CROATIA. 



CROATIA. 



Carlitadt, where many of these tributaries join the Kulp, the country 

 it level ; it i tolerably level also between Carlstadt and Agram, and 

 along the lower Kulpo, which joins the Save a little east of Petrinia, 

 a town of the Military Frontier with about 6000 inhabitant*. 



Southward from Mont Kleok another and somewhat loftier and 

 steeper range run* at but a little distance from the Adriatic shore : 

 in the northern part this range i called the MenlaTodiUa Mountains, 

 and further south to the river Zermagna, where it terminates, the 

 Velibitch or WellibiU Mountains. The two range* just noticed aa 

 springing from Mont Kleok, inclom a high cold plateau of cim-id.-r- 

 able extent, watered by the Liooa, the Gaozka, and other stream*, 

 which hare no visible outlet, but lose themselves in the limestone 

 rocks of which all the mountains noticed are principally composed. 

 The road called Luisen-Strasse, which runs from Carlstadt to Piume, 

 oroates the barren region of the Kant, as the mass of the Julian 

 Alp* north of Mont Kleok it locally called. The limestone range 

 traversed by the road is bare, rugged, and barren ; the hills are scored 

 by ravines, the surface is strewed with shattered fragments of rock, 

 and the rooky plateau is everywhere penetrated with funnel-shaped 

 hollows like craters. The land here is little cultivated, owing to the 

 poTerty of the soil. In the Karat, and all along the high plateau 

 between the Kapella and the Velibitch Mountains, the fearful Bora 

 rage* with all its fury, sweeping everything before it ; large stones, 

 carriage*, and passengers are sometime* swept by it over the precipices 

 that flank the Luisen-Straase. The engineering works along this road, 

 the rigzags, terraces, and slopes cut out of the rocks, are not inferior to 

 anything of the kind on the great roads over the Alps. On the 

 southern side of the mountains it passes down to Fiume by a terrace 

 or shelf cut in the eastern side of the precipice that forms one of the 

 walls of the ravine of the Finmara. This ravine is called the Porta 

 Hungarica, or ' Gate of Hungary.' 



The greater part of the mountains consists of limestone, with 

 various kinds of beautiful marble, porphyry, serpentine, 4c., which 

 furnish excellent materials for building; all the bridges and 

 parapets of the Luisen-Strasse, and most of the house* at Fiume, 

 Segna, and Porto-Rd, are constructed with this stone. The most 

 common is a blackish-gray marble, which emits a fetid smell on being 

 rubbed. Croatia contains many mineral springs. Ita minerals 

 comprise copper, iron, lead, coal, and salt ; gold is obtained from the 

 and of several of the rivers, especially the Drave. 



The climate of Croatia varies considerably in different parts. The 

 southern and more sheltered district*, and the narrow tract between 

 the Merzlavoditza Mountains and the Adriatic coast, from Fiume to 

 Segna, enjoy an Italian climate, and produce the olive, fig, grape, and 

 almond. Here the vintage takes place in August, but in the western 

 highland* beyond the Kulpa the harvest does not commence till the 

 end of August or beginning of September, when the snow begins to 

 fall, which does not melt till April or May. On the higher summits 

 it frequently lie* the whole summer. But even In the southern 

 regions the winter is very severe, owing to the vicinity of the high 

 Alp*. Several island* in the Gulf of Quarnero lie off the coast of 

 Croatia ; the principal of them are Veglia, Arbe, Cherso, Lossinl, 

 and Pago. Between the island* and the mainland stretches the long 

 narrow channel of Morlaeca. 



The scourge of this country Is the wind called Bora, which blows 

 from the north or north-east, and generally sets In between seven and 

 eight A.M. and ceases at four or five r.K. It is accompanied by 

 excessive cold, and blows with such violence that large stone* are 

 rolled by it to a great distance. 



The eastern and northern part* of Croatia, which are more level 

 and le mountainous, and especially the part* watered by the Drave 

 and Save, are very fertile In various kinds of grain, particularly 

 barley, mains, and oat* ; the soil it also very favourable for fruita, 

 among which the Damascene plum furnishes the favourite drink of 

 the Croatian*. Croatia ha* Immense forest* of oak and beech, and 

 **> K"* river* just named in many part* of their course roll along 

 under the shadow of primeval forests. Flax, hemp, and tobacco are 

 only grown in sufficient quantity for domestic consumption. The 

 vine is cultivated, and a good deal of wine Is made. Horticulture and 

 gardening are very little attended to; the same may be Mid of tho 

 rearing of horned cattle and horse*, except In the palatinates of Agram 

 BdWaraedin. The flocks are neither numerous nor of choice breeds. 

 ^""^J* h , rd * of iwin " ""Mod, for which the forest* afford 

 plenty of food. The fisheries of the rivers are very productive: 

 much wax and honey art collected. Only a very small portion of 

 the inhabitant* Is ranged In manufacture*, and thews arc of tho 

 indent description. As Croatia doe* not raise more produce than 

 raffioM for iu inhabitant*, IU commerce U chiefly confined to the 

 transit trade. Beside, the great road already mentioned, a road 

 runs from CarlsUdt to Agram and to Lavbach In Illyria ; another, the 

 Josephine, leads to Segna on the Adriatic, whence a road runs alone 

 the Literal (or narrow strip of land that intervene* betw. 

 MorUcca channel and the mountains) to Flume. South of Segna 

 the mountain* lie cloee upon the coast, and the road runs into tho 

 interior on the eastern fide of the Velibitch Mountain* down to the 

 valley of the Kerka, In Dalmatla; it then turns to the coast and 

 terminate* at Zara. Through Warasdin there 1* a road up the 

 valley of the Drave to Klagenfurt. 



