CHAP. by the Tahtars is mentioned by Ranzanus1. IV. In its present state, Gran contains about 6000 Population. inhabitants. Its archbishop enjoyed many and Mineral extensive privileges; among others, that of crowning the kings of Hungary, and of creating nobles throughout the whole extent of his archiepiscopal domain. It is famous for its warm baths: and Dr. Townson notices a manufacture for extracting magnesia from the water, which is impregnated with Epsom salt; a hundred cubic inches yielding 700 grains of the sulphat of magnesia, together with a small portion of the Martius, a Bolognese Professor of Languages, who accompanied Matthias Corvinus from Italy, and became a schoolmaster in Hungary. Speaking of this city, he says: "STRIGONIUM Oppidum Hungariæ in ripis Danubii situm, a Budâ, quò secundo flumine descenditur, triginta millibus passuum distans, arcem habet in edito colle munitissimam et pulcherrimam. Nec immeritò: fuit enim aliquando regum domus, et habitatio, et in eâ arce templum, cujus pronaüm, et solùm porphyreo lapide constructum, a longe habens prospectum, vasis aureis, argenteisque, nec non pulcherrimo et ditissimo sacerdotalium vestimentorum apparatu potest cum omnibus jure certare. Estque STRIGONIUM Hungariæ metropolis, cum opulentissimo Archiepiscopatu.” Galeot. Mart. de Dictis et Factis Matthiæ, cap. 30. ap. Script. Rer. Hung. p. 385. Fancof. 1600. (1) Chronica Hungarorum Ranzanî, ubi supra. See also the Decads of Bonfinius, lib. viii. Dec. 2. p. 500. edit. Sambuci. Francof. 1581, (2) "L'archevesque mettoit autrefois la couronne aux rois d'Hongrie, le jour de leur sacre." (Royaume d'Hongrie, chap. 7. p. 62. Cologne, 1686.) The same author has given (chap. 15. p. 160.) an account of the ceremonies observed at the coronation of the Hungarian sovereigns. (3) The celebrated warm baths of Buda, Gran, and other parts of Hungary, are frequented by visitants from Poland, Russia, Germany, &c. CHAP. IV. bridge. carbonate and of the muriate. The Danube is here of very extraordinary breadth, compared with its general appearance: we passed it by means of a flying-bridge, consisting of a large Flyingplatform constructed across two barges, and held by other boats at anchor;-the most convenient kind of ferry known for the passage: of large and rapid rivers. This kind of bridge is capable of conveying, at the same time, a great number of carriages, cattle, and passengers. The flying-bridge of Gran was provided with several small houses, a large bell and cupola, images, &c.-In the evening we arrived at Parkany, situate, with regard to Gran, as Pest is with respect to Buda. It is a small village, at the confluence of the Gran with the Danube,' containing an excellent inn. Here, having left the post-road, we hired horses according to what is called the Vorspan' in Germany; a species of impost upon the peasants; the price being by one-third less than the expense of post-horses. (4) For other circumstances relating to its natural history, the Reader is referred to Dr. Townson's Travels in Hungary, chap. 3. (5) The Vorspan is used as a substitute for post-horses, where the latter cannot be had. The word Vorspan is likewise used for those horses which, during war, are required by Government for the transport of stores, ammunition, sick, wounded, &c. This Vorspan is seldom paid. (6) We paid only two florins for eight horses, one post, from Parkany to Kömend. Where great expedition is not required, a reduction of expense, equal to two-thirds of the price of posting, may be effected by travelling with the Vorspan horses. CHAP. IV. May 13.-We journeyed from Parkany by Kömend, Zelitz', and Lewa, to Bakabanya; where Bakbanya. there are mines of gold and silver. The country we passed resembled the county of Kent; and was remarkable for its high degree of cultivation. It was ten o'clock P. M. before we reached Bakabanya, in one of those delightful evenings common at this season of the year. The mine of Bakabanya is hardly mentioned by Born, although the works here have existed above four hundred years. Nothing can be more agreeably picturesque than its situation, between the town and the mountains; amidst groves of fruit- trees, that were now covered with blossoms; being also shaded by enormous oaks and other large trees of the forest. The inhabitants consider their MINE of Bakabanya as ranking next in importance to those of Rich qua- Cremnitz, not only for the gold it annually yields, but also for the silver. In our account of the Situation of the GOLD MINE. lity of the Ores. (1) "We met upon this road an immense caravan of corn, marching towards the Danube. The appearance of this beautiful country, although surrounded by mountains, reminded us of the county of Kent. The cottages are remarkable for their great cleanliness; and there are numerous villages. The district between Zelitz and Lewa is the most beautiful imaginable, being full of rich meadows and fields of corn, everywhere thick set with noble oaks. We passed the Gran in a boat, before arriving at Lewa, a small but clean village; where, after some hesitation whether we should proceed by Bath or Bakabanya, we decided for the latter, on account of its mines."-Cripps's MS. Journal. IV. Tellurium mine at Nagyag, we noticed some in- CHAP. stances where the ores of gold did not contain silver; otherwise it might be stated as a general observation applying to all the mines, whether of the north of Hungary, or of the Bannat, or of Transylvania, that every ore containing GOLD, contains also a certain portion of SILVER. This was afterwards stated to us by Professor Passern at Schemnitz, and by others acquainted with Hungarian mines, as an observation admitting of no exception. And vice versa, every mineral, considered as an ore of SILVER, however pure the silver may appear, is also said to contain GOLD; even the richest sulphurets of that metal, called vitreous and ductile silver ore2. The next morning (May 14) we were occupied in collecting minerals from the mine3. The ore dug here consists of clay and ochreous quartz. (2) This does not, however, agree with Klaproth's analysis of the sulphuret of silver, who makes it to consist of eighty-seven parts of SILVER, and fifteen of SULPHUR.-See Analytical Essays, vol. I. p. 140. Lond. 1801. (3) Besides the rich ore of the mine, which consists of quartz penetrated by auriferous clay, and by the oxide of iron, we obtained here the following minerals: 1. Native gold, in quartz. 2. Black silver, with auriferous pyrites. 3. Sulphuret of silver, containing gold. 4. Black silver, with primary crystals of the sulphat of barytes, &c.&c. VOL. VIII. 2 A IV. Mode of CHAP. It is richer in gold than that of any other mine in all Hungary; but it does not hence follow that this is the most productive mine. It is hardly necessary to state, that the poorest mines have sometimes the richest ores; as in the example of the mine of native silver at Königsberg in Norway. Owing, however, to the rich quality of the Bakabanya ores, they have a method of estimating their value which reverses the method of calculation used at Schemnitz. The ores of the latter are called silver ores; those of the former, gold ores. The miners of Schemnitz calculate that one estimating their value. mark of their silver contains so many deniers of gold: those of Bakabanya, that a certain weight of their gold contains so many lotos' of silver. We obtained a great variety of specimens, but none of them equal in beauty to the minerals of Transylvania; among others, the rare mineral lately alluded to; namely, the ductile sulphuret of silver. It is more common at Schemnitz. The magistrates of the town accompanied us to see the mine and the works for stamping and washing the ore. In these there was nothing remarkable, excepting the manner of exhibiting the arenaceous gold and silver in the wash-houses. This is done by a person (1) See the Table of Weights, &c. at the beginning of this Volume. |