873 



EDOM. 



EGER. 



871 



Wyer Hall, about a mile north-west from the village, is a fine old 

 mansion, built in the early part of the 17th century. 



(Lysons, Em-irons of London ; Communication from Edmonton.) 



EDOM. [IDUILEA.] 



EDRENOS. [ANATOLIA.] 



EDWARD ISLAND, PRINCE. [PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.] 

 EECLOO. [FLANDERS, EAST.] 



EOER, a town, river, and circle, in the north-west of Bohemia. 

 The town is situated on a rocky eminence on the right bank of the 

 river Eger, in 50 5' N. lat., 12 24' E. long., and has a population of 

 about 10,000. In former days it was strongly fortified ; but most of 

 its defences have been levelled, and the ditches have been filled up. 

 There are several handsome buildings in the town, among which are 

 the deaconry church, six other churches, the spacious town-hall which 

 stands in the market-place, a Dominican and a Franciscan monastery, 

 and the barracks. In the burgomaster's house at the east end of the 

 marketplace the room is still shown in which Wallenstein was 

 murdered in 1634. Eger has likewise a gymnasium, a military college, 

 two hospitals, an infirmary, and an orphan asylum. Among the ruins 

 of the Burg (citadel, or castlf ), the former residence of the margraves 

 of Vohburg, which is situated in an anzle of the fortifications above 

 the river, is an ancient square tower built of black volcanic tufa. The 

 double chapel too is very interesting, the lower one existed in 1213 

 and is supported by granite pillars ; the upper rests upon four 

 Blender marble columns with pointed arches, and has an octagonal 

 opening in the floor by means of which persons without being seen 

 could hear mass celebrated in the lower chapel. In the castle hall 

 adjoining the chapel the friends of Wallenstein were murdered previous 

 own assassination. After the perpetration of this crime the 

 castle it is said was haunted, and was consequently suffered to fall into 

 decay. Eger has manufactures of broadcloth and kerseymeres, cottons, 

 chintz, leather, soap, alum, &c. An avenue nearly three miles long leads 

 northward fron. Eger to Franzenbrunn, or Franzenbad, famous for its 

 cold mineral and saline springs, and for its mud and gas baths. The 

 avenue passes a remarkable conical hill called Kammerbuhl which is 

 an extinct volcano. The baths are much frequented in the summer 

 season, and rendered attractive by the beauty of the surrounding 

 scenery. About 15,000 dozen bottles of the waters are annually 

 exported. 



The river Eger rises in the north-east of the Upper Palatinate in 

 Bavaria near the junction of the Bbbmerwalde and the Erzgebirge 

 with the Fichtelberg Mountains. A few miles below its source it 

 quits Bavaria, and enters the west of Bohemia at Hohenberg, whence 

 it flows eastward through a valley which abounds in picturesque 

 scenery and forms the natural division between the regions of the 

 Erzgtbirge and the Bbhmerwalde until it reaches Theresienstadt, 

 where it joins the Elbe : from the point of their confluence the Elbe 

 becomes navigable. The length of the Eger is about 90 miles ; its 

 banks are high, and its bed stony ; no part of it is navigable. The 

 chief towns on its banks besides Eger are Elbogen, Budin, and 

 Theresienstadt. In its lower course the Eger flows through an extensive 

 marshy plain. 



