44 



AUSTEIA-HUNGAEY. 



of St. Cunzian. Still lower down it flows over the bottom of a sink, then 

 forms some cataracts, and disappears once more, only to appear again after an 

 underground course of 22 miles. At Monfalcone, where the river leaves its 

 cavernous channels through three apertures, it is of considerable volume, and 

 navigable for small sea-going vessels. It is known here as Timavo, and was 

 famous amongst the ancients, who built temples upon its banks. Its volume 

 appears to have decreased, and M. Czoeruig thinks that formerly it was fed by 

 subterranean channels which now communicate with the Isonzo. It certainly no 



Fig. 26. — The Isonzo and the Timavo. 

 Scale 1 : 110,000. 



2 Miles. 



longer deserves to be called the " Mother of the Adriatic," for it is far inferior now 

 to the Isonzo, whose delta advances at the rate of 23 feet a year.* 



A second Recca, or Recina (a word signifying "river"), rises on the Liburnian 

 Carso, and flows through a fearfully savage gorge towards the Quarnero, which it 

 enter? a short distance below Fiume. A few hundred yards above its mouth a 

 spring gushes forth from the foot of the rocks, its waters rushing into the channel 

 of the river and filling the western port of Fiume, after having put in motion the 



* Delivery of the Recca at St. Canzian, 5 to 141 cubic feet per second. Discharge of the Time.vo, 14 

 to 1,060 cubic feet per second ; average, 328 cubic feet. 



