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ISj,GaS5eBea3G30

The

Robert E. Gross
Collection
A
Memorial
to the

Founder

of the

i
Business Administration Library

Kniverii/u

c/ ^aMor-tua

Los Angeles

TRAVELS
THROUGH THE

N
O F

TE MESWAR,
TRANSYLVANIA,

HUNGARY,
In
,p

AND
Year

the

1770.
IN

ESCRIBED
to

A
9

Series of

LETTERS
ON
and
thefe

PROF. FERBER,

'

THE

MINES
Of

MOUNTAINS
Countries,
in

different

By

BARON INIGO BORN,

Counfellor of the

Royal Mines,
is

Bohemia.

To which

added,

JOHN JAMES FERBER's

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
of

BOHEMIA.

TRANSLATED
With fome
Art of Mining, and
its

from

the

E R

M A N,

explanatorj' Notes, and a Preface on

the Mechanical Arts, the

prefent State and future Improvement,

By

R.

E.

RASPE.

In nc-va fcrt animus mutatas dkcre format.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY
FOR
G.

No. 6, OLD BAILEY; J. MILLER, K EARS LEY, No. 46, FLEET-STREET. MDCCLXXVn.

iii

PREFACE.
JLTAV ING
Italy ^

mtrodticed

Mr.

Ferber's

etc counts

of

with fome gejwal views of thofe parts Mineralogy^ zvhich have of late been improved^ of

and may

be further by a nearer examination of the

,

Volcanoes and their various produBions

it is

but

jufl that thefe accounts of the Hungarian

and Bohe-

mian mines ould be accompanied with fimilar views

en the art of mining
metallic mountains
productions.
'This fcience
\

the nature of the different

and of their various

veins

and

has been the fcience of riches ever

ftnee the ufe of metals

difcovered.,

and of other fojfds have been

to

and turned

account

by

mankind.
the art
to us by

Though that
a

difcovery be a very old one^

and

of mining and of fmelting be handed down

long feries of ages^

and by
a

different nations^

fome
cf

IV

PREFACE.
its fcientifical

f
lefs

parts are^ hozvever^ brought

to

certainty than
it^

we

might have expcufed.

Was

that

Mammon,
was

the leaft erected

fpirit,

that fell

From Heaven,
lefs

adored^

and

his woroip lefs folloied

it

than

that of the fairer Mufes ? JVas

That

riches

grow

in Hell,

that
?

foil

which beft

Deferves the precious bane

Indeed
it

was

not

for gold andher^ and riches

in

have been

in every age^

every clime^ adored and

purfued by all the nations^

ingenuity,

which had any claim

to

with fuch a zealous eagernefs as would

credit to any divinity.

have done

It is the

common

fate of the mofl ufeftd and practical arts, to have

been, in every age

and

in every nation, left in afiate

of infancy,

and

in the hands of

working people, or

of impong quacks.
the wife

Sovereigns have encouraged, and

zvith prefumptuous attempts,
lofty regions

and

learned,

piirfued hazardous flights into the

of

fcholaic divijiity a7td metaphyfcks, beyond the reach

of human
in this

abilities,

and

ai'med at fuch ohjcuis,

which

world do not make us

richer or
better.

either wifer or hapis

pier, or

It

a very ngular

phanomenon

in the hiflory

of mankind, that the arts

fidling,

cf fortune-telling, of rhiming, of finging,

rcafoning,

and fpeaking, jould have been reduced

into

PREFACE.
fcientifical forms
\

nay^ that they joiild have been fo

highly improved^ before any friend of

men and good-

fenfe

thought of reducing the better arts of

huf

bandry,

of phyc^ of navigation, and of mining into

-,

the forms of fciences

of fixing them for ever, and

cf eflabliing them upon the evident and confiant

principles of nature.

But fiich

is

the perverfenefs

of human nature!

Wants and

accidents

have
iifeful

co-

operated to invent ajid to introduce the

by the fidll

arts
the

and ingenuity of

forne men,

whom

Savages in the infant flate of fociety have july

revered as their great e benefaors, andas fuch have

ranked and forgot them

divinities.

in the croud

of their heroes a?id

Ceres and Triptolemus,

Pomona, Mi-

jierva and Efculapius, for being the inventors, im-

provers,

or introducers of huandry,

gardening,

weaving, and phyc, have been by the favage Greeks

i:'ufcans, or

Latins, confecratedto pofierity by the fame

fpirit of gratitude and veneration, which hasfanEfified

the Evangelifts, the Apoles,

and the Saints among

the Chriians
gruity,
glory,

but Poets, time, and

they

human

incon-

what have

made

in after-times of their

and of the arts and fciences which they tauo-ht ?

Let any one judge, who knows fomething of the hiftory of mankind, whether the well-deferved reputation of their

names has ever one

their popular

in its pur e lure,

and whether
fciefices

and falutary arts and

have ever been pra^ifed in that public^ ^

fpirited

vi

Preface.
had
left

fpirited lenevolent manner^ in which they

of

delivered them to mankind.

hifiory
.

'Their

names and their

have been involved

in clouds of darknefs

and

legends^

and

their arts
all,

and

fciences by their will,

the inheritance of
felfio

have been engroffed by the

few.

This happened in a very natural manit

ner.

Whether
-,

happened

neceffarily^

1 will not

determine

obferving only, that making an exclufive

trade of fciences and of arts, has never anfwered,

and never will anfwer,

ter eft of mankind.

the great

and univerfal

in-

The

mnft ufeful arts areprecifely thofe which ft and

in an immediate connexion with the moft generaly

moft natural,
kind.

and moft
is

indifpenfable

wants of man-

Their objeB

food, drefs,

and

felf-prefer-

vation.

They muft of courfe have been invented or

pralifed by every family or fociety of

men

-,

and

be-

ing on this account coeval with the firft origin of

mankind, their invention falls into the remoteft antiquity

of the primitive world, when a

individuals,

wants of a few
families,

or of

few natural a few fcattered

in

could be fatisfied by co?nmon ingenuity,

making

ufe of the moft obvious gifts

and

effetJs

of

nature, fiich

as

every climate afforded.

In that

primitive ftate,

we

fee the arts of the Pecherais in

little

Terra del Fuego, and of many

wandering

tribes

of ?nen in almoft every part of the world ;

and even

the arts of civilized nations would be lowered again,

and

PREFACE.
and turned down
fudden revolution they ould happen

vu

nearly to the fame fiat e^ if by fomet

to he at once de-

prived of the advantages of their

climates^

and

expofed to the hardjips and luants of other climates.

Conrmodore Byron
Chili^

left

and preserved on

the coaft of
left^

and

the Ruffian failors for

many years

and

by

their ingenuity

and perfeverance preferved,

on the coafi of Spitsbergen^ will

tion
\

make good

the affer-

and prove moreover^ that wants and climate^

going handln hand^ are the natural and firfi teachers

of men^ who for their vigour^ ingenuity^ ayid perfeSiibility^

mufi

be

alloived

to

be

lords

of the

world,
'The felf4nvented arts of different nations^

(and
caufes

and why jould not a

fimilarity of

wants or

have produced a fimilarity of arts and remedies ?)

mufi for thefe reafons have been very mple^ rude^

and

local in the begimiing

that

is,

they mufi^ under

different

different

climates^
.

have appeared under

modifications

hollowed

trees^
\

The canoes offome Indians^ made of fpeak a climate which produces plenty
made of
together,

of timber
feal-ins,

the canoes of the Greenlanders,

and

thofe of the

Eafier-Iflanders in the

South-Sea., being poorly

made up, and f own

of little

bits

of wood, fpeak a difmal vjant of wood.

the

The form of
ing in

fe buildings and columns, Chine

is

plainly that of the original tent of favages, wander-

warm

climates,

which produced
a
3

light

and

fiendev

viii

PREFACE.
'The

ender hamhoo-trees.

form cf

the Egyptian
tell,

zvonders of architetlure feem plainly to

that the

rfl inhabitants of that fcorched climate,

rock- caverns to refort to for fhelter-,
their increafing

had

cool

and

that,

when

numbers attempted
little

to imitate

nature

by art,

they

had

or no wood, but -plenty of large

rock majfes.

The

old Indcos.

being nearly under

the fame climate, feem to have built their

cient

mo an-

Pagodas upon the fame principles.

The Greeks

and Romans

allow, that the Prototype of their

mo
made

magnificent marble palaces was the original hut,

of timber, and even yet ufed in the milder climates The drefs of the Turks, Perans, Poles, of Afia.

and Hungarians,
with fur,

is

of a different cut, but trimmed

are offsprings of different

becaufe they

nations in the northern parts of Afia, where dr effing

in fur
is

the advice

and claim of

the climate.

The
in

fame

original locality or nationality

may be traced

the manipulations a,nd technical words of the various

arts of huffandry,

hunting, fifmng, fighting,

and

curing difeafes
tions

and as by fo doing the may be fill more afcertained, and

-,

origin of na-

the invention

fued of fome arts pur

to their fir ft beginning, it

will

likewife help us to feel, that

beeil to

many foreign

arts

have

our
;

ccft

introduced amongft us, infpite of the

chiefly to infifl

climate

and what here I am

upon,

that the arts in the beginning muft have been very

mpie and very

rude.

Wants

PREFACE.
ters

i:<

V/ants in that infant fiate of fociety of hun-

and jertnen,

ix/cre

prently and

heft

removed hv

fhe mpleft application of thofe natural effects or pro-

duHions^ which men experienced and faw before them.

The

caiifes

of things^

their

inveftigation^

metho-

ding their accidental inventions^ and xing them

for aftertimes^ 'were then ahfolutely out of the qiieftion i and fo they were even when the encreafing

numbers and wants of

thefe

mifettled

wanderers

made

the improvement of their original arts^ or the

inirodu^iion of
ceptable gift s^

new

ones

from abroad^

the ?noft ac-

which friends of mankind could beftow

upon them.

The Greeks were indeed but a very raw

people^

and ignorant

when

their gods

and heroes
So were

may
the

he fiippofed to

have

inftriiUed them.

the Britons

and Germans^ when

their conquerors,

Romans^ and

the irft Chriftian mifionaries or

apoftles^

acquainted them with the arts of making

their life
'

more comfortable.

Each family
to their

held them

as a treafure^
in ci

and handed them

defcendants

mere traditional manner.

that
old tradition

It is no wonder^
hiftory

therefore.,

and

fpeak

of

Princeffes ilful in

the arts of the loom., cf Sove-

reigns dr effing their dinners.^ guiding the plozv^

and

tending their herds.

Her Highnes

Priucefs

Nan-

caa went
linen
are^
,

to the river

wajing and fcowering her

nay^ even Reverend Abbots

and Holy

Priefls

celebrated in the firft ages o Chriftianity amcngfl

tbs

X
the

PREFACE.
Northern European nations^ for having heen
carpe?iters,

ilful and laborious plowmen^ gardeners^ vintners,

huandmen^
phyficians.

joiners^

painters.^

and

This traditional fcience of the arts

was a

natural
life,

confequence of the fcattered, paoral^ and rural

and

it

was attended with

them.

circumflances which proved

no advantage to
families^

Being confined

to ftngle

and

their

wants alone^

their pra^ice

would

but accidentally improve them^ and thefe improve-

ments %vere
drudgery

liable to be forgotten.

Moreover^ their
the fiaves^

mu

of courfe be

left to

who for

many
ployed
liberty

ages,
to

even in the politer nations,

were em-

carry on the

manual

arts.

"Deprived of
inclined to

and property, they were the more

drudge on in

dull,

flubborn,

habitual tnanner,

without any mind for improvement.

'That neverthelefs, the

manual and mechanical arts

Egyptians, Greeks,

emongfl the Phenicians,

thas^inians,

Carto

and Romans,

have been brought

remarkable degree of perfeion,

indeed to their f,av es,

was owing,

not

but to the fuperior good fenfe

;

cnda5iivity of their mafiers

to circumfiances

which

produced a nearer connection of mankind in general-,

to

wide extended navigation, commerce, and con',

oiiefis

and finally,

to

a mercantile fpirit and a culever been

the refults
fociety,

ture of fcience, which have

and

diftinguifhing

blengs

of

human

cr

govern^

PREFACE.
government
perfection.

XI
deg?'ee

brought

to

the

highefi

of

Some of

thefe reajons

have at

la:

refcued the

ma-

mial and mechanical arts in Europe from the handi

of bungling av es, and brought them into the hands but that happy revolution has in me offree people
-,

parts of Europe ferved the arts only by halves.

has' been a great

It

advantage

to

them

but having

mads

more

or lefs excluftve trades of them^ they

have been^

and fome of them are fill kept as jobs and fecrets^ by ort - ghted and narrow-minded mercantile
felfonefs.

This plainly appears by the ill-digeed atutes and

cuoms of many profeons and trades, which, if pcffible, would be independent patent companies, at
the expence of the whole
;

the very names of the art

and

my fiery

of apothecaries, of clothworkers,

of

barbers,

of cordwainers, and ether trades,

as ex-

preffed in the charters of their corporations at

Lon-

don, are r iking inances to

what

lengths that tin\

patriotick felfonefs has been carried informer times

and

even, if the

word myiiery

in thefe charters jould

be condered
blunder,

only as

an equivocal^

othographical
there are

inflead of meftier,

or metier,

thoufands of proofs that this old fpirit of felfimefs

is

yet alive, ever willing to take advantage of the

to

knowledge of others, and never willing

it.

promote

Let

tis

add the abfurd i.ontempt

in

which the

proud

PREFACE.
felf-conceited
fcholars

proud Barons and the

have

held formerly^ and even yet hold,

the pretended fervile
nioe

the greater part of

arts, and^

and low mechanical

cannot 'wonder,

that the progrefs and improve-

ment has been

flill in

fo ow, and

that

many of them are

a ftate of infancy.
in the wifeft

It is only

and moft enlightened

ages,

that

we

find foyne philofoph ers and wife men,ftepping

the giddy heights of their exalted ftation

down from
the vulgar

of learning, into which the barbarous ignorance of

and

their

own

conceit

had placed them, in

improve the arts.

order

to fix, to re5iify,

and

to

Such ages produced amongft the Greeks and RomanSy

what

Euclides, Hippocrates, Galen,

Vitruvius,

Co-

lumella, Cato, Pliny, Hheophrafttis,

and foine

others,

have left us on the arts

of
of
thofe glorious times,
fcholaftical dullnefs

and

it is

in the true fpirit

that after fo

many

loft

ages

and mercantile

felfifhnefs, the

Royal Academy at Paris, Mr. Chambers, Dr. Lewis,

the Authors of the French Encyclopedy,

and many

friends of mankind in fev er al parts of Europe, have

undertaken of lute

to fix the

various arts of mankind

for aft er-times, and

ciples

to eftablio

them upon the prin-

of nature and mathematicks, better known at

prefent than they ever were before.

But various

is

their pre fent ft ate in different parts of Europe.

"The

Art of

War

is

in thefe

laft

two hundred

years reduced in France, and efpccially in Germany,

upon

PREFACE.
upon fo evident and
fc'ientifical theories^

Xlll

afcertained

by pra^ice^ that thefe powerful empires

moft happy of all^ if tremendous ar?nies^
methodically butchered^

mu be the now and then

them the
There

and the ambition of Sovedid

enfiire

reigns, flattered by conqueft,

blejfings

of peace, or any other Uejfing at

all.

has been in thofe countries too much occafion for the

improvement of this

neceffary

and

terrible art.

The Nautical Art

trary, is brought in

in all its branches, on the con-

England

perfeElion, becaufe it is the

of kingdom of the feas-, fo

to the highefl degree

are huandry and numbers of mechanical arts and

manufaBories, becaufe
plentiful foil,

it enjoys

the advantages of a

any other.

and offreedom Sed

in

a higher degree than

Tu

regere Imperio populos Britanne

artes)

memento,

(HaeTibi erunt
Parcere fubjedis

pacique imponere morem,

& debellare fuperbos.

and
its

But

the

Art of Mining, and its many fub ordinate

dependent countries^

branches, are in Germany,

for various reafons, fo highly improved, that for

thefe la ages

Germany has been july

and
befl

coyifidered

as

the

mo

ancient

fchool for miners.

Though

Tacitus,
the

in his romantic account of

Germany, told
a providential

Romans, that the Gods,

either by

care, or by their diflike of the nation,

left the

feemed

to

have

Germans unprovided with mines and metals,

or

XIV

PREFACE.
till

or rather to have kept them

then unacquainted

with
fince

their ufe

and

fcience

things have, however^

wondrouy

changed,

both

in

refpe5l

to

the

mines, and

in refpe^i of their fcience.

'The great efl

and

richefl chains

and

tracts of metallic

mountains^

which jtiflly

may

he ranked

with

thofe in
in

Peru and

in

Hungary, have been difcovered there

mote antiquity,

a very re-

'when the other kingdoms of Europe

idea of that kind of inland riches
-,

had fcarce any and

there

have been ever ftnce, and there are more

mines and mountains yet a5lually working in Germany

(done^ than perhaps in all the other parts of

Europe

put

together.
in

Some mines on
Alface^

the

Rhine and Da-

nube,

Lorrain,

Brifgow, Suevia, and

the ancient Noricum, feem to have been

worked

al-

ready

in the decline

of the

ancient

Roman

empire.

Many
the

in the interior parts are reported to

have been
in

opened under the race of Charlemain.

The mines

Rammeierg near

Gofslar,

and fome cf

the adto the

jacent ones in the Harz-mountains, belonging

Eleorate

of Hanover and the Duchy of Brunf-

wick, are fairly proved to have been difcovered and

worked

to

advantage as early as the middle of the tenth

century (between A. C. 950.

difcovery of thofe in

and 1000.^

And

the

Haa, Mifnia,
Tyrol,

Silefta,

Mo-

ravia,

Franconia,

Steyermark,

Carinthia,

and Carniola, cannot

he fuppofed to

have been much

poerior in time to that of the former.

Tq

PREFACE.
^0 judge
miners,
hy the technical language of the

xt
German

wajers, affayers, and melters, they do not

feem

to

have

learnt, or

had

their different
nations.

arts
It is

from

the

Romans, or other foreign

German.
It proves

downright

at leafl

'what

have ortly hinted

old ftanding
in

before, thatthefe arts are

;

of very

Germany

and as

it is

very com-

pleat in every refpe^f,

and almoft

the fame in the mofi

it

diant provinces of Germany,

proves, that for

a long feries of ages thefe various arts have never been difcontinued, and on that account they may be
confidered as national.

Being by their very objeEl

naturally recommended to de-

and remarkable fuccefs

fpotic Sovereigns,

they

have been very

early

fa-

voured and taken notice of by the many legiators of

Germany

-,

and

it

mufi be owned,

that the metallic

general and particular lazvs of Germany,

having
keep

been foon refined, have greatly contributed to

thefe

mining arts alive, by keeping the above mining

in

countries

uninterrupted fuccefsful employment.

it

And

happy has

proved fer Germany, as the inland

parts of that extenve and pcpulous country, without

the working of thefe numerous mines, mufi

have

lofi

thoufands of unemployed hands, andflandworfe in the

balance of trade than
it

hitherto is found to do.

The

mathematicks, mechanicks,hydraulicks, and the principies of chemiry, have been pretty early applied in Ger-

many, to the traditional and empirical art of mining, as

every

XVI
every one

PREFACE.
may judge
by the valuable writings

of

Georg. Agricola, (born 14^4

lent author

^555) ^^^^ excel-

of immenfe and pra5iical erudition^ who for thefe la 250 years has fiood unparalleled and
foremoft

among

the claffical authors on mining

left

and

as during thefe

300

years,

Germany has proKepler, Sturmins,

dnced a Copei-nlcus, Purbach,

Leibnitz, Wolf, Kaeftner, Meyer, Segner, Euler,

Lambert; Albertus Magnus,

Paracelfus Theophraftus,
nert,
C<^^r

(born 1193

12^0)

1493

1541J SenModel,

Beccher, Kunckel, Stahl,

Glauber, Hof-

mann,

Juncker,

Vogel,

Marggraf,

Newmann,
ter.

Cartheufer, Ercker, Cramer, Schliit-

Geliert,

Lehmann, Poerner,
Spiel mann,

Pott, Gerhard,
befides

Jufti,

Waiz,
other

and Meyer,

many

unmonumented

but great names in the

;

hiftory

of mathematicks and of chemiry

it is

not

without fome juice that foreign nations have confidered the Germans as their maers in the art of
7nining,

and not ivithout fome good

reafon,

that the

Germa'ns have fir endeavoured in their writings and

academies to give this art that fcientifical form which
it is
lij,

capable

of,

and

to keep pace in it

with tht Engof late

Swedes,

Italians,

and French, who

have begun fuccefsfully

to emulate their example.

is,

'The ohje^ of this art

I
.

The working and building of the mines

j

in

which

they are found

2.

Their

PREFACE.
2. T'heir extracfion

XVI)

and feparation from

are

the ores

mid fuhflances
mineralized
3.
-,

in

which they

involved

and

and
and
metallic fuh-

The

invefligatjon cf fofftl

fiances or ores.

Accordingly

it is

eftallied upon different fciencesj,

and may
I.

he divided into different -parts.

The Art of working and

building the Mines

confifts

of a ilful application of yiatural philofophy

,

and

the mathematicks to this particular obje^

it is

therefore to be divided into the following fubordinate

parts
a.

b.

The art of furv eying and drawing mines. The art of breaking and blafiing the rocks
The art of timbering and building the works

and

veins.

c.

under ground.
d.

The art of

correcting the airy

is liable to

which under
be damp,

ground^ for many reafons,

unfit
e.
f.

and

for refpiration.

The art of hydraulicks. And, At lafiy the art of mechanicks, for draining
and for

the mines of the fubterraneous water,

clearing them

from

the rubbij

or ore by the va-

rious forces of nature, or various engines.

The

old Egyptians,

Greeks,

and Romans, mufi

be

allovjed to

have not been

deficient in thefe

mathematical

parts cf the art of

jniniyig.

Many

of their fubterraneov,i

xviii

PREFACE.

raneous buildings yet extant^ and many of their great

works of architeiure^ which ever will he ohje^Is of intelligent admiration, prove it beyond exception, and
give credit to the ingenuity of their engines, which
certainly

we know

but very imperfely by their

It

own
to

written accounts.

would be extremely unfair

fuppofe that they had no engines

cerned about

{and

that, uncon-

the wretchednefs of fentenced aves^

whom

they employed in the mines as

many Europeans
left

employ the unfentenced innocent blacks^ they

them

unafled by their ingenuity

jip,

to

every danger and hard-

which of

courfe

mu

befall the

workmen, if

they are led in the dark without intelligent guides,

und condemned
the

to

do the various hard bunefs of

mines by

the flrength

of their

hands, which

ive fcarce are able to perform with the animated

powers of nature enaved by

judiced mathematicians,
rarians,
it

art.

For unpre-

or for intelligent antiqiiatajk even yet to deter-

would be no hard

mine what degree of perfe5iion they had actually

attained in the above mathematical arts of mining.

The Cloaca Maxima

at

Rome

-,

the Emijfario of the

-,

Lago Albano
dus and
in

at Cael Gandolfo
;

their various aque-

cierns

their colojfal granite Obelis cut

Upper Egypt, and thence tranfported as far as

',

Rome fome mines in Tranfylvania fuppofed to be Roman works, and the watering engines, ever nce the mo diant antiqiiity^ ufed in Egypt, would by
an

PREFACE.
an analytical examination^ do juice

xix

to their ingenuity

and iinconquered fpirit.

inay appear to
lis

But however

aftonijhing they

in their

works, and in the accounts

o.nd writings of

Archimedes and Euclid^

that the wcdcrn

who would

feriouy pretend

invention of the

magnetical needle has not made the art of furveying

under ground actually more certain and more eafy

than

it

was

before ?

Who

can deny, that the modern

invention of gunpowder,

and the art of hlafiing, has

'fhcfe

made us
which
ii;ith

their

maers ?

powers of nature^

refpettively lead us

und:r ground, and arm us

the earthjaking rcnth of Pluto

ahfolutely

and Neptune^

were

unknown

to

them.

So zvsre perhaps

ollr 'Various

drawing and pump-mills, and our ven-

tilators

fo

was

the fire-engine,

which

is

one of the

mo

glorious 'monuments of Engli ingenuity^ as, in-

dependent of the

known powers of nature,

all the

it

goes by

a very a^ive principle, in

fo much as noticed.
II. l!he

former ages fearce

art

<?/

extra(5ling

and feparating the Mein

tals,

from

the various heterogeneous fubances,

isihich they

are contained and mineralized,

or

is

carried

on hy water and fire,

by wajers and fmelters.

It is therefore to be divided into the following fitb-

ordinate arts
a. I^he

art of pounding the ores in mills.

h.

The art of waoing them.

c.

Tht

XX
c.

PRE
Tbe art
<?/

A C

E.

metallurgy, zvhid\ by the agents

cffire and acids ^ feparates^ purifi.es^ and refpeBivcIy

produces and deroys thofe "various metallic and

mineral fubances^ -which are contained

ores

in

the

and

fojjil bodies^

and are fubfervient and

necejfary to fo

many

ivanis of

human foci ety.

is

d.

The Art of allaying or docimafy,

and weight,
contents,

rather
nice

a part of metallurgy, teachings by fmall and

affays

of

acids, fire,

to

determine

the value,

mixture,

and

yiature cf the

raw

ores,

or of the metals

and mineral fubfiances,

produced by the greater operations of metallurgical

furnaces and manufaElcries.

If the Ancients,

efpecially the

Egyptians,

Greeks,

and Romans, mufi be allowed

good empyrical
appears by
metallurgifls

to

have been pretty

plainly
it

and fmelters, as

many of

their

works and accounts,

mufi,

however, be allowed on the other fide, that they have

not left us any other, but perhaps a few traditional

praices and proceffes, which, in refpe

to metallurgy

and chemiftry, are more vague and

upon,
arts
their

lefs to

be depended

than in other more determined and evident

and fciences.

We

can make but very

they

little

of

Hermes and Theophraftus, and

Euclid for chemiftry
;

had no
me-

Archimedes or

nor did they

make

ufe of it either in the preparation of their

dicines,

or in the examination of the elementary fub-

ftances of nature.

Their medicines were mixtures or

decoions

PREFACE.
Vegetalle^

XXI

decoUions of grofsmpks and fuhances, fiich as the

animal^

and

mineral kingdoms

offered

them
to

and

their natural pbilofophy was,

in refpe

the elementary parts,

in the dark,

hut an ingenious gueffing

as
it

and reafoning
miift he,

ever has been,

and

without the

ajfifiance

of chemiry, which

refolves nature into its elements,

and hy

aconaintinp-

us with

many

of their properties,

unohfervahle and
teaches

itnohferved in their former combination,

to

how

make

ufe

of them, either in their concentrated mor in their

plifiedflate,

new

modelled comhinaticns.

It is to the Arabiaiis that

we

are indebted for the

advantages which philofoph ers, phyficians, ccconomis,

and tradefmen, have reaped,

this fcience,
miflry,

and may reap, from

that fcientical
pcff'effed

or

rather from

che-

which we are at prcfcnt

of,

and

have fo much improved.

Many

of

its

technical
it,

names audits ufual characters would prove

if the

writings of Geber, Rhazes, and many others, had

left

us

any doubt.

IVe mufi not,

hozvever,

de-

prive our anceors in Germany or England of their

claim to the invention or ufe of more ancient metallurgical proceffes.
difcovery

I have mentioned

already,

that the

and working of the mines

at Gofslar falls

between the years 950 and loco, after the age of

Geber and Rhazes,

learning in Europe,

zvho lived in the feventh

and

tenth century, but before the introdu6lion of Arabian

which

coincides

with the cruifades,

andf
I

XXll

PREFACE.
to

and,

our hiowledge, has -produced no European

but in the beginning of the thirteenth cenor

chemifis
tury,

when Albertus Magnus,

14

Albert von

Bollilaedt, {horn

1193-- 1280J and Roger Bacon

appeared.

{born

1294J

The metallurgical

operations at Gofslar Jecm, therefore, in thcfe earlier

times, to
ceffes,

have been efiablied upon traditional proeither

which were

Roman

or

German and
;

as,

on account of the mixed irony

ores,

and xincous refraory

thefe operations,

though ever fo much improved

at prefent, are extremely various, compound, hard,

and

tedious,

there

is

good reafon

to fuppofe,

that

even the traditional and empyrical fcience of the an^

cient

German

metallurgifls

was

by no means incon-

fiderable.

