36 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



and the dikes are over -flooded in a manner much 

 more dangerous than was the former quiet overflow. 

 The waters at times of great rainfall burst through 

 the dikes with tremendous force, and instantly flood 

 immense tracts of country, carrying everything before 

 them. Formerly the waters flowed gradually over 

 the land, and as the river-level fell so the flood- 

 waters receded, generally in time for the farmer to 

 sow his seed. Now the case is quite different : 

 when the water once breaks through the dikes, it 

 flows all over the country, perhaps many miles down, 

 in a parallel direction to the river ; and as not unf re- 

 quently happens, the dikes lower down remain firm, 

 and the flood-water rises two or three feet above the 

 river-level This state of things naturally increases 

 the danger tenfold, and it was exactly what took place 

 at Szegedin, which, as we know, was drowned not 

 by the river itself, but by the accumulated flood- 

 water behind the town. The calamity has been fore- 

 seen by engineers of eminence, who have not failed 

 to speak out on the subject. Amongst the oppo- 

 nents of the present system of the Theiss regulation 

 is Major Stephanovich : he made a statement in 

 1874, before the Geographical Society's meeting at 

 Vienna, to the effect that it was his opinion that 

 "Szegedin would some day be broken through by 

 the Theiss." 



In 1865 the inspector of river regulation, M. Carl 

 Hevigh, drew attention to the danger. He said : " If 



