. 



DA LI! ATI A. 



1UUJATIA. 



Cittaro, among which i* the Duboriraa, tht> most southern luounl.iiu 

 in ill.' Austrian dominion*. The Montenegrin height* encircle the 

 Oulf of Caturo. In general character the Dalmatian mountain* are 

 bleak ud bare : they are full of fissures, ravinus, and rhssms, and in 

 many places altogether without soil. Limestone is the prevailing 

 rook. The numerous Ulandi which line the count, have originated in 

 the breaking up, by some violent action, of maeeoi of clay and sand- 

 tone, while the limectone missus, being of firmer composition, have 

 been left standing. The whole line of oout i barren and naked, 

 except along the narrow tract between the Adriatic and the baa* of 

 the mountain* ; forest* and underwood lie interspersed at their feet ; 

 the background is formed by a continued line of dreary precipitous 

 height*, seldom le*s than 2500 feet in elevation. The coant i indented 

 in numerous points, and afford* a succession of excellent harbours. 

 The interior of the country it furrowed by glen* and valleys, many of 

 which are stony and sterile ; even the plain extending from Novegradi 

 to the Kerka U covered with stone*. On the whole, there is no part 

 of the Austrian empire which hn* so wild and desolate an aspect as 

 Dalmatia. 



Dalmatia in rich in minerals, particularly limestone, gypsum, coal 

 pitch, asphaltum, and sitmiilt No precious metal* kave been dis- 

 covered, although Pliny (iii.) report* that the Dalmatian mine* yielded 

 as much a* 50 Iba. weight of gold per diem in Nero'* time. These 

 mine* however cannot have been within the limit* of the present 

 territory of Dalmatia. 



Hydrography, <kc. Few countrie* are BO poorly supplied with water, 

 many part* being destitute of water fit even for the use of cattle : the 

 islands in particular suffer greatly. The Dalmatian river* run mostly 

 from east to west into the Adriatic. Among the larger stream* are 

 the Zermanya (anciently the Tedanius), which enters from the Hun- 

 garian military frontier*, and after a course of about 27 miles falls into 

 the bight of Morlach, near Novigrad. The Kerka (anciently the Titius), 

 which rise* above Knin, issuing from a grotto, and form* several 

 cascades and five magnificent fall*, particularly that by Scardona, in 

 its course of about 51 mile* ; after receiving the Cicola, it flow* into 

 the Adriatic near Sebenico. The Cctlwv. (Tilurus or Nestus), which 

 springs from the foot of the Yerebua, near Vrilo, ha* two falls in its 

 course of about 60 mile*, one of which, near Velika-Qubowicja, is 

 from 90 to 100 feet in height : the bank* of this river are extremely 

 wild, and generally precipitous, until it reaches a fine valley near 

 A misss, where it enter* the Adriatic. The Narenla (Naro of the 

 ancient*), the broadest river in Dalmatia, enter* it from Turkey, and 

 after watering it for about ten mile*, part* into two channel* at Fort 

 Ovus, and reache* the canal of NarenU through ten arm*. It* water* 

 are saltish until it receive* the Norin at Torre di Norm. Among the 

 mailer riven are the Siukotina and Ombla. 



The islands along the Dalmatian coast form several fine channel*, 

 which are sheltered from the stormy waves of the Adriatic : they are 

 here called canal*, and take their names from the adjacent islands ; 

 such an the canal* of Morlak, Quamerola, Zara, and Pasman, Mezzo, 

 Spalato, Lisas, Curzola, NarenU, 4o. 



Dalmatia has numerous lakes, all of which become more or less dry 

 in hot weather, except the Vrana, to the south-east of Zara, which ie 

 separated from the Adriatic by a narrow tongue of laud, contains an 

 area of about 8570 acres, and ha* brackish water. The lake* of Novi- 

 nad, Yezero (the dry bed of which is at time* cultivated), Nariii, 

 Kadin, Trocklian, Prolosaz, Ac., become dry at certain seasons from 

 the want of natural springs. None of the numerous mineral springs 

 have yet been turned to account, except the warm sulphureous springs 

 at Spalato and Saloua. 



The road* are generally pretty good. There are no railways. 



ClimaU, Soil, Production!. No other part of the Austrian dominions 

 is so hot as Dalmatia. In the lowlands the date-bearing i<alin, the 

 Anxirican aloe, and the Cacttu optmHa thrive in many districts in the 

 opso sir. The almond blossom* in January. Among the mountains, 

 where the snow sometime* continues till May and even June, the 

 climate is much bleaker. Near the coasts of Zara, about the canal of 

 the Narenta, aod elsewhere on the Adriatic, the exhalations which 

 arise from exUnsive swamps render the climate very unhealthy. 

 Winter U charactsrissd by aix weeks of uninterrupted rain. 



The arid character of the soil renders Dalmatia on the whole 

 "yitsd to agriculture. Bat there an parts of the country, such a* 

 the district, around Dernis, Muk, aod Sign, which might be cultivated 

 with success but for the indolence and ignorance of the people. The 

 want of water and sheltering wood* i* another obstacle to cultivation. 

 Turkey and Hungary supply the constant deficiency In the crop* of 

 grain, which do not famish more than six or at most eight months' con- 

 sumption. The whole amount of arable land in 1 840 was only 348,028 

 EagUsii acres, of vineyards 189,216 acres, meadows 80.S78 acres, 

 olive grounds 88,407 aeres, while than wsn 1,861,405 acre* of pasture- 

 laud and 1,105,811 acres of woodlands. The quantity of grain grown 

 in the same year was, in English quartern wheat 46,039, rye 6109, 

 barley 81,751, oats 9818, and mail* 80,984. Of potetoes 28,747 

 Inuhel* wen grown. 



