T R A 
ing off from this range cross the country in every direction, 
the greatest part of it consists of alternate mountains and val¬ 
leys, with few extensive plains. Many of these mountains are 
romantic, and contain a number of caverns, presenting a wide 
field of examination for the botanist, the geologist, and the 
metallurgist; but are often of such height and steepness, that 
none but the most intrepid hunters or the Walachian shep¬ 
herds cau venture to explore them. The most mountainous 
parts are to the east and north: the south presents hills of 
little elevation, intermixed with plains, interrupted here and 
there by marshes or small lakes. These eminences are com¬ 
monly covered with vineyards; the higher elevations with 
forests; but almost all contain mines. These mountains form 
a natural defence of the country against invasion, presenting 
only very narrow passages into the neighbouring provinces 
of Walachia, Moldavia, and the Bukowine. The principal 
rivers of Transylvania are the Maros, the Samos, and the 
Aluta; the Aranyos, the Lapos, the Sajo, and the two Kokels, 
are of inferior size. All these rivers have their source within 
the country, and their direction is in general from east to west. 
The two first flow towards the Theyss, the Aluta towards the 
Danube. The lakes, like those of Switzerland, Scotland, and 
other countries where the water is inclosed by mountains, are 
of great depth. The climate of Transylvania is cold, consider¬ 
ing its latitude. The valleys are hot in summer, but subject 
to sudden changes of temperature, and to cold at night. On 
the whole, this province is healthy, though not unfrequently 
visited by the plague, in consequence of its vicinity to Turkey. 
Manufactures and Trade .—This country, like Hungary 
and Sclavonia, is extremely backward, the Austrian govern¬ 
ment having taken no effectual steps for promoting produc¬ 
tive industry, till within the la6t half century. Woollens are 
wrought at particular places, such as Cronstadt and Herman- 
stadt; and fabrics of cottons have also been established. 
The blue stuff used in the dress of women, and formerly 
brought from Turkey, is now made at home. Hate are 
manufactured of a coarse quality; and as to glass, Transyl¬ 
vania is now no longer dependent on Bohemia. The 
exports of the country are timber, metals, and a few of the 
manufactures just mentioned; the imports are wool, cotton, 
skins, and a variety of manufactured articles from Vienna. 
Here are no canals, and hardly any navigable rivers. A few 
great roads have been of late finished at the public expence, 
but the cross roads are wretched. The only dealers in the 
country entitled to the name of merchants, are Greeks and 
Armenians. 
Inhabitants .—No country, net even Hungary, contains 
a greater variety of tribes of different origin: a circumstance 
owing to the arrival at different periods of new settlers, and 
to their remaining comparatively unmixed in a country so 
thinly peopled, with so few towns, and so little commercial 
intercourse. The Magyar bears here the same character as 
in Hungary, attached to the chace and to war, possessing 
considerable intelligence, but ill fitted for whatever requires 
continued application. The Szeklers occupy the mountains, 
and have been from time immemorial the guardians of the 
frontiers; they bear a considerable resemblance to the High¬ 
landers of Scotland, and in nothing more than in seldom 
carrying their industry beyond the rearing of the necessaries 
of life. Settlers from Germany were first introduced in the 
middle of the 12th century, having been brought originally 
from Flanders and the south of Germany, and being sub¬ 
sequently reinforced by Protestant emigrants from the 
Austrian states. The name of Saxon is given to them 
merely because in a remote age all Germans were styled 
Saxons by their neighbours. They are in general careful and 
industrious. Their habitations are neater than those of the 
rude tribes around them. The language they speak is a 
dialect of German. 
These three nations possess the chief political privileges; 
in particular, that of sitting at the national diet. But in 
point of number, they are greatly surpassed by the descend¬ 
ants of the Walachians, who form half the population of 
the principality. Like the Slowacs in Hungary, or the 
Irish peasantry, the Walachian cottagers find, in the midst 
T R A 67 
of filth and poverty, the means of rearing families. They 
are employed chiefly as common labourers, as shepherds, or 
as waggoners. 