IVe have fcarce

any credible

account

that

this traditional

art jould have

been properly

fixed for poerity,

ciples,

eablijed upon fcientifical prinearlier

and remarkably improved by chemiry,

than the times of George Agrlcola, {\SSS) '^^0 for his valuable books De Natura FoiTilium and De

Re

Metallica, d.eferves
excellent

to be called the

father of thofe

many

chemical
countries

metallurgifls

whom

Ger-

many and

other

have produced ever fine e.

will not enlarge upon the dates and refpeive merits

of Agricola,
Schltter,
Jufti,
r,Gr

Encelius,

Erker,

Becker,

Stahl,

Cramer,

Geliert,

Lehman, Vogel,
others
;

Henckel,

Pott,

Marggraf, and
in

upon their many

excellent difciples

Sweden,
France^

PREFACE.
France,

XX HI

and England,

fiich as

Bacon, Rob. Boyle,

Barba, Hcllot, Macquer, Blake, Lewis, Woulfe,

Beau me,
ohferve,

Sage,

and

others

but

heg leave to

that metallurgy, being, upen the zvhole, and

ufes

for the praical

of the fmelters,
is

reduced upon

pretty evident principles^

however very far from

having attained

its highcfl

degree of perfeclion in re-

fpecl to philofophical chemifiry.

fiances, ores,

Many

mineral fub-

and fofpds, are fill very problematical;

enq^iiiry

but the general fpirit of

bids fair to improve
it

fpread over Europe

in

a quite different ratio from

that in which

it

proceeded formerly.

Mr. Cramer's

new

metallurgy,

and Mr. Dehus's propofals for

Hungary, inferted in
this publica-^

copper-refining in

cation, prove, that

many metallurgical

operations are

capable of improvement by the principles of chemifiry

duly applied
\

and the very principles of chemifiry are and of being

a new

at the eve of being better ascertained,

confidered in
light.

At

leaf very promifing

profpeois

have opened within

thefe

few

years from

I)r. Prieftley's

late experiments

on air,

and from

the ingenuity

at Berlin,

and fagacity of Mcff. Pott and Marggraf and of Mr. Beau me and Mr. Sage at and new forts of air

Paris.

The former have feemingly acquainted us

qualities
,

with new

but, properly

fpeaking, they have exhibited to us only the

phenomena

of a new, aSlivefuhtile,

elafiic, and poiverfulfolvent or

all,

menftnium hitherto not at

or but imperfe^ly, madeufe

b 3

XXIV

PREFACE.
and
ajfays.

ufe of in our chemical analyfes

Ho''jjever,

they
its

mu

of courfe continue to enrich chemiflry^

and

dependent arts^ fciences, and trades^ with

many

valuable difcoveries.

am
on

confident

the

fame mu
which

le the cafe zvith

theory and

Mr.

Sage's late arid very ingenious

jnineralization,

e^aperiments

being above the underanding, or again

ditional creed of

the tra-

many chemical

Virtuofi^

have opened

in France a new and ample field of abufe, and every where elfe an amp'le field of fpeculation^ and of dif-

coveries.

It is

with the new principles and difcoveries

in natural philofophy exa^ly as with the norums in

phyc.

At fir

they are good for every thing

foon

after old Method cries them

down

as good for nothing j

hut experience proves them at la to be good for

fomethino;.
III.

The Art of invefligating, difcovering, and

purfuing the metallic and mineral fubilances un-

dec ground,
eablifhing
it

is

uponfuch terms as allow feme hopes of

upon certain principles.

v.

Baron Pabfl

Ohain'j idea of a fubterranean

it
;

geography^ feems to imply that he thought of

and

the mineralogical accounts of Meff. Ferber,

Baron

Born, and

others^

prove

to

me^ that fuch an art

its

may
is

be invented^ and likewife that

invention

in

fome forwardnefs^

I oall

not fpeak of

Chance, that great difcoverer

-,

of mines, formerly worked and yet working

nor
oall

PREFACE.
?all

XXV
cr

enlarge upon

the

virgula divinatoria,

divining rod, tried by philofophers in England^ even

fo late as the times of Robert Boyle,

and net an

hundred years ago jcriouy applied

difcovering

in

France for the

wells,

of

mines,

treafures,

rcbbers,

and murtherers.
the former,

We

do not knozv

how

to

methodize
latter

and we are fully convinced tha't the

has never anfwered any purpcfe but that of mak'ng

dupes.
I'hey

are,

therefore,

bc

left

and recom-

meyided to ignorant people,

vifible.

who

delight in darknefs

'The only principles, upon

which

this very interefiing

art

may and mu

be eablijed,

are Mineralogy and.

Oryctoiogy.

Mineralogy, cr a
of the fcjfil bodies,
is

fudent
of abflute

hiorical knozvkdge
necejfity to

the miner

and

to the learned.

It acquaints the former

with the
value,

name, form,

colour,

texture,

appearance,

and other properties of

the foffils,

and

it

makes

fcience intelligible by fcientifical, determined

names of

their chara5leriic properties.

fcience,

quantities of rich

ores

For want of this and foffil fubftances

have been formerly thrown among the rubbi of the

bingcads
\

and there

is

fcarce a mining ccunt'ij in

their

which they have not fome time or other paved

highways with ones and rocks of value.

I know,
zvcks

from

very refpeoiable authority, that that

for-

merly the cafe of the Cobalt-cres in Heffe, which at

b 4

prefent

XXVI

PREFACE.
'That the deficiency of languages.

prefent produce an annual revenue of about 14,000/.

clear of expences.

in that part of the art

of minmg, which treats of

fojils, has been hitherto a great obftruElion to its im-

provement^ will not be denied^ and has been feverely

felt by every one

who

wioes to
metallurgy^

i?ifiru5t^

or to be in-

ruBed,

in minings

chemiry^ and na-

tural hifiory.

Only a very

few folfubances have

Such are the purer
fonie fiones.

determined names in common Ufe^ and in the lan-

guages of the

politefi nations.

and finer
infinite

metals^

fome

falts^

and

The

variety of their

mixtures,

different ft ate,
affinities

mineralization,

chemical properties and

of

their colour, form, hardnefs,

weight, fituation, na-

tive place

and

origin, if tinder ocd or noticed by the ft

tech-.

miners and metallurgifts, are exprejfed either by

7tical

or by provincial nameSy which, to the generality

to foreigners, are

cf men, or

what formerly

the Greek

was
thofe

to the

Monks.

I beg leave

to obferve, that they

have not been hitherto taken fufficient

notice

of in

numerous mineralogical fyftems, which have

laft fifty

appeared thefe

years.

Their authors con-,

fider mineralogy under too confined points cf view

and many of them have indulged themfelves in new and very often arbitrary names and idle clafiications ;
fo that an egregious and nearly Babylonian confufton

has been added to the old

deficiency

of languages

-,

and
by

that fcience, upon the whole, has been

lefs benefitted

them

PREFACE.
them thanjufily might have been expelled.
he acknczvledged,
It

XXVll

mu
clajfi-

however, that the chemical

fojfils,

cation, and the iicmenclatiire of

into mineralogy

introduced

ever ftnce the fir appearance of

Pott's Lithogenefy,

and

the fyflems of

Wallerius

and Cronftedt,
fcience.

have

been

great

advantages to

Being eahlied upon their conituent parts,

reality,

and upon

they may, under certain allowances^

prevent further ohfcurity and confuon,

fectly anfiver the

and per-

views of chemifls and metallurgifis.

But

as they fland at prefent, can they fully anfwer

the expeation of miners, of natural philofophers,

and of friends
mineralogy
;

to fcience 7

They mufl be the

hafts

of

no competent judge,
it
;

and no man of fenfe,

they jould

will difpute

but to benefit the miner,

he explained in his

own

technical or provincial lan;

guage, which

is

generally negkuled

and

to fatisfy

the natural fhilofopher, they

ould be eablied omy

upon evident principles of chemiry, and never pre-

fume

to

chfy

foffil

fubances^ which are not hi-

therto fuciently examined.

av^e

Moreover, many

foffils

fo compound

in

their mixtures,
-,

that a chemifi

may make any

thing of them

chemical char alters

and mofi part of their are fo far abrufe and ohfcure,

fate than
fee
to that

as they relate rather to a future

raw and
them.

natural one, in which

we

and difcover
tell

A chemical miner alogifi

will at mofi

you

S^hat foffils are good for, or

what you may make of

themj

xxvlii

PREFACE.
He
will thence
operations
likewife by

them, or of what they are compofed.

make you guefs

they
in

what natural

may have received that raw and natural form

which we find them.

But

fire, crucibles,

retorts,

alembics, acids,

and

touchflones,

are infufiicient to

teach with certainty by what natural operations they

really

were produced.

'Thefe are fa5is,

which

che-

mical principles and good reafoning will and

explain
;

mu

their reality mufi be afcertained by hiftorical

evidence,

or

by

ocular

infpelion

and experiment,

for the fame mixture of foffils can be produced by fire and by water, by melting and by folution, by
fublimation, by precipitation, and by other operations,
1'his

we

plainly experience in our laboratories

and

as thefe operations are really different from each other,

7id generally

produive of particular forms and

it is

cir-

cumflances

but

ju

to fuppofe,

that the

fame

orfimilar, operations in the great laboratories of Nature, are

and mufi be productive offtrnilar forms and circumfiances, and that the particular forms and
circumances in which the
foffils

are found, fhould

he nicely

noticed by mineralogifls,

who pretend

to

give full information and aAequate ideas.

'They

mufl henceforth examine, rank, and defcribe them not

only as individual fubfiances by their chemical properties,
ccnfider
colour,

texture,

and form, hit

they mufi

them

likezvife

under the more extenfive point

firatificationy

of view of their former natural tuation,

PREFACE.
tion^

XXIX
in

conneion^

and

vicinity

with other fols

veins
in

the native places^

heds^

and

which they

are found.
tude, of

By fo
it

doings mineralogy receives a lati;

which

hitherto has been deprived

fols

appear in their only

is

and true natural

order.,

which

that of their chemical properties and of their na,

turalfituation

thefoffil beds

and veins become monuof natural chemical

art of dif covering

ments of former
operations-, and,

revolutions.^ or

in

(hort,

the

or purfuing them under ground will be reduced into

probable rules. I do not indulge a chimerical fondnefs

for a favourite

idea.

I have

traced the outline of

j

mineralogical fyem upon thefe principles

fay.y

that

is

to

a fyflem

iJohich

goes hand in

hand with

the

principles of chemiry

and of ratification-, and

if,

mu
nefs

be falfe to truth,

for an

ill-placed

baful-

and modcy, I ould not

its

publicly acknowledge

and recommend

advantages.

Hints of this new

account of the Ger-

mineralogy are thrown out in

my

man

volcanoes,

and

efpecially in

my

preface and in-

dex to Ferber'^s Letters on Italy, and to this publication.

I hope

they will

fuce for the

intelligent,

and make good the aertion,

"

that the invention of

the art of difcovering mines is in

nefs."^

good forward^

Philofophers,

ancient

and modern, have

hitherto

confidered mountains in general from a point of

view

which was

too confined,

or entirely different

from
that

XXX

PREFACE.
For being unimand
by that extenlight of volcanoes,

that of mineralogy ajid mining.

proved by the

five knowledge which they might have reaped in the

deepefi mines

of the highefi mount ains^ and from the

they fluck only to

inru5iion of unfcientific miners,

their
libraries,

and

to

the uppermofl cruft of

to

the

earth, which,

without any great trouble

a,n

them-

felves,
mo

they

had

opportunity of examining in the

pleafing

countries,

and

in the mofi fuperficial

(quarries

of fand-flone, limeflone,

and ate.

We

are

not to wonder, therefore, that orology, or the fcience

ef mountains, is fo little underood amongfi the learned; and that the defer ipticjis cf the higher
mountains in Peru, Teneriffa, Switzerland, and different parts of Europe are generally filled with me^
teorological obfervations, botany,

and other

accounts,

which leave

their very rtature in a minerological

and

orological refpel full as

unknown

as they

were

before.

The

confequence

was

plain, that general conclufions

have been

too raoly

drawn from a ngle kind of

mountains, and that the pretended fyfiems of the ori-

gin of the mountains in general are, for the greater

part, fo very romantic and fuperficial.

Experience and hiory prove the mountains and

rata of the earth to origin, and antiquity.

divided by

be of a

very different nature,

They have been accordingly

at Venice, into

Mr. Giovanni Arduino,

primitive, fecundary, modern, (Tertiarii) and volcanic

mountains.

I all not repeat from Mr. Ferbefs Fetters

what.

PREFACE.
tains
;

XXXI

*what characters he has given of thefe various mounhut

I mufl

netice^ that

primitive mountains,
early by

or fir at a ^

have been fpoken of very

other

philofophers^
to confift

and that

they are generally underfiood

of mple

rocks, lefs firatified than the in-

cumbent fir at a, and never containing in their pafte

and mixture any petrefaolions, of adventitious, organic

bodies

of ells,

other animals

or plants.
is

That

there are fuch mountains and fir at a ^

unquefiionabky

hecaufe they are

found

either at the bottom of the

deeped mines, or hare appearing through a variety

of incumbent other firata at

higher mountains.
fumptuciis to
infifi

the

fummits of the

But

it

zuould be extremely pre-

upon their being true primitive

mountains.
be

The

only confequence

which fairly can

drawn from Mr. Ferber's and Mr. Arduini*s Obfervations in his Raccolta di Memorie Chimicomineralogiche
:

Venezia lyjs)
roffo

^^>

^^'^^

the reddifh

granite (granito

d'Egitto) and the micaceous

and horn-ate, for being every where found below a

variety of other incumbejit firata, muft, in refpeut to

time and origin, he anterior and different

from them^

and

that,

for

this reafon, they

may

jufily be called

the mofi antient rocks hitherto known.

The Iccundary

ftrata

and mountains,

chiefly con-

fiing of limefione and argillaceous ate,

are

accu-

mulated on the former^ and the more modern ones

are incumbent on thefe.

They owi their origin

to

variety

XXXll

PREFACE.
and
accidents^ as

variety of canfes

may

he

proved

even hy
tains

hiftory.

Nor

are even the volcanic

moun-

and

flrata
,

produced by and under the fame

is

circiimances

as fuciently

hinted by 7ne in the

in

preface

to Ferber''s Letters^

and

my account of the
variety

German

volcanoes.

Of courfe

they mufi all of them,

for chemical and

of

hifiorical reafons., offer a

circumfiances in the

form^ mixture^ and fuhfiance

in

cf their pafie and

rocks.,

the fituation

of their

ratdj in the nature and direElion of their veins,

and

in the nature

and mixture of the paratical rocks,

and
caveiiis.

which are produced in their veins

'The miners in

Germany, whofe ideas have been

generally confined to their

main

'objeSi,

and

to

tht

nature of the

mountains, in which

they

worked,

have, inead of the above divion of the mountains,

divided them into
flat

and

into

gang mountains,

(Flots, and gang-geburge.)

By

the

former they underand ratified modern

mountains, which generally furround the higher and

more ancient

ones,

and are worked not for

their veins,
lefs

hut for the contents of their r at a, which are

dipping,

and more

horizontal.,

than thofe in the higher

mountains. Such are the fiat e copper-works in

field, the coal ?nines in general,

Mans-

and ?nany iron mines.

By gang-mountains,
lic

they

underand higher meta-

mountains, which are working for their veins or

ftocks,

and con

in

Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary,

PREFACE.
naturalifts

XXXUl

gary, ofgranite or micaceous and hornate^ or of 'what

would

callprimitive

mountains.

By gang,
va-

or gang-geburge, they underand

rious fubfianccs
tified rccks^

like-wife thofe

which

either do never appear in fira-

but in veins (or gaengen) only^ viz. the

whole tribe of parafitical fiones^ of quartz, fpar., fluor,

i^c. or thofe, which in particular cafes are

found

to fill

veins, joints,

and flocks, as granite, fiate, zinnopely

grit, clay,

In this

and other matrices of metals a7id minerals. fenfe^ it is ufed to dlfilngui them from the
vein or
abfolutely a relative denomination^

rocks of the mountain on both fides of the

ftock
;

and

it is

fince the fame fubfiance

may he
feme

in fome places particu-

lar to the vein,

and

In

others to the mountain.

Is

Father George Agricola

and,

undoubtedly the fir fi^

I dare fay,
and

till

of very

late, unparalleled in ref-

pe
run,

to fome fclentlfical

knowledge of the veins, their

their rules.

What
-,

he knew from the miners

fcarce been
confulted

knew and drew of it^ but as evernce they have

he
all,

at

by phllofophers

who
and
It Is

attempted to create and to dream mountains

worlds, and fyfiems of mountains and worlds.

no wonder that hitherto the learned ould have fo

little

added to that fiock off dene e^ which he has

general accounts, b ef.des his, are

left us

The

beft

Lehman's
a-nd

two German Treatlfes on the Flat Mountains

the

Metallic Matrices, and fome general princi-

ples In thofe valuable elements

of the art of mining,

which

xxxlv

PREFACE.
eflablied at

which have been publijed by the academy for miners

nce ij6^^

Freiberg in Saxony.

But

we

are very far from being thoroughly acquainted

'with their nature.

We

kiio'u;

them

only by

few
and

good obfervations made

Hungary.
I.

in

Germany^

S-iveden^

By

thefe it appears

'That the veins of the fame mountain^ nay^ of

to the

very extenfive trails of land^ are fubje

fame
crofsccii-

rules in refpeci to their direBion^ dipping

and

joints^
tents.,

and
ores

of the fame nature in refpeSl to their

and fcffils.
in the

II.

That veins of the fame mountain., running

dire^ion.,

fame
rocks ^

and through and under

the

fame
and

are loaded iznth the fame ores andfvffds^

accordingly feem to have been produced

and loaded by

the fame natural revolution^

III.

That

thofe

which

crofs

them in contrary

direSfions^

feem very often to have been produced in

different

times^

and by

different revolutions,

when

they are loaded with different fuhflances.

IV. That the veins of the incumbent mountains^

for example., of calcareous or fate mountains, have
their particular rule of direElion, dipping, crofs-joints,

and

contents, very often unaffeed by

the different

rule of thofe veins,

which are
whence
it

in the lower

rocks

of fate or granite

appears, that the

latter were, in point of time, anterior to the former.

V. That

E F A C
V.
in the crojfings.

F.

XXXV
and riche

*That the veins commonly turn quicker

VI. 'That ores and metals are produced in thi

crojfings^

which did not

af)pear before

either in the

main

vein^ or in the crofs-joints.

VII. That they are generally quick when running

or dipping along^ and between the limits of different
adjacent
limits

or incumbent rocks

for exaraple^

in

the

of granite and incumbent ate^ or in thofe of

ate and incumbent limeone.

VIII. That their contents or loads of rocks^ parafitical fiones^
ores,

and

metals^ generally
relation
to

have a
racks
in

natural

and chemical
they

the

and under which

are runtting'\ that

is to fay,

that veins in granite carry tin, wolfram-, pyrites,

black-lead, quartz,

and granite grit

that veins in

limeone carry fpar and

metals
,

fiuor, befides lead

and other

that veins in the Hungarian metallic rock

are. filled

with quartz,

fieldfpath, gold

and filver

that veins in hornone produce gold, lver, and zinnopel ; that veins in ate are loaded with argillaceous fubfiances, quartz, lver, lead, copper,

and

iron

and that thenaturalprodublions of limeone, ate, perphyry, trapp, and volcanic beds, if incumbent on deeper
veins, appear in them, or produce modifications offoffils,

which

their

own

matrix, rocks, or des, would

C r

xxxvi

PREFACE.
'To verify thefe af-

net have produced by tkcmfelves.

ferticns^

refer the intelligent reader to a tabellary

bfirB of fame mines defcribed in this publication^

und beg leave

all the
uhich

to obferve^ that^ by fimilar abfirals

of

good mineralogical and

are come to

orological

accounts

my

hands.,

am

enabled to give in

a new edition of my Syfiern

of the Earthy fomething

more fatisfaory about orology and the metallic mines

in general than
lic.

hitherto has been given to the

pub-

'They are the

,

work of many years., and of great

labour

and with the various improvements of the

though

above Sycm., not undeferving that generous fupport

and encouragement

which.,

a foreigner., I

make bold
fcience.,

to expe5i

from

unprejudiced friends of

and from
it

thofe gentlemen.,

whofe intere and

clear under their

hifinefs

is

to fee

fomewhat

cwn
and

ground.,

and

to

prevent thofe ma.ny impqfiticns

difappointments., to

which adventurous., unprinci-

pled miners arefubjeci.

I.

This Syetn of the Earth and Mountains

to contain

is to

appear in two volumes in 4to. and

II.

An

e>ca^ defcription of the furface of the earth

\

and

its fir at a

with an appendix of my

own.,

and vainto

rious of the be crclcgical cbfervations reduced

tabellary forms.

III.

Hi

PREFACE.
III.

xxxvii

Authenticated accounts cf the various revo-

hitions

which have produced^ changed^ and

affeled

the mountains^ rata^

and

veins.
hefl orologi-

IV. Candid andliterary accounts of the

cal fyflems^ efpecially of that of the Greeks^ the late Robert, Hooke^
its

and of
it

who

did not live to give

due extent.

V.

A oort

explication of the phcenomena on the

furface of the

earth.,

by the above hifiorical accounts^

cheniifiry.

Jupported by the principles of

VI.

An
and

ampleetch of a new fyft em of mineralogy

for miners, hid dozen upon the principles of metallurgy

ftratificaticn,

with a conftant reference

to the technical

and provincial language of the miners

and fm ehers.

W\.

Some

fcicntifical fe^ions,

plans ^ and maps,

lede feme irfiruftive and ornamental drawings of

unnoticed
fcjfils

and petrifanions ^

will be added

and as I miift

be at the expence of foyne enquiries in

the mining countries

before

of Great Britain and Ireland

the

I can put the la hand to

work^which will not

he wiihciiifome expence.,

I dre the friends offcience to

take this

work under

their proteion, to leave their

boookfel-

names and orders at Mr. George Kearefs.,

Icr.,

in Flcet-ftrcet;
cor,i;nanJj

who
c
2

likezvife will take care

of

their

and

enquiries,

dirccled to me, in

whatever

XJtxviii

PREFACE.
ufeftd to them.

whatever I may he
lar

More

particu-

ah will be ptiblijed as foon as the fubfcribed propof

or ordered copes amount to a certain number.

Mean-

while

Current

utillter

mei

NuUo cum
and I all

ftrepitu dies

continue the publication

orological

of other vatracts^

luable mineralogical and

which,

for the better convenience

next

of the furchafers^ will

this^

appear in the fame form as

Letters.

and as Ferber's
lay

In the

intend to

before

th&

Englifh public
1.

Supplements to the Mineralogical Letters

of

Baron Born, taken from an improved

which
lately

edition^

has appeared in Germany.

2. Ahflra5ls

from Gio. Arduino's Raccolta lyy^at

di

Memorie Chimico-mineralogiche, Metallurgiche

e Orittografiche, publied in

Venice.

3.

Ferber's Accounts of the Mines in Derbyire,

publied in iyy6 in Germany.

4. Ferber's Accounts of the
tinate.
5.

Minos

in

the Pala-

Ah-

PREFACE.
5.

xxxix

Ahrncfs from Mr. Col'mV s Adineralogical Travels in the Palatinate

;

referring for other fu-

ture publications the hefi rmneralcgical accounts

of the

inincs in the Ilarzfore^ Saxonia, Hejfe,

Tyrol, Sweden,

and

Italy.

R.

E.

RASPE.

London, Sept. 1776.

P. S. The ounce fpoken of in this publication

is

equal to one half ounce Englij, and the annexed orological tables are

given only as

effay,

not as

compkat

abflraols of the

accounts contained in this volume.

to obferve, that the fmallnefs

Moreover I beg
fize would not
ore,

of the

flllow to fpecify the different fpecies

details.

of

nor to give forne other minute

Sed

la-

pienti fat

APPENDIX
TO THE
P

E,

OROLOGICAL TABLES

MINES
OF SOME

DESCRIBED IN

FERBER's LETTERS

ITALY,
A N D
I

FROM

T H

PUBLICATION.
Thofc of the
'

MINES
to be

at

Bohemia,

compared with the

JOACMIMSTHAL, M A P

in

Kme

of th Mountain, Place a/ia Sides

or
r.

V
Rock.

E
Ore.

N.
Dlpfwg,

Mine.

the Vein.

LtrcEii'jn.

Fatfl rix-, ncz

Limeftone
blue argillaceous
flate.

Pegaw,
Steyer-

in

and Spar quartz.

Lead^lnnce,

with

filvc

mark.
Ferber's
Ital.

Jdria,

ii'

Limeftnne
blue
Hate.
arg.

ilate.

innabar

Crain. Ferb. Ital

Lett.

and quickfilver.

Teltr'ino

Limeftone
ate.

Cirickfilver.

Ferb.

Schio,

in

LimeOone
alternatinr

Spar.

Silver,

lead,

Moite
Tnfa.
Ferb.

copper,

with
canic
ta.

volftra-

mangancfe.

FaUe

.-n

Gor- Limeftone

Lead
blende.

and

no, in Bci-

and

lava.

ganiafco.

Ferb.

Montieri.

Feib.

Limcflone and lla-e.

Spnr and
quartz.

Silver,

lead

copper,
iron.

CROSS VEINS,
Improving.
Rock.
Ore.

er

CROSS JOINTS.
Cutting
of,
Ore.

or striking DEAf
DheBlonX
Di-p^iitjf,

Dircaicn

Dlpp'irg.
\

Rock.

Moufta'w, cA

flace ana Mine.

Sides
the Vein.

cf^

Koch

Ore.

Direicn.

Dij-fir

Red
iJuin.

clay,

Feldfpath

jold

fandfione, metallic
rock.

and

fat

ver mine;

quartz.

to South North. ralized All the auriferous quick

fil-

and

A'eft to Eafl.

antimony
arfenic
;

veins
rallel.

pa

cinnabar.

TojUtza. Born.

Clay
rock.

flate;

Q^aru-

metallic

Gold, red fi! ver ore,

lead.

South to North.

Fuezcs. Buin.

Clay
rock.

flate,

Quartz.

Gold.

metallic

South to Nofth,

Felfo

Eanya.

Born.
Borkul

Homftone.

Zinnppel.

Gold and
ver.

fil

mine.

Great Mine. Hornftone and metal

lie

Zinnopel.

Gold and
ver.

fil

rock.

Smoirt.

Born.

Micaceous Clay nnd quartz. and blue

flate.

,opper
riies,

py Eafx toWefijin 75desre: and in hour 6.

filver.

Three
quick
veins pa
rallel.

CROSS VEINS,
Improving.
JJof*.

er

CROSS JOINTS.
Cutting
of, or strikiko deaf.
Ore.
\

Ore.

Dnecikn

Dipftng.

Roc\.

DheS2ion.

Dlppng.

Quartz
iluor.

Sc

Sulphur,

In

the
hanc;-

III

antimony,

the hading,
cro'fing

manganefe.

the

mam

vein in an acute
angle.
F.afl:

to
I

In 75'

Weft

to

Weft to

Well.
lading,

^rinj; the veins in ihr

and quicken

hem.

South in Eaft, hour 9, or or Co North. hour 2 I Bring the veins in the liauging, and fti'ikc
I

hem

deaf.

'Name of

th.

Mounra'i, or Sides
cf

N.
Rock.
Ore.
DircFiioit.

Flaci and Mine.

the f^ein.

Dijfwg.

Slemnix, Born.
'Spitaler

Clay
rock.

flate,

Vein.

metallic

VVefttoEall, Quartz and Gold, (ilver, North to lead. South, or between zmnopel. South to 30' and North, be70'. tween hour 12 and 4.
vVhite
in

S. John's.

Metallic
rock.

clay Silver.

and quartz
the

In the hanging of tht former

hanging
zinnopel
in

and
rallel.

pa-

the

hading
Beaverftoln Metallic
rock.

Quartz,

zii

Gold,
lead.

filver,

Nonh
South

t<

Weft
Eaft,

to

nopel, fpar

be-

above, be-

tween and 4.

tween 30' and 70'.

rherefia.

Metallic

Zinaopel.

Gold,
lead.

filver

N'orth

to

Eaft

to

rock.

South,

Weft;
then
tical
lart
;

verat

Well

to Eaft.

Cathar'inahergy
in

Gneiff.

GneifT
grit

or

Silver,

of

per

Bohemia.
Ferber.

granite.

cop- South to Between 60' miNorth, o and 90', neralized North t(

;

and native

South, hour 2.

in

Gneiff.

Gypfeous
Ipar.

Silver.

North

to
i

Ferb.

South,

Maria
K.irchbaw.

hour 12 and I.

