6 M. Beudant's Travels in Hungary. 



In a later time, under the reign of Bela IV., a tribe of 

 Kumans, from the northern plains about the Black Sea, came to 

 claim Hungarian protection, arid received a portion of territory, 

 now called Little Kumania, or Little Kunia, in Hungarian, Kis 

 Kunsag. Their language is a dialect of the Hungarian. The 

 people are almost wholly occupied in rearing cattle, their situ- 

 ation and soil being favourable for pasturage. 



The Jaszons appear to be also a tribe of Kumans. The 

 lameofJasz, which the Hungarians sometimes give to the 

 Kurnans, generally, is thought to be derived from their skill in 

 jaculating arrows, and from their being employed in the corps 

 of lancers. In ancient acts, they are mentioned under the 

 names of Balistarii and Balistei, and, by corruption, Philistei, 

 words which refer to a similar import. The Jaszons inhabit 

 a particular district in the comitat of Pest, designated by Hun- 

 garian geographers, by the name of Jaszsag, and which was 

 granted to them by king Ladislas I. Their language is the 

 same as that of the Kumans. 



The Szeklers must be of the same origin as the Magyares, 

 as they speak the same language and exhibit the same traits of 

 character. They are of a middling size and robust make; their 

 complexion is b&wn, their hair black, their physiognomy ar- 

 dent and animated. The people are considered as the remains 

 of the Kuns, and have been settled for ages in Transylvania, 

 where history exhibits them in all the wars and troubles that 

 have ravaged that country. They occupy the eastern part in 

 the local seats of Haromeszek, Udvarhely, Csik, and Aranyos, 

 all conquered by force of arms and secured by treaties, which 

 have likewise guaranteed to them a number of particular pri- 

 vileges. They form one of the three nations of Transylvania ; 

 the two others are the Hungarians, properly so called, and the 

 Saxons. 



The Wallachians, called by themselves Romans, (Rumaene) 

 seem to be actually a remnant of the ancient Dacians and Ro- 

 man colonists intermixed. During the incurs-ions of the bar- 

 barous hordes, they sought refuge about Mount Hsemus, and 

 afterwards found means to re-enter their own country. Their 

 language is a mixture of corrupt Latin, or bad Italian and 

 Sclavonian; and thus, with the exception of some words, a 

 Frenchman, habituated to the dialect in the southern provinces 

 of France, finds it easy to understand and converse with them. 

 In writing they make use of Greek characters, disfigured more 

 or less. These they have borrowed from the Sclavonians, 

 among whom this alphabet was introduced by the two brothers, 

 Cyril and Methodus, sent from Constantinople, about the end 

 Of the ninth century, to preach the gospel and translate the 



