94 M. Beudant's Travels in Hungary. 



level of the sea, while in the depots of the Alps, that are, appa- 

 rently, of more ancient formation, they are found at the height 

 of 4850 feet above the same level. 



The salt-mine of Bochnia is not above four leagues from that 

 of Villiczka ; it exhibits similar characters, and is probably a 

 continuation of it. The whole substance of the soil, between 

 the two towns, is homogeneous. But at Bochnia we find, 

 about the town, and on the very surface of the soil, an argilous 

 matter that prognosticates the vicinity of the saliferous argile. 



In some of the neighbouring forests, which are covered with 

 vast numbers of sapinettes, a very elegant species of fir, and 

 here and there with the thayd, I remarked ant-hills of ex- 

 traordinary magnitude; some were not less than ten feet in 

 diameter at the base, and in height exceeded my stature. 

 They formed hills of small bits of wood, accumulated into a 

 congeries. There were many others smaller, but more con- 

 siderable than any that we meet with in the woods of France. 

 These forests are extremely solitary and of unknown antiquity. 



While in these parts of Poland, I was proceeding one day, 

 on a Sunday, to Altsandec, where all the inhabitants, peasants, 

 were promenading the village in their best apparel. This 

 might be reckoned pretty good, but I never could reconcile 

 myself to that singular mode, though almost universal, of 

 having the shirt hanging down over a blue culotte, and adjusted 

 to the waist by a dark-coloured flannel waistcoat. 



Approaching the frontiers, I found the roads extremely dan- 

 gerous, from passing along declivities where are no traces of a 

 visible path, and where carriages frightfully incline to a de- 

 scent. The inclination sometimes appeared so considerable, 

 that I was eager to take the measure of it, but how was I asto- 

 nished'to find it, where the descent was most rapid, at not 

 more than from twenty to twenty-five degrees. The fact is, 

 that our senses misled us frequently in these approximate 

 computations ; however, no carriage could travel here with 

 security, were the friction less considerable. In France, the 

 high roads, where the descent is most rapid, are, by law, re- 

 stricted to five degrees inclination. Occasionally, roads of this 

 description are met with in Hungary, but mostly in the moun- 

 tainous parts; where they are descending, the drivers pass 

 without hesitation, though sometimes at the risque of getting 

 stuck fast at the bottom. Indeed, throughout Hungary, the 

 roads are in general execrable. Horses and carriages drive 

 over such points as no one in France would ever think of 

 passing. 



Proceeding towards Lublo, to enter again into Hungary, 

 over some hills of moderate height, I found an old castle, (an 



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