The Circle of Eger comprises the basin of the Eger, and extends 

 westward from the Elbe to Bavaria, from which it is separated by the 

 Bbhmerwalde. The Erzgebirge Mountains separate it from Saxony 

 on the north. Numerous offsets from these two mountainous regions 

 cover a great part of the circle, and inclose many small valleys and 

 plains. Both these mountain ranges rise in their highest points to 

 above 4000 feet above the level of the sea, but their average height is 

 not more than 3000 feet. They are composed chiefly of primitive 

 rocks granite and gneiss being everywhere prevalent with clay-slate, 

 mica-slate, and near the Elbe sandstone. Both systems are extremely 

 rich in metals ; marble and coal are also found. [BOHEMIA.] One of 

 the branches of the Erzgebirge, which crosses the east of the depart- 

 ment to the south of Tbplitz, is called Mittel-gebirge, or Middle 

 Mountains ; the highest point is the Milleschauerberg, which has an 

 elevation of 3000 feet above the sea-level. The mountains gene- 

 rally are covered with forests ; the southern slope of the Mittelgebirge 

 however is generally a desolate region bare of trees, but abounding in 

 bitter salt-springs, the waters or the salts of which (obtained by evapo- 

 ration) are largely exported. The circle contains numerous evidences 

 of volcanic agency at some long-distant epoch. Of these the most 

 remarkable are the Kammerbuhl, a vast conical heap of scoriae and 

 columnar basalt thrown up from beneath mica-slate, between the town 

 of Eger and the baths of Franzenbrunn ; the Teufelsmauer, a remark- 

 able precipice of basaltic lava 1100 feet high, passed on the road from 

 Tbplitz to Bilin ; and near the latter place a singular isolated basaltic 

 rock of vast dimensions. [BiLix.] The circle is famous for the number 

 and excellence of its cold and hot mineral springs ; among the latter 

 Carlsbad and Tbplitz have a world-wide reputation, and are amongst 

 the most aristocratic watering-places in Europe. The nature of the 

 oil, except in a small proportion of the surface, is unfavourable for 

 agricultural operations; in this the usual corn-products are raised, but 

 not sufficient for the consumption. Hops of excellent quality and 

 good wine are grown near the Elbe. The inhabitants live chit-fly by 

 mining, manafactures, and trade. The mineral products are silver, 

 tin, lead, iron, sulphur, nitre, garnets, coal, &c. The manufactures are 

 woollen and cotton stuffs, lace, hosiery, paper, china-ware, Bohemian 



lass, tin- and pewter-wares, iron- and steel-wares, chemical products, 

 rapier-mache', &c. The country is traversed by numerous good 

 common roads leading from the valley of the Eger to Saxony, and by 

 the gorges and passes of the Erzgebirge, and southward to Prague 

 and Pilsen. The great railway from Vienna to Dresden through 

 Prague skirts the eastern side of the circle passing through Theresien- 

 stadt, Lobositz, and Aussig ; and a branch line runs from Prague to 

 the Eger at Laun. Small steamers ply on the Elbe from Dresden to 

 within 20 miles of Prague. The country is interesting to the tourist 

 for its extensive and picturesque views, and its numerous old castles 

 and convents are rich in historical and legendary lore. The climate is 

 cold in winter, but except in the marshy country on the lower Eger 

 it is healthy. In some of the mountain valleys of the Erzgebirge 

 goitrous affections and cretinism are prevalent. Besides the Eger 

 above noticed, the only streams worth notice are its feeders, the Tbpl 

 and the Striela from the ria;ht bank, the Zwoda and Weistritz 

 from the left bank ; and the Bila which is joined by the Saubach 

 from Tbplitz and enters the Elbe at Aussig. The Tbpl flows northward 

 through a long narrow valley hemmed in by wooded offshoots of the 

 Bbhmerwalde, and enters the Eger below Carlsbad. Near its source 

 are the large convent of Tbpl, the baths of Marienbad, and the fine 

 chateau of Kbnigswart, belouging to Prince Mettemich. The circle 

 has an area of 2861 square miles, and a population of 560,732. Near 

 the borders of Saxony and Bavaria German is spoken, but iu the 

 interior the language is a dialect of the Slavonic, which is spoken by 

 the Chechs, who form the great bulk of the population. [BOHEMIA.] 

 Towns. Eyer, the capital of the circle, is noticed above. Among 

 the other towns we give the following : Asch, 14 miles N.W. from 

 Eger, and the most western town in Bohemia, has about 5000 inhabit- 

 ants, who manufacture cotton hosiery, woollen stuffs, and wire. 