CROSS VEINS, Improving

itccl.

er

CROSS JOINTS.
Cutting
Rock.
1

of, or striking deaf.

Ore.
I

Ore.

Dinclkn

Dipping

D'irerBn.X Dipping.

White
clay,
fpar,

Silver.

Iti

the

hansjins

quartz.

White
clay,

-aO to Welt,

roarfe
clay,
fpar

quart?,
fpar.

Quieten the veins

i^avie of ih

VEIN.
Sides
0,'

Place

anc.

Mine.

the V,hi.

Rod.

On

in Kohemiii
,

GoWrofe

)late,

grey micacjus

lay

red

Silver,

lead,
a

hading

hornftone or lliut clay (late

;

ci.'balr,

feiiic

nt

ores,

f|)ar;

quartz.
,

Goldrofe

yixxa.

hanging.

Fund- Ditto,
grub.

Ditto.

Ditto.

>

).,

Raker":

:^itto.

Ditto,

Ditto.

Vein.

5,

Gediieber.

Ditto.

Ditto.

c
;,

Rofc from
Jtrit'ho

Jitto.

"j,

S'.veit-

Oitto.

zer.

7,

You lit
Svveit-

"itto.

Ditto.

zer.

CROSS VEINS,
I
iiock.

a-

CROSS JOINTS.
TTIN-G OF, OR STRIKIXC DEAF,
Reck.
Ore.

P R O V

INC.
Dipfmg

DireBion

hj'pm^.

Trapp.

Edft to

joiith

to

Weft.

North

Trapp.

Diito.

Ditto.

Trapp.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Povfihvry,
fat clav

Siuth to

North

All the above Nurllitrni veins are befiji-t co.illaatly improviJ bv ihc croffing-; of| liic E.iiVtru ones, which run from Eali
to vVcil.
Porph_^,

^outh to

Noah

Porphyry

'outh

to

North

hiames of

tit

Mountain,
Siiies

o.

N.
Roth
Ore,
Dircclion.

Place

arii.

of

Mine,
jfcachimhal,

the Vein

Dipping,

in

Bohemia
I,

Lawrence.

Slate

gray micaceous

-lay,

clay

Silver,

lead
ar:

:afttoWeft, South
h. 5.

to

flate, fiiar,

coi-.alt,

i|

p,

and
quartz.

arfenic

North, hetwec
60. 73'.

rich ores.

1,

Sufan- Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

h, 6

Ditto.

3,

Vrfula

Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

h. 6

6Jp,

Ditto.

\,

Andre- Ditto,
as,

Ditto.

Ditto.

7^1

Ditto;

^,

Cow
Vein

Ditto,

Ditto.

Ditto,
fjlver

anc
naglal:

h.

7.

Ditto,

tive
ore,

lead

glance.

6,

Rofe Vein

Ditto,

Ditto.

Ditto.

h. 6

Ditto,

7, Elias-

Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto,

1^

Ir

Ditto,

8, George
.

3itto,

Ditto.

Ditto,

h. 6 3I p

Ditto.

ftoln.

N,B. Th
jres

and th
one;.

richer

jhiefly in th
croffes of the above Nor thern veins.

CROSS VEINS,
1

or

CROSS JOINTS.
Cutting
Ro
of, or stkiking deaf. Or DWcSiitn Dihtil ijtptn^.

P R

V
i

N G

R^ck.

Ore.

DireSion

D^ppwg.

EafttoW
I

ioiithtoN.

Porjihyrv
I'rapp.

S-)L!t'UoN

lEall Co
J'

SouthioN.]

W.

Tnpp.
t'^rphyvy

EailtoW
SsuthioN

>ut!itoN.

f'oruihvrv

^ouilaoK.

X, E.

The above Northern

and
imj-vov; the

veins

crof

Eaftsrn ones.

TRAVELS
THROUGH THE BANNAT
OF

T E

R,

&".

LETTER
Y
make
caft.

I.

Temcfwar, June 14, journey from Shemniz to

1770.
has

this place

fcarce offered
this
letter
I,

me

any obje6t that might

agreeable to a naturalift of your

befides

Had

my
in

little

mineralogical

fcience,

fome knowledge

Botany,

my

three days
Segedin,

travelling over barren heaths

from Ofen to

and thence
cured

to I'emefwar^

might have perhaps proIcaft

me
I

an opportunity to entertain you at

with the names and defcriptions of fome plants. But

alas

am no Botaniil, tho' You well know how fond

!

that
I

is

not

my

fault.
hif-

am

of natural

tory.

But

never met with any proper oppor-

tunity

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

Except

tunity to improve in this part of fcience.

at Vienna^
ftates,

there

is

no academy
is

in all the Auflrian

^

in

which Botany
is

taught

nay, even at

Vienna^

there

no Profeffor of Natural Hiftory.

For

this

reafon
is

you need not be aftonifhed that

entirely unnoticed

natural hiflory

and negle6led

in Aufiria^ Vv'hile

the EngJij^ French^ Swedes and

Ruffians^ for the fake of ufeful fcience, examine

their

own and
to

theremoteft countries of the world.

?

But

what purpofe thefe complaints

You may

guefs by

them

the difiatisfadion,

which will attend

me on

my journey through the mountains of Banand part of the Carpathian

hills.

nat^ Tranfyhania,

All the riches of Flora^ during the

fineft feafon

of the year, dilplayed

at
I
all

in thefe parts, will

be fcarce

enjoyed by me.
able to do, and
1

However,
repeat

do what

am

my

former pro-

mifes, that

you

fhall

have a fhare of the minerals

which

colleft,

and accounts of the nature of

the mountains,

and the working of the mines,

to you.

which perhaps may be new

From Shemniz
the fame

to Ofen the

mountains
is

confifl:

of

argillaceous

rock, which

mixed with

quarz, fherl

and mica, and compofes the whole

mafs of mountains about Kremniz and Shemniz.

In fome places, and efpecially at Beutfch-Pilfen^

they have likewife difcovered fome copper and

filver-veins,

drained fome old and drove fome

new

T E

MESWA
;

R, &c.

LETTER

I.

new
thefe

galleries

but to no great advantage.

All
flate

mountains are covered with argillaceous

and limeftone.

Near

JVrJzen^ a

handfome

little city

on the

Danube^ begins the plain, which uninterruptedly

ftretches thence to T'emefwar,

and to the

left

hand
In

to Debreczin, and the limits of TrafiJJylvama.

three hours
I

came
I

to

Pe, where

fpent a day.

This

city,

adorned
tafbe,
is

with magnificent fcruftures

in the

neweft

entirely built of petrifaftions.

The quarry, whence

dire(51:ly

they fetch the ftones,

is

near Ofeff, a city

oppofite on the other fide of the Danube.

ex-

amined thefe calcareous

befi:

hills,

produ6live of the

wine oiOfen.

They

confifl:

of a porous lime-

fbone,

which

is

filled

with innumerable quantities

ofchamites, turbinites and pedlinites. OurlVaicFs,

Schrders and Hupfches, with feveral other gentle-

men

of that kind,

who

are afFraid

of coal duft, and

the horrors of fmutty mines, and hunt after petrifadlions only

in
this

on the furface of the

earth,

might
pick

place

make

rich crops

nay, they m.ight

fneils,

perhaps, from this immenfc

Hock of

up known undefcribed
and points
,

fome chamites or pedtinites, \vith fome un.

ilripes, wrinkles, folds,

warts
!

and then, mercy upon our ears

in

how

they would indulge themielves

God knows what

far

analogy or fimilarity,

in

forming

fetched

names.

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

names, and finging forth the praifes of their important difcoveries

it is
!

To us fimple mineralogical

folks

fucient to have found here marks of an an-

cient fea's covering this part of Europe.

The

hot baths at Ofen are fpoken of by

all

geo-

graphers.

Mr, Laurentius

Stocker defcribes

them

at large in his 1'hermographia Buden.

Accord-

ing to his account, their conflituent parts are ful-

phur, lime, and iron.

Beyond Ofen begins the famous Ketemite-heath.

It
is all

over covered with grit fand (glarea Linfea fliells.

naei)

mixed with broken

fand.

The Hones
are fer-

which now and then appear ftraggling,

ruminated by
this
I

travelled

often fix

hours and longer without meeting with any tree

or houfe, except the ftage houfes.
plain, fifty
tities

However

this

German miles fquare,

feeds vaft quan-

of

cattle.

Near

JOebreczin they dig out

this

of

fome fwampy grounds of

minerale nativum,

heath the Sal

clay.

alcali

mixed with fome

For

many

years

they have
foap,

made of
fells

it

the excellent the whole

Debreczine

which

over

kingdom.
as a

In former times they confidered this

faliter.

com.mon

Mr.

Stephen Wefzpremi, a

celebrated phyfician at Debreczin, and

Mr.
it.

Jufl

John Torkos^ were the

former fpoke of
it

firft

who examined

The

in his

I'entamine de inoculanda pefie, Londini, 1755.

and

TEMESWAR,
and the

^(.

LETTER

I,

latter in his treatife

De fale minerali alcaltno nativo Pannonico.

1763.
I

Pofoniiy

heard lately from Vienna^ that a young phy-

fician,

Mr. Gabriel Pazmandi, from Comorra

treatife

in

Hungary^ has publillied a new

its

on

this fait,

native fituation, qualities and powers.

I

obferved on this heath fome flocks of large

eagles,

and fome birds

to

in the

fwamps, which were

unknown

me, and may be perhaps for want of

a proper defcription, or a fcentifical zoologifl to

obfcrve them,

uninferted and unnoticed in the

fyftematical catalogues of birds.

Beyond
left

the Theijfa (T'ibifcus) and as foon as I

Ttirki Cania^

the

foil

appeared

richer

and more entertaining.

trees,

Here

are plantations

of

corn-fields,

and plenty of colonies, whofe

eftablilhment cods to our imperial queen immenfe

fums annually.

The

villages are built

upon

a regular plan

-,

the

houfcs, for

want of wood,

built of unbaked bricks,

and thatch'd with reed (arundo.)

They have

ge-

nerally a parfon, a fchool, a corn magazine,

and

an accountant or infpeftor.

Every

colonift re-

ceives at his arrival a fuitable houfe, the tools of

hufbandry, the houfhold implements, fome horfes,

and

a piece

of ground.

After fome years he

gives the tithe of his crop as a contribution, and

then

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

then he

may pay

every year what he can afford of

the whole property.

A
them

good hufbandman
it

is

fure

to profper here.

Perhaps

might have been made more eafy to

if the villages

had been planned

fmaller.

There are fome

every colonift

that contain 3 or

400

houfes.

As

is

polfefled of a large wafte ground,

which he

is

to cultivate,

many of them have an

it.

hour's ride before they can reach

LETTER

TEMESWAR,

CSV.

LETTER

II.

LETTER
YO U know
this

IL

^emefwar^ June ij, i770'

that
;

two years ago

befides
I

travelled in
in 'Tranfletter,

country

was born

fylvania.

have therefore materials for a

which may for the want of natural

pleafe, at lead entertain you.

hiitory, if not

The Bannat of
in

Temeivar
in the

is

that tra6l of land

is

Hungary^ which
title

Homannian maps

found

under the
It
is

of the Cfanader or ^emefer county.

is

under the 45th degree northern latitude,

22

German
Its

miles in length, and 15 or 16 in breadth.

boundaries are to the north the river Maros, to

the weft the Theijfa^ to the fouth the Danube, and

to the eaft

tremendous chains of rocks, which

feparate

it

from

T'ranjfylvania
this fide
it

and the greater

joins to the confides
it is

JVallacbia.

But on

tinent
fula.

',

in refpeft
is

of the other

a penin-

It

divided into eleven diftri6bs or bailithat of

v/icks, viz.

Cfanad, of Czako'oa, of Szent Anraj, of Szent

Mikloj, of Beczkerek, of

Uy

Palan.ka,

of Verjez,

of Or[ova, of Caranfebez^ of Lugo, and of Lippava.

Every

diftridl is

fubdivided into fmaller jurifdidions.

B 4

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

which are called
of the
bailiff,

rifdidions,

procefles.

baili-

wick

confifts

a comptroller, two or

three under bailiffs, a fcrivener,

fome advocates
of national

and npper-knefes, which

magiftrates.

are a fort

All thefe bailiwicks are immediately

this

under the country-adminiftration, and

under

the royal court chamber-deputation at Vienna.

The

Bannat being a domanial

is

eftate

of her majefty,
flates.
is

entirely

independent of the Hungarian

The

chief town and the center of the country

fine,

^emefwar^ a regular,

and flrong place, but

its

imwholefome on account of

fwampy

fituation.

Agues and inflammatory

uninterrupted bufmefs.

fevers of all kinds rage

here every feafon, and procure to the phyficians

Here

is

the

general governm>ent, the country

adminiflration, the provincial court, the chapter

of Cfanad, whofe bifhop

is

by

his

own

right pri-

mus

inter pares in this country,

and two patentee-

commercial companies for the Auflrian fea-ports

in Italy.
is

The whole

eaftern part

of the country
;

mountainous and beft inhabited

is flat

the

weflern

part

andfvvampy.

In this are large uncul-

tivated plains,

which government takes care to

plant with German colonies from the Szvabian and

Rhinij circles.
try

On the

four corners of the coun-

are

fome flrong places,

fuch

as

Cania.,
Semlin,

TEMESWAR,

&c.

LETTERII.
Maros

Semiin, Mebadia, and Lippa.

Szegedin and Arrady

(tndTheiJJaj

fituatedon the other fide of the

are

Hungarian dependencies.

None of

thefe four

places are remarkably ftrong.

However, they

are celebrated in the hiltory of the Turkifi) wars,

as are likewife Vanfoisja^

Uy-Palanka, and Orfowa

as

The

rivers in the

Bannat are of no importance,

,

running only through a fhort traft of land

the Temes and

but

Nera deferve

notice,

the former

being made navigable

down

to Peterwardein,

by

an expenfive canal, war.

drawn from

Ltigojh to 1'emef-

The foil is extremely many places excellent.

colour.

fertile.

The wine

is

in

It

is

generally of a red

Peach, cherry, and plum trees are very

common.
drink.

Large plantations of that kind

fkirt

the villages and provide the inhabitants with their

The

filk

plantations fpread almoft over

,

the whole country

they might, like

many

other

manufaftories of the bannat, be in a more flourilhing ftate, if that great general

and politician
to fupport

Count Mercy
them.

d' Argenteaii^

had lived

Of late

there has been

railed in this

country a

national-militia,

which

in the imperial

and royal
Illyrian

military ftate goes

under the name of the

regiment.

It

is

commanded by

the lieutenant-

colonel

lO

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

colonel Baron de Sezugafi^

order^
a.

l^m^toi thtTherefian'

man who

has greatly ferved his country.

Not

fatisfied

to have correfted the rough beha-

our of
to-the

his

officers,

and

to

have habituated them

likewife to

German manners, he endeavours

his private

humanize

men.
foldier

He eftablifhes
is

fchools

and mafters, and the

children fent there.
litical faints,

obliged to have his

a calendar of poin
it,

If

we had

Baron Sezugafs would ihine

Illyrian

under

the

title

of the

Reformer.

The

Plajaes are another fort of national troops,

polled on the limits of Tranjfyhania and the greater

IFallachiai

from Marga towards Orfowa^ to put a

and inland robbers.

flop to tranfmigrations, and to prevent the efcape

of the

'Turkij

They

are un-

der the

command of captain

Peter Vana,

who
his

in the laft

Hurki war was Haran-hajfa^ or chief of

deferved

a numerous gang of robbers, and

fortune for having in
the laft

war

faved the late

emperor

at

Cornua from the imminent danger of

"Turks.

being taken prifoner by the

This nation

is

remarkable for having produced

defert.

many brave men of great

for examble, a

Captain Ducc&

man of eighty

years of age, has in

the late Turhi war been of eminent fervice to

the court
;

however, he never has

folicited or re-

ceived any preferment, happy in the confcioufnefs

of

TEMESWAR,
of
his honeft fervices,
1 will in

i^c.

LETTER
my

II,

and of
one of

his mailer's grateful

letters

difpofition.

defcribe
reli-

at large the character, the

manners, and the

prefent
I

gion of the inhabitants.

At

add only an and bufi-

abftrad of
nefs.

my

yefterday's tranfaflions

Soon

in the

morning

was awakened by a
have

dif-

mal and

frig;htful rattlino-

of chains, which founded

I

all alone;

the ftreet where

lodo-ings.

It

was

occafioned by the malefadlors,

fortifications,

condemned

to the

who, by couples chained together,

I

went

to work.

did not fee in the ftreets any

but bleak, yellow-coloured, decayed faces, peeping and ilTuing forth from the
fineft

buildings.
bel-

The women,
lies,

even the

girls,

had thick fwoln

I

left

them by the

fevers.

fancied myfelf in

the realms of death, inhabited, inilead

of men,

by

carcafes in fine tombs.

At

dinner

all

the guefts,
fit

befides

me

and fome foreigners, had a

of their
;

fever

fome freezing, gnafned

could not
I

their teeth

fome

burning; for heat,

afTuaq-e their thirlt.

In

the afternoon
I

vifited

the

canal which

fpoke of before.

faw there fome hundreds of bee-

hives conveyed to the

meadows, and

to the heaths,

where the bees are

left for

pafture during the whole

fummer.

Each

fet

of fixty hives has a bee mafter

to take care of them.

The

hives are conflruded

of

12

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

deal, three inches thick,

of eleven thin pieces of

and

at

one end decreafing into a point.

They

are

joined by willow or birch branches into a hollow

cone, open at the bottom.

Two

or three inches

above the ground there

fufpend their work.

is

a fmall opening, and

within fome croffes of wood, on which the bees

But they behave

in

Hungary
infefts,

with ungrateful cruelty to thefe laborious

fince, to take out the honey, they pufh the hive

with violence
brings

againft: the

bottom of a tub, which

in horrid con-

down

bees,

wax and honey

fufion, the

whole to be

m allied

and crulhed into

a fweet but difguftful mixture.

In the evening
I vifited

the publick goal, where

laft

I faw a famous robber, who, during the

fum-

mer, had greatly annoyed the Turks, and by particular defire

of the Grand-Signor
till

is

kept here,

as they told

me,

the

end of the war.

young, well

drefs'd,

and handfome man.

in Servia,

He is a He was

formerly a rich merchant

and became a
to his family.

robber to revenge upon the Turks fome violences

which they had offered

to

him and

His determined,
rafh

bold,
in

phyfiognomy,

and

his

undertakings,
raifed
in

which he was very fucthe idea,

that perhaps he
if

cefsful,

me

might have proved an Alexander,

he had been

born to attempt^'ith greater forces, what he neither

TEMSLWAR,
ther dared, nor
is

Is'c.

LETTERII.
All

j^

any other perfon permitted to

this will eafily

attempt, with fmaller ones.

convince you that

agreeable to me.

my

flay in this place

cannot be

But the

bufinefs of

my comfome

panion layeth
days more.

me under
Therefore,

the neceflity to flay

if you

be happy, remem-

ber your friend in Pontus.

LETTER

14

TRAVELS THROUGH THE SANNAT OF

LETTER
THE
The
people, in
lachians,

III.

Temefwar^ June 20, 1770.

inhabitants of Bannat are Raizes^ Wal-

and a fourth part Germans.

Raizes are faid to be originally a Scythian

former times inhabiting Dacia, now

called Servia.

They

call

themfelves Srbi.

Their

language

is

a corrupt Sclavonics or lllyric dialeft.

The origin of the They call themfelves

their

Wallachians

is

lefs

certain.

Romtin, a word which in

fignifies
it

language equally

Roman and

remaining man, and

makes

doubtful whether
colonies, or

they be remaining parts of

Roman

of

people conquered by the Romans.

The Ro-

man medals, tombs, and

in the

other monuments, found

mountainous parts, and near the Danube, are

valuable evidences of their having been in former

times fubjefts to the Romans; either in the one or
in the other fenfe.

Even

their

language, which
is

in greater JVallachia (Zara more)

fpoken very

rudely,

but

in

l^ranJTyhania (Ardellia) has the

is

reputation to be fpoken very elegantly,

a cor-

rupt Latin.

However,

do not conceive how

fo

manv

TEMESV/AR,
many
gar
(eat)

&c.

LETTER

HI.

j^

Italian words, fuch as

rame (copper) manfimilarity

and many more, that have no

with the Latin, came to be ufed by them.

termination

The

of their words

in

general, and the

conjugations after the Italian manner, have been

mixed

into the language of this nation.

is

Their manner of living

favage.

extremely rough and

Tiiey want religion, arts and fciences.

firft

Their children are from their

every day in the open
air, in

infancy wafhed
water, and then

warm

fwathed in coarfe linnen or woollen cloth.

difference of the feafons

The

and the weather makes

herein

no

dilference.

From

the fifth to the

twelfth or fourteenth year of their age they are

left

with the herds and flocks to attend them

girls

however, the

are taught

in

the fame time

wafhing, baking, fpinning, making needle-work,

weaving, and

fo on.

From
in

the 14th year they are

brought up and employed

or maiz
is

hufbandry.

Kukuruz

their chief objedl of agriculture.

How-

ever, they
diftil

fow likewife
fruits

oats, barley

and corn. They

from the

of

trees,

which they plant

Their meat

in great plenty,

fort

of brandy, called rakie,

of.
is

which they are very fond

fimple as their drefs.

as

Bifquet of coarfe grinded

call malai,

maiz, baked under afhes, which they

fome
tables,

flefh,

milk, cheefe,
their

beans and other vegefood.

are

common

Their

drefs

is

various

l6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

it

various; but generally

articles.
fers,
fi^in

confifts

of the following

The men wear

long white woollen trou,

as the

Hungarians, but wider

foles

of raw
;

tied

about the feet inftead

;

of fhoes

Ihirt

open on the bread

around the

a woollen jacket or coai,

tight

waift, with

long fleeves, and a

fur cap or bonnet for the head.

The women have

,

long

fnirts

down

to the ancles

brown variega-

ted ftriped petticoat open on both fides, and tied

with a girdle
cloth,

-,

a waiftcoat or

garment of coarfe
Ihirts,

fomewhat fhorter than the

and an

annular bolfter fluffed with hair or ftraw upon

their head,

which they cover with a woven

cloth.

The
fifl

girls

go bare headed.

Their ornaments con-

of ear-rings of white or yellow brafs, of co-

loured glafs, beads, pearls, glafs feathers, and pieces

of money faftened to a

firing

and

tied

around the

head and the neck. This ornament makes a ringing, fo that

girl,

a fine drefl'd Raize, or Wallachian

may

very often be heard fooner than feen. very young

-,

They marry
couples, the

and there are married

man

not above fourteen, the wife

even not twelve years of age. feem to be peculiar to them.

Some manual
a weaver
;

arts

Scarce any where

you

will

find a cartwright, or

every

Wallachian being a cartwright, and every

weaver.

woman a
fale

No woman
in hand.

is

feen going about without

fome work

What

they

bring to

thev

TEMESWAR,
nnrfe,
it is

yc'.

LETTER

lir.^

ij

they carry on their heads.

carried in the

If they have a child to

fame manner.

The fpin-

dle

is

flicking in their girdle, and all the

are fpinning.

All their neceflaries

way they are worked up

by themfelves.
beggars are feen
to you of their

Scarce any tradefmen nor any

among them. What can I fay religion ? They confefs the nonritiis

united Greek religion, Gr<ci

non unitorum

But

in fa: they

have fcarce more religion than

except repeated
fa:ftings,

their domeftic animals,

which almoil take up half the year, and are fo

extremely fevere,
that they
;

dare not

eat

any

meat, eggs, or milk

they fcarce have any idea

of other religious
even Ihould they

duties.

But

in thefe fadings

they

are fo fcrupulous, that they do not break them

flight

every other divine or hu-

man

law.

'A robber will never indulge himfelf

lie

contrary to this abflinence, nor

with his

own

or another man's wife, for fear that

in this cafe

God might
his trade.

withdraw
!

his bleffing

from

"What barbarifm

what humiliating

ideas

of the

Supreme Being
Popes.

The

ignorance and fuperftition

of the Bonzes cannot pofTibly be above that of their

Some of them
,

are fo ignorant as to

be

unable to read
ple
?

what can they teach the poor peotill

They plow and

their

ground, they attend

their herds like other peafants, deal in every trade as

Jews^ and get drunk

at the

expence of their
their fins,

llupid parifhioners,

who

fell

them

and

.fancy

l^

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

if

fancy to be happy and to be faved

their

they difcharge

price.

own and their deceafed relatiohs fins at a 2:ood The falutary ordonnances, which her maqueen has publiflied againft the
illicit

jefty the

tricks of thefe Popes, have

proved hitherto unef-

fedtual to refcue the people

from that

fpirit

of

fla-

very wherewith they are fubjedt to thefe fpiritual

mailers.

Her

majefty's

wifdom

is

equally emi-

nent in proteding and propagating true religion,

as in

checking and extirpating

religious rites

fuperftition."*

The

and ceremonies of this people

favour rather of Paganifm and Judaifm, than of

that religion which they profcfs.

For example

no woman
ever
it

will attempt to kill

any animal what-

be.

The

bride

is

on her wedding day,

and the day before, conftantly hid under a veil.

Whoever
Ihe defire

unveils her
it,

is

entitled to a kifs

and, if

obliged to

make

her a prefent.

The
corpfe
in.

women
men.
is

are

in the churches feparated

from the

Their funerals are fmgular.

The

with difmal fhrieks brought to the tomb,'

which
*

The above

inftance of her majefty's maternal care for

her much-beloved, faithful, and loyal Hungarian fubjefts,

who, in the beginning of her reign, unanimoufly declared,

Moriamur pro Rege

laurel

nofiro

Maria Therea
by

! is,

indeed, a new.

added

to the glory of Auftria,

;

by

fo

many

vidlories

over the Turks

and of
for the

late,

fo

many admirable

laws

and ellablifhments

improvement of commerce, trade,

and hufbandry,

fixed for the iateft pofterity.

TEMESWAR,
which
It
is

^c.

LETTER
as
this

III.
the

Ip

funk down as foon

Pope has

done with

his ritual.

At

moment
raife

the friends

and

relations

of the deceafed

horrid cries.

They remind
cattle,

the deceafed of his friends, parents

houfe

and houfhold,

and

aflc

for

what

reafon he left them.

As no anfwer
at

enfues, the

grave
large

is

filled

up, and a wooden crofs, with a

the

Hone placed

head,

to

avoid the

dead becoming a vampyr^ or a drolling notfturnal

bloodfucker.

Wine

is

thrown upon the grave, and

it,

franckincenfe burnt around

fpirits

to drive

away

evil
,

and

Vv'itches.

This done they go home

flower,

bake bread of wheat

which to the expia-

tion of the deceafed they eat, plentifully drinking to be the better comforted themfelves.

The

fo-

lemn

fhrieks, libations

of wine and fumigations

nay-

about the tomb continue during fome days,

even fome weeks, repeated by the neareft

relations.

The

funeral of a

bridegroom

is is

ftill

more folemn.
his

pole,

fome fathoms long,

it

fixed to

tomb,

and the bride hangs on

a white handkerchief.

a garland, a quill,

and

They

avoid going into our

churches
rify

If by accident the get there, they pu-

themfelves afterwards by ablutions.

To

be

fprinkled in our churches, or to undergo any ce-

remonies with confecrated water,

the greated horror to them, becaufe

is

a matter

of

it is

iprinkled

about with an inftrument made of pork-briftles

(afpergillum)

20

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

This makes them, according to
highly impure
their
drefles
(f-pcrcat^

(afpergillum.)
their opinion,
call
it.)

as

they

Even

fiiffering

by fuch

an accident cannot be worn again without wafhing.

ter

Their Popes diflribute the confecrated wa-

by a branch or nofegay of hyfibp, according

Pilm
I

to the

while

me hyjfopo.) For a long did not undenland what the tVallachians

:

{Afperges

meant by Frate
laft I

de cruce^ or
it.

Mangar

de cruce.

At

have learnt

If they engage themfelves

life

in

an indijOfoluble friendfliip in

and death,

they put the form of

a crofs in the veffel or the

;

cup

from which they

ing
fidelity.
is

eat or drink

fwearing everlaftis

This

ceremony

never to be

flighted.lt

generally a previous rite to robberies.

is

The fame ceremony

cacious bond
;

reforted to as the mofl:

if

effi-

for

example,

robbers releafe a

man, by
oblige
fait

whom

they apprehend to be indidled,they

him

to filence

by an oath by the
call

crofs, the crucey

and the bread, which they

Giurarpe
is

pe pita, pe fre.

