48 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



In reference to the special disaster of this spring in 

 the Theiss valley, the writer remarks that the causes 

 may be distinctly traced back to last autumn, when 

 there was an excessive rainfall in the countries 

 drained by the Save and the Drave. These rivers 

 were in a state of overflow, and the channel of the 

 Danube below Belgrade became surcharged, and re- 

 mained in this condition the whole winter ; and 

 therefore the Theiss was unable to rid itself of its 

 superfluous waters, which were, in fact, bayed back 

 by the Danube. January of this year found the 

 Theiss abormally high, instead of being at its lowest 

 level, usual at that season. In this condition of 

 things the early thaw, as we know, melted the Car- 

 pathian snows, and the flood-waters came down to 

 find the river-bed already choked. 



Major Stephanovich does not mention it, but I 

 believe it is a fact that the Danube has so strong an 

 effect on the Theiss, that high water on the Danube 

 causes a reflux on the current of its tributary as far 

 up as Szegedin itself, a distance of oae hundred and 

 thirty-three kilometres. 



