GERMAN AND POLISH PROVINCES OF AUSTRIA. 



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3. Kingdom of Illyria. This kingdom is bounded north by Austria, and Stiria, east by 

 Croatia, south b)^ the Adriatic, west by the Loaibardo-Venetian Kingdom and Tyrol. It con- 

 tains 11,000 square miles, and 1,145,000 inhabitants. The country is mountainous ; the rocks 

 consist of primitive limestone, hollowed out into a vast number of grottoes. There are said to 

 be 1,000 caves in Illyria, among which that of Melsberg is celebrated for its dimensions and 

 crystals. It is thought the whole ridge of mountains intersecting the country is hollow ; many 

 rivers sink into the ground and appear in other places among them. The Save^ Laybach, 

 Gurck^ and Isonzo, water different parts of tlie kingdom. The lake of Zirknitz is a great cu- 

 riosity ; it is 8 miles long, 4 broad, and is completely surrounded by steep mountains and for- 

 ests. In June its waters entirely disappear, through holes in the bottom of the lake, which is 

 then ploughed and sown. In 3 months' time, an abundant crop of hay and millet is produced ; 

 the deer come down from the mountains and feed in the pastures. In September, the waters 

 rush violently back, and fill the lake ; it then abounds in fish. The waters have been known 

 to fluctuate 3 times a year, and in other seasons not at all. The climate in the mountains is 

 rigorou-s but healthy. On the coast it is warm, and vegetation is luxuriant. In other parts the 

 vine and olive flourish. Minerals are abundant. Iron, lead, and copper are exported. The 

 quicksilver mines of Idria are the richest in Europe, and yield annually 640,000 pounds of 

 quicksilver, and 378,000 pounds of cinnabar. 



Illyria consists of 2 political divisions, the government of Laybach, including Carinthia and 

 Carniola, and the government of Trieste, comprising Istria ; these are subdivided into 7 circles. 



Trieste^ situated upon the northern extremity of the Gulf of Venice, is the principal com- 

 mercial town in the empire. Including the immediate neighborhood, with its beautiful gardens, 

 vineyards, and country seats, it has a population of 42,000 souls. The commerce of Trieste 

 has rapidly increased since it has been declared a free port. In the vicinity is ^quileia, now 

 a small village, once the centre of commerce between the northern and southern parts of the 

 Roman empire, and a large city with 100,000 inhabitants. 



Laybach^ formerly capital of the duchy of Carniola, and at present of the kingdom of Illy- 

 ria, has an active trade, and its manufactures are extensive. A congress of European sover- 

 eigns was held here in 1820. Population, 10,000. Idria, in the same government, derives 

 importance from its rich mines of quicksilver. Population, 5,000. Clagenfurth, a busy man- 

 ufacturing town, with 9,000 inhabitants, was the capital of the former duchy of Carinthia ; 

 Rovigno, with a good harbor, has an active commerce, and contains 10,000 inhabitants. 



One of the most perfect and extensive works of the Romans is at Pola, about 40 miles from 

 Trieste. It is an amphitheatre, with 3 floors and rustic arcades. In height it is 97 feet, and 

 in length 416. The seats occupy but one side, and are formed on the declivity of a hill. It 

 is entire in its whole circuit, and is capable of accommodating 18,000 persons. The chief 

 productions of Illyria arise from the minerals above mentioned, the cultivation of the vine and 

 olive, and fishing of anchovies in the Adriatic. 



4. The Tyrol. This district is bounded north by Bavaria, east by Austria, south by the 

 Lombardo-Venelian Kingdom, and west by Switzerland. It contains 10,880 square miles, 

 and 790,000 inhabitants. It is very mountainous and much resembles Switzerland, being 

 traversed by the Rhetian Alps, some of whose summits belong to the highest European moun- 

 tains. The Ortlcrspitz reaches the height of 12,800 feet. There is a lower chain called the 

 Brenner, or Burning Mountain, from its glaciers, which appear in the sunshine like a blaze of 

 light. Many of the ridges are crowned with sharp pinnacles of granite, resembling obelisks ; 

 some are rent into deep and frightful chasms, and others covered with eternal snow. Numer- 

 ous mountain torrents water the country, and find their way to the Rhine. Danube, Po, and the 

 Adriatic. The largest river is the Inn, which rises in the canton of the Orisons in Switzerland, 

 and receiving numerous mountain streams in that country, falls into the Danube at Passau. 

 The Adige rises in this country and passes through the Venetian territory into the Adriatic. 

 The Drave, Lech, her, and Iller rise in this country. 



The mountains have the climate of Switzerland ; the snow and torrents block up the villages, 

 and canfine the inhabitants within doors in winter. The soil produces hemp, flax, tobacco, 

 and grain ; the vine is reared in some parts. There are rich mines of silver, lead, copper, 

 iron, and salt ; precious stones to a considerable amount are obtained here, as agates, corneli- 

 ans, rubies, amethysts, emeralds, and chalcedonies. The inhabitants are industrious, and, be- 

 sides the occupation of hunting and agriculture, employ themselves in manufacturing boxes, 

 cases of instruments, tovs, &c., which are exported even to America. The rearing of cana- 



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