Their canon law

very different

from ours.
as trifling

Stealing and adultery are confidered

crimes; but violating or dilhonouring

a girl are great ones.

No

murther can be

dif-

penfed with by their popes.

is referved to

That

difpenfation

God

alone.

However, robberies and

murthers are extremely

ple.

The

reafon

is

common among this peoobvious. They have no true

ideas

TEMESWAR,
ideas either

t^c

LETTE

P.

III.

21
fhoiikl

of

God

or of the foul

how

not they be wrong

in their ideas

of the

focial

and

man ? Any phsenome^ non, or effeft of unknown caufes, is confidered by them as a miracle. They look upon a folar
political obligations

of

eclipfe as a fi-ay

of the infernal dragon with the

during an eclipfe,
a great

fun

for that reafon,

is

firing

heard through the land, to frighten away

the dragon, which elfe might conquer and devour

the fun, and plunge the world into eternal darknefs.

The

infedls

which

in the fpring

creep forth
limits

from under

a rock near

Columhaczon the

of

the Turho dominions, and which greatly annoy

their hercis, are according to their opinion vomit-

ed by the devil.

The

holy knight,

St.

George^

is

faid

to have cut oft his head in a cavern under that rock.

KWallachian
his

will never cut a fpic

of beech to roafh
in the

meat on.

The
fap,

reafon

is,

beech yields

fpring a red
fionate tree

and the fentimental compaftears

weeps thefe bloody

according to

the learned and profound obfervations of the

lachiansy becaufe the

WaU

Turh bloodhounds
punifhment
is

ufed to

cut the fpits for reading Chriftians from

beechab-

wood.
.

No
The
?

capital

in greater

horrence amongft
rope.

the Wallachians than that of the

it.

pale and wheel feem preferable to

ties

Butv/hy

A rope

the neck and forces the foul

call that a moil: difguilful

out downwards.

They

impure

22

TRAVELS THROUGH THE ANNAT OF

foul,

impure defilement of the

and

call

their

fingular nicety on that account true pfychoiogical

materialifm.
Superftition being

the daughter of folly,

inftances

you
re-

may

eafily

guefs

by the above
Afl<.

how

markably ignorant they are. what age he

is ?

an old Wallachian

Fie

.will

anfwer at the fiege of

Belgrad OX 'Tem^fwar^ attheconclufionof the peace,

or when that prince died, or that metropolitan was
elected, I attended the fwine or the fheep, I

went

into the

field,

married, and fo on
his age.

and then

you may

caft

up

They

are not generally

acquainted with the value of the current money.

Even its denominations are not taken from their own language. A dollar, or thirty grofhes, is
called leu
\

a florin, florint

a half florin,
is

duU ;

five

grofhes, a piece of their currency,

be-,

called Strim-

half a dollar,

iri firimhi.

They have
liquids.

fcarce

any knowledge of the meafure of

contents of a vefltl
is

The

eflimated according to the

in
it.

weight of the liquid contained

is

Their weight

the occa^ a 'Turkio weight, anfwering to our

half.

two

pounds and an
one
litra

One

occa contains four litre^

an hundred drams.

The

difference in the chara6ler of the Raizes

is

and Wallachians

nearly as follows

The Raize

is

fierce,

proud, bold, cunning, a

friend

TEMESWAR,
friend of trade,
lefs
fit

&c.

LETTER
foldier.

I I I.

22

to

be a

His Popes

ignorant than thofe of the JVallachians.

The
better

Wallachian has no idea of haiightinefs,

is

hufbandman, a friend of
life.

eafe,
in

and abhorbeing

ing military

They

agree

born

robbers and flaves to their popes and national

giftrates.

ma-

The

Greek alphabet

is

uied by both

thefe nations, but

they give to feveral letters a

different fignification.

However
do
I

imperfeft this

Iketch

may

be,

it

will

to give

you fome idea of

is

a nation, which, as far

know,

ftill

deftitute

of an

hiftorian, to acquaint the reft

of Europe of its
fet

origin, cuftonis

and manners.
I

To-morrow we
hope
to

out, and
letter,
tafte,

by the next poft

fend you a

which, containing
will

objccfls,

nearer to our

prove more entertaining.

LETTER

24

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER
is

IV.

Oravitza, June 23, 1770.

to tranfcribe to yeu, v/orth IT not friend, while IVdlachian names of my the the deareft

infigniPicant

villages,

v/hich

pafied

between

Temejwar and Oraviiza.

^emefwar

The

plain

which from

flretches to T'heijfa^ continued fix ftages

more, or for twelve German miles to Oravitzti.

Some
of

hours before

reached
hills,

this place,

faw

to the left of the road

fliivery,

fome

which confided

micaceous clay, and formed the proInfenfibly

montory.
reached
ated,

we afcended
you

thefe hills,
is

and
fitu-

at lafl the valley

I

wherein the place

thefe lines.

from which

write to

Here
face.

the argillaceous

flate

difappeared under

the limeftpne, which hereabouts covers the fur-

As

foon as
I

arrived

called

on Mr. Delius^

whom,
\{v^

till no'.y,

knew only by
But
1

the reputation of

foiid learning.

was difappointed, the

Bannat,

arrival

of Earon Hegengarthen^ commiffioned to exin the

amine and to improve the mines

did not leave him the requifite leafure to favour

me

with his remarks on the nature of thefe

mounvery

tains,

which

as

an

exacfi:

obferver he ought to be

TEMESWAR
very

i^c.

LETTER

IV.
I

25
have

well acquainted with.

However,

found another fkilful miner,

ing gave
sion

v/ho yefterday even-

me fome

particulars of the general divi-

and other circumftances of the Bannat-mines.

This has furnifhed

letter.

me

with the materials of this

A
parts
;

line

drawn from north

to

fouth through

Temefwar, divides the whole country into two

that to the eaft
is

generally mountainous,

and here you are only to fearch for mines.

often as
I

As
will

fpeak to you of their fituation,

it

conftantly be in relation to the chief place,

is

which
Ban-

Temevar.

The
;

mines

now working
which
is

in the

nat are

to the eaft, the ironworks Bogoan, proclofe to

perly Paffioven
blifhed

the

new

efta-

iron-works Reiza.

Thence fomewhac
Dognaa,

more to the

fouth, are the copper mines

farther off, Oravitza,

Saa, and entirely to the

In the plains

fouth, Bofniak, or

New-Moldava.

bounded by the mountains of Oravitza, Saa^ Bof~

niak,

and thofe

which run
eafterly

along the Danube

they waili

and make the

limits,

Gold
In

from the Nera^ and Menifh-rivers, nay every where

from the ground which

is

adjacent to them.

former times private companies carried on thefe

walli- works in the Kara?ifebefe-Diri, at Konigfeg,

and

in other places

fome

are

ftill

gtjing on.

All

20

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

All thefe mines are divided into four mountain-

diftrifls,

which are called Berg-Aemter

Bogan^
;

fuch arc

that of

to

which Reiza
which

is

to

belong

for the future

that ofOraviiza, that of Dognazka,

to
is

and that of Saa,

incorporated the

market- town Moldova.

They
it

are under a direflion,

in which the prefident of the country generally

prefides. In

former times

was

at Temefwar-,

but

for the future the prefident, reports,

a counfellor of the
are the

and a fecretary of

this direftion,

only perfons ordered to refide there.

The

other

members, and whoever belongs to the chancery

and the accounts are to
mines
near
refide at Oravitza.

The

Grofs-Wardein,

and the bailiwick

Refzhania^ in Upper Hungary, are under the fame

di red ion.

LETTER

TEMESWAR,

i^c.

L E T

TE R

V.

2"/

LETTER
ORAVITZAy as
mines of
'Turks
as
its

V.
1770.
is

Oravitza, June 26,

I

have told yon, already

the

chief place of mines in the Bannat.

The

dependency were worked by the

it

long as
lefs profit

was under

their

dominion;

but with
ftoration,

than at prefent.

After the re-

the

old mines were drained at the ex-

pence of the imperial treafury, and fome new ones

fet at

work; but

allthefe mines, the royal galleries

(ftolln) excepted,

were

left

afterwards by grant to

feveral
tions

private

companies, under feveral condi-

and refervations, which being merely oecofuppofcs to be unenter-

nomical, the tranllator

taining,

and

ufelefs to the Englijh public.

LETTER

2^

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OE

LETTER
THE
valley wherein Oravitza
to the fouth

VI.

Oravitza, June 27, 1770.

Is

fituated,

is

bounded

by the Wadarna^

Cftk-

lovaz.nd.Temefe mountains-, buttothe north by thofe

of Coowiz^

Dilfa, and Cormidilfa.

The mounbirch,

tains are here, as generally in

the Bannat, gently

afcending, and
iir,

grown over with beech,

mica,

afli

and oak.
fherl,

Their rocks are argillaceous,

mixed with
is

and feldfpath;

and

this

covered either with argillaceous micaceous

flate,

or with a fine arenaceous or lime-flone. Between

thefe laft forts of ftones occur the copper-fifTures

^Klfte) which

really deferve

this

denomination
have neither

rather than that of veins,

fince they

a conflant dipping nor a conftant run. There has

not yet been difcovered at Oravitza

any

fifTure,

running or dipping above

1

fifty

fathom

{Klafter.)

have examined the Cooiniz mountains, and

in

found
miiSy
'vefa,

them the following mines:

Maria, Maria

Rocchtis, Eraf-

Jacohus.,

Benedi^us, Gahiel, Paulus,

Geno-

PhilippuSy

'Therefia, or the

Goldurf, Ladiai, Pyrite-mine, and the Kies-ock,

where a hundred weight

(i. centner) yields

feventy

pounds

TEMESWAR,

^c.

LETTERVI.

29

pounds of ftone or lech. Thefe mines are for the mofl part drained by a gallery (erb-ftolln) which is
driven
in

the field above 229 fathoms,

and runs

19 fathoms below them.

Rocchus

is

the richeft;
is

and on
the

this

account the chief gallery

Several
drifts

driven to
galleries

fouth.

of fmaller

ferve to fearch and to

work out

the fmaller fiffures.

The hanging
flate.

fide is

limeftone, the hading lide

So

it is

likewife in the other mines, in thefe

and the IVadarna^ C/tklcva, and Temefe mountains,

with, the fingle difference,
different fituation

that according to the

is

of the mines, the limeflone

fide,

either

on the hanging or on the hading

is

and

that the fand-fhone

often in the place of the (late

fifilires.
fills

on the oppofite
(that
is

fide

of the

The

Gang-rock
is

to fay the rock

which

the fifiures)

for the greater part either calcareous or felenitic.

The
I

purer and the more fparry

it.

it is,

the richer the

ores contained in

was very glad

to

be

here

convinced by
Delius,
in

my own

experience of what

Mr.

Vienna Magazine^ has publifhed on the origin of

the metallic fifiures, and laid
rules for the

down
-,

as axiomatical

mines

in the

Bannat

that

is

to fay,

that the metallic fiffures are never to be found in

the rocks, but between two different forts of rocks.

Full of this opinion

examined the Cormidilfa

mine
I

mountains, where

in the Trinity

was affured

of the hanging

fides

being lime-flone, and of the

hading

JO
hading
with

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

fides

being horn-ftone.

However,
I I

took

me

fampies ofthefe {tones, as

fteel

ufed to do,

and trying them with

that they
are

and aquafortis,

found

common

grained lime-ftone, and

that the miners had denominated one fpecies hornftone, for

its

being finer grained and harder.

This
pro-

erroneous denomination of the miners

may

pabiy have led Mr. Delhis to the above erroneous

aflertion.

The fame
and
in

is

obferved

in the

other mines

of the Cornudilfa mountains which are entirely

calcareous-,

thofe of the D/'/y^ mountains,

finer lime-ftone

where generally the

falle

goes under the

denomination of horn-ftone.

The gang

or
is

vein rock, in thefe Cornudilfa and Dilfa mJnes,

cither granulated white or yellow
nitic fpar,

gypfum, or

fele-

which by a light warming gets a phof-

phorefcence in the dark.

nudilfa-mountdLins have a
in the others in thefe
;

The

fiflures

of the Cor-

more even diredion than

a

but in

S. Servatius,
all

mine working

mountains,

the fiflures are cut off by

brown argillaceous

vein.

The
and

JVadarna, Cklova^ and Temefe mountains

agree in general with the
Cooozviz

fiftiires

mountains defcribed before.

darna mines,

One of
ore.
I

the JVayields

called St. Paul's converfion,

fome
tire

fiiver

and arfenical-copper
lift

would not
in

you with the

of the

many mines which

all thefe

mountains are working.

The

TEMESWAR,
The common
Cronfledts^ . 298.

^c.

LETTER
at

VI.

^I

ores

dug
-,

Oravitza are a pale,

yellow, copper pyrites

pyrites cupri pallide flavus

BlackiOi grey, copper pyrites

feus, ibid. pyrites cupri gri

The
with

laft is

often varie-

gated in the furface.

trated

fpecies

of pyrites, pene-

and
is

incruftated

brown
mountain.

copper

mulm,

called broth ore (Brherz.)

It is

found This

in 'Trinity mine, in the Cornudilfa

ochraceous ore

is

probably owing to a decompofi-

tion of the copper pyrites.

The

white arlenical
.

copper ore, defcribed by CronfledtSy

199,

is

com-

mon

in the
,

IVadarna mine, called

lefs

St.

Paul's con-

'uerfion

but

white than that which breaks in

Herrn-grund, in Lower Hungary,

In the

fame IVadarna mountains they found,

in St.

twenty years ago,

malachit ore.
indurata,
I

Anthonfs

pit,

beautiful

Ochra,

veneris.,

calciformis,
j

impura^

could get no fpecimens of it

but they

brought
azure

me from Trinity mine copper. The cryftals are

But
to

a fine chryfialifed

oblong, quadrangreater fatisfac-

gular, truncated.
tion,
I

my

ftill

got here
Cyprii,

many

pieces of red copper

in

mulm
loofe

(Ochra,

Linn) either diflblved

dull, or indurated

and ftaining the

fingers.

Cronit

edts has not defcribed this fpecies, ,unlefs

that which
.

be
as

196, or 194, n. 4. he notices

or

found

at Sunnerog,

Oanberg.

It is likewife

unnoticed by other mineralogifts.

Among feveral
piece

famples, a loofe cinnabar red ocher^ which girts a

$2

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

is

piece of native copper,

highly remarkable.

Its

colour fo high, as to miflead even the moft intelligent connoiffeur. If Cronedls afiertion be true,
that copper,

by the

lofs

of

its

phlogifton,

may be

changed into copper-glafs, one might guefs by

the richefb of this ocher, which
is

54 pounds per
lumps, that
this

hundred weight, that

glafs.

it is

a folution of copper-

But
is

it is

found

in fo large

opinion

fcarce admifTible.

The

famenefs of the
tile-ore,

colour has caufed this ocher to be called

'

The fellowing particulars

of the pay and labour

of

the miners are left out, as uninterefling to an

Englijh reader.

LETTER

E S

W A R,

Isc.

LETTER

VH.

LETTER.
OUR
fouth
Wallachians,
is
is

VII.

Saa^ June, 30. 1770.

hours journey from Oraviiza to the

Sa, where

arrived yefterday be-

fore night, under a

convoy of fome Kwzzcrs and

and
con-

The

country between thefe two places

extremely
fine,

in this feafon

oiTers a

tinual variety of orchards j cultivated fields,

meathis

dows, plains and

hills.

The

road runs

all

way over glimmery argillaceous flare, which is now and then interrupted by fome rocks of a grey
argillaceous flone,

mixed

either with

mica or

fljer),

with mica and feldfpath, or with rocks cf gneifs.

Saa

is

fituated in a valley furrounded with cal-

careous hls, fuperincumbent on Hate, whofe diffolved parts are carried by the rain water into the
valley,

and incrullate there the roots and mofles.

fliires,

The copper
tween
this

or veins hereabout, run be-

grey limellone, and a margaccous rock

bafalt grains, the

mixed with
rally
fide,

former being gene-

on the hanging and the latter on the hading

I

may be wrong perhaps, but

argillaceous grey ftone,
little

do imagine

the origin of this hading fide to have been as fol-

lows

The

mixed with

mica, bafalt and

quarz and feldfpath grainy

Vvfhich

34
which

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

I fiiall

call

henceforth metallic rock

(Saxum

metailiferum) becaufe the nobler veins in Lower-

Hungary conftantly

crofs

it,

and becaufe the Saxum

metailiferum Linnai has fo great an affinity with

it
J

this

rock
ftill,

fay

may

perhaps

have been
it

in-

coherent

or

lefs

indurated vv'hen

was co-

vered with limeftone, and by that accident have

been changed into

its

prefent margaceous nature.

Any

fubfequent alteration or commotion, chang-

ing their former horizontal pofition into a dipping

or oblique one,
fplit fiffures

may

eafily

have feparated, and

along their

fl<;irts,

which are now

fil-

led with metallic mafles

between the calcareous

fide.

hanging and the margaceous hading

mines were taken up again
the Bannat, about the year 1746.
firft

Thefe
of

after the refcoration

They worked
open
to the day.

on fome copper

veins, lying

Then

the VVallach'ians.

who had been

pits

fearchins; af^

ter mines, difcovered

fome old

and overgrown

large bings, which proved that in former times

miners had been working^ there.

have been fiiown

myfelf in the higher mountains a great

many pretty

pure copper and leadflags, which evidence old parting-furnaces, though thereabout there does not ap-

pear any water fufficient to work the requifite bellows.

their

Might not perhaps

bellows, or

the ancients luive trod

.''

worked them with engines

with hand-bellows, in

flight not they perhaps have fmelted their ores

in fmaller furnaces
tlie

fame

manner

E
as

E S

V/A R, bV.

LETTER

VII.

35
?

manner

the Finnlanders and Kujjian peafants

At
is

prefent the

number of thefeveral

pits

and

drifts

on fmall often inconfiderable copper or lead veins

aflonifhing.

The

chief are in the Promontory

now

Nicolas^

Therefia^

Nepomticemis and
I

Philip
It
is

Jacob mine.

This lad

have examined.
Saa.

one of the
is

richeft

works

at

The gang-rock
fclenitic fpar,

as generally at

Saa calcareous or

which very feldom

alternates with quarz.

is
6".

In the
in-

anterior middle motintains

fignificant

Mary^ and other

ftock v/orks, if fnall neils or

lumps

deferve that name.

In the upper middle mountains

are holes or quarries,

whence they dig out frcm

which yields from two
higher
three

between the vegetable mould and the lov/er limeftone a

to fix

brown irony

earth,

pounds of copper per hundred weight. The

pit

moft confiderable

of that kind
It

is

in the

mountains, called Maria fclfen.

may have

or four fathom diameter on an equal depth.

Mr.
copper

Deliiis^ in

the above quoted Treatife, gives

the followino- conieclures on

the origin of this

mulm
is

" Water

endowed with the quality of de-

" ftroying the form of metals, and reftoring them " to another form I mean only to fpeak of the " mixture and external form of their malTes, not " of their conllituent metallic particles, which are
;

"
*

eternally permanent.

This happens very ccm-

monly

to the

copper ores, and generally tothofe

" which

36

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

-,

" which are pyritical they are fubjefb more than " any others to be diflfolved by water into vitriol. *' Such a transformation of ores nature has produ" ced in the mines of the Bannat near Sao.^ where " a whole mountain has been fubjeft to it. The
*' *'

copper

is

not mineralized, but

it

appears as a

metallic dufl in a brownilh earth, if properly

" waflied. This earth did not exifl from the begin" ning in that. form but it was rather a copper" pyrite, which by the waters has been dilTolved. " The fulphurous acid went off wafhed av/ay by
-,

''

the water

but ocher and the unmetallic earth,

" which

are the conftituent parts of the copper py-

"

rites,

remained, retaining the native copper par-

" tides as a filter. This formed the Saa copper " mulm." Mr. Delius fupports this opinion by
the copper- pyrites yet unaftefled by
ftill

found

in the
-,

mulm, and
but however

the dilTolution

probable

it

be, he has negleded a circumftance

which
for.

confefs myfelf to be fcarce able to anfwer

The brown copper mulm under

is

confidera-

tion

immediately under the vegetable mould,

and

its

hading
that

fide

is

limeftone.

Is

there any

probability

thefe pyrites

have been before

or

their difiblution
fide
?

without any roof

hanging

If that be

the cafe, the Romans^ which,

according to Mr. DeliuSy have worked in thefe

parts under Trajan

and

his fuccefibrs,

might have

driven expcnfive fhafcs and galleries, whofe cop-

per

TEMESWAR,
per remains are
they had a
ftill

^c.

LETTER
in

VII.

'^'J

found

more

eafy

? But way of getting copper.

thefe mines

They wanted
and by the

only to get the ore imrnediatcly,

*
fif-

leaft trouble.

Might we not fures, when the

rather conjedure that thefe

ancients

worked

in

thefe parts,
fide to-

had then their own hanging and hading

gether, with a different pofition
a previous
;

and that

after

earthquake
fifflires

it

has been changed fo as

to deprive thefe

of their former roof and

hanging
tion
?

fide,

and

to expofe the ores to deftruc-

An

able miner, ufedto obferve nature,

I

might
fcarce
lei-

perhaps re6lify thefe conjeftures, which

am

bold enough to venture, as

having had no

fure for proper examination.

Bona
Vifitation

Spes,

Jtma

Rojina^

Maria Snow, Mar^s

higher mountains,
their

and Bonifacuis,

in the

are equally remarkable mines,

on account of

beautiful ores

and Saa

is

perhaps that place,

which has fjpplied

crop of mineral

my

collediorv with the richefl:

curiofities. All the difierent fpecies

flate

of copper ores, that of the Mansfield copper

*

The

tranflator fees

not the

leaft

confequence in

this

whole argumentation, as thefe pyrites might have been with

other rubbifh wafhed and accumulated on the limeftone-ground,

and the ignorance or negleft of the Romans cannot be

alledged againft the hypothefis of
too

fairly

Mr.

Delius,

fmce

it

proves

much

or nothing.

excepted,

38

TRAVELS THROUGH TUE GANT-JAT OF

excepted, and
are
I

many more new and unknown

in great plenty.

ones,

dug hereabout

In

S.

Urban

found native copper with a

poliflied fplendent

furface, {licking to a

matrix of clayifh fandfione

and quarz

and

in

the

New-Elias

got native

branchy and dendritical copper

clay.

in v/hite indurated

Native copper

in

loofe

brown

copper

mulm from

the before defcribed pits in the high-

er mountains, and in

green and blueifh copper

I

ocher from Mary's Snow^ are not unfrcquent.

was prefented with

per,

fample of native woven cop-

by

its

texture greatly refembling the

in Saxcny.

woven
This

filver,

from Jchan George-Stadsis

jpecics

found

in

Bena

Spes, in

quartzous gang

lock,

mixed with
glafs.

greenifh

lithomarga

grey

copper

Cuprum Sulphur miner alifatum [olidum

.

text.ura indeterminata Cronfiedt^

197,

is

found

in Philippi Jacohi pit. It

is it

malleable, and of a

com-

pact texture.
in fcaly grey

They

call

here lech
yields

ore.

It

breaks

limedone

from

fixty-three

to

feventy pounds of copper, and moulders by

a

diiToiution into
glafs

blackgrey duft.

Red copper
cal-

of an undetermined figure, Minera cupri

ciformis pttru
.

&
m

indurata colore ruhro

Cronfiedt,

195, found

Maria Brunn,
In

in a

white

gypfum
it
it

tinged

by verdegreafe.
in

the fame place

breaks

a fibrous

verdegreafe, v/hich

makes

very beautiful to the eye.

Mr.

Belius prefented

me

with

fuch a cryftallized copper glafs, which

confifts

TEMESWAR,
confiRs of
triangular cryftals.

y^.

LETTER
red

VII.

39

many accumulated
in S.

tranfparent

Thefe, and a variety of o6l~

angular cryfcals, are found

vifitation flicking to
It is a

Urban and Marfst

an undefcribed copper ord.

grained jafperlike flone,
I

brown red
fire

fine
fteel.

ftriking

with

might by Mr. Cron-

edt's example,
jafpis martialis

who

calls

our Hungarian zinopcl

6c,.^

(Minerol.

name

it

a cop-

per jafper.
cryftals,

It contains, feparated

from the richer

from thirteen to nineteen pounds of coppieces

per.

Some

mouldered

into a red copper

ocher, and coatainins; in the middle only a remain-

ing kernel of this red jafper, convinced

tile-ores^

me

that the

which are dug

have deicribed
their riches to

in
at

the fame mine, and

which
origin
its

Oravitza^ owe their

and

this jafperlike ore,

and

copper glafs

cryftals.

Among
I

variety of

verdegreafe, Ochra cupri

"viridis^

viride

montanum,
fine

which

is

here very

common,

received

fibrous gloffy copper green Aerugo Linna^.

fibres

The
flat cX

are for the

mofl part concentric, pointed

large and

below but
the top.
is

tv/o or three inches,

call
it falin-ore

They

(Atlas-ore.)

There
in

an

innumerable variety of malachites^

but knotty,
in

thin

flat

plates,

concentric coats, in
;

thin

undulated lamellse and fcales

lightefl to

its

colours

from the
fhade.

dark green

in

every fort of

The

Barmafler

in this place

improved
a.

my

colleclio.n

by a fample from Reczbania^

copper

work

40

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

in

work
nat.

Hungary^ under the direftion of the Banis

It

an

indurated

fibrous verdcgreafe

{^Mrugo Linn^ei) which after the tranfmutatiorj

into malachite
tric

has preferved

its

original concen-

fibres.

Indurated

copper azure
Cronfledt.
.

(Carulcum
194.
)

montanum induratum.
cryflailized

and

azure, in gloITy femi-tranfparent po-

lyedrous cryftalsj offered to

ria Shtitz nnine.
I

me

in

Urban and

Magrey-

gathered here for

the

my

minera-

logical friend a

good flock of

brown and

copper mulm.
Philippi Jacobi,

Such an indurated mulm from and other mines, mixed with

gloffy

fome phlogifton, fmooth and

is

where broken,
pitch-ore.
It

on account of the likenefs called

feldom yields above feven or eight pounds of copper

;

but being commonly mixed with verdcazure, cryflailized

it is

greafe,

red copper glafs and

native copper,
richefl ores

generally ranked

among

the
ore,

of Saa. Befides xht fallow copper

.

pyrites ciipri grifeus, Cronfledt.

call here white-ore,

198. which they

any other fort of copper pyrites

In the upper middle
pits a light brown

are

found

in

thefe mines.
in

mountains they find

lead ocher,

fome lead

which

is

often

mixed with

v/hite irores are

regular fpar-chryflals.

The above ^//f^

commonly covered with

f nds.

blue columnar hexago-

nal or polycdrous gloffy cryflals, truncated on both

They never

contain any copper, and are

at \i\M blue jherl cry fiallif ions.

Mr. Demhjher,

a very-

intelligent

TEMESWAR,
intelligent aflayer at

l^c.

LETTER

VII.

41

Moldova^ has

afTiired

me, that
he had

for a long while he had, without any fuccefs, af-

faycd chele ores as copper ores,

till

at

lafi:

found
that

in

Lehman's preface to Marggrafs works,

now and then handfome blue chryftals had offered to him entirely deflitute of copper, but
containing plenty of iron.

The

only remarkable

ftones, which, befides the different rocks I

have

found

here, are a white tranfparent calcareous fpar

cryftallifation, confifting
cryftals,

of columnar hexagonal

with

three large

and three fmaller op;

pofite fides

and

a triangular point

a dodecaedrifaces,

cal cryftallifation,

compofed by pentagonal
torn.
I.

drdi^n'm Linneus^s Amocnitatibus.

fig.

25;

and a pyramidal, triangular, tranfparent

cryftallifation.

felenit-

As

foon as

return

I will

divide

my

coUeftion with you, knowing very well that

they have raifed your curiofity.

LETTER

42

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER
New

VIII.
i,

Moldova, July

^77^-

THE
to give

daily examples

of the

ill

ufe,

which
in thefe

travellers in the Bannat, efpecially

parts, are expofed to

from the numerous gangs of

robbers, had almoft brought

me
this

to the refolution
laft

up
is

my

journey to

boundary,

which

feparated from

the Turki dominions

by

the Danuhe.

But

heard

that

thefe

fine

gentlemen venC
their
fall in
is

tlieir ill

humour

rather againft

countrymen, which have the misfortune to

with them, than againft any German, which

faid to

happen but very feldom.

This circum-

ftance,

and

my

recoUefting the chiefs of the rob-

bers having fent

word

to the aulic commiffioner.

