Journey from Vienna. 65 



tains that border it on the west. It would be requisite for a 

 geological traveller to take both these roads, but, to avoid 

 fatigue, he might go by the Szallas, where the greatest part of 

 the way is on a descent, and return by the high road, which is 

 the easiest. 



In leaving Schemnitz, along the high road, we pass at the 

 foot of a mountain, named Rothenbrun, that overlooks the 

 town and stretches nearly from east to west. According to 

 tradition, one part of the town of Schemnitz formerly stood on 

 this mountain, and was overwhelmed by an earthquake. It 

 might have been a partial fall of the mountain, as the rock, in 

 its upper parts, appears cleft perpendicularly to a vast height. 



About an hour's journey before we reach the village of Glass- 

 hutte, there is u gallery of mines, now neglected, as the profits 

 did not answer the expenses. It contained veins of argentife- 

 rous lead. The village is in a pretty agreeable situation, though 

 the walks about it are rather difficult. There are several bath- 

 ing houses that are well frequented in the fine season. The 

 mineral waters that supply the baths proceed from a mass of 

 calcareous tuft that contains remains of plants and terrestrial 

 shells ; they form a hill on which stands the church of the 

 village. 



The waters are acidulous and ferrugineous ; their tempera- 

 ture, at the springs, is 43 degrees (Reaumur), that of the air 

 being 14'. But in other springs that I met with, at the foot of 

 calcareous mountains, the temperature was only from 24 to 

 30 degrees. In an excursion from Glasshutte, I had to pass 

 over some mountains bristled with wood, and where, at every 

 step, are steep precipices or rapid descents, vast fragments of 

 rocks, and a number of antique castles, raised on points scarce- 

 ly accessible. Those which I have met with elsewhere, in the 

 midst of the wildest forests, might seem to have been the 

 haunts of robbers, or served perhaps as retreats to the victims 

 of those disasters, the horrors of which are traced in every 

 page of the Hungarian history. 



JOURNEY FROM GLASSHUTTE TO SCHKMNITZ. 



My return to Schemnitz was by the mountain of Szallas. 

 I took a little foot-path that ascends towards the mountain, 

 but lost myself a second time in the woods, though assured 

 by a peasant, my conductor, that, having worked in the forests 

 of the country, he was well acquainted with the way. I 

 wandered about the whole day, depending on his pretended 

 knowledge, but towards night was obliged to take my com- 

 passes for a guide. My conductor was perplexed and puzzled, 

 roaming about in every direction, and I had some difficulty in 



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



