Introduction. 33 



superior make and appearance. They are allowed to drink 

 largely of water when heated ; a practice contrary to what 

 prevails in other European countries. 



As to fruits of every kind, plants, useful in the arts and for 

 sustenance, game, poultry, fresh-water fish, Hungary yields to 

 no country in these respects. The mineral kingdom also 

 teems with immense resources, and the lofty mountains that 

 encircle it on all sides, contain in their bowels riches of various 

 kinds. 



The gold and silver mines of Hungary and Transylvania, 

 are the only ones in Europe of fixed and stable importance, 

 and till the discovery of Peru, Mexico, and Brazil, were held 

 of prime consideration. The well-known mines of Sehern- 

 nitz and Kremnitz, with those of Kapnick, Nagy Banya, Voros 

 Patack, and others, are still worked to great advantage, 

 but it is not easy to appreciate their positive annual value. 

 Their products, in times past, have been immense, but whe- 

 ther it is from negligence or a gradual impoverishment, the 

 gains are greatly reduced. Besides these, wherein the metals 

 are found in masses and veins, gold dust is collected in Tran- 

 sylvania, in pretty large quantities. There are also golden sands 

 gathered in the river of Aranyos, (the word denotes bearing 

 gold) which empties its waters into the Maros. And authors 

 mention the Szamos, the Lapos, in the north of Transylvania, 

 together with the Nera, in the Banat. 



But besides these precious metals, Hungary contains copper 

 mines of great importance, and indeed the richest in Europe; 

 those of Oravitza, Moldava, and others, in the Banat; those of 

 Iglo, Dobschau, Smolnitz, Herrengrund, Libethen, &c. in 

 Hungary. Iron mines abound, and the mineral, from its ex- 

 cellent nature and quality, may be compared with that of 

 Sweden or Norway. But the mining works are not suffi- 

 ciently numerous or considerable, and are far, indeed, from, 

 answering the internal consumption, large sums being sent out 

 of the country for this article. Some few mines of quicksilver 

 are to be found, particularly at Szlana, in the comitat of Gomor, 

 but the quantity extracted is small. 



Salt is one of the most important mineral productions of 

 Hungary. It abounds very much in the eastern parts of the 

 kingdom ; considerable masses of it are formed in the centre of 

 Transylvania, in the comitats of Torda, Klausenburg, &c. An 

 immense depot is also found on the northern frontiers of that 

 province, in the comitat of Marmaros, but its situation is so 

 remote that but little is supplied to the internal consumption. 

 The salt mines of Poland interfere with the exportation north- 

 wards, and those of Salzburg and Salz Kammergut, from their 



VOYAGES and TRAVELS, No. L, VOL. IX. F 