Baron de Hegengarthen,
in fafety,

that he

and

his

men might
this ex-

and without any convoy, travel where he

gave

pleafed,

me

refolution to

attempt

curfion towards the eaft.

Twelve

mine-officers

on horfeback, and fame common miners armed

with guns,

went with me.

As

foon as

we had
I

afcended the higher mountains of Saa,

jerved that gneifs,

ob-

now and
and

then cap'd with com-

mon

clay-fchiftus

limeftone,

covered the

whole

T
whole

W A R,

&c.

LETTER

VIII.

43

country.

This continued to Moldova.

Somefmali copper veins bafTet out from the fchiftus. But the fkilful miners do not work them, becaufe they dip only fome feet in the flate and then flrike
dead or dilappear
entirely.

Perhaps

after a

long

feries of years they will difTolve into copper

mulm

as

at

Sau,

and then be

got eafily by pofte-

rity.

After two hours ride we alighted at a copforell.

per furnace in the midft of a thick

mine- officers

The

from Moldova,

and about thirty

armed miners, had expefted me there and joined cur caravan, which now reffembled a little army. I
was agreeably furprized
college acquaintance,
to

meet here with

my

old

engineer at Moldova.

Mr. Dembjer, afiayer and This young man, pofiefled

of all the theoretical and praftical fcience of miners, of much learning and good tafte, has for feveral years,

by our continual correfpondence, prepared

journey to the Eannat, and enabled

me for a me to make

and

to juftify in a fhort time all the obfervations

I

which

have given and

fhall

continue to give you.

His converfation, and the merry chearfulnefs of

my convoy,
of no dano;er
to

diverted
in the

me

fo

much,

that

thought

thick woods which

we crolTed
I

New

Moldova.

As

fcon as

we

arrived

vited

the town Moldova^ at the foot of the mountains

on

the Danube, to fee fome robbers

who had been

taken by a party of along with them the

foldiers.

They had brought head of a young man, who

had

44

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

had bravely fought againft them, and preferred

death to chains.
In the evening
as they call
it,

returned to

New-Moldova^ or
views from

Bofniak.

The

fine
I

the hills were extremely pleafing.

traft
I

faw from thence a large

the Turki:) dominions
-,

of country far

in

but

did not fee without

concern the

hills,

which concealed from

my

eyes

the former rich

in Servia.

copper-works, near Alaidenbeck

To

day

I vifited

the mines hereabout.

tha.t

They

are divided into three diftrifts,

JFlorimund's

of Benedi^Sj
are S. Bar?iwd.

and Andreas.
in

In the

firft

bara, I'rinify^ Nepomucenus, God's hope,

teen

four-

Nothelfer

the

fecond, Jofeph, Therefia,

Pelagia,

Ar chdiitchefs Mariana,
and in the third,
ton from.

Maria good Rath

Andrews, Peter and Paul, An-

Padua, Hilarius, Thomas and Helen. They

fine

are

all

working, and yield

copper ores from

veins running in almoft every direftion.

l'herea y\t\^s
lead.

Maria
lime-

The hading
,

fide

of thefe
is

veins is grey clay-fchiftus

flone
;

the hanging fide

gneifs.
in

both faperincumbent on

Thefe
;

mines feem to have been worked

fince the miners fcarce

times of old
till

have reached

now any

found or new
old man.

field,

and get

their ores only in the

The

ancients have indeed left fl:upen-

dous works

in the Befedine

mountains, which are

not worked at prefent.

with

chiiTels

They have formed works and hammers in rocks, which we

hardly

TEMSLWAR,
walls are fo
flat

yr.

LETTER

VII.

45
ra-

hardly conquer by blading.

In fome parts the

and even, that they refemble

ther

ftonecutters than miners

work

where they
tremendous

met with loofe crufhed rocks, they

caverns.
It
is

left

aftoniiing that the moil ancient

in the

works are generally driven

"Whether they

founded rock.

may be

afcribed to the

Romans

cannot pofTibly be afcertained.

The

conllrucflion

of thefe old galleries and

ticular
i

drifts has

nothing parin the

it

agrees with
Stolln

what you have feen

Shemniz.

'Trmity

Erb

at

The
figure

doors are

either cut in folid rock or lined

and faflened by
eiiptical.

uncemented

mafonry

their

They work
give
the

here as at Saa on

fiflfures,

which arc
this

inconfiderable.

The
this

ores

found

in

place

mod

malleable and tough

reafon,

copper in

the Bannat.

For

and to encourage

the working of the Moldova mountains, the imperial diredion pays for the
florins extraordinary.

Moldova copper four

every fort of cop-

Almod

per ore which

have mentioned, from Oravitza

and Saa^ are found here.

in God's hope in

Native copper breaks

It

dificrent forms.

dicks com-

monly

to quartz.
it

If found on black grey copin

per pyrites,

moulders

open

air

into a calx
dill
it

refembling pulverized

tiles,

but whitening

more and more.

In this

date of diffjlution
all.

fcarce yields any copper at

The

native cop-

per from Jchan Nepomiicemis^ and Barbara oln^

are

4^

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

fame nature.

are of the
in

Red copper-calx

is

found

Archduchefs Mariana in a matrix of afbeftus,

which contains likewife now and then fome copper pyrites.

In Hilarius
I

got fome

fine red

cop-

per glafs cryftals, ahd from the old bings of the

Befedine mountains fuch cryftals,

and lead glance,

which contain fome

filver.

My

friend Dembjer afllfted

me

to get here a

large ftock of pitch, broth and clay ores, or of

whatever other
ores.

fort

and denomination of richer

I

With
pay

this

booty

return

tomorrow

to

Ora-

vitza^ to
then,

my

laft refpecls to

Baron Hegengar-

and to purfue by the road of Dognazka

to Tranjfyhania.

my

way

LETTER

TE

E S

W A R,

ifjc.

LETTERIX.

47

LETTER.
1

IX.
5^

Dognazka^ July day Til EBaronbefore yefterdayandtook of

Hegengarthejt,
ride.

1770,
farewel

my

arrived here af-

ter

five

hours

Clay-fchiftus,

mixed with

mica, cap'd the lower granite, which

now and
way long

then peeped from under ground,

all

the

from Oravitza to which are working

tains,

this at

place.

The

mountains,

Dognazka^ are middle moun-

which

rife

from the plains near JVerjez,

to

and run eaflward

gneifs, clay,

Tranjfyhania.
is

The

chief

ridge of thefe mountains

granite, covered

by

fand and lime.

in

The
is

only conftar.t

vein
Its

(gang)

the Bannat
is

here at Dognazka.

run and dipping

conftantfor a great while.

It is

fituated in Jolm's mountains,

and

confifts
it

of
al-

a lead

and
in its

filver vein.

They have

chafed

ready
It

run from weft to eaft-ifoo fathom.

Before the
laft 'Tur-

dips from fouth to north.

kij

war they got here a good deal of

filver.

The
and

following different pits,

Mary

Chriina^ John

George^ Snfaima, Nepcmtick, Barbara, Samuel,

cy,

Mer-

Sweti Theodor, and the Herhefilne floin are at

it.

prefent workino; u'ocn

This vein runnin,^ along

the

48

TRAVELS THROUGH TH BANN AT OF

foot of the higher incumbent lime and (latc-h.lls^

the mines are greatly expofed from water.

For
;

the greateft pare of the year they are under water

and

though

in

Maria

Chriflina

they have of late

built a horfe-engine, in hopes to drain this mine,

I

am

apprehenfive

it

will fall

Hiort of expec-

tation.

This very circumftance hindered

thefe mines myfelf,

me

to

examine

which
as 1

fhould have
be'lieve

been the more inclined to do,

cannot

that the hanging and hading fide of thefe veins

in

greater depth,

but

confiding of lime
(late.

and

flate,

orof hornftone and argillaceous

is

HowI

ever, that

the affertion of the mine-officers.

thefe mines,

have examined the rubbifh of

true
it is,

and

that

it

confided of indurated fhivery

;

clay and limeftone

but

as this

may

be fuppofed
drifts,

to have been
I

drawn only from the upper

in a greater

am

Hill

of opinion, that

depth

gneifs or Iherl-mixed argillaceous rock,

Saxum

metalliferum might be found.

It is

highly im-

probable that

condant quick vein fhould have

in

fuch an uninterrupted run

as thefe
hills
,

rocks fo accidental
flate

fuperincumbent clay,
I

and limedone

and

have found

in an old

account of the
in the
it

Bannat mines, from the year 1748, that

then new imperial doln or gallery, after
driven through the
flate,

was

they

reached a very

hard rock, which made the work go on very flowly;

and that

in the old

J ofephi- gallery

they

met with a
rough

TEMESWAR,
rouo-h hard rock,
tors

49 which determined the proprie-

^c.

LETTER

IX.

to

drop

it

entirely.

Every enquiry was unin

fuccefsfuJ,

fmce the mine-officers

thefe parts
flate,

do not know any rocks but limeflone and

and
fince

accuftomed to fearch

after

and to find

their ores

between thefe rocks, they negleft to ob-

ferve any other fort.

They have

this fault in

com-

mon

with the mine-officers

in the

imperial ftates

in general.

Aflc

them the nature of their mountains

and

am fure
tion,

they will give you fo indifferent a defcrip-

that

you cannot make any thing of

it,

but that they

never troubled their heads with

fuch obfervations.
a rational
this

However, the

fureft rules

of

working of mines

entirely

depend on
their ftra-

negleded fcience of the mountains,

their varieties.

ta

and
I

might alledge to you many examples of the

confequences of this
in
neglecfl.
I

ill

examined a

mine

Hungary,

which

in

former times had

yielded a rich overplus from a pyritical vein, containing g-old, and croffin^ an aro;illaceous rock

adjacent to granite.
granite,

This vein was cut off by the

feems to have
hap,
it

and

as

the fame

pened to a great depth the ancients gave

up.

Of late

they reflved to take

it

up

again.

They
through
;

followed the line of the compafs in which the vein

was known

to run,

and drove along

drift

the granite to

meet again with the

loft

vein

but

without

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OP

without any fuccefs.

if they
its

The fame would happen

it

fhould fearch after

in the direftion

of

dipping;

and

all

thefe
if

pains

and expences

would have been faved

fulted

previoufly thev had con-

and confidered the nature of the rocks.

1

After this occafional digrefTion

naxka,

return to

Dog-

Befides the before mentioned mines in

are feveral lead

John'p ynoimtains^ there

and cop-

per

fifiures

working
;

in

the

Wolf gang Dilfa and

Gkckauf, Erafmus in
in

Morawiz mountains
the former
'Dilfa

fuch as Mary vi^ory^ Chrioph,

Traugot, Pancratius^
;

New

Rochus^ Fahianus and 'Therea

,

the

mountains

and Francifais^ Peter and Paul^

'Trinity^

Johanna^ John Baptlfi^

Maria Litchtmafs

Paul and Simon Judas

Simon Judas
is

in the

Mcraiziz mountains.

perhaps the mofl confiderable

in

copper mine ever difcovered

Europe.

After

many
in

infignificant fearches

on the furface, a comin the

pany of adventurers united

hopes of fome

year

740, and

filver ores,

purfuing the upper

gallery in a dead fiffure, drove

field
;

many
it

drifts in the

but the adventurers gave

up, and a fingle

remaining tenant, after being ruined, and having

attempted a

drift

to

the eaft, difcovered a rich

at laft they

copper

filTure,

on which

funk a

fhaft.

The

copper fiffures croffing

and uniting here from

it

every fide form a ftockwork, as they call

thoucrh o
it

here,

be

different

from

the

ftockworks
entirely

after the Saxonian principles,

which are

independant

fe

V;

A R , &c.

LETTER
fide.

IX,

51

of the

reft

of the mountain, and are

faid never to

have any hanging or hading

avarice prevailed

An

unhappy-

then on the affociates, to en-

courage the finding of copper by prizes.

barmafter was allowed
three
five,

The
caufed.

and the furnace mafter

grofhes per hundred weight.

This

the bannafters to

work

as farmers,

and to confider

only their prcfent advantage, without any regard

what was
this

to

become of

the mine in future times.

Accordingly immenfe quantities were taken from

ftock of rich ores, and tremendous caverns

produced, which, unfupported, threatened inevitable ruin. But

Count

Gotlieb Stampher^ at Shemniz,

was
vent

at

lad commiffioned to examine and to pre-

this

bad pradiice

and Mr. Delias^

then

barmafter at Dognazka, ordained, that from the

bottom of the ftock upwards to the ninth

gallery, the

level or

whole cavern

ftiould

be

filled

up with
pits>

deaf rocks,
left

except fome fmall doors and

in

open for procuring the ore remaining

the

depth.

By

this

means the danger was prevented,

This remarkable work
I

or rather

lefiTer.ed.

ext

amined yefterday.
are

The

recks which furround

Saxum metalliferum mixed with fome

gallery
it.

lime.

The

at

the

ninth level has been driven

itfelf,

through

The

ftock

at leaft that part

which
fide

is

above
fcaly

this

ninth level, has a hano-ing

of a
flate
;

white limeftone,
ftock,

and a hading
or
rather
all

of

but the whole

veins,
are

thefe

united

incumbent
2

on

gneifs.

This

52

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

This gneils-ground has been explored for copper

fifllires

by

fliafts

and

drifts-,

but finding that there

was no chance of
ilock has been
this hindered

fuccefs,

the inferior part of the

filled

up,

as I told
it

you before, and

does not confift
this variety

me

to fee

whether

of Saxum metalliferum, and whether

of rock has not produced the irregular dipping of

the vein, which at prefent
Francifci vein
crolTing
in
is

afcribed to the large

fide.

from the hanging

I

At my

entrance in the Itockwork,

was greatly

furprized by a magnificent view, which however,

^t fecond thought, I

found equally tremendous.

illu-

The whole and

mined with

wide cavity of the mine was

a vaft

number of

tapers,

and the

workmen

flood or appeared hanging on the pro-

jefting ftripes, or foles of rich various coloured

copper-ore.
its

The form
firft
,

of

this (lockv/ork

is

oval
tliree

uppermoft or

level has a breadth

it

of

or four fathom
the ninth level

but

increafcs fo

much,

that

on

it

has twenty-fix fathom length and

twenty fathom width.

in the

From

this level

it

decreafes
part.
I

fame proportion towards the under

Jiave told

you already that

is

this

copper ftock, or

copper

belly,

meerly produced by the coinit

cidence of feveral veins, on which account

can-

not be compared to other ftockworks, as that

for

example

at

GeUr

in Saxony

-,

but

it

has like-

wife a vifible run from eaft to weft, and a dipping,

which from the

firfl

level to the ninth goes

from
fouth

WAR

^V.

L E T T E R

IX.

^^

fouth to north, and thence to thefixteenth level, in

an oppofite direction, that

fouth.

is

to fay,

from north to
is

The depth of the whole

is

flock

forty fait.

thom, and the Jofeph-Shaft

rubbifli

funk into

The
So are

and ores are drawn out by

horfes.

the waters, which from the deepeft fole are

pumped
work
is

up

to the ninth level,

where they are carried of by

this

a gallery.

The
in

annual dividend of

at prefect greatly decreafing,

fo are the ores;

and

probably
will

ten or tvv^elve years time the vvorks

be at an end, fince the

many

croffing veins,

by

their oppofice dire(5lions, ftrike

dead the rich

fiiTures,

concentrated

in this foot

of ground.

The
7

fcarching drifts on thofe crofs veins give no hopes.

Neverthelefs they get

ftill

every
ores

month
are

tons

and a half of copper.

clofe a
is

The

lying in fo

mafs

together, that fcarce any deaf rock

to be leen or

dug

our.

For

this reafon the

fupfe-

ports of the roof, and the

ftairs to

the

firft,

cond, third and ninth level,

v.'hich are ftill

found,

are cut in the fineit variegated

copper

pyrites.

The gang

or vein rocks, which

now and

then of-

fer, are a fine whi-te

and

fcaly limellone, calcareous

fpar, white achate with red

and black

fpots,

and

yellow or black granulated garnet. (Cranatusftgiirae inccrtae partkulis granulatis. Crcnftedt. .69.^
It
is

remarkable

that,

about an hundred fathom

fide

dillant

from the hading

of this ilockwork, the

Paur^ lead mine, and in about a fimilar diftance

from

54
from

TRAVELS THFvOUGH THE

its

BAT.^NAT OF
is

hanging

fide,
is

an iron mine
lent to

working.

The

ore of the latter

Bogoam.

As pro-

babl)^

Ibme

fifTures

of thefe veins are croffing over

to the adjacent flock work, there occurs not only

in

the hading fide

ore,

of Simon Judas lead glance in

copper
in

and yellow cryftaliized garnets, which PaiiVs lead mine re extremely frequent in and
its

next to
ores are

lead ores, but in the hanging fide the

ftriped

and penetrated with ferruginous

in

ocher.

Mary Viorfs mine

metallic rock,

the

wolfgang

mountains has been but of

It is in
tlie

late beo-un

workinc.

Saxwn
call

metalliferum^

which
veia

miners hereabout
is

fandftone.

The

or gangrock

a fine diflblved white

ftone,
is

mica or glim-

mer, mixed

with

and blended with copfuccefs.

per pyrites.

There

hope of good
the

In

John

Baptifis mine, in

Moraviza mountains,

breaks white alabafter, girt with limeflone and

flate,

and containing copper

acid of the pyrites

pyrites.

The

vi-;

triolic

might perhaps have

changed the former alcaline gangrock into a gypfous

fubftance.

The

Ifidore

mine has been dropt fome

It

years ago, for not anfwering the expeflation.

leemed

to

me however

very remarkable, as being

for a long vv^Y

covered with a brownifh-yellow

aibeftus, containing

ironglimmer and black iron

itfelf into

garnets.

This afbeflus introduces

fiflure,
I

the

copper
pyrites.

and
at

is

the matrix of the copper

a large colledlion

made

Dognazka

of

TEAfESWAR, ^c
of fcarce ores
(pecies
I
;

LETTER

IX.

45

and among the before defcribed

got the following famplcs

in

Native lamellated gold

brown
it is

iron clay

from Fabianus.
in

In this
in the

mine

often found

lumps included

copper vein.
in large

Native copper from the fame place,

heavy lumps, which might be confidered

as fmelt-

ed, if the red copper glafs cryftals, thatfurround

them on every
duced by nature.

fide,

did not prove

it

to be pro-

Native copper

in

brown

iron ocher

from Simon

and Judas ftockwork

.

Grey

cryllallized

copper

glafs ore.

The

cry-

flals

polyedrous

flicking

on quarz,

from the

fame place

Grey variegated
Jiidas^

copper pyrites
glafs,

from Simon
its

called copper

on account of

con-

tent of fixty to feventy

pounds of copper, glolTy

from other copper py-

on the
rites
ficial

fra(ftures
its

-,

differing

by

red and blue colours not being fuperits

but penetrating
cryftallized

whole fubftance.
glafs..

Red

copper

The

cryftals

oblong prifms, truncated on

Paul's mine.
ocher.

both ends.
in

From

Scarce

found

brown copper

Red copper mulm

(tile

orej girt with a coat

'of verdegreafe, which feems to be produced by

an acid folution of the copper mulm.

Lichtmafs at Dognazka.

From Mary
^''^y

C)6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

Grey copper-pyrites)
Cronfiedt.
..

198.) cryllal-

lifed.

The

cryftals

have ten

faces.

From Simon
;

Judas.

Grey and yellow mixed

however
different

fcaly

copper pyrites

greatly reffembling our fcaly cobalt (fherben-cobolt)

on account of

its

yellow

colour, from the fame place.

Yellow and black undeterminate garnets,

large pieces,

in

from PaiiV% mine.

They

call

them

vellow or black hornftone.

Yellow garnets of eighteen and

thirty fix points;

often of the bignefs of a pigeon egg.

call

The

miners

them yellow blend.

From

the fame place.

LETTER,

TEMESWARj

bV.

L E T T E R X.

5/

LETTER.
FOR of
four in
this letter

X.

Lugos, July 7th, 1770

you

are indebted to the negleft

I

the poftmafler.
;

ordered the horfes at

the morning
ten.

but he cannot procure

I

me

any before

For fome hours

vifiting
in

have been

in this

market town,

fome of

my

acquaintances,

who commonly
healthier climate,

this

feafon flock hither to a

at

from the raging fevers

ftill

TV-

mefwar.
in

owe you
\

remark on the fmelting

it
:

the

Bannat

and here you have

The
is

fmelting and refining of the copper at Oravitza

nearly the fame which you have feen in the

Lower
Mercjy

Hungarian works, and

fmelting places,
l'herea^

is

done
the

in four different

called

Francifcus
is

and

Saiger-hutte,

Great care

taken

in reje<fling the refra(ftory ores.

Two tons of ore, twenty-four of pyrites and twelve

carts
in

of copper-ilags are commonly put together

firft

the

fmelting.

If the ores be remarkably

is

fulphurous the quantity of pyrites

the quantity of flags
if

lefTened

fo

they be mild.
is

In twenty

four hours time the bufinefs

done.

The whole

j5
gives

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

about three or four hundred weight of

copper.

Seven tons and hnXf of raw-o7te (Robein) pro-

duced by the

firfl

operation,

make
by

a roaft.
is

The
ties

black copper, procured

roafling,

re-

fined on a fmaller hearth, and in fmaller quanti-

of about four or

five

hundreds.

All expences caft up, a hundred weight cofts

the proprietors from nine to eleven florins.

The

parting furnaces (Sayger-hutte) are dropt

at prefent, fince the proprietors of the

mines have

found that
can be

their,

copper

ores, containing filver,

at

v/ith lefs

expence carried to and parted

.

^hajola in

Lower-Hungary
is

The whole

annual

produce of Oravitza
fifty

about one hundred and

of copper.
furnaces,
called Charles, Jo-

Saa has four

has but one.

feph, Maximilian^ and Radimer-Hutte.

Moldova
is

The
it

procefs^ in both places

,

the

fame

as at

Oravitza

but the vicinity of large

expenfive
;

forefts

makes

lefs

and the great

plenty

of copper

there very eafy.

mulm found The Saa and

afl!ays

at

Saa makes

it

Moldova fmelters

boafl of their fmelting the ore with an increafe

of copper,

its

common
;

giving only three

or four pounds.

This for a long while feemed

but
I

a riddle to

me

fancy with fome reafon,

T E

A R bV.

L E T T E R
is

X.

Ibn, that this additional

produce

owing

to their

additional pyrites.
I

have told you already that Moldova produces

tougheft and mofi: malleable copper.

the

This

feems owing rather to the fulphurous nature of

the ore, than to any particular advantage in the
fmelting.

Moldova gives per year about 50

about 150 or 200 tons of copper.

tons,

and Saa

The Bognazka
their fmelting

ores being greatly fulphurous,

is lefs

and refining

expeniive than

at Oravitza^

though the

procefs

be

entirely

the

fame.

There

are

three
ores,
as
at

fmelting places,

with ten furnaces.

cuoudy, and

in

The common

fmelted promif-

Oraviiza^

yield

every year about 200 tons of copper.

containing
lefs

Thefeores,

than nine ounces of

-,

filver,

cannot

be parted

in

our inland furnaces

tried

* for this reafon

the proprietors have

many experiments of
Even
the
at

other

more

fuccefsful

proceedings.

prefent the

furveyor,

Mr.

Flitk^

has

propofed
fmelted

a plan to precipitate
*

the filver in

This does not give any credit to

theflcill

of the Hungarian

fniekers.

The

copper and lead ores of the famous Ramelfierg

near Goar in the Louver Hartz, do contain but about one

ounce of

filver ;

and are

befides greatly refraftory.

How-

ever, they are with great advantage parted in

the furnaces

iselonging to

tiiefe

mines.

copper.

6o

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

it.

copper, and by this means to fave

It

would

prove a great advantage to the proprietors.

Delius has
alterations

Mr.

likewile
in

propofed and advifed fome

the fmelting, to deprive the Dogbrittlencfs,

nazka copper of the

foiiths

which the copper-

complain

of.

Some

days ago Baron Hegengarthen received an

in the Almafu^'

account of the goldwafhings

\

and

orders of the court to examine them.

Counfellor
1

Koczian
it

is

author of
foon

thia

account, and

will fend

to

you

as

I fhall

hear of the refult of their

examination

The
had

evening before

I ^tt

out from Oravitza

I

we
to

a terrible

thunder ftorm.
to
fee

happened

fland at the

door, and

under a violent

lightning a flame rifing behind an oppofite houfe,

which keeping
at laft

itfelf
its

fome time

at its

top ruflied

down on

forefide,

and then returned to This phenomenon

the place whence

it firft

arofe.

was repeated

feveral times.

We

examined the
hid under

place whence this ele6lrical evaporation came from,

and found that pyriticous

the vcQ-etable mould.

filTures lay

My
made

journey from Bognazka to Bogoam, and

is

thence to Lugos,
in

one of the

mod

Angular

ever

my

life.

The
I

danger of the roads caufed

Baron Hegengarthen^ whofe humanity you know,

and whofe kindnefs
never can praife too much,
to

TEMESWAR,
to fend
pafs.

&c.

LETTERVI.
wherever
I

6l

orders for

my
I

fafety
in

had to

Accordingly

found

every village forty

firelocks,

or

fifty PFallachians,

armed

v/ith

under the condu6l of their chiefs efcorted

the
next,

who me to

and

in

rough or ftony roads did bear

it

my
ders.

coach rather than fupport

with their fhoul-

The fame day

This

there

was

a general chace in the

country to furround the forefts and to fearch after

the robbers.
is

done once every year, but

fuccefs, fince the requifite

commonly without any

orders cannot be kept a fecret from the robbers,

who

for that reafon flay quietly at

home

that day,

or even dare, in corrpliance to the orders, to fol-

low the general chace.

is

Bogfiam, where

dined,

but four hours journey from Bognazka.

is

This

place

fituated in a fine valley, furrounded with

clay flate and limeftone hills, fuperincumbent

on

our metallic rock (Saxum metalliferunh )

Berfova runs through
it,

The river

but the adjacent fens

and fwamps make

its

fituation very

unwholefome.

As

Servia continued underthe imperial jurifdidion,

this place

had many

fine buildings

and iron ham(lopt.

mers

but

now

the

iron trade

is

Never-

thelefs

there
;

are

ftill

fome

iron

hammers, and
of bullets
imperial

furnaces
fhells
lery.

and vaft
caft

quantities
for

and
artil-

are

here

the

The

iron ore

comes from Dognazka.

It is

either red ore, (?fi6r^/^m indurata rubra; or black,

ferritm

refra}orium trltura atra texttira chalyhea

and

6i

thavels through the bannat o^

iron.

and gives a good

reous
hill

Near
called

Bogjloam

is

a calca-

at

a place

Valga
of

baja^

which
oyfter
is

contains
fhells

immenfe

quantities

broken
to

and mytulites.

From Bogoam
hills,

Lugos

continual

ridge of granite
clay.

below Ihivery

micaceous

From Lugos

they run to the

eaft towards the high mountains,

which feparate

'Tranylvania

from the Turkio dominions.

prefent to your health

The
j.

calcareous

hills

about Lugos produce good wine

and

I tafte it at

P P E N-

TEMESWAR,

i^c.

L E T T E R X.

63

APPENDIX
FROM
Afleflbr in the Diredlion of the

I.

Mr. Christoph. Travgotts Delius,

Mines
in the

Bannat

A Propofal to foften the Copper, prefented to

the Imperial and Royal
at

Chamber Court

Vienna, July i6y 1768.

copper ores, whether mineralized with

TH E
by
its

fulphur or arfenic, or with both together,

contain, befides the copper and the unmetallic earth,

a part of iron

and they are diftinguifhed only

greater or fmaller proportion.

The

yellow

pyriticous ores for example, the rainbow coloured,

the fallow,
in

the copper and the glafs ores, and

general thofe that are remarkably mineralized

with fulphur, contain more iron than the green

and blue ores

ores

but the copper ochres and liver

it

contain

more of

than any other fpecies.

fmeiting and refining
is

This iron mixture,

it

if in the

be not entirely removed,

the proper and real

;

caufe of the brittlenefs of copper

and though

it

be likswife produced by arfenic, this however hap-

pens

64

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

if this

pens only
fince
is

half metal be united with iron,

v/ith

by

itfelf,

and unconnefted
refifl:

iron,

it

too volatile to

the intenfe and repeated

if the roaftinp^s

heat of the

copper preparation,

and fmeltings be properly direded.

the great principle to get a
foft
fine,

Therefore

malleable and

copper
;

confiits in its careful reparation

from the
at

iron
it,

and the ufual pradlices are chiefly aimed

fall

though by the following reafons they

Icfs

more

or

fhort of their intention.

