90 M. Btudftnfs Travels in Hungary. 



liczk, and that Queen Cunegonde had them opened about the 

 beginning of the fifteenth century. Its salt mines exceed all 

 others in Europe in their extensive produce, and in the execution 

 of the works and labours. On the day of my arrival I had soli- 

 cited permission to visit the mines, and the next day the direc- 

 tor sent an engineer to accompany me, so that I had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining every thing in detail. 



The usual entrance into the mines is by the great well of 

 extraction, as the descent is more speedy than by escaliers, 

 and such precautions are adopted that there is no danger to 

 apprehend. This well or pit is about ten feet in diameter at 

 the mouth, but widens considerably lower down. It is about 

 200 feet in depth to the first gallery, beyond which we every 

 where descend by superb escaliers. The upper part of the pit is 

 lined with timber, as it passes through a quicksand ; the lower 

 parts, which have been cut through the mass of salt, or in the 

 saliferous argile, require no support. The mode of an expe- 

 ditious descent has nothing frightful in it to a miner ; nor am I 

 surprised that all the persons employed would ascend and de- 

 scend, in a manner instantaneous as it were, rather than 

 traverse four hundred and seventy-six steps by the escalier. 

 In the mines that I had visited heretofore, I descended either 

 upright or seated on the edge of the basket that brings up the 

 minerals, holding the rope in one hand, and a lamp in the 

 other ; but, at Villiczka the descent is by a singular process, 

 whereby several, seated in a sort of rope arm-chairs, in divisions, 

 or rows, one above another, are let fall, in a few seconds, in a 

 ythat seems frightful to persons not accustomed to it. 

 Every one here carries a bougie in his hand, so that it appears 

 like a set of chandeliers one above another : the movement is 

 effected by horses. 



The saliferous depot of Villiczka has long been the subject 

 of notices published at different times. The stupendous 

 labours in the execution have often excited the enthusiasm 

 of travellers, and have given rise to pompons descriptions, 

 wherein not a little of the marvellous has been mingled. I 

 shall confine myself to a slight sketch of what relates to the 

 works, and what is most remarkable in the mine. 



The works at Villiczka are on a grand scale, conducted with 

 perfect regularity, and even with a sort of luxury. Beautiful 

 galleries, large and elevated, form easy communications be- 

 tween all the works of each story ; superb escaliers, cut in 

 the saline mass, or constructed of solid timber-work, in the 

 heart of the different excavations, produce a general circula- 

 tion, and points of junction between the upper surface at the 