The inhabitants are Roman Catholics and Oreek Catholics. The 

 former are under the Bishop of Agram, and the latter have their own 

 bishop, who resides at Creutt The public system of education i < 

 that of the national schools, which are divided into elementary, head, 

 and normal. There are two gymnasia at Agram and Warasdin. and 

 a superior academy or college at Agram, which has also a seminary 

 of theology for candidates for orders in the Roman Catholic and 

 Greek-Catholic Church. Although brought into more regular 

 discipline by the Austrian government, the Croatians Mill retain 

 their taste for war. Those who live at some distance fn>m the 

 Turkish frontiers have adopted more industrious habit". Their 

 untutored state is accompanied by many traits of virtue and 

 generosity, and great fidelity to their sovereign. Notwithstanding 

 their revolt against Austria in 1755, on account of certain innova- 

 tions, their despair was indescribable when they found themselves 

 united to France in 1809. Their dwellings are merely large barns, 

 without either window or chimney, where the family and the swine 

 lodge under the some roof. 



Slavonia, the eastern part of the crownland, is separated fnun Hun- 

 gary by the Drave and the Danube, from Turkey In- the Save, and it 

 has the Illova on part of the western frontier toward* Croatia. The 

 territory thus bounded is divided into two parts, the province o 

 vonia, and the Slavonian Uriinzland, or Borderland. The province of 

 Slavonia is divided into the two palatinates of Poeega and Kmegg or 

 Eszek ; the latter includes the former county of Sirmia. A cl 

 high mountains coming from Croatia traverses the country. Where 

 this chain enters Slavonia the valleys are narrow, but they gradually 

 become more open, and form near Posega a wide plain bounded by 

 lofty mountains, which is called the Posega Valley ; but at the eastern 

 frontier of thin palatinate the branches of the mountains again join in 

 one principal chain, reaching the height of 2800 feet, which covers all 

 the northern part of the county of Sirmia. This chain is covered 

 with vast forests. The remaining part of Slavonia consists partly of 

 fertile eminences planted with vinos and fruit-trees, and partly of 

 beautiful and extensive plains. But as many tracts of land on the Save 

 and Drave are very low. they are subject to be frequently overflowed, 

 and there are several large ami small pieces of stagnant water and 

 extensive marshes near those riven. Along the right bank of the Danube 

 there arc forests in many places ; and the course of the Save is densely 

 shrouded with them. These forests contain a vast quantity of excel- 

 lent oak timber. The country produces corn of all kinds, hemp, flax, 

 tobacco, and great quantities of liquorice. There are whole forests of 

 plum-trees ; chestnut, almond, and fig-trees are likewise common, and 

 the white mulberry abounds. Slavonia is rich in useful domestic ani- 

 mals. The horses are small, and sheep are not numerous. Of wild 

 animals, the bear, wolf, fox, polecat, and vulture ore common. Swarms 

 of mosquitoes and other troublesome insects are bred in the manhe*, 

 and a long continuance of southerly winds sometimes brings locusts. 

 The only minerals of which there are considerable quantities arc sul- 

 phur, limestone, coal, salt, and iron. It may be said that there are 

 no manufactures in Slavonia. The peasant mokes all his farming 

 implement* his cart, his plough, Ac. ; and his wife and daughters 

 weave cloth and knit stockings for the family. In so fertile a 

 country agriculture and the breeding of cattle are the most profitable 

 occupations of the inhabitants. The culture of silk is flourishing. 

 The quantity of wine produced is very large ; the county of Sirmia, 

 where the vine wan planted iu the 3rd century by the soldiers of the 

 emperor Probus, alone produces about 8,000,000 gallons annually. 

 The wines, both red and white, ore spirituous, and not well-fitted for 

 export. The exports are corn, tobacco, spirits distilled from plums, 

 raw silk, honey, wax, liquorice, gall-nuts, madder, raw hides, oak 

 stave*, hoops, salt, oil, and fruit ; oxen and swine are exported in largo 

 numbers. The trade Is chiefly with Austria and Turkey. Tho chief 

 imports are iron, salt, and oil. Steamboat* ply on the Drave, Save, 

 and Danube. 



The Croatian language Is a dialect of the Slavonian; it rour: 

 the Bohemian and Moravian, and bears a great affinity to tho 

 Polish. 



Tomu. In the palatinate or county of Agram the chief town i-< 

 AiiRAH, the capital of tho crownland, and tho residence of the i 

 Viceroy, and of tho commandant ..f the Military Frontier. ('" 

 or Karlmeet, at the junction of the Kulpa and the Korona, 3 1 

 S. by \V. from Agram, has 4400 inhabitants. It Is strongly fortified, 

 and further defended by a baronial castle. Besides tho fortroo 

 is an outer town and a suburb. The three roads to Piume, Segnn, 

 and Karlopago on the Adriatic, and the Kulpa, which is navijjabl. 

 this town, fa ith the rest of the crownland. 



Carlstadt has an active transit-trade, some good public build in 

 manufacture* of rosogllo. At the junction of the Kulpa with the 

 Save are the remains of an old Roman town, Sttcia, now called All- 



In the palatinate or county of Warasdin the chief town is Wuriurlin, 

 which stands about two miles from tho right bank of the Drave 

 surrounded by walls, Is well built, and contains many fine edifices, 

 among which are sevtu . a synagogue, county -house, and a 



bishop's palace. The town has a gymnasium, several schools, and a 

 imputation of 9000. Good wine and tobacco are produced in the 

 environs. 