It
fafl

is

known

faci, that

nothing deftroys iron fo

and efficacioufly

as fulphur.

Though comgood deal of fulby

itfelf to

monly the copper

phur
in their

ores contain a
it is

mixture,

infufficient

deftroy the admixed iion.

Therefore a certain
is

quantity of fulphur pyrites

added to every
its

firft

fmelting of copper ore, to get

fulphur mixed
fulphur
in the

with the iron, to have

it

by

this

enfuing roaRinor of the lech or raw ftone calcined o o

as in

a cementation

and

laftly,

to

have the

re-

maining fulphur and iron

fcorified either in the

in its final re-

fmelting of the black copper, or

fining.

This method of fmelting, invented by

is

our anceftors,

in the
all

main

fo

well adapted to

nature, that with

lofs to

our refinements
It

we
if

are at
cer-

invent a fimilaror a better.

would

tainly

and

perfeiflly

anfwer

all its

ends,

there

was not
and
is,
is

a circumllance

which caufes

difficulties,
;

proved by metallurgic chemillry

and that

that all fulphur-py rites contain a

good deal of
iron.

T
iton.

W AR,

y^.
is

L E T T E R

X.

6^
fide
is

Accordingly what

procured by one

in a certain refpeft loft again

on another.

Its ful-

phur may very well be fuppofed

particles

to deftroy the iron

of the copper ores

its

but

as it contains
its

a good deal of iron in

is

own

mixture,

fulphur

infufficient entirely to

deftroy the iron in the

compound
by
it

mafs, a part of svhich unites unaffected

with the kcb or raivone.

In the enfuing
in the

roafting the fulphur,

ftone,

which remained

rawis

together

with a part of the iron,

;

de-

ftroyed by cementation

the former evaporating,

drofs,
is

and the

latter

changing into

which

in the

following black copper fmelting

the flags.
in the

taken off v/ith

On

this

account a part of iron remains

in

black copper, which

the
as

laft refining

cannot be entirely deftroyed,

fulphur
is

then fcarce any

to pafs, that

remaining.

Hence

it

comes

provided there be no want of good intelligent

fmelters,

thofe places

produce the beft copper,

where the ores contain but a fmall quantity of

arfenic

and

iron,

and where they have plenty of

pyrites.

good fulphurous

If any pyrites was to

iron,
it

be found entirely deftitute of

would un-

doubtedly produce the moft excellent and duftile

copper.

But

as that

is

not to be expeied, and

nature has not favoured our wiihes,

we

are to look

about us for other means to foften the copper

for

which reafon, and the encouragements granted

Imperiftl

by her

and Royal Apoftolic Majefty,

I ven-

66
I

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

venture to propofe feme of

my

ideas, eftabliflied

on many aays and experiments.

fore
I

However, behighly

come
lay

to

my manner

of refining the copper,

I fhall

down fome

rules,

which

are

fubfervient to the purpofe, and fhould never be

neglefted by thofe

who

are at the

head of any great

metallurgical works.

As I have fhown already that pyrites, containing much fulphur and a fmaller quantity
Primo.

of

iron, proves

an advantage in the
is

firft

or raw

fmelting, care

to be taken

that fuch pyrites,

and not indifcriminately any other, be chofen for

the raw-work.

No

pyrites

is

to be

made

ufe of
arfe-

which

is

both arfenieal and fulphurous, fmce

ric unites v/ith the iron, and caufes a great brittlenefs.

For

that reafon the furnace infpedors

their pyrites

ought

to

examine

and
is

their conftitu-

ent parts,

which commonly

negledled-,

fmce

for the mofl: part being unfkilled in the operations

of metallurgic chemiftry, they are unable to make

fuch analyfcs.

However

they affay them with pro-

per fluors for lech and ftone.

lech or ftone-grain being a

But the produced

compound of fulphur

and
affay

iron,

it

is

impofiible to

how much

fulphur

know by this ufelefs and how much iron is

contained in the pyrites,

is

and whether any arfenic

united to them.

Sublimations in clofed vefTels

,

are preferable in every refped:

aflayers

and fmelters and

ought

to chufe this

method, fmce in the

aflays

T
afiays

EMESWAR,
fort

iffc.

L E TT E R

X.

6J

of every

of ores and minerals

it

certain-

ly

is

more
be

inftrucbive

and precife than the comIf

mon

empirical aflaying.

by

thefe

means good
be added

pyrites

procured, proper

care ought to be
it is

taken of the proportion, in which

to the
firft

to

fmelting.

This
if

is

to be determined

by

the quality of the ore-,

irony and refraftory the

addition of pyrites ought to be in a larger quantity.

But many faults

fmce many

are

committed on

this

account;

furnace infpedlors, by a mifapplied

to fave

ceconomy and

fome

pyrites, or to

have the

rawftone rich, and to fave the trouble and expence

of roafting, grudge the addition of

pyrites,

and
is

by that
fmce

fpoil the nature

of the copper.
in the riches

There

never any real advantage

it

of rav/ftone,

impoverilhes the mafs of fulphur, which

is

in the enfuing roafting

infufficient to deftroy

the greater proportion of iron.

good lech or

rawilone fhould, to produce duftile or good copper,

never contain above feventeen or eighteen

in an

pounds of copper
Secundo.

hundred weight.
which, v/ithout any
oi^es,-

If a copper mine produce pyritical

ore,

and fulphurous copper

addition of other unfulphurous

are fmelted
it is

with fulphur-pyrites as ufual at Smolniz,

greatly produdive of du6lile copper to have both

ores

and pyrites gently roafted before the

firft

fmelting.

The

reafon

is

as

follows

Sulphur
does

68

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

deftroy the
fince
iron,

does not

by

its

combufliblc
acid and
a

matter

-,

confifting
latter

of

vitriolic

phlogifton,
roafting.

the

evaporates

by

gentle

But the
it

vitriolic acid penetrates into the

iron, diflblves

into a crocus

and deftroys

it,

which caufes

it

in the

enfuing fmelting to go eafily

off with the flags, and to leave the copper regulus or the rawftone in a

more depurated

ftate.

Though this
metallurgy,

be an undoubted principle of rational

I

fear

it

will be objefted to

by fome

fmelte^,

who know

only ancient pradtices.

Would
it is

they pleafe fairly to try fome experiments they

might be convinced of its

utility.

However,
is

to be obferved r, that this

ral,

rule

not gene-

becaufe, if refradtory or unfulphurous ores

are to be fmelted together with the

more

fulplui-

rous ones, the roafting

vitriolic
fite to

is

impradlicable, fmce the

acid and the fulphur of the latter, requi-

the fufion of the former, might be incon-

fiderately deftroyed

by

it.

Secondly^ I

have faid

for very

good

reafons, that the roafting

ought to

be

o;cntle.

A violent
it is

roaftino; mig-ht fmelt the ores

and unite the fulphur

per
;

to the iron and to the cop-

and

known fad,

that fulphur, deftroyfire,

ing iron in a gentle cementation, by a ftrong

is

brought into fufion with

it.

Befides an intenfer

roafting
after the
rify the

would deftroy too much fulphur, which,

raw fmelting,
is

likewife intended to fco-

deaf fubftances of the ores.

'Thirdly,

TEMESWAR,
Thirdly.
laid

is'c.

L E T T E R
tliere

X.

69

On

thefe

principles

might be

down many improvements of the common

roafting of lech or rawllone.

Any

roafting in-

tended to be

ufefiil

ought to be gentle.
is

The obarfe-

ject of roafting rawftone

partly the evaporating

of the combuftile fulphur and of the volatile

nic, fo as to bring the

mafs of ore clofer together,

and

to facilitate

its

fubfequent fufion into black

copper; and partly the producing ofthefulphuroiis acid

and

its

calcining and deftroying the iron

of the rawftone.
tained
fire

This double objeft

fire.

is

better

ob-

by gentle than by violent

In a ftrong
;

the ores coagulate and fmelt together

is

the

arfenic uniting with iron

fixed,

and both make

with the fluid fulphur and copper a

mafs, which
is

compound
be con-

hard to part again.

To

vinced of

it,

melt iron, fulpiuir and arfenic into

it

a regulus, pulverize

and expofe the powder to

evapore-

a gentle

fire

you

will find thefe minerals

rated in a fliort time,

and the deftroyed iron

maining

in the crucible.
fire,

But put the fame

i.n

fmeking
hours
in

you

will find the

whole for many

fufion, without

any remakabie decay or

deftru6lion.

To
I.

obtain the ends of gentle roafting the fol:

lowing rules are to be obferved

The roaft ought never to be in open air, but to

flieltered,

be included by walls and to be

to Hint
rain

out the irregular blowing of the wind and

and

fnoWj

70

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

producing by intenie
fire

fnov/, as either

a partial

coagulating and fmelting of the mafs, or by interrupted

fire

an unequal and imperfe6t roafting,

which

in either

of thefe cafes puts a flop to the in-

tended evaporation of noxious minerals, and the

deilruction of the iron.

The mafies ought not to be toolarge. The common pradice at prefent is to roaft one hun2.

dred and eighty or about two hundred hundred

weight of lech or rawftone together

furnace infpeftors, to
fave a
trifle

nay, fome

of charcoals
;

and wood, go

ilill

above that quantity

but

this

grudging oeconomy
greater the heap

fpoils the copper, fince

fire,

the
is

the greater the

which

produced by the greater quantity of fulphur, and

caufes a fmelting

and coagulating

in the mafs,

whofe obnoxious
before.

effedls

have been touched upon

maffes, each of one

More and fm aller

Vv^eight,

hundred,

or at moft one hundred and twenty

hundred

might be preferable

fo

it

will

prove equally conducive to fpread the ere

layers over the alternate
in the
fite
firfl:

in thin

wood, and only

fuel as

to

employ

fire

as

much

might be requiin the

to a gentle roafting,
is

which

following

fires 3.

conftantly to be kept gentle and equal.

In fome cafes the double rawfmeltingis to

as

be confidered

great advantage to produce

it

dudile copper.

Innoxious to any ore,

forts
j

might
highly
ufeful

be fuperfluous with fome

but

it is

T E
ufeful

MESWA

R, i^c.

LETTER

IX.

yt

and neceflary for thofe that are arfenical and irony, or refradory on account of brittle and
deaf minerals or half metals.
the
firft

It

is

inipoffible

by

fmclting to remove the greater part of

thefe noxious minerals,

in

and

it is

equally difficult

the fubfequent roafting and black fmelting to

deliver the
fore

metal from

their influence.

There-

two or three gentle roaltings of the lech or

firft

ftone of the

rawfmelring, and

its

fubfequent

fecond fmelting with a proportionable quantity

of pyrites into a double kch^ are to be greatly com-

mended,
in the
rals,

fince

the

fulphur of the pyrites unites

fecond fmelting with the deftroyed minecalcined by the preceding roaflings,

and
then

carries

them

off in flags.

This double

lech

is

to be brought to a regular roafting, and afterwards

fmelted into black copper.

But

in this
is

procefs
care-

the rule of an equal gentle roafting

fully to

more
;

be obferved than

in

any other

elfe

the

whole

will

run together, and the wild and deaf

to the

minerals fo clofely unite

will

copper, that

it

prove almoft

impoffible to feparate

them

again.

As
black

it is

an acknowledged rule, that only good

copper

produces a good fine copper^

in

do not

dwell any longer

recommending the preceding

the careful roafting, which
is

general rules, and

too

much

negledled.

By what

have
will

faid

it

clearly appears, that the fine

copper

be

brittie

F 4

72
tie

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

and irony,
in the

fame proportion

as the pre-

vious

works have been neglected.

be taken there will
in

However,
flill

whatever care

remain

fome
reaibn

iron,
is

even
:

the

refined

copper.

The

this

hundred weight of good black

copper contains commonly about ninety pounds

of
fine

copper, and about ten pounds of iron, or

iron.
it

fometimes arfenic united with

quantity of fulphur
ftili

The

trifling

exifting in

deftroys du-

ring the refining a part of this iron, and even the

fire

fcorifies

a part of

it

but
equal

as generally
in v>?eight if

the

iron in the black copper

is

not

fuperior tg

its

fulphur
it

this little

fulphur

is

cer-

tainly unfit to fcorify

entirely.

Therefore

have fuppofed,

that during the

refining fomething might with great advantage be

added

to the copper, to purify

and

to foften

it

entirely.

Two

mineral fubftances

deflroy

and

fcorify

iron, litharge

and fulphur.
is

The former

unfit for
fince the

the refining

on the

hearth {Gar-herd)

glowing coals which

it

cover the copper might reduce

this uniting

into lead,

and
;

with the copper caufeit to be leadifh

but

in a parting furnace^

where the copper

it
it,

is

kept

in fufion

by the flame,
lead,

might do, fmce wood

facilitating
it

flames do not reduce

calcination of

rather the
li-

and leaving

floating as

tharge on the furface of the copper.

Being under
thefe

TEMESWAR,
fiirface

^c.

LETTERIX.
copper,
it

y^

thefe circnmftances in a continual

motion on the
will attra\5t

of the boiling
iron

fluid

the remaining

particles, fcorify
in
its

with them,

and leave the copper

quantity of litharge
leffer
is

highefl purity.

The
Six

to be determined by the

or greater quantity of black copper.

or eight pounds per hundred weight might do.

Concerning the refining on

effeft is to

the hearth^ the beft

be expedled from

common

officinal

fulphur.
it

The

iron

has no greater enemy, and

it

does not affeft any other metal as long as

has

iron to

work upon and

to adhere to.
is

Accordingly,

as foon as the black

copper

brought to fmelting

fufion

and boiling fulphur

its

in pieces

ought

to

be

put on
centrate

furface,

and covered with coals

to con-

the boiling.
;

This may be repeated two

or three times
iron
flags

but the compound fulphur and

carefully to

are

be

taken

away,
is

and no more fulphur to be added, than what

requiflte

to defl;roy the iron

elfe

the fuperfluous

fulphur uniting with the copper caufes unnecefi^ry

expences

and lengthens the

is

refining.

For

this

reaf)n the black copper

previoufly to be ex-

amined.

In proportion to the iron contained in

the black copper, three, four or five pounds of

fulphur will be fufiicient to

its

defi:ru:ion,

and

to the copper's highefl: refining and foftening.

This fulphur-renning will equally do

ing furnace.

in the part-

Thefe

74

TRAVELS THROUGH TH EANNAT OF

are, for

Theid propofals

what

I
,

know,

entirely

new and never

and

praftiled before

however, they

are fo adequate to the natural rules of metallurgy

fo cheap, that I dare
trial

hope they

will not only

ftand the

of impartial

intelligent

fmelters,

but prove likewife highly conducive to the produftion of

fine, foft

and malleable copper.

POSTSCRIPT.
It
will

has been demonftrated before, that the copper

be

lefs

irony in the fame proportion as the pyin

rites

added

the

firfl

rawfmelting are deftitute

of

iron.

But

as the pyrites are

commonly

to be
fort

ufed as they

may

be had, and generally any

of them contains a good deal of iron, the following procefs

the
firfl
is

recommended
the pyrites
its

as

an improvement of

rawfmelting.
is

At

prefent

added to the raw;

fmelting of the ores in

natural form
it

but

it

would be
bring
it

better

to fnielt

feparately,

and to

previoufly into a fulphurous regulus, fince

its

the greater part of

iron will be
its

by fuch a fmeltlech or regulus

ing brought off in drofs, and

confifl for the greater part

of a pure fulphurous
I

mafs.

This fulphurous regulus

propofe to mix
;

with the copper ore

in the firfl rav;fmelting

and

half the quantity of the ufual natural pyrites will

TEMESWAR,
be
fufiicient to

feV.

L E T

E R

X.

75

produce

a lefs irony

copper regu-

lus,

which according

to

my

rules,

and properly

roafled, will

undoubtedly give a very malleable

copper.

The

objedion, that

this feparate

and prepara-

tory fmelting of the pyrites will caufe a confiderable expence is of no great weight
fince the pyrite regulus being a milder fluor

with

me

and

eafier

than the unprepared

requifite to

raw

pyrites, the fire

and time
will

prepare the pyrite regulus

for a

great part be faved again in the eafier

and fhorter rawfmelting.

P P E N*

76

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

APPENDIX

II.

Obfervations on the Goldwafliings in the Bannat,

BY COUNSELLOR KOCZIAN,
|With the
refill t

of the enquiries made after them

BY MR. DEMBSHER.

AMONG
known
this objedl

the feveral natural

advantages of
its

the '^emefwar Bannat

to yield gold-duft.

feme of
I

rivers are

could not negleft

when

lately I travelled in thefe parts.

in the

The goldwafhing
bufinefs

Bannat

is

properly the
left as
it

of the gipfies {Zigeuner) and

this

were to

poor people

as

an exclufive trade.

This

laid

me under
Nera

the neceflity to apply to

them

for inilrudion.

The

river to

in

Alma
for

carries gold-duft,

and feemed
cordingly
I

me
to
;

the

fitted:

my

purpofe

ac-

caufed fome gipfies, reputed to be

very
called

fl<ilful,

make
and

a wafhing near a village

I

Boowiz

faw

v;ith pleafure, that

with

much

dexterity in a few minutes time, they

trouojh the value of

cleared in the

fome ^rolhes
of

TEMSLWAR,
of gold
;

^c.

LETTER
likewife

IX.

77
their

they

fhowed

me

among

gold-dud fome pieces of a remakable bignefs.

After having fufiiciently obferved and examined
their fimple maniputations,

which

i fhall

fpeak of

more
of

in

the fequel, I wanted to

know

the origin

this river gold.

A
fands

particular

circumftance favoured

my

cu-

riofity.

I faw that the gipfies

wafhed

it

from the

not only
its

taken in the river, but likewife

from

borders, nay even from

fome

pits in the

adjacent ground.
foot and

Thefe

pits are

commonly

four

more deep, and

itfelf.

yield richer fands than

the river

They

told
in

me

likewife, that the

river fand

grows richer
;

the fame proportion

it is

as the waters are high

and that
in

poorer in

dry v/eather.

Such

it

was

1769, and confe-

quently they were forced to open the goldfand

pits in the adjacent grounds.
I

examined

thefe pits

and the country around

in the an-

the Nera, which has

been delineated

nexed plan.

The
firft
is

fcrata

on

its

borders are as follows

The
;

common
;

vegetable mould, nearly of one

the fecond loam, two feet

foot thicknefs
third

the

pebbles and calcareous earth, hard to be

pickaxes, one foot and a half; the fourth
is

dug with

or the goldfand bed

three feet, confiding

of

a mixture of pebbles, rockdones and fine irony

fand.

This lad dratum

is

the

fame which the

gipfies

yS

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT O?

fathoms diftance from the
river^

gipfies, at thirty

dig out for v/alhing.

fee in the pits this

According
bed has a

to

what

could
;

flate

bottom

and

fomewhat lower down the river a large coal-ftratum bafiets out. 1 might therefore fay with fome
probability, that after the flate follows clay, then

marie, and afterwards the coal bed.

From

all

this follows, i.

that the gold-duft

in

is

not generated by the water, but brought

river beds
it

the

by accident, becaufe

in the

former cafe

ought to be found in conftant and equal quanwhether the

to
v/ater

tities,

be high or low.

2.

It

ought
eafily

be had from fuch beds which

-,

may be
is

diffolved by water
to

accordingly

it

not

owing
rents

found veins, fince rain water and torin

cannot pofTibly be fuppofed,

their fhort

and intermittent flowing,

to carry off even that part

of gold v;hich they commonly

leave

behind

and befides they would have long

the veins
in

fince difcovered
is

the

many

countries where gold

wafhing,

and where no fuch veins have been

3.

found out.

Therefore the gold-dufl

is

proba-

bly ov/ing only to clay and earth beds, diffolved

and carried off by water.

The bed which

a difToluble

the gipfies dig out

;

is

of fuch

nature
fee

it is

gently dipping, and by

what
ping

could

afcending or rifing from the weft

in this

to the eafl.

Being
it

hanging or gently dip-

fituation,

may

pollibly be laid bare in fe-

veral

iM

W A R,

i5r.

f'r'.

LETTERIX.

yg

veral parts of the river borders, and waflicd off

by high water, which very well explains the greater

fuccefs of the wafhings after

heavy

rains.
I

On my

further journey in the Bannat

obferved
left

many marks of
by the Romans.
gold

old

wadiings,

probably
likewife

They puriued
in

the

impregnated beds, which

fix

many
river

places

muft be

fathoms

above the

borders.

Near IVererova, Pohaoniza, Pwlava, Tumul

in the

Karanfibex^ and

in

the valley JValle-mare^

towards the limits of Tranjj'ylvaniay from OhavaPiflra

till

Marga^

it

is

plain that they

dug

for

gold

in

fuch elevations, which

never could be

reached by the river water.

In Tranyhania, near

Olah Pian,

at

the foot of the Rudel mountain,

are

many
v/hich

old gold-pits
is

found

in a

dry country,

entirely defliture

of brooks and rivulets.

This clearly iho \vs that the geld impregnated beds

are

not

tobe confidered

as

river fediments de-

pofitedon the borders. If

tlicy

were fucceflively

accumulated and v/afhed off from the adjacent

hills,

there

is

no reafon why the gold fhculd be

This may be and certainly ought to be granted,

in re-

fpeft to the prefent viilble brooks

and

rivulets

but

may be

with equal

jullice

denied in refpeft to thofe of former times,

fince the furface

of the earth has undergone fo

feas,

many

fucceffive

revolutions,

and ancient

lakes

and
by

rivers are every

where traced
(Tranfl.j

in the prefent continent

their former effedls.

only

8o

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

only contained in a fingle bed, and never to be

found

in the

upper vegetable mould

The
bed,
is

folid

compad: ilratum of dragged pebbles

is

and rocks, which

a further

fuperincumbent on the gold

its

argument for
;

not having been

produced

fucceffively

fmce no reafon appears

why

the gold-duft might have been carried and

|1

depofited under this compaft ftratum.

Therefore we have thegreateil reafon to believe,

that

the gold impregnated bed

it is

is

owing

to the

deluge, and that accordingly

wide, ftretching
In this
:

through confiderable

tracts

of land. *

fuppofition remains bur

a fingle queftion

whe-

ther this bed

be throuo;hout impregnated with

this

gold

Though
reafons,
I

might be affirmed

for very
it,

good

will

however, to corroborate

take notice
wafhings

that the Romans,

river,

beginning their

near the

continued them a hun-

dred fathoms length

long
as they

in the adjacent lands, eafily lay

and

as

could reach and

open the gold

II

Thefe two induftlons are extremely precarious.

(Tranll.)

Might

not fucceffive revolutions, whatever they were, produce different ftrata of a different nature
?

The

latter

is

fa6l

and the diluvian fuppofition a bad

confequence drawn from precarious indudlions as well as from

too narrow principles.
(Tranfl.)

bed

TEMESWAR,
bed without driving
co

^c.

LETTER

X.

^1

galleries,

which feem to have

them. J been unknov/n By fimilar circumftances the gipfies have no

chance to make any greater progreis, being confined to the gold which
is

carried by the rivers, or

contained in the

lefs

incumbered and buried gold-

bed near

their borders.

However, the objed: being of importance, and

defervin'T nearer examination, I lliould advife to

drive a gallery in the gold impregnated bed, and

to

examine how
it

far

it

runs into the

field,

and

whether
quality
?

conflantiy keeps the gold impregnated

it

If

Hiould be found to extend a conin

fiderable

way

the mountains, and to continue

it

gold impregnated,

would be worth while

reo;ular hearths.

to

have

laro-e v/afliino-s

on

The
fathom

prefent

manipulation of the gipfies

is

as follows:

They

ufe a board of lime tree one

leno;th,

and one inch and a half thick.

end
is

At

the upper

fmall

trough,

and a

crofs the

board are ten or twelve fmall cuts or

furrows.

This board

they raife

at

one end,

under an angle of nearly forty- five degrees.

fand
is

The
and

put

in

the trough at the upper end,

Mr. Koczian

is

very unhappy in fuppofitions.

?

Had he
they but

never heard of tlie cuniculi of the ancients

galleries
?

What are

whence

82

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

thence by plenty of water wafhed

down

the Hoping

of the board.

This caufes the lighter fands to be

in the fur-

wafhed off, and the heavier ones to remain

rows and on the furface of the board, whence they

are fcraped or brulhed off, to be feparated

from the
trough.

gold by the operation of the

common
by
it-,

Their whole proceeding

that a
is ftill

is

fo

extremely carelefs,

good
more
that

deal of gold

is loft

and what
pure gold-

to be pitied they get but the

du.ft,

which

is ftill

fticking to the fands

as I

and

ftones being thrown away,

am

convinced by
in-

the microfcope, nay

ipeclion.

even by fimple ocular

This circumftance deferves nearer examination

bear the expence of pounding

whether thefe fands and ftones be rich enough to

?

fmall

trial

might be
bear
it,

fufficient.

If they

Ihould appear to

regular mining and pounding

would be

advifeable.
I

cannot conclude without adding a particular

I

obfervation, which

had an opportunity

to

make
places

near the

many

old and

new gold-wafhing
I

in the Bannat,
tion.

and which

confider worth atten-

I found that the higher promontories

on

the gold impregnated rivers do not confift of folid

rocks, but

of

foft

earth-beds,

which give
ores.
its

good

indications of coals

and alum
is

Near
gold-

Bowiz on
o:::
.

the Nera, which

known by

waftiings

M
I

W A R,

&c.

L E T T E R X.

83

wadiino-s,
at a fmall

favv a large

coal bed baffetting out

;

diftance

from the gold fand bed

which
I

and

almoft

in

every

place,

have fpoken of
of the ground

before, the exterior appearance

countenances the conclufion, that coal beds are

below the gold impregnated ftratum, and that

thefe in
its

a certain

reiped: are to be confidered as

lliare

fole.

They had perhaps fome

;

even

in

the generation of the gold

at leaft,
it is

they have a

great relation with gold, fince

to extra(5l

not impofTible
is

from them a hepar fulphuris, which

the ftrono-eft difiblvent of c-old.

However
found
in

this

be,

it is

faft that coals are to

be

every gold walhing-ground.

The Danube
nay

and

E72S

may

ftand an evidence, fince on the bor-

ders of the
flill

Danube from Vienna

up,
coal

to Pajfau,

higher
I

beds offer every where.

that the

Therefore

do not doubt,

fame gold im-

pregnated ftratum

may

be traced out on the bor-

ders of thefe rivers, and regularly

worked

to ad-

vantage.

According

to thefe obfervations

and accounts of
I

Counfellor Koczian, and the orders which

received,
I

had

proceeded to

my

enquiries in the fol-

lowing manner

As
his

foon

as

arrived at
in
,

Boowiz
found

enquired

af-

ter the place,

which Baron Koczian had made?

and
I it as

obfervations

laid

down

in

2
\

plate

84
plate

TRAVELS THROUGH THE ANNAT OF

to

which

this

explanation

is

belonging.

A. Meni ; a brook. B. Boowiz i a village.

C.

The ground, where Baron

It rifes gently

Koczian caufed

his walhings.
tains
;

towards the moun-

and
a gallery of one

D.
into

fathom length was drove

it.

E. The coals
F.

in different beds.
it

Mouth

of the Meni^ where

runs into the

Nera.

Near
confifls,

K
as

and

the ground

is

very

fiat

and

appears in fome higher borders, of

different ftratified earth

and (lone beds.

I

After a general furvey

caufed the works at

to be

cleared, to

get acquainted

with Baron
its

Koczian's gold impregnated ilratum and

dation.
I

foun-

found

it

agreeing with his defcription,

and confiding of a mixture of brown loam, pebbles, rocks,

mica, garnets and iron

jQate,

fand.

But
of

the under bed was no

confifting rather

brown fandftone, extremely mouldering and

and hardening
in the

friable in the pit,

open

air.

Acquainted with the objedl of

advanced 27 fathom nearer orderd a fhaft to be funk
one fathom and a half
nated ftratum.
I

my

enquiries, I

to the mountains,
in

and

G.

In a depth of

reached the gold impreg-

walhing convinced

me

of

its

containino-

TEMESWAR,
containing gold
;

Iffc.

LETTER

X.

S^

and

ordered thirty carts load

to be laid afide for a great

1

wadiing on the hearth.

advanced then

Hill

twenty eight fathom more,

;

almoft to the foot of the mountains

and to be
1

convinced of the extenfivenefs of

caufed a fhaft to be funk
in
it,

this ftratum,

twenty-two fa-

thom

to the fouth.

Here

found the beds entirely

immediately under
a

different.

