BOHEMIA. 



633 



Bohemia, number of peaks composed of basalt, whose imposing 

 '- v J aspect adds greatly to the beauty of this picturesque 

 country. 



Among the natural curiosities which here present 

 themselves, none is more remarkable than the laby- 

 rinth of rocks, near Adersbach, in the circle of Koe- 

 nigingroetz. Innumerable rocks of freestone, placed 

 perpendicularly, from 100 to 200 feet high, and of a 

 circumference equal to half their height, forming thus 

 great square towers, occupy a space of a league and 

 two thirds in length, by half a league in breadth. 

 The entrance into this immense group resembles that 

 of an amphitheatre ; the verdure of scattered trees 

 and shrubs forms a striking contrast with the grey 

 masses of rocks, the figures of which are fantastical- 

 ly varied. Through the midst of this singular scene 

 winds a pleasant rivulet, which soon dashes into a 

 grotto, where terror seems to reign. The echo of a 

 thousand rocks reverberates the roar of this stupen- 

 dous cascade. 

 Rivers. Bohemia is so much elevated above the level of the 



sea, that all its rivers take their rise either in it, or 

 immediately on its borders. Its principal river is the 

 Elbe, (A/be of the mountaineers, Labbe of the Bo- 

 hemians, ) which rises from the western acclivity of 

 the Weissen Wiese, (white meadow,) at the foot of 

 the Schnee Koppe, (snow cap,) near to the Silesian 

 frontier. It flows first southwards, then makes a 

 great turn westwards, when it reaches nearly the 

 middle of Bohemia, and from thence it flows north- 

 west towards the Erzgebiirge, through which it 

 forces its way into Saxony. The principal tributary 

 rivers are the Aupa, Erlitz, Orlitz, Dabrowa, Iser, 

 the Moldau, which is the second principal river of 

 the kingdom, and the Eger. The Elbe, with the 

 accumulated waters of all these rivers, escapes from 

 Bohemia at Winterberg, near Schandaw. As the 

 opening through which the river forces its way is 

 not only narrow, but bears evident marks of a great 

 rent, and as the whole of Bohemia is surrounded by 

 lofty ranges of mountains, it has been conjectured by 

 the celebrated German mineralogist Werner, that this 

 kingdom was formerly a great inland sea, or lake, in 

 which was collected all the water from the surround- 

 ing mountains ; that the water of this vast lake, or 

 sea, had forced its way through the bounding rocks 

 at the lowest point at Winterberg; and thus emptied 

 itself, and formed the narrow rocky ravine through 

 which the Elbe now flows in passing out of Bohemia 

 into Saxony. 

 Climate. fjo country in Europe can boast of a finer climate 



than that of Bohemia. Italy itself has not a more 

 delightful spring ; and summer and winter, without 

 ever prevailing here in their rigour, only introduce an 

 agreeable variety of season. The mountains, which 

 urround it on all sides, shelter it from ever)- wind ; 

 and it is refreshed and beautified by several consider- 

 able rivers, the flow of which is so much facilitated 

 by deep cavities in the middle of the vale, that no 

 lakes or marshes are formed, to taint, by their malig- 

 nant vapours, the salubrity of the air. 

 Soil and The excellence of the climate is equalled by the 



ptoduc- fertility of the soil. Every thing which can contri- 

 tou. bute to the comfort, and even pl< asurcs of life, is here 



produced in abundance. Besides supplying its own 

 VOL. III. PART IV. 



numerous population, Bohemia exports great quanti- Bohemia, 

 ties of grain to Silesia, Saxony, and Austria. The ' ' "v ' J 

 crop in 1794 amounted to 24,012,507 measures of 

 corn. Buckwheat, millet, pulse of different kinds, 

 and exquisite fruits, are almost the spontaneous pro- 

 duction of this generous soil. It is particularly re- 

 markable for cherries of a very large size and deli- 

 cious flavour ; but almost every kind of fruit growl 

 there in great perfection. In 1786, the number of 

 fruit trees throughout the kingdom amounted to 

 7,649,489. Its mountains are covered with pines, 

 firsj and various other species of trees ; and the inte- 

 rior of the country is adorned by magnificent forests 

 of oak. The aggregate extent of its woods in 1786 

 was not less than: 7,700,000 feet, from which 2, 164, 17* 

 fathoms of timber may be cut annually. Vineyards 

 have not been cultivated in Bohemia with that dili- 

 gence which the excellence of the soil and climate 

 seems to invite. The annual produce of its vineyards 

 is estimated at 26,326 eimers, and its most esteemed 

 wines are those of Melnik and Podskalky. Saffron, 

 ginger, calamus, and foxtail, are likewise produced 

 in Bohemia in considerable quantities ; but the fa- 

 vourite crop of this country is hops, which grow 

 here in great profusion, and are altogether unequal- 

 led in the excellence of their quality. Its cattle, 

 though not very numerous, are of the finest kind ; 

 in 1798, their number did not exceed 805,611. Its 

 breed of horses, too, is uncommonly valuable ; and 

 in 1793, their number amounted to 130,774. The 

 breed of sheep in this country, though originally of 

 an inferior kind, has of late been much improved. 

 Their number, in 1793, was 2,095,693, yielding an- 

 nually 40,000 quintals of wool. The annual crop of 

 hay is estimated at 8,101,799 quintals or hundred 

 weight. Great herds of swine are reared in Bohe- 

 mia, as well as numerous flocks of swans, ducks, and 

 hens. Several thousands of cocks are annually ex- 

 ported into the surrounding provinces. The phea- 

 sants of this country are the most beautiful in the 

 world. Its forests and mountains abound with the 

 most interesting species of wild fowl, and of game ; 

 wild boars, hares, wolves, bears, lynxes, foxes, bad- 

 gers, beavers, otters, and martins ; and its rivers and 

 ponds swarm with various kinds of excellent fish. 



Yet the bounty of nature is here but little second- state ef 

 ed by the industry of man. The degrading and op- agricu!- 

 pressive system of villainage damps every exertion of ture ' 

 the peasant, and deprives him of all interest in the 

 improvement of fields, the fertility of which, instead 

 of multiplying his own comforts, only pampers the 

 luxury of a haughty lord. Nothing can be more 

 wretched than the condition of the peasantry in Bo- 

 hemia. Their dwellings are mere ruins, which af- 

 ford them scarcely the slightest shelter from the 

 wind, the rain, and the cold. To each of these 

 wretched abodes is allotted a piece of ground, with a 

 cow or two, a pair of oxen, or a work horse. Their 

 lords demand from them the labours of the whole 

 wt-ek, allowing them only Sunday for the cultivation 

 of their own little spot. In these circumstances, it 

 cannot be wondered that Bohemia should be in ge- 

 neral under the worst cultivation, and that even in 

 this fertile country the scourge of famine should be 

 occasionally felt. To prevent the recurrence of this 

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