 Aussig, at the confluence of the Bila with the Elbe, is a small manu- 

 facturing town with about 2000 inhabitants. It is the birth-place of 

 the painter Raphael Mengs, and is a station on the Prague-Dresden 

 railway. Bilin, a small walled towu on the Bila, to the south-west of 

 Aussig, and famous for its alkaline mineral springs, has been already 

 noticed. [BiLiu.] Carlsbad, celebrated for its hot springs, is described 

 under its proper head. [CARLSBAD.] Ellenbogen, Elnbogen, or Elbo- 

 gen, a picturesque old town built on a rocky promontory, round which 

 the Eger bends, 18 miles N.E. from Eger, has about 2000 inhabit- 

 ants and a manufactory for china ware. The town was formerly entered 

 by one narrow gate flanked by a wicket for foot passengers, but the 

 construction of a handsome chain suspension-bridge across the Eger, 

 which flows round the north side of the town, has necessitated the 

 opening of a new approach iu that direction. The castle of Elbogen, 

 oue of the oldest in Bohemia, is now used as a prison. A large mass 

 of meteoric iron is exhibited in the town-hall. Franzenbrunn is noticed 

 above. Graslitz, high up the Erzgebirge, 19 miles N.N.E. from Eger, 

 near the source of the Zwoda, has a population of about 5000, engaged 

 in the manufacture of cotton-yarn, paper, musical instruments, looking- 

 glasses, c. Joachimsthal, situated in a gorge of tha Erzgebirge, at a 

 distance of 30 miles N.E. from Eger, is an old raining town with above 

 4000 inhabitants. It was formerly a place of much greater importance 

 than at present, owing to its silver-mines. In the silver-mines, which 

 are said to be the oldest in Europe, 400 men are employed instead of 

 800 as formerl}'. The first silver dollars, it is said, were coined here, 

 the German name for dollar (thaler, ' valley-pieces ') being a contrac- 

 tion of Joachimsthaler. Zinc and cobalt are also obtained from the 

 mines ; wire, smalt, and vermilion are manufactured. Kaaden, on 

 the left bank of the Eger, at a distance of 45 miles N.E. from tho towu 

 of Eger, has a large corn-market and 3500 inhabitants, who mauafac- 

 ture woollen stuffs and hosiery. Kommotau, a few miles N.E. from 

 Kaaden, on the road from Prague to Chemnitz, is a walled and well- 

 built towu, with a population of 3725. Woollen stuffs, cotton prints, 

 and beer are the chief industrial products. In the envirous are alum- 

 mines and alum-works. JKiiniysbery, 9 miles below Eger, on the right 

 bank of the river Eger, has an old castle, some trade in corn and hops, 

 and a population of 3900. Laun, on the right bank of the Eger, on tho 

 high road from Prague to Chemnitz, is a busy little town with about 

 2000 inhabitants. The Eger, which freqently overflows its banks near 

 the town, is here crossed by a long stone bridge. The neighbourhood 

 has rich pastures and celebrated apple-orchards. Tho town is sur- 

 rounded by old walls ; there is a branch railway to Prague. Lobositz, 

 a small town of 1200 inhabitants, situated at the foot of vine-clad 

 hills, on the left bank of the Elbe, is a station on the railway from 

 Vienna to Dresden. A bridge connects it with Leitmeritz on the 

 right bank. Saatz, a walled town of 5000 inhabitants, on the right 

 bank of the Eger, which is here crossed by a handsome chain suspen- 

 sion-bridge, is about 10 miles W. from Laun. It is an ill-built, 

 miserable-looking place. The principal structures are a collegiate 

 church, a capuchin monastery, and the gymnasium. The study of 

 St. John Nepomuk is still shown in the town. There is some trade 

 in wine and hops grown iu the district round the town, and the best 

 products of the kind in Bohemia. North-east of Saatz, on the road to 

 Tbplitz, is Brux, a small place of about 2900 inhabitants, engaged prin- 

 cipally in the coal-mines of the neighbourhood, and in preparing salts 

 for export from the mineral springs. The country between Brux and 

 Saatz is for the most part desolate, bare of trees, and devoid of fresh 

 water, but abounds with springs, most of which are impregnated with 