The

grey

loam

the turf was very

tough, and

fathom thick.
,

Then

followed brown loam five foot

afterwards

the compatft pebble bed

four 4 foot, and then

the gold impregnated ftratum.

trial in

After

little

the trough,

ordered as

much

to be laid

afide as
large.

might be

full fufficient

for a wafliing at

Then

proceeded to thefe wafhings on a

as

hearth, exaftly conftru6ted

thofe at Sbe^nniz,

The
ed

refult

was

as follows

Firp'oof. Thirty carts from the fhafc

tv/o grains
.

G yield-

of gold.
fliaft

Second proof Thirty carts from the

H yield-

ed fcarce half a grain of gold.

The greateft

care was taken, and

was too well

convinced, that fuch profits could not bear the ex-

pences of mining, which, as here to be under-

taken immediately under the

a

turf,

would require

good deal of timber, of which the whole adjais

cent country

entirely deftitute.

Therefore

dropt

my works
is

in this place,

and

examined the bed which

gently rinng on the

coal

86

TPvAVELS

THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

con,

coal ftratum along the Menijh^ and in feveral places

is

three

fathom above the water

level.

flantly
in

found fome gold

flakes in the

trough

but

fo fmall quantities, that I

faw no encourageI

ment for a wafhing hearth, and

hope of mining.
and Telpojiz

gave up every
gold-wafliers

The common

having for the moft part retired to Banya^ Ruderia

;

followed them to thefe places to

examine the ground and earth which they were

wafliing there.

At

Telpojiz I
,

found

it

as in the

before dtfcribed places

deria
ters
I

but at Banya and Ruin the

faw the gipfies feeking for gold

gut-

and furrows of the mountain-brooks.

for the hiftory of

So much
fliall

my

enquiries.

add fome obfervations produced by them,

and explanatory to thofe of Counllor Koczian.

1.

As

foon as a fhaft or drift reaches the gold

impregnated bed you reach water.

general that
I

This

is

fo

have found

it

fo in the fhaft

and

E, three fathoms above the water

Me-fiij.
2.

level

of the

The

gold v/afhed hereabout

It

is

entirely native,

free

from any matrix.

appears in fine dull. Tho*

the exterior appearance of this mixed ftratum con-

vinced me, that

fifilires,

it is

not owing to gold veins and

its

and that accordingly

rocks and flones

I

cannot polbly contain any gold,

ever for

caufed how\yaj[hed fands

my

fuller

convidion the

and

TEMESWAR,
gold appeared.
I

^c.

L E T T E R X.

87

and Hones to be ftampt and wallied again.

then had them roailed by

No
fire,

but without any better fuccefs.

3.

The

deeper

this

bed under ground the

richer.

It
it

grows poorer

in the

fame proportion
;

in v'hich

afcends to the mountains

to be explained

which

in a certain

manner is
4.

by

thefiril obfervation.

This gold impregnated bed yields every

where a pure black fplendent fand, which might

be called perhaps native iron, fince
it is

drawn

by the loadftone.*

In the gutters and furrows at

infignificant quantity
;

Banya and Ruderia but an

of
this

iron

fand

is

found

they give a greater

quantity of pyriticous fand, which, together with

the ores and gang-rocks,
for copper mines.
is

a ftrong prefumption
fituation

The

line

of thefe

mountains, water, wood and timber being plenty,

might give a zealous miner a mind

them.
It
is

to explore

very difficult to determine the origin of

gold-duft contained in this ftratum.

Though

the

difcovered beds, the cxtenfive coal fcratum,

and
evi-

now and
*

then

fome petrifadions, be flrong

The

tranflator has verified this obfervation in the goldHeJJe.

wafhings on the Eder in

He might

perhaps give a nais

tural reafon for this iron fand, v.'hich conftantly

found con-

comitant with the gold-dull.

dences

8S

TRAVELS THP.OUGH THE BANNAT OF

dences of great inundations; there appears nofuffcient reafon

why

the gold duft fhould be only

mixed

in the fubftance

of a fingle bed
I

As

am

no
of

friend
this

of conjediires,
to

leave the explication

greater

phenomenon

men of

genius,

enabled by their extenfive knowledge and experience in Natural Philofophy, to miake difcoveries

beyond
I

my

capacity.

am

to anfwer here to an objeftion

is,

which feems

to be a juft one, and

that notwithilanding the

poornefs of thefe fands, the value of Ibme thou-

fand

florins
this

of gold

is

produced every year.

Though
itfelf,

be fact, and a confiderable fum in

it is

a very inconfiderable one in refpect

of
the

the

great

number of people employed

There were
for

in

wafhings.

example

in the year

1770,

in the

neighbourhood of Uy Palanka, Orfowa

and Caranjehez^ above 80 families of goldwafhers,

men,

women and
;

children,

employed

in

that

bufmefs

and neverthelefs they have not made

good above the value of fix or feven hundred ducats. Hence it appears to me fhat thefe wafhings are no
objecfls for

miners, and
,

lefs fo for

Germans.

The

gipfies

go half naked

whole families

live at the

daily expence of a groat; nay cheaper.

Satisfied
at

with
their

this petty

allowance,

and unconcerned

nudity, they wafh gold in

and during the winter they

fummer time, cut wooden troughs^

fpoons

TEMESWAR,
fpoons

Is'c

L E T T E R X.

89

and

the like, which

they ramble about

with felling and begging.

fuch a
life
is
,

miner would fcorn

better,

and

if

you would keep them

the
profit

whence
which
thing,

to

arife

of the fovereign,
is

in the

common way
it

of the gipfies
?

fome-

though

be inconfiderable
manipulaiion

Concerning
at
firft

their

it

feems to be
,

fight

very rude and bungling

itfelf.

but

it is

very jufc in
experience,

Praftice has given

deftitute

them an of which one might conI

fider their procefs as very deficient.

am

cor>-

vinced of
they

it

by

its

following examination.
a wafliing

When
twenty
is

had finifhed

of

fifteen or

troughs of flind on their ufual board, which

fcven

foot in length, rifled with fifty or fixty tranfverfe

furrows, and erefted under an angle of eighteen

or twenty degrees,

caufed the fands, which re-

mained
parts.

in

the furrows, to be divided into three

greater part of gold ftuck conftantly

The

in the ten

or fifteen

uppermoft furrows

-,

the

enfuing

divifion I fcarce
;

met

vv'ith

the

eighth

part of the former

and

in the

lad fifteen

or

twenty furrows fcarce two or three flakes of gold

v/ere to be found.
I

have likewife carefully exv/aflied already,

amined the fands, which they had

and
was
it

was but very feidom that any mark of gold

them.

left in

Such

^O

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

refult

Such was the

contrary to

of

my firfl: journey,

which,

my
1

cxpeflation, produced a fecond.

clearly

Unluckily

had not
-,

enough explained

my

third obfervation

and Baron Hegengarthen was

hence inclined to believe, that the gold impregnated

bed might prove richer

in a greater

depth.

Therefore he propofed to fink

or ten fathoms depth,
till

in

a fhaft of nine

a folid found and bar;

ren rock might be reached

and

was accord-

ingly ordered to return with two able

in

workmen
fo.

the Ahna, and to

It

try the experiment.

was June 13th

in

1771 when

did

The

point

is

about three feet above the water level

in

of the Menij^ v/hich having

part of
its

torn off a fteep

borders, and by that accident laid open

the coals and the other ftrata,! could with certainty

foretel that the fole

of the gold impregnated fands

would prove
ing marie

to be either the coal or the alternat-

beds.

"With the fame probability

flrata.

might
the

have foretold the bignefs of thefe

I

After I fathom of veo;etable mould

firft

reached

fand and pebble bed and water, which

increafed, arifing

from the
deeper.

fole,

in the

fame pro-

portion as
bifh were

we funk

Two

troughs of rub-

had with

five or fix

troughs of water.
rains filled

This circumflance and the conflant

unflieltered

my

works with
I

fo

much

water, that by

twelve hours labour

foot depth.

could

not get but three

I

After one 4

fathom

reached the

gold

TEMESWAR

&c.

LETTER
I

X.

91

gold impregnated bed, which

very often ex-

amined on the trough, but conflantly found fo DOor that a large mine trough contained often
but a fingle flake, and often nothing at
lad
all.

At

we

fell

in

with the coals, and having funk

in

my work i

fathom

them

to

no purpofe, and
as thofe

found that the beds were the fame

cident laid open
this

by ac-

in

E.

gave up

my

works in

place, and examined rather thefe difcovered

flrata.

The
many

refult

was the fame

as

that of

my

former enquiries.

My
me
to

fmall wafliings did not encourage

;

further experiments

and thus

dropt

my repeated enquiries. To prevent all further

vation,

doubts

add an obfer-

which proves with nearly mathematical

tl.is

evidence that

fide the

Menio only coals and

marie, and on the other fide towards the

tains only flate

moun-

and fand flone

will

be found by dig-

ing deeper.

The

gold

impregnated ftratum

is

conftantly
It

parallel to the turf

and vegetable mould.

does

not anfwer at
beds.

all to

the dipping of the lower (lone

clearly
in

This appears

E, where marie

and

coals, alternating

with regularity, are never

parted by earth beds but covered by the gold

impregnated ftratum,
turf.

which

is

parallel
it

to

the

The

feflion plate explains

to the eyes.

Here

92

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

Here
I

the qiieftion arifes again:

in this

why

this

gold

was produced

ftratum
it
;

I freely
I

confefs that

am

at a lofs to

anfwer

but

cannot entirelv

abilain

from propofing fome conjeftures, v/hich

perhaps

may

afTift

others to difcover the fecret.

The

hypothefis of thofe,
forefts,

who

explain the origin

of coals by

buried and fwallowed

up by

earthquakes, gains fome credit by the exterior ap-

pearance of the Almad^ whofe

interfefted
deflitute
larity
in

foil is

every where
is

by

hills

and

rivers,

and

entirely

of wood.
the

But the remarkable reguand parallel coal and

with the idea of fuch
dif-

alternating
ao-ree

marie beds does not

mal and
eafily to

violent deftruc^ions.
foil

The

ftru6lure of
is

the uppermofb loofe

in

thefe parts

more
is

be explained by

inundations.

It

known

fa6l that
in

gold and iron are generated and

many flat countries, and that thefe dug in many places befides the common veins and fifTures. The Dutch fea fand and the iron, which in different places is found conproduced
metals are

comitant with the gold

dences.

dull,

are

ftrong evi-

Suppofing

this native

gold to have been

contained in the uppermoft and loofer beds of the

beds

Of what ? That the gold or Iron is generated in thefe ? No that they are commonly found together, and that
;

iaving perhaps had a

common

origin, they have been waflied

and depofited there by the fame revolution or natural

whatever
this be.)

caufe,

(Tranil.
hills,

T
hills, it

WA

R, ^f.

L E T T E R X.

93

could be thence carried by inundations into

lower grounds, and as inundations do not retreat

but fucceffively, gold,

iron,

garnets

and

(lierl

X)ught of courfe, and according to their fpecific

gravity, to have taken the

lowed place, and to

which
rivers.

be depofited

in

thofe

flats,

as the

lowed

have been interfefled by the This opinion

agrees exacftly with experience,

reafon

and

explains

the

why

the

gipfies

get

greater quantities of gold in high water that in

dry weather.
rivers

By heavy

rains the borders

,

of the

and brooks are worn away

This

nay, under luch

circumftances, the rivulets take often a quite different

courfe.
gipfies,
faciliates the

manipulation

of the

becaufe the water diflblving and

particles,

carrying

away the argillaceous

and

leaving only the heavier fands and the gold-dud

behind, they get by a fingle trough of fand as

much

gold

as

they might have wafhed from

two or

three troughs of the undifTolved natural fands.

But

is

this
?

an explication of the orgin of this

Certainly no.

gold duft

However,
I

have

done what

mod

naturalids do,

have advanced

my

opinion.

Francis Dembsher.

LETTER

94

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OP

LETTER.
THE
Dobra
I

XL

N^gy^g- y^^b 12, 1770,

plains,

which

reached neap Lz<t^^j, con-

tinued half ways to Dohra^

where
flate.

found

an afcending ground of argillaceous

Beyond

met again with our Saxum

Deva,

metalliferum.

It continued to

The

roads are impaflable.

river Af^r^^

Between tremendous precipices and the on one

fide,

and fteep fliaggy rocks on the other,

Iwas dragged along, by eight oxen, added to the

four horles of

my
;

carriage.

arrived late in the

night at

Deva
for

but the fafety of the roads made

amends

their roug-hnefs.

As
I

foon as

came
at

to the limits of Tranffyhania^ between Bohra and

Deva, the two huzzars, which

Lugos,
left

had taken

me.

'The

'Tranjfylvania WallachtanSy

more humanized than

the
national frontier
feverity

thofe

in

the Bannat,

and
the

troops, together with

of government againft the robbers, conIt is

tribute greatly to the fafety of the country.

but of

late

that

three robbers

have

been

at

Deva impaled
murders
in

alive, for

having committed fome

of Hazeg,

the

valley

This

cruel

and

95 and almoft inhuman punifhment, tho' ufed in Slavonia and the Bannat, has made fuch an impreflion
all

TEMESWAR,

'd

LETTER

XI.

on the inhabitants, that you may travel

with fafety.

the night

The day

after

my ar-

rival I vifited the

copper-mines, which fome years

in a

ago have been opened

mountain to the weft,

three quarters of an hour's journey

from Deva.

The mountain
flate,

conlifts, at the foot,

of a micaceous

covered with indurated marie rocks gently

In thefe rocks are the
fifTures,

fifing.

which comI defire

pofe the copper ftockwork at Deva.

you
the

would underftand the word ftockwork fame fenfe in which 1 explained it to you
letter

in
in

my

from Dognazka,

However,

there

is.

a great

difierence between
places.

the flockworks of thefe two

That

at

Dognazka

confifts

of large and
in

very rich

veins, converging
:

and uniting
of fome

the
uni-

fame point

here

it

confifts

fiflfures,

ting in a middle of ten fathom diameter,

and
the

mixed with dead rocks.

run of the
fiflfures,

They have purfued

in
it

and funk

a fhaft

of fome
in

fathoms depth, but without any fuccefs either

the drift or depth.

and

loofe

clay,

The vein {gang-art) is now and then fprinkled

grey

with

quartz and fpath, and containing various coloured

and yellow copper

fort,

pyrites, which, if of the richeft

contain

feventeen pounds

of copper per
this

hundred weight.

A hundred

weight of

cop-

per contains one dram and two denarii of

filver

and

gS

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

this filver

and a mark of
gold.

two and a half denarii of

They cannot

yet part either the filver or

it

the gold, but they hope to do

ter fmelting procefs.

by a future betin the

The works

mine are

crippled.

Wherever they found fome ore they

took
it

eagerly

out, but left the

asthey broke
that the

off.

Hence

arofe

fo

work as foon many holes,

work refembled rather than of miners. They have not

furnaces

thofe of rabbits

yet any fmelting

of

their

own
I

accordingly they fend

their ores to the filver furnaces at Cfertes.

In the afternoon

continued
fide

my way

to

Nag-

yag

and paffed the other

of the Maros over

high mountains, confifting of argillaceous rocks,

mixed with mica and

argillaceous
flate.

flierl,

and covered with

I

After three hours ride

It

reach-

ed the village Nagyag.

to the town, which
is

has given

its

name

one hour and a

fince
it

half's jour-

ney higher up
place

in the hill?,

was the nearcft

I

when

thefe gold-mines

were difcovered.

got here oxen to

my
fit

carriage, becaufe the

little

Hungarian

horfes,

for plain countries,

would

not have anfwered thefe deep and high mountains.

Towards night I arrived at Sekeremb, the proper name of the place commonly known under that
of Nagyag.
in

All around you

fee

but

forefts,

and

valley

fome hundred houfes,

bing- places,

flamp-mills

(Pochwerke)

feme large wafhing

houfes

TEMESWAR,
houfes, the
fituation of

^c.

LETTERXI.

97

council-houfe, and a church.

this place,

The

and the coldnefs of the

weather, are

unfit for hulbandry.

is

The

trade of

the inhabitants
it.

mining, and what belongs to

The

timbering of the mines, and the conlump-

tion of the inhabitants,

have cleared the

forefts lo
is

much

that

the timber for the mines

to

be

fetched from abroad floated on the Maros^ which

paffes at the foot of the mountains.

The
;

noble-

men,

as

lords of the ground, have

no objection
nay, they

i^gainft this
^

clearing of their forefts

keep great

herds

of goats,

to

prevent their

growing up again.
his

Every nobleman keeps on

;

ground an

inn, to fell vi^ine to the m.iners

and

as the proprietors

of the mines have engaged to

their

difcharge every

month what

workmen may
it

owe

for wine, they have allowed for

the liberty
vir'ant-

to cut

down

in the forefts

whatever m.ay be

ine: for their

mines and

buildino-s.

The mountains

are here entirely

compofed of

our metallic rocks (Saxum metallifcrum) which

are covered with red argillaceous clay.

The

gold

mine owes

its

difcovery to accident.

A Wallachian^
came
mine
to

whofe name was Armenian John, of

a rich filver

my

father, then pofTeifed

at CferleSy telling

him, that

as

he conftantly

obferved a flame iffuing from and playing upon

a
fiffure in

theiV^^j^^

foreft,

he v/as of. opinion,

that

98

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

that rich ores muft be hid under ground.

My father
liften

was fortunately adventurous enough to

this

to

poor man's

tale

and accordingly he drove

the JVallachian

a eallerv in

the ground, which

had pointed out.

The work went on fome

years

without any fuccefs, and

give
it

my

father refolved to
a
laft drift to-

up.

However, he made
fifTure,

wards the

and there he
ores,

hit the rich

firft

black

and lameliated gold

which

were looked
really

upon

as iron

glimmer, but appeared what

fire.

they are as foon as aflayed by

accident caufed

This happy

my

father to purfue the

work

to

the utmoft of his power; accordingly he dillri-

buted fome

fliares

among

his

friends,

and had

the works carried on with regularity.

Soon
hading

after

they difcovered, befides the Ergezehaw and the

white fijftirei three other

fiflures in the

fide,

and a foaring

fifiiure,

which, moftly parallel

among
Thefe
flate

themfelves, run in the direftion of the valley from

fouth to north, dipping from weft to

veins break
ofi^ as

eaft.

foon as they reach the red

valleys.

which covers the

to you,

The

caufe

is

obvious

and gives

me good

hopes, that whenever

we

fhall

chace thefe veins under the plane, on

flate is

which the

fuperincumbent, their run will

fince then

be uninterrupted,
to intercept
it.

no caufe remains

In the oppofite mountain

we have

difcovered
It

another

fifilire,

called

John Nepomuck.

has a

conftant

TEMESWAR,
conftant run to the

t^c.

LETTER

XI.
in

gg
whicli
to-

fame point north,

probably
gether.

all

thefe veins will crofs

and meet

The John
therto
;

Nepomtick vein has proved dead hinefts

however fome fmall

of ore have
us to hope

been hit already, and

that
tain.
it

thofe permit
in the afcent

will

prove richer

of the moun-

All thefe veins

fall,

and have been worked

al-

ready to fixty fathoms. It has been obferved that

thofe,

which towards the day or the turf were

filver

poor of

and rich of gold, proved

in filver

in

the

depth richer

and poorer

in gold.

The

reverfe happens with thofe that in the uppermoft

galleries yielded

more

filver

and

lefs

gold.

Hitherto we have the advantage to run our

ores

by the

galleries

immediately
;

to

the bing

places and llamp mills

and many years ago we

draining gallery, which
the prefent

begun
goes

erb flollen )

thirty
;

fathoms depth under

deepeft fole

nay, the nature of the ground alItill

is

lows us to think of a

deeper gallery.
driven twelve fathoms

Our
in

draining gallery

a bed
clay.

of coarfe blunt pebbles

mixed with
it

fome

Had
a

it

been more indurated

Breccia.

would

have proved
the red

fine

Then

followed

fiiivery

clay,

through which we have

2

forced

ICO

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

forced our way 370 fathoms length.

At

prefent
as

we work

in fandflone,

which grows harder

that
it

we

go on, and gives good hopes

fathoms
drift the veins

we
it.

fhall

reach

the micaceous clay rock, and in

after a

twenty

which

crofs

.The mouldering and foul quality of

ferent ftrata has
difficult.

thefe dif-

made our

galleries expenfive

and

To

have

at all events

proper

air

condudlors, and
it

the requifite

room

for the water channel,

;

was

to be twelve foot high

and the

fides

and roof

were to be faftened by oak door Hocks, each a

foot thick, and fet clofe together.

At

the entrance of the gallery

is

a fan ventiin

lator brifkly turning

by a water-wheel

a clofe

room, whence wooden air-pipes and condudlors

convey the
its

air at

the bottom of the drift, and caule

requifite circulation.

The

condudlors (ivelter-

Ictten) confift

of four boards nailed together, and

made
dull,

tight in the joints

by a cement of

clay, tile-

and tallow.
are extremely
fee in

The workings
would
rejoice to

regular.

You
nay

many
and

places four,

ven five platforms one above another continually

yielding the richefl ores
pleafe
;

it

would

certainly

you to

find in

many long

drifts a

roof of

three or four foot large veins,

which enfures to

the proprietors rich dividends in future.

The
miners

TEMESWAR,

i^c.

LETTER

XT.

lOI

miners are not allowed to work

in the richer veins,

Being nicely but near them in the hanging fide. laid open that way, the Ible is wiped clean, cloths
are

fpread upon
in

it,

and then the vein

is

taken

down
at the

the prefence of an officer.

This they do

end of any working day, or

;

at the

end of the
the ore

week

and prevents not only

it

fpilling too.

amono; dead rocks but Healing

By

the Daniel-fljaft the air

is

conduced

into the

deepeft drifts, and the conveying of the ores in

the galleries promoted.

The

vein rocks

confift

of red feld-fpath and

white faponaceous quartz, (fetter quartz.)

The richer
black-grey
-,

ores are lamellous,

fplendent and

the lamellcE

to

be feparated from

each other by a needle as thofe of mica.

They

may

be cut and bent.

rich fpecies
is

Another

finely

woven

into the

fubftance of a bleak

reddifh feld-fpath,

refem;

bling the arfenical white ore from

the
fire

Saxony

but

proves

it

to be native filver,
its

of ayellowifh

colour, on account of

mixture with gold.

Among the
Another
ton ore.
It

rich lamellous ores

now and thenoccot-

curs native filver

mixed with gold.

is

rich fpecies
confifts

called

by the miners

of

little

native filvery gold

{ticking in an ar-

grains, in a black gold

mulm,

gillaceous matrix.

The

102

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

other ores are
likewife

The

lamellated, but
into
their

thefe larr.eliai are but thinly fprinkled

fubftance.

Some

are entirely finiilar to the fcaly

antimony and

(lain

the

fingers

-,

others have a
in

mixture of black lead lamellae, which

veffels are unafFe6led

clofed

by

fire,

but under the mufle

In the midft of this

yield a fmall corn of gold.

ce

is

very often found a radiated cryftallized, but

a

commonly

fcaly

and plumofe grey antimony.

Antimonhim plumoftim.

Red
.

folid

and cryftallized

arfenic, calx or orpiment,

7nixta,

calx arfenici^ fulphtire

rubra.

Cronedt.

241.

n.

2.

and

fine

grained cinnabar, are not

uncommon.

All thefe

femi-metals brought to the couppelle leave figns,

nay now a^idthen fmall grains of gold.

The
to the

richer ores are in

wooden troughs
under oath.

carried

feparating rooms, and there as nicely as

poflible feparated

by

officers

The

richeft fpecies contains

in a

from ninety

to

340

ouncesof filver
filver yields

hundred vveight; and each mark

is

200, to 210 denari gold, that

to fay,

twelve or thirteen ounces gold, or two parts gold

and one part

this ore, yields

filver.

The rock

feparated

from
filver,

from
and

fifteen to

twenty ounces

and

this

from 160 to 170 denari gold per mark.

ofTal

The

fplittings

of

this ore

gives

from

twenty-five to thirty ounces filver, and. this from

180 to 190 denarii gold.

The

TEMESWAR,
The
by iron
fievcs.
firll

<^c.

LETTER
pieces,

XI.

IO3

poorer ores are feparated in the wafh-works

The
fieve,

greater

which do
firft

not pafs the

and thofe that pafs the

and lecond, are with hammers feparated from the

dead rocks.

Thofe that

pafs

through the third

and fourth are taken care of by the fieve-mafters, and the duft running through the remaining
is

fieves

waflied on the

common

hearths.

Thefe pyri-

tous ores give two or three ounces filver, and this

in

the

mark from

feventy to

112 denarii gold.

The

feparated dead rocks of this ore are ftampr,

and with the

common

ores pulverized and wafiied.

this

They yield one or one 4- ounce of filver, and per mark from loo to 130 denari gold.
Whatever
care

you may take with fcamping

richeft

and wailiing the

Nagyag

ores, the

belt

microfcope will not difcover any flake of native

gold.

Counlellor Scopoli has chemically analyfed

in his

them

Anno

iv. Uijlorico-'Naturuli.

P'rofeflbr
treatife in

Schreber

has

given a trandation of his

his coUeflion

of Finance Trafts,
will

You

have read

them, and you

to

have perhaps an opportunity

examine theconftituent parts of this unique gold-

ore and

Mr.

Scopolis' Efiays.

The
in iron

ores are afiayed every

month, and accordare

ingly feparated.

The

richer ones

pounded

mortars, fprinkled with water, put into

facks.

IC4
facks,

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

and together wich the fprinkled ores and

wafnings carried by horfes over the mountains to

the royal market at Zalathna, there to be afiayed

again by a royal aflay-maller,

and to be paid

accordingly to the proprietors.

The
three
are

ores being watered they count at Zalathna

pound per hundred weight lefs. 2. They charged Imelting expences two florins a hun3.

dred weight.
for

And
well

five

per hundred
filver.

fire lofs

the

gold

as

as for the

After
is

thefe previous deductions the

to

mark gold
-,

payed
fil-

the proprietors

300

florins

and the mark

ver nineteen florins thirty cruizers.

Victuals being extremely dear at Nagyag^ as

being carried there by

men

or horfes, the wages

in

of the workm.en are higher here than

other places.

many

Thefe and the

fix to

common mining exflorins a

pences amount from

Neverthelefs a

10,000

month.

dividend of eight, ten, nay of

is
;

20,000
the

florins

diftributed every
fo

month among
filver

proprietors

that

in

twenty years time

above four millions of florins gold and

been produced
in this

have

Angle place.

The
majefcy

proprietors
the

have transferred upon her

the principality or

Emprefs-queen

the right of regulating the mining works.

Her

majefty was

pofi^efl^ed

of fixteen

fliares

or adions.

However,

the proprietors are in cafes of impor-

tance

TEMESWAR,
tance
ftill

l^c.

LETTER
At

XI.

I05
the

afk'd

their opinion.

prefent

works are under the diredion of Mr. Daniel CaHe is a miner eilano, her majefties barmafter.
of great experience, well acquainted with the nature

of thefe mountains and fucefsful

in his

un-

dertakings.
built

He

is

the

firft

in TranJJylvania

who

regular flamp-mills, and demonflrated the

advantage of the Hungarian ftamp and wafhingmills to thofe that objeded,

by clearing

in afingle

day 300 weight flampt ores with feven ftamp and

wafli-mills

built

at

Nagyag.

The

fcarcity

of

water has
to

very often in dry weather put a ftop

therefore the proprietors
are building

them

at prefent a great water refervoir in a higher

ground,

in order to fupply the mills durino; dry weather.

LETTER

IC6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OP

LETTER.
rr'RANSSTLVANIA
defervcs

XII.

Zalathna^ July 15, 1770.

to

be exami-

ned by a naturalift endowed with a proper

All the mountains of this

knowledge of minery.
metals.

beautiful country are full of figns of undifcovered

Had
I

not had a time prefcribed, within

to Sbeimnz,
is

which
have

was

to return

fliould not

left fo

fcon a country which

fo interefting

to m.e, not only for being

my

native country but

It

for being fo rich in natural curiofities. certainly have

would

made me

rich

amends

for the pains

of

my enquiries. The beft and

only reputable book on the

is,

Na-

tural

Hillory of 'Tranffylvania
Keres-eer Auraria

Samuel Kcleferi

from

Romano Dacica. Printed at

author, a learned phy-

Hermanfladt 17 17.
fician,

The

and

afterwards infped:or- general of the

in this

Tranjjyhaninn mines, has

valuable book

rather defcribed the antiquity and florifliing ftate

of the Dacian mines during the reign of Trajan,

than their produftions and natural circumitances.