Transylvania was known to the Homans by the title of 
Dacia Consularis Mediterranea. It was conquered by 
Trajan, who settled a colony there. On the irruption of the 
northern hordes, it became subject successively to the Goths, 
the Huns, the Alans- the Sclavi, the Avari, and finally to the 
Magyars. During some time it was ruled by a prince of its 
own, but it fell under the power of the kings of Hungary, 
and was governed by a deputy, who, when he happened to 
be of the royal family, had the title of prince, but otherwise 
of waiwode, a title commonly translated'palatine, but which 
means general or duke. In 1541, Transylvania was again 
separated from Hungary, and remained an independent pro¬ 
vince till 1699, when its last prince gave it up to Austria. 
During the interval it appears to have seldom enjoyed any 
long period of tranquillity. Placed between rude and ambi¬ 
tious neighbours, it was alternately exposed to the incursions 
of the Hungarians and the Turks; while the internal disputes 
about the election of its rulers, who were never hereditary, 
always supplied them with pretexts for their inroads. 
The name of Transylvania is derived from the Hungarians, 
who called the woody country to the east of the Theyss, 
Silagy or Sylvania, and the territory to the east of these 
woods Terra ultra Sylvas partes Transykanw, or Tran- 
sylvanenses. Erdely, the name given to this country, in 
common Hungarian, has the same signification. 
TRA'NTERS, s. Men who carry fish from the sea-coasts 
to sell in the inland countries. Bailey. —Country people, 
amongst whom alone this word is current, extend its mean¬ 
ing to all those who purchase any kind of provisions in 
order to sell them again. Mason. 
TRANWELL, a hamlet of England, in Northumberland; 
2 miles south-south-west of Morpeth. 
TRAP, s. [epapp, epepp, Sax.; irape, Fr.; trappola, 
Ital.j A snare set for thieves or vermin.—The trap springs 
and catches the ape by the fingers. L'Estrange. —An am¬ 
bush ; a stratagem to betray or catch unawares. 
God and your majesty 
Protect mine innocence, or I fall into 
The trap is laid for me. Shakspeare. 
A play at which a ball is driven with a stick.—Unruly 
boys learn to wrangle at trap, or rook at span-farthing. 
Locke. 
To TRAP, v. a. [epeppan, Sax.] To ensnare; to catch 
by a snare or ambush; to take by stratagem. 
My brain more busy than the lab’ring spider, 
Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies. Shakspeare. 
[See Trapping.] To adorn; to decorate. 
The steed that bore him 
Was trapp'd with polish’d steel, all shining bright, 
And covered with th* atchievements of the knight. Spenser. 
TRAP, a post township of the United States, in Montgo¬ 
mery county, Pennsylvania; 27 miles north-west of Phila¬ 
delphia. 
TRAP, a village of the United States, in Frederick county, 
Maryland ; 7 miles south-west of Frederickstown. 
TRAPA [from roaarea, calco~\, in Botany, a genus of 
the class tetrandria, order monogynia, natural order of hv- 
drocharides. (Juss.) —Generic Character. Calyx: perianth 
one-leafed, four-parted, acute, permanent, growing to the 
base of the germ ; leaflets two, lateral, and two at the angles 
of the germ. Corolla: petals four, obovate, larger than the 
calyx. Stamina: filaments four, length of the calyx; anthers 
simple. Pistil: germ ovate, two-celled; style simple, length 
of the calyx. Stigma headed, emarginate. Pericarp: none. 
Seed: nut ovate-oblong, one-celled, armed with four spines, 
in the middle of the side, opposite, spreading, (which were 
the leaves of the calyx,) acute, thick.— Essential Character. 
Calyx four-parted. Corolla four-petalled. Nut girt with four 
opposite spines, which were the leaves of tjie calyx. 
1. Trapa natans, or four-horned water caltrops.—Nuts 
four-horned; 
