geographers, probably so called from 

 ts cold and snowy climate. 



This range like the whole mountain system is distinguished by 

 craggy summits and steep sides, which render travelling in many 

 parts impossible, and everywhere very difficult. Most of the narrow 

 roads, of which only a few are passed in carriages, are made in the 

 dry beds of torrents, and the traveller runs the risk of being drowned 

 n them, when they are suddenly filled by heavy rains. The most 

 requentod, or rather the only passable roods over it, are six in 

 number, which from east to west succeed one another in the follow- 

 ng order : The road leading from Shumla in Bulgaria to Aidos in 

 ium-ili offers less difficulties than the others, as it traverses the lowest 

 wrtion of the range, and is therefore the most frequented. By this 

 oad the Russian army passed the Balkan in 1829. The second leading 

 roiu Shumla to Karnabod is much more difficult ; it unites with the 

 'ormer to the south of Karnabod, and then passes through Wisa 

 and leads directly to Constantinople. The third road unites Teniova 

 on the Yiiiitra, a tributary of the Danube, with Selimno, a com- 

 mercial town situated on a branch of the Maritza in a narrow valley 

 near the principal range, and is also much used. The fourth road 

 Begins likewise at Ternova and terminates at Kasanlik, a commercial 

 town situated on the Tundja, a tributary of the Maritza. Passing 

 over a very elevated part of the range it presents numerous difficulties, 

 and is the least frequented. The fifth road leads from Sophia on the 

 [sker to Tatar Bosordshick on the Maritza. It passes through the 

 Kapuli Derbend (Gate of the Gorge), which is exceedingly narrow, 

 between steep mountains and deep abytses, and is thought to be the 

 work of the emperor Trajan. The last three roads lead to Adrianople, 

 and hence to Constantinople. These five roads traverse the !' 

 Balkan. The higher portion of the range farther to the west is only 

 traversed by one road, which leads from Pristina in Servia to Uskup, 

 or Skopia, in Macedonia. It is passable only l>y mules and asses, but 

 much frequented, being the only road by which the produce of 

 Macedonia is carried to the north. 



The Balkan is united to the mountains of Middle Europe 1 

 ranges. The Dinaric Alps, which separate the Lowlands of Hungary 

 from the Adriatic Gulf, join it to the mountain system of the Alps. 

 This range has its name from the highest of its mountains, Mount 

 Dinara, which rises to nearly 0000 feet, and is very steep on its 

 western descent It contains two great mountain masses, the 

 Capella on the east of Segno, and the Velebitch Mountains south of 

 the same town. The Great Capella joins the Julian Alps near Segna. 

 [DALMATIA.] 



By another range the Balkan is united to the Carpathians. This 

 chain has different names. It detaches itself from the Balkan to the 

 north of the sources of the Maritza, runs north-west under the name 

 of the Kodja Balkan to about 21 30' K. IOIIR., forming 

 shed between the Morava and the Lower Danube. At this point it 

 turns northward, and is called Haiduki or Hai.luk Mountain-, which 

 at the northern extremity above 44 N. lat, break off in iseveral 

 minor range* north-west and northward to the Danube. The prin- 

 cipal of these minor ranges runx north liy cant with steep sides to the 

 Danube, which it reaches at Orsova, where it forms with the southern 

 termination of the Carpathian chain the famous Demir-Kapu, or Iron 

 Gate. [DANUBE.] 



The country between the Dinaric Alps and the mountains just 

 traced, which oomprthend* the Turkish provinces of Bosnia and 

 Servia, U a truly alpine region, presenting only high, steep mountains, 

 and narrow, deep valley*. Its valleys in the southern districts run 

 parallel to the Balkan chain, but in the northern they are tran 

 valleys. None of the numerous chains of this tract are remarkable 

 except tin- Kii'lnirk Mountains, which run along the river Morava on 

 it* western bank from south to north, and have always served as a 

 stronghold to the Servians in their ware with the Turks. The most 

 remarkable rivers of this region are the Bourn, the Drina, and the 

 Morava, all affluent* of the Danube. The Morava may have a course 

 of 200 miles, and drains an extensive country, more than one-half of 

 this alpine region. 



The country to the east of the Kodja Balkan and its continual ionn, 

 and extending from the Balkan to the Danube at an average breadth of 



