352 



HUNGARY. 



Statistic* the Theisse, and traverses the counties of Szathmar 



V ~""Y~~ " and Ugotsch, is composed chiefly of porphyry and grey 

 free-stone. In the eastern mountains, and, in general, 

 in those of the Bannat, there is a great deal of lime- 

 stone; which prevails also in the interior mountains. 

 The other stones that are found there are clay-slate, 

 brown free-stone, and porphyry. The neighbouring 

 mountains of Stiria and Austria contain lime-stone, 

 free-stone ami granite. 



Grottos, The mountains of Hungary, especially the Carpa- 



thian chain, abound with grottos of various dimensions, 

 the principal of which are Mazarna and Dupna in the 

 county of Thurotz, Drachenhole in the county of Lip- 

 tau, Helgocz in Zips, Aglelek in Goemor, and Sziliacz in 

 Torn. Bones and skeletons, partly petrified, are found 

 in these grottos, and the most beautiful stalactites of 

 every size and form. Those of Drachenhole and Szi- 

 liacz are particularly curious, being filled during the 

 summer with ice, which is formed in spring, and melts 

 at the approach of winter. The grotto of Veteranische 

 Hole is famous for the defence which General Veterani, 

 with a few followers, maintained against the Turks, in 

 1 694. It is situated on the left bank of the Danube, a 

 little above the village of Ogradina. The rock of which 

 it is formed is inaccessible on every side except at the 

 entrance of the grotto, which is about four feet high 

 and two broad, and secured by an iron gate. The 

 interior is large enough to accommodate a thousand 

 men ; and, from the embrasures cut out in the rock, it 

 has the complete command of the navigation of the 

 Danube. Here also, in the last war of Austria against 

 the Turks, the brave Major Stein, with a battalion of 

 infantry, defied the whole power of the Turkish army, 

 and after enduring for three weeks the most painful pri- 

 vations, made an honourable capitulation, and marched 

 out at the head of his surviving followers with their 

 arms and baggage. 



Pliini. The interior of Hungary consists of one almost con- 



tinned flat, excepting a chain of mountains which, 

 taking their rise near the Danube, run through Gran, 

 Pesth, and the neighbouring counties, and divide the 

 country into two immense plains, called the Upper 

 Plain and the Lower Plain. The former is the smallest, 

 and is of a circular form. It extends from the lake of 

 Neusiedl for about twenty German miles, to the foot 

 of the mountains on the north, and then stretches as 

 far as the Drave, upon the confines of Croatia. The 

 Lower Plain is of much greater extent, and compre- 

 hends all the eastern part of the kingdom, as far as 

 Transylvania ; and where it approaches the mountains, 

 is finely diversified with hills and vallies. The level 

 is evidently higher in the upper than in the lower 

 plain, as the rivers in the former almost uniformly di- 

 rect their course towards the Danube ; and the lowest 

 spot in the whole country is at its south-eastern ex- 

 tremity, near Orsova. 



Rj,ve The Carpathian chain gives rise to innumerable ri- 



yers, which flow in all directions, according to the de- 

 clivity of the ground and the sinuosity of the vallies, 

 but which eventually fall into the Thiesse or the Da- 

 nube. The Thiesse has its source in the county of Mar- 

 marosch. Its course from its commencement is full and 

 rapid while it continues among the hills ; but when it 

 reaches the plain its rapidity slackens, and, bending 

 towards the west, receives innumerable tributary 

 streams from the northern mountains. Taking a south- 

 erly direction, it is joined by theMarosch, near Szegedin, 

 and, after a course of about 420 miles English, falls in- 

 to the Danube not liir from Belgrade, As the banks of 



this river are low, it often overflows them, and occasions Sfatistio. 

 extensive inundations, particularly in the neighbourhood s "" "Y"'' 

 of Tokay. Few rivers in Europe abound more with 

 fish than the Thiesse ; and it is a common saying in the 

 country, that it contains two parts of water, and one of 

 fishes. It is navigable as high as Szegedin. The Wnag 

 or Woh fertilizes the counties of Thurotz, Trentschin 

 and Neutra. Circumscribed in its channel, it dashes its 

 impetuous waters over frightful rocks, and forms du- 

 ring its course above a hundred whirlpools. It enters 

 the plain at Sillein, and discharges itself into the left 

 branch of the Danube, which forms the island of Schutt. 

 Besides these, the other principal rivers which com- 

 mence and finish their course within the boundaries of 

 the kingdom are, the Gran, theGollnitz, the Hernad,the 

 Torisza, the Sajo, the Nera, the Temesch, and theBega. 



The rivers which have their sources in other coun- 

 tries, but which water, in some part of their course, 

 the kingdom of Hungary, are the DANUBE, (of which 

 a particular description will be found in vol.vii. p. 574.); 

 the Drave, which rises in the Tyrol, and flows with 

 such rapidity that its banks are neither so high nor so 

 solid as to retain its waters. It is navigable during the 

 whole of its course through Hungary, and falls into 

 the Danube above Essek ; the Samosch, the Maroscli, 

 and the Korosch, which take their rise in Transylvania, 

 and fall into the Thiesse ; the Morava, which gives its 

 name to the province of Moravia, washes the western 

 boundary of the kingdom ; the Raab, which rises in 

 Stiria ; and the Leitha in Austria. 



The lakes and marshes of Hungary are both mime- Lakei. 

 rous and extensive. In the Upper Plain the most con- 

 siderable are Lake Balaton. The Lake of Neusiedl, 

 which the Hungarians call Tento, lies between the coun- 

 ties of Oedenbourg and Wieselbourg. Its western bank 

 is formed by hills, which are covered with vineyards, 

 woods, and cultivated fields, while the opposite shore 

 is low and marshy, producing nothing but reeds. It is 

 about thirteen miles English in length by four in breadth, 

 but so full of shallows and sand banks, that its naviga- 

 tion is both difficult and dangerous. In the Lower Plain, 

 the principal is the lake of Palilsch, in the county of. 

 Batsch. It is about eight miles (English) long, having- 

 a hard bottom covered with alkaline salt. Its water is 

 used in the neighbouring baths, and is considered very 

 salubrious in nervous disorders. The most remarkable 

 of the Carpathian lakes is the Grune-See, which is form- 

 ed by an enclosure of rocks, and is about 300 paces in 

 circumference. It takes its name from the green co- 

 lour of its waters, which is produced by the reflection 

 of the surrounding pines. Its banks are covered with 

 gravel and blocks of granite, and its water is pure and 

 transparent, and excellent for drinking. 



Marshes of various extent pervade almost every quar- Marshes, 

 ter of the kingdom, and are in general formed by the 

 inundations of the rivers. The most considerable are 

 those of Saretje, Mo/iatsch, and Etsed. In the plain of 

 Bannat, they cover more than a third of the county of 

 Toronthal, almost the whole of Temeschwar, and the 

 greatest part of the district of the frontier regiment of 

 Bannat. The marsh of Hansag, which joins the lake of 

 Neusiedl, is five miles long by three broad. The water 

 appears only in the middle, the greatest part being co- 

 vered with turf, and studded with trees. It produces 

 plenty of hay ; but it is dangerous to cross it, unless 

 well acquainted with the particular direction of the 

 paths. 



It would be proper to notice also the sandy plains, Sandjr 

 which overspread many parts of this country, the most p'"> s 





