Journey from Vienna. 49 



For a long time, we pass over a plain in pretty good cultiva- 

 tion ; the islands of the Danube skirt the horizon on the north, 

 and with the forests that cover them, serve to amuse the tra- 

 veller in his passage. In front are the Laita Mountains, 

 stretching from N. W. to S. E., and in some measure connect- 

 ing the Carpathian mountains with those of Styria. In the 

 neighbourhood of Peternel, in the middle of the fields, we 

 perceive the remains of a triumphal arch, attributed to the 

 Romans. I arrived at Presburg towards night. 



The city of Presburg (Posonium Lat. Posony, Hung.) is one 

 of the most considerable of Hungary. Though at the frontier 

 extremity of the kingdom, it was long the seat of government, 

 while the Turks were in possession of Buda, or in a condition 

 to threaten its security. It is generally considered as having 

 been founded prior to the time of the Romans, from whom, 

 however, it derived the name of Pisonium, or Posonium. 

 Presburg is pleasantly situated on the left bank of the Danube, 

 which is here about 270 feet in width. It is tolerably well 

 built ; there are many good houses, and some large buildings, 

 called palaces, among which the palace Batyani is undoubtedly 

 the [most magnificent, though unfortunately pent up among 

 other buildings. The churches are in a plain style, but appear 

 very neat in the interior. The streets are mostly narrow, and 

 often turning; they are paved, but not well, in the town, and 

 in the suburbs are only causeways on one side next the houses ; 

 the middle is a channel, very muddy in rainy weather, and in 

 dry seasons nauseating and stifling from the dust. 



The castle royal, destroyed, in part, by a conflagration, stands 

 on a gentle eminence, on a bank of the Danube, and is com- 

 monly considered as the first promontory of the great chain of 

 the Carpathians. Its height above the Danube is about 180 

 feet. The castle is large and well built, but has nothing re- 

 markable in its architecture. There is a fine view from the 

 mount on which the castle stands, but misty weather prevent- 

 ed me from entirely commanding it. 



At Vienna, I had heard so much of the harsh treatment stran- 

 gers experience in Hungary, that I was not without apprehen- 

 sions, when one of the town servants brought me an order to 

 appear before the police. These were dissipated when I pre- 

 sented myself before a magistrate, who, with the greatest civi- 

 lity, assured me that my reception, as a stranger, would 

 be every where agreeable. In fact, I witnessed the noblest 

 hospitality on the part of the gentlemen, and an interesting 

 affability in all classes of the people. 



I quitted Presburg by the road of Posing, having on the 

 right a very large plain, well cultivated, and the primitive 



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