Figs may be termed almost the staple produce of the country : they 

 grow without cultivation all along the coast, and upwards of three- 

 quarters of a million of pounds an annually exported. The oil is of 

 superior quality, and is used by the natives instead of butter ; yet 



above 30,000 barrels an annually exported. Much wine of a strong 

 quality i* made ; the deeper the colour the more powerful the liquor : 

 t liu Vino Nero, a red wine, is nearly black, and the white wine as deep 

 in colour as Malaga : the Marseuin del Teodo is the best The 

 tity of wine made in 1S50 was 7,947,720 gallon*. About !, 

 gallon* an retained for home consumption ; the rest U exported to 

 Fiurne, Trieste, and Venice. Almond*, dates, dried currant*, citron*, 

 pomegranates, oranges, and other fruits are exported. The country 

 abounds in timber, but being in the interior it is of comparatively 

 little value. The coast fisheries employ about 8000 hands : the staple 

 kinds of fish an the sardine and the tunny, both of which are exported 

 in a dried or salted state. The rivers too an well supplied, particu- 

 larly with the salmon-trout, which attain* an enormous sixe. At some 

 spots the coral fishery U productive, especially near Hobenioo. The 

 Murlaka convert the fat of the frog into an oil, which they employ 

 for various purposes. Honey and wax are produced in some 

 quantities. 



The rearing of cattlo is on a limited scale : the breeds are inferior 

 and small : the whole stock of oxen and cows is under 100,000 ; of 

 sheep about 700,000, goats 400,000, horses and mules 80,000. Hwine 

 are not numerous. Poultry, except geese and duck*, are plentiful 



Of wild n it " 1 , Dalmatia possesses the ciaghlo, or wild dog, wolf, 

 fox, and hare, but it has no deer. Swans, pelicans, falcon*, vultures, 

 owls, turkeys, and other wild fowl are abundant. 



Manufacturu, Comment, Ac. The manufacturing industry of this 

 country i* very small, and scarcely adequate to supply its common 

 wants : it is confined to the townspeople, and its main branches are 

 shipbuilding and the distiller}* of spirits, among wliirli th.- liquor 

 called Maroschino-liosoglio has obtained European celebrity. Here 

 and there a little flax and cotton are spun ; and small quantities of 

 woollen cloth, coverlids, house-linen, tape, and coarse cottons, twim-. 

 cordage, and nettings, soap, vinegar, leather, and hats an made. For 

 every other article of necessity or comfort Dalmatia is dependent on 

 other countries. Coals and graphite are worked to some extent 



Favoured as Dalmatia is by its situation and numerous ports, ita 

 commerce is comparatively small. The principal countries with which 

 it trades an the maritime provinces of Austria, Italy, and Turkey. 

 To the first two countries it exports wine, olive*, oils, brandy, figs, 

 salt, pitch, bark, salted fish, hides, wool, wax, honey, fruit, Ac., and 

 to Turkey the same products, besides foreign produce and manufac- 

 tures. It has also some transit-trade. It* returns from Turkey con- 

 sist of horned and fatted cattle, cheese, wools and hides, corn, wood 

 for fuel, drugs, to. The declared annual value of the exports averages 

 somewhat under 500,0002., of the imports about 400.000J. The Dal- 

 matians are well known in the Adriatic and Mediterranean as excellent 

 mariners. The best ships an constructed along the coast of Cattaro. 

 The vessel* belonging to Dalmatia in 1847 amounted to 5 ships, with 

 an aggregate burden of 1350 tons ; large coasting vessels, 346, of T876 

 tons ; small coasting vessels, 1 121, of 8220 tons ; and 668 fishing-vessels, 

 of 1769 tons : in all 2035 vessels, of 19,215 tons. 



Number of teuclt entered at Dalmatian portt in 1847. 



Diniioni, Totem, fee, Dalmatia U divided into four circle*, i 

 after their respective capitals Zara, Spalato, liogusa, and L'attero : 

 and thaw circle* are subdivided into 26 district*. The circle of Zara 

 comprises the Quarneriu, Dalmatian, and Cnladio Islands ; that of 

 Spalato the islands of Zirona Grande, Bus, Solta, Lisas, Braxsa, and 

 Lesina ; and that of llagusa the islands of Calamotta, Meleda, Lagosta, 

 Curxola, and Pelagosa Maggion. Dalmatia contains 9 municipal 

 towns, 14 market-towns, and nearly a thousand villages. 



The towns of HAUUSA and SPALATO, or BPALATRO, will be noticed 

 under their respective titles : the other mon important towns we 

 notice hen : 



Jturm, the capital of the circle of Zara and of the kingdom of 

 Dalmatia, situated in 44 8' N. lat and 15 15' K. long., lies, in the 

 form of an oval, on a narrow tongue of land which in separated from 

 the continent by a deep moat, over which there is a drawbridge. The 

 city 1* divided by a straight main street and a cross street into four 

 quarters; the other street* an straight, hut narrow, ill-paved, and 

 without sewers ; the town is vary badly supplied with water. It ha* two 

 large squares, and, including the suburbs ( Itorgo iutorno' and 'eriozo,' or 

 Albanian Village), about 8000 inhabitant*, most of whom speak 

 Italian. Of the six churches (in which then an many good paintings) 

 the most worthy of notice an the cathedral, founded by Henry Daudolo, 