With

greater

prefumption but

lefs

learning

a,

certain jeluit, P.

Fridwahky, attempted of

late

the

TEMESWAR,

l3c.

LETTER
bur the

XII,

107

the Mineral Hiftory of T'ra^ijj'ylvania.

His book
title,

has nothing to tempt you

rdlogia 'Tranjjylvani^,

Aline-

The

materials of this dull

falfe ac-

performance are a variety of good and

counts compiled from able but generally ignorant

miners, which the good-natured pried was unable
to

make

ufe of; falfe denominations of minerals

arifing

from want of knowledge-,

fit

half a dozen

pious
fips
;

tales,

for the entertainment of old gof-

fome

authorities taken

from Kokfer-, abfurd

indudions, confequences and conjeflures, arifing

from a thorough ignorance of chemical and mineralogical principles

;

and a good deal of

gentlemen,

civility

and compliments

to thofe

who

enter-

tained P. Fridwalzky with hofpitality in his excurfions of mineralogical knight-errantry.

Even

the

language, in which
fcribed,
is

all

thefe fine rareties

are dev/ith

fuch bad Latin,

and

fo

overdone

flourifhes, that

one

is

in

want of the
.

fenfe

of

CEdipus to guefs that of P. Fridwalzky

I fliall

have perhaps an opportunity to converfe with

this

highly celebrated T'ra'njj'ylvaman mineralogifl

;

at Claufenburg

then

will
in

tell

you v/ho he

is,

and whether perhaps

expe(5l

future times

we may
fhow

fome amends

for the fingular raree

cf
of

his

former performance.
noble country forces

my

The me

mineral hiftory
often to a dein

fire to

make

here a

fl"ay

of fome years,
it

order to

fatisfy

my

curiofity,

and to hunt

over in the
remoteil

Io8

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

remoteft corners.

At

prefent

can only ufcfuUy

is

employ
therefore

the
I

fhort

flay

which

allowed

mt-,

went the 13th from Nagyag to Za-

lathna here to examine the neighbouring mines.

Our

metallic rock

(Saxum metaUiferum) compofes

Thefe

the mountains, over which the roughnefs of the

roads

allows no ride but on horfeback.

arorillaceous

rocks are two hours journey beyond

Nagyag,
reddifli

either entirely

bare

or covered with a

indurated

fhivcry clay.
rifes

Near Barzcha,

a IVallachian village,

ftill

higher calcareous

mountain, fuperincumbent
tioned ground.
It (liews

on the before-men-

every where indications

of copper
ed for
it

ore,

and fome adventurers have work-

without fuccefs. Near the village Glut the

mountains flope into the plains and the limeftone

difappears, inftead of which the red fliivery clay
is

feen again.

Being difTolved
all

in its furface into

a red mould,
Jfeems

the

country about

Zalathna

to

be red coloured.
place,

After a five hours

ride I

reached this
it

which

is

at prefent, feat

what

was

in

'Trajan's

time, the

of the

upper court of mines.

tions

The many

old infcrip-

offering

hereabout,

and mentioning the

Procuratores Aurariarum Daciae and the Collegia

Aurariorum^

eftablifhed

in

thefe

parts,

make

Zalathna extremely interefting for antiquarians.

Zamofci, Laziws^
Kolefer

and

Fridwalzky have

compiled

TEMESWAR,
place
is

^c.

L E TT E R X

1.

109
1 his

compiled and publillied thefe

fituated
in

infcriptlons.

a pleafant valley, interfedied

by the river Ampoi.

The
pair to

IVallachians confider this

town

as the

mere-

tropolis of their nation in TranJJylvania^

it in

and

the market days.

The

greater pare

of the buildings are inhabited by

cers.

mining

offi-

The
here

adminiftration

of the mines eftablifhed

in

differs

from

that

the

Bannat

in

this

circiimftance, that every fociety of actionifts

as

may

they

pleafe

work

their

mines

independant

of the royal

officers,

under the condition how-

ever to deliver their gold

office

and

filvcr in the royal

florins

at

a fixed tarif
florins

of 300

gold, and of 19
filver,
lofs.

30 cruziers the

mark mark

with

a dedu(5lion of five per 100 for fire

Societies, that

have not got any dividends,

have now and then allowed them a higher price.

The upper
but

diredion

is

fubordinate
at

to

the
\

^ranjfyhanian chamber offinances

this in refpeft to the

Hermanftadt

mines to the court cham-

ber of the mines at Vienna.

The
ferent

juftice

of the mines

is

independant of

this
difis

direction,

and decides the variances of the

focieties

and the miners.

Befides there

a royal gold office, where at certain days the wafli-

^oldof the PFallacbidJ/s and

gipfies

is

bought

at afet-

tied

no

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

two
florins thirty cruizers

tied price at

per pifeth;

three pifeth three denarii being equivalent to one

ounce of gold. by mercury,

This
oflice
it is is

If the gold be already purified

bought
a

fifteen cruizers dearer.

great advantage for the poor

it

Wallachians^ fince they are enabled by

to

fell

every week without impofition whatever be their

fmall
provifion.

As commonly

the gold-grains

fold to this office are fcarce three or four denarii

weight,

it

is

impofTible to alTay each feparately,

their

and to pay them according to

real value.

proof and
of an equal
in-

Hence

arifes the neceffity

price, without

any refpefl to their different

teriour value,

and confequently an opportunity and heighten the

filver filing,

for the Wallachians to adulterate

weight of
as foon
rity.

their gold

by a mixture of
its

as

they are convinced of

fcarce

fuperior pu-

You
trifiino;

would imagine

that thefe fmall

and

grains

of the Wallachians^ amount

every year

in the

whole country from feven hun-

dred to a thoufand weight of fine gold.

Not

to lofe any time

haflened after dinner to

the rich

Maria Lcretto gold-mine on the Facehay

After
reached the foot
argillaceous

mountains, near Zalathna to the north.

half an hour's journey
I

of the
fu-

mountains, covered with

flate,

perincumbent on grey
tains
rife

horn-flate.

The mounhigh

o;entlv;

however, at rfl fmht of their

TEMESWAR,
high elevation they
ceffible.

if^c.

LETTER

XII.

Ill

feem to be deep and inac-

At

an elevation of 150 fathoms the an-

cients

have driven the Sigifmund gallery.

traditional faying
it

Acin

cording to a

was begun

the fifteenth century, under king Sigifmund^ and

yielded then
its

amazing

treafures

but confidering

having been cut through a

folid hard horn-

ftone, above 300 fathoms

hio-h, its fides beino- fair

in length

and

fix

htl

and even

as ftone-cutters

work

and the length of time requifite to work

is

out fuch a long way without blading, one

inclined
flaves
to

rather

look upon
to

it

as a

work of Roman
Perhaps the
Si~

condemned
It is

the mines.

works were only taken up again under king

gifimmd.

remarkable that

this gallery

is

dri;

ven

in a ftraight line
it

and direflion to the

fiffure

and hence

appears to demonftration, * that the

to apply

Romans knew
* If
it

geometry

to fubcerraneous

was proved to demonftration that the Sigifmund galis

lery really

Roman work

however, we need not be anx-

ious about their fubterraneous geometry.

The

Grctta diPatt-

filippo, the fubterraneous aquedufts from Lago Albano near

Caflel Gandolfo, the ftupendous Cloaca

maxima

at

Rome, and

many

other of their buildings, are unqueftionable evidences

ficill

of their

under-ground

and they might,

as well as

our

common

miners in Derbyfbire, with a fimple board, or rude

tabula pratoriana, take up the fubterraneous angles, and

by

that means, without any magnetical needle, hit under-ground

whatever point they pleafed.

(Tranll.)

v/orks

112

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

In the roof of this gallery

works of this nature.

are

fome

indications of former
to

air-condudors,
its
is

and thefefeem

have been confideredin

height. croiTed

The
by

vein runs from fouth to north, and

the above gallery, which runs in weft.

^artz and
ferous pyrites.

Hornone

(Petrofilex Cronedt,

62.) are the vein-rocks, in

which

offer the auri-

Thefe contain from two upwards

to ten, twenty, forty, nay fometimes

more ounces
grey clay,

of gold,

efides

an auriferous pyrites of four

ounces value,

they find a

common

which yields fome gold by waiing.

This mine
is

not at prefent

under the moll

it

fortunate circumftances.
is

Superincumbent on
flate,

grey clay and argillaceous

to be the rocks

which probably

feem

of the Maria mine, fituated

fomewhat higher
fmce
I

to the

w eft.

could not fee

it

was to examine the famous Loretto mine

fathoms above SigifimirJ mine

and then the return.

About met with

fifty

the fandftone,

which
is

is

the

rock of

Loretto^ and

accordingly
flate.

fuperincumbent on

argillaceous
finer

The

gallery was driving in a

yellowifli fandftone.

Cos particidis diflinis.

is

Then

followed a fpecies of ftone, which

called

backone

and
by

confifts

of blunted
clay.

rocks ferruarenacea,

minated
Cront.
.

common

Breccia

275.

Afterwards came grey hornftone,

Petrofilex,

E S

WAR

^c.

LETTER

XII.

I I

Pilrojikx, in
diltant
nino;.

which two

veins, fourteen

fathoms

from and

parallel to each oilier, are run-

One

is

called the filver

the

other the

gold vein.
fications.

Both have fmaller concomitant rami-

The

filver vein contains auriferous falfilver

low ore, yielding up to eight ounces of

hundred, and
its

per

filver
;

twenty and more denarii

of gold

in

the
ill

mark
it
is

however, according to a

conimon

opinion againft the filver mines in

Tranylvaniat

not working.

They
is

are

the

more

afTiduous in the s:old vein.

a

In the midfl of the grey hornftone

round

cone or wedge of fandftone,

the turf
It
is

as

forced in from
iti&x.

from two
in
it

to three

diameter.

They

have funk

a fhaft eight fathoms deep.

This fandftone

confifts

of a variety of luccefilve

coarfe and fine grained, grey and yellow horizontal

compact fandftone beds, of a

,

different thick-

nefs

fome being not above one

inch,
a

fome above
particular

a foot in thicknefs.

Every bed has

arifes

gold mixture, which

pyrites
ftrata.

from the auriierous

in thefe fandftone

fprinkled

more or

iefs

One

of the

inferior

beds for example

yields four

ounces, the fuperincumbent one loo

fifty,

ounces, another two ounces, another

nother
ftill

and

a-

fuperior to

thofe

200 ounces

o-old

per hundred weight.

the famples which
I

As

far as I

may judge by
it

have taken with me,

I

feemed
to

14

TRAVELS THPvOUGH THE BANNAT OF

that the finer grained fandftones are the

to

me

richeft.

However, the

infpeiTtor

and chief prothis obfer-

prietor,

Mr.

IVeiJfe, allured

me, that

vanonis not general.

Another
the grey

circumftance

in

this
I

problematic
obferved in

mountain puzzled

me

ilill

more.

hornilone a great

number of round
Ax. firft I

holes, three or four inches deep.

con
\

fidered

them

as the

remains of blafting-holes

but enquiring

after the reafon

I

of thefe

fo

nume-

rous mifcarried blallings,

was affured that thefe

that each of

holes are natural to the rock, and

them
I

naturally contains a blunted pebble.

in the greater part

Really

found
filex,

of them blunted pieces

of

or

of indurated clay,

which feem to

have been hardened and blunted by rolling before

they

were inclofed

in

this

hornilone.
It
is

here

frankly confefs

my ignorance.

impoffible for

me

to explain the origin of this paradoxical

mounfancy

tain, or

with the utmoft ftretchings of

my

to create a tolerable hypothefis.

See whether you

in

can

afiift

me,

or whether your obfervations

other parts of Europe enable you to explain this

pha^nomenon.
This mine
I fear will

not be long working

riches,
it

-,

be-

caufe, whatever

be

its

feems to be in

a diminilliing ftate, as the veins in the hornftone

begin to break off; and after the draining of the

little

TEMES_WAR,
little

&c.

LETTER

XII.

II5

flockwork of auriferous fandftone no great

left,

hopes feein to be
to

nor any probable chance

make new valuable

This
is

difcoveries within the fmall

is

compafs of a ground which

mountain.
as,

at the

top of the

the

more

to be

apprehended,

by an unaccountable ncglefl, they have not thought in fo rich a mine of a deep gallery or
drift,

which

being

driven

a-crofs

the whple

mountain, would moil certainly have laid open,

whether or no there are ether veins and riches

under-ground.

They have but of late begun

v/ill

to

drive a gallery under the pit, which

enable

them

to

fmk

it

ten fathoms deeper.

The

ores of the Fr.ce bay

mountain are remark-

able phrenomena for mineralogifts.

Common pyrites
fome
;

of no promifing appearance contain from two to

600, nay to 900 ounces gold.

On
form

pyrites the
it is

gold appears

in a metallic

on others

fprinkled as Spanio

(nu^ {BrunrJcFs new

edition of
is

Cronfiedfs Mineralogy ) on
to be difcovercd

many

others

no gold

by the ftrongeft microfcopes.

finefl

This fpecies may be ftampt to the

powder,

and no waHiing will produce the kaft fufpicion of

any gold- dull.

The workmen know

fight,

their

inner value at

firft

and they are

fo

very ^ilful in feparating

the ores according to their value, that the afiay-

mafter of the proprietors makes no other forting,

I

but

Il6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

fort a general

but takes of each

they are delivered

proof; whereupon
furnaces
to

to

the

royal

be

aflayed again by a royal officer, and to be

their thus

paid

dated value.

Any
mufle,

bit

of thefe pyrites
other
fire,

brought under the

the

or to any

gold appears
little

prefently fweating out on the furface in

glo-

bular grains.
ores

The fame happens

to

with the gold-

from Nagyag.

This circumftance has caufed

fuppofe,
that the confti-

fome mineralogifts

tuent parts of the gold, hid in the fubflance of

the ore, unite by the
parts,
fire,

and that the wanting

probably the requifite phlogifton, being

heat, facilitate the operation.

added by the

The

ftamp-ores, confifting

commonly of

fine

pyrites, fprinkled in

the hornftone, and digging

next to the veins, are roafted to

tle.

make them
lofs to

brit-

But

that caufes a fenfible

fire

the pro-

prietors, fince the

expelling the gold from

the fweating hornflone in the form of a fine duft,

this precious

powder
of the

is

too eafily carried

away by

the

waters
is

flamp trough.

This bad

pradice

entirely

owing

to

the nature of their

Itainp- mills.
peftels

Their

pound-rammers or grindbeing armed

inftead

(pochempel)

of

iron

{poch-eifen)

with black or grey hornftones,

form,
the
roafting
to

cut

into

the

requifite
is

of

their hornftones

necefTary

in order

make
them

TEMESWAR,
them
brittle.

^f.

LETTER

XII.

II7

In general, thefe

ftamp-mills are
,

extremely imperfed:.
cordingly every
rain

They

are uncovered
carries

ac-

and flood

away a

good deal of

their pulverized ores.

Their water
great lofs of

wheels are too fmall; hence

water.

arifes a

The

dull channels are of the fame width,

at all
-,

and have no inclination

as a feparating the
I

hence no fuch thing

dull.

richer

from the poorer

have fliown

all

thefe deficiencies to

the mill-

mafter, and to convince

him of
I

the

bad confe-

quences of his

flam ping,
laft

caufed fome fands

from the

firft

and

channel, and even from the

flood or the brook that runs by, to be waflied in

his prefence,

which

clearly fliewed
rich,

that

all

thefe

fands are equally

and that the gold

lofs

in the

brook-fand

is

downright

to the proprietors.

But

for

fuch

people old cufliomary pradices are

above reafon and convicHon.

Four hours journey from Zalathna

is

to the eaft

Abrud-hanya^ the formier feat of the upper mine-

council.

Red, and now and then grey

our metallic rocks,

fchiftous

clay, covering
all

appeared in

the mountains about Abrud-banya.

Igrie^

The

mofl;

remarkable ones are

Cfetate^ Baylor^
It
is

Koma,

Orla, Kirnizel, ajid Kirnik.

impofTible for

you

to

form an idea of
is

their

workings.

The
fide

whole Kirnik mountain

perforated with

from every part and

galleries,

many hundred
I

which

do

Il8

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

into
its in,

do not penetrate above Ibme fathoms

ner parts.

Though
its

this

feems to be extremely
it is lefs

bungling
the

and aukward,

fo in refpeft to
Its

nature of

fiffures

and vtins.

nume-

rous gold-v^eins are thin and fhcrt.

turers have

The adven-

allowed a
as

field

of three fathoms in
in

the

hanging and

much

the hading fide.

vertical

They commonly
fifiure,

begin

working on a

(feiger kluft.)

which they work

it

for fix or

feven fathoms;

then

begins
it

to

dip and to
fiat
;

be
is,

inclined,

and infenfibly
the nature
yields

turns
this

that

according to
turns
rich

of

mountain,

it

and

native

gold.
flat

But

it

continues fcarce above two fathoms

ble
;

and noofi\
is

fince fuddenly

it

turns again and breaks

The

miner knows by experience, that

fiflTure
;

now

he

at

the end of his hopes oh this

therefore he

drops
till

it

for another, or fearches in the old drifts,

he meets with fome v/orthy remains of the old

man.
ries

Hence

that innumerable quantity

of galle-

or holes.

A
is

Roman

infcription, decorated

with miner-

inilruments like ours, and found near this place,

an evidence that the B.cmai2s worked here.

Nov/ and then extremely

are
at

rich

and

fhovv-y ores

found

however, the proprietors, being often

feveral

work during

weeks

Vv'ithout

any fuccefs,

are generally "poor,

and think themfelves happy by

;;etting

TE ME
p-ettin

SV/

AR, ^c.

LETTER

XII.

II9
or

week the fcanty revenue of

three

one

i-

florin.

The
in his

greater part of the nihabitans

have no trade but

this

mining.
,

The

father

is

com-

monly buried

mine

the fon carries the ores

tothemill-, and
ing.

thewomcntakecare of theirftamp-

The

chikiren gather the fands and the

is it

mud,
it

which by rains
the mills, and

carried in the valley, bring

to

generally yields fome gold.

To
is
it

have

this

fmgular Kimik mountain the

better examined, a gallery

gco fathoms

in

length
;

driven under

it

at

her m^jefty's expence

but

has

crolfed only

fome deaf veins, has freed

the workers from

prefent to
their

the

day

v/aters,

and

is

hh
i:

at

further difpofition.

The

valley
called

in which the ftamp-ores are preparing

Voros Patak,
that there are in

do not cxagerate
it

in telling

you

above 300 ftamp-miils, wliich

an

kt

at

work

miake a noife ^0 as to be heard at

hour's didance.

But they

are

as

tlic

common

flamp and wafn- works of the

gipfies,

without any

covering, and with angle fand-channel, Infteadof

the ftamp-iron they ufe here a grey hornflone from
Korofbanya, which P. Fridzvalzky
is

pleafed to call

calcedony.

cannot be convinced of the affertion

of the mine

officers, that tliey

lofs
tell
,

ftamp and v/afn here

with

without any

and you

will rather agree

me, v/hen

you, that the inhabitants of a

live entire-

neighbouring village, called Kerfcnes,

I

ly

I20
ly

TRAVELS TMRCUGH THE BANNAT OF

thofe
at

upon the neglefl of

Ahrud-banya,

They
brook

dig holes, in which they

convey the fame

which runs through Voros-Patak valley,

v.-hich drives the

and another
at Bucfum.

ftamp and v^afh mills

The

fands carried in thefe ciilerns

are auriferous, and pay richly the pains of a

new
this

wafhing

at Kerpenes.

There
and

arc

fcveral
as

other gold-mines

in

neighbourhood
in

near Bucfum near Ahrud-Zeller

mount

VolJici.

They

confift generally

of

auriferous quartz veins, left by the ancients, and

now worked over

Near Zalathna^
tains, are Feter

again by the Wallachians.

in the

Barfa and Rufina mounKwgs, the

Saints,

Pauk

the ^hree

and

foi:ie others.
;

great

many more have been

to

abandoned

and

feveral

of them yield auriferous

lead-ore, nay,

fomc native gold, but

no great

advantage.
I

cannot pafs

filently

over the two mercurial

fiiil
is

mines

at Zalathna.
at

The

to the north

of

this place,

an hour's journey from Bumbrava,

(cinaharisfolida^ texturafquammofa,
in a vein,

The cinnabar ore

SqammisminirAis) breaks here

trix

and in a ma-

of quartz and
flate

fparr, inclofed in argillaceous

black

and fandftone.
is

The

vein runs from

a

north to fouth, but

leaping, often

fathom
is
is

thick, often comprefied and deaf.

The

fecond
ore

to the fouth in the Baboja mountain.

Its

granulated

TEMESWAR,
oranulated
runs
in limeflone.

^'c.

LETTER

XII.

121

cinnabar, digging in

a vein,

which

Probably the ancients dug

here great quantities of cinnabar.

At

prefent the

JVllachians feek here after the remains of the old

man.
late

Some

focieties

however have united of

workings
at Baboja.

to undertake

regular

The
at

mercurial ores are delivered to the furnaces

Zalathna^
is

but

the annual

amount of

clear

quickfilver
jt

not above three

tons.

They

clear

by common

dillillation in retorts

and alembics
truth, there
is

filled

with water.

If they told

me

of

late built

at Kisfalu^

near Claufenburg, a fub-

Jimating furnace for preparing fublimat-mercury

LETTER

122

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER
r'l^HE
-a.
firft

XIIL

mining place, which

met with
mines
father

the

i6th on

my

excurfion

to the

weft from Nagyag, was Cfertes.

here thirty years ago a
Trinity,

My

had

rich filver-mine,

called

which yielded a good revenue.

impofTible, and

But the

fituation

of the ground making a deeper drainthe

ing gallery
cient

want of

fuffi-

water for the pumping-engines forced us

it

to give

The mountains to Cfertes confift of metallic-rock, covered with common argillaceous

up.
flate.

But the Bogaja mountain,

which

in

which the

above mine was working, conGfcs of found compat hornftone

;

the

veins,

crofs

it,

are

very

rich,

and yield auriferous glafs-ore, clofely

woven

in the fubftance of the hornftone.

The

rocks are fo remarkably

hard,

that even with

little.

blafting the v/orks advance

but

P. Frid-

wahky
fet

advifed therefore in hisMineralogy to foften

thefe refraftory rocks

by bacon fufpended and

/

on

fire

before the drifts.

San^afmplici-

tas !

TEMESWAR,

^c.

LETTER

XIII.

123
un-

A
But

new
as
it

fociety

of adventurers has

at prefent

dertaken to drain this mine by a

is

to

be driven

new gallery. long way under

o-round, and neverthelefs cannot go any confide-

rable depth,

am

apprehenfive that, though the

fliould confifl

drained

part of the vein

of the

richeft ores, the

expences will hardly be cleared.

hills

In

the
in

adjacent

are

fome gold-works,

which
but

former times have given confiderable

dividends.

Thefe

are not in hornftone {petrofilex)

in metallic rock.

The

furnaces near Cfertes are employed with

the fmekings of the neighbouring focieties.

Want
have

of water makes them, often

inaftive.

The
had
in

Foiirage

mountains

near

Cfertes

former times

many

mines.

For the greater

part they are given up.

The

inhabitants of thofe

parts affured me, that pieces of native gold, not

lamellous but found as glafs-ore, had been found

there.
I

went from thence

to Topliza.

The mountains

confill there likewife ofthat grey argillaceous rock,

mixed with mica,

I

fherl or
call

quarz grains, which

have prefumed to

metallic rock

(Saxum

metalUferum.)

ceous

(late.*

They are covered with argillaThe veins are commonly a quartzous

and conftantly running from

auriferous

(lone,

fouth to

north.

Such

is

the vein of the Nepo-

mucky

124

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

S.

muck, Martmus, Rochus, Archduke Peter,

Jofeph^

Mary's Annunciation, Florian, Francis de Paula,

and the Holy Crofs

told that in

in the ^Magura

mountains.

was

Nepomuck native gold had been found

turf.

immediately under the

Some of thefe
fine

fif-

fures yield, befides their native gold,

auri-

ferous red filver ore.

In the Matire mountains they drive at prefent a gallery, in order to drain

fome old works

and
are

in

the

Fier and other adjacent mountains

fome gold-works, which now and then yield

confiderable pieces of native gold, but very often

are dead and deaf.

In thefe Toplitza mountains the gold

is

often
in the

found

in

lead-veins.

The fame happens

at Fuezes,

more

wefterly

mines

whofe rocks

in

the Malula

hills

are entirely correfpondent with

thofe at Topliza.
loofe marie
flate,

Near Fuezes
inftead of the

found a grey

common

argil-

laceous fhiftus, fuperincumbent on the metallic

rock.

Being diffolved by the

air,

and confider-

ed
line

as

common

clay,

it

had been employed to

the

inclofure of a water refervoir.

lining,

The

water diffolved the

waflied
its

and the refervoir

enclofure away.

Without enquiring

the reafon, the fame marie was

made

ufe of again

of

late,

and

laft
laft

fpring the fame

accident, hap-

pened.

At

they were fenfible of the blunder.

The

TEMESWAR,
The
five

t^c.

LETTER

XIII.

25

confequence of
accident

this

double unhappy expenif

would prove very happy,

peo-

ple

would learn thence

to conclude, that a

min-

ing officer fhould at leaft be

the

acquainted with

common

foffils

and

their qualities.
is

In Clemens near Fuezes there

native gold in

felenite, or gypfo fpatofo albo pellucido.

On

the oppofite fide of the Malula hills

is

"Trfztyan, a

place greatly

lenowned for

its

rich

gold veins,

and the magnificent fhowy pieces of

native gold which are found here every day.

As

they have received in Trcinjfyhania

native gold
is

a.

prin-

ciple, that

to

be found only im-

mediately under the furface of the horizon, I

was highly defirous to examine

to find perhaps

this

mine, hoping

fome arguments

againfl: that opi-

nion, fmce for a very long time

it

has been work-

ed to great advantage, and has produced an un-

common
horizon.

quantity of gold
if the

vvhich feems to

me

unaccountable,

vein did not dip under the

But the proprietor,

allows
-,

Count

Stephan

Gyulai^ fcarce

any imperial mine-officer

all

to vifit his

mine

and

the works, being fu-

perintended by a Wallachian^ are fo barbaroufiy

bunglino;, that a

man mull be

a JVallachian to

liazard his life for his curiofity,

in the fhafts

and to

flip

down
v/ith.

wherein no fuch thing as a ladder

is

or other proper affifcance

to

be met

Therefore

120

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

I

Therefore

was conlined to examine the nature

v.'hich
hills.

of the

mountain,

confifts

of the

fame

rocks as the Fuezes

Better

management would improve

this

noble

gold-mine

to a greater benefit for the proprietor.

Being worked only by Wallachians^ who never

neglect any opportunity to pilfer, a good deal of

the finer gold- ores the

workmen.

may pofiibly be concealed by Some years ago I faw myfelf in

Deva
a

the market place at

miner from Trfztyan

publicly felling fine famples of gold-ore.

Though
felling,

of

late

fome
this

fevere ordonnances are publifhed a-

gainft

illicit

thievery and

fample

fmce
it

it

lowers the benefits of the royal gold office,

will
lofs

however be very
an

difficult

to

prevent

the

of the proprietors, becaule any miner

opportunity to
feil his

may
about

eafily find

ftolen

goods to the Corfars.

in

This

fort

of people ramble

the

remoter mines, buying from the

little

proprietors their
ores,

provifions of ftampt gold-

which by themfelves would not bear the

carriage to Zalathna.
load, they deliver and

Having gathered
fell

their full

them

to the royal office.

This trade feems

but

to be an

advantage to the royal

office, as well as to the

poorer adventurers and pro-

prietors,

it

degenerates too eafily into a

com-

merce which proves pernicious

as the Corfars

to the richer works,

have certainly no objeftion to pur-

chafe the ftolen ores at a cheap price, and fufficient

fldll

TEMESWAR^f. LETTER
fkill to

XIII.

27

pound and
I

to

ores,

which they are

iii9;ht

mix them with the ftampt allowed to buy and to fell.

At

reached Boicza.

The mountains
which
at

hereabout connei5l
rival in
fides

with thofe,
I

my

ar-

^ranjfyhania

found ftretching on both

In gi;neral they
confifl:

of the Maros
this place to

river.

from

with limeftone. Hate or fand.

Deva of metallic rock, covered Some hills near

by an argillaceous cement

Boicza are deflitute of veins, confiding of blunted

rocks,

ferruminated

and refembling

Breccia.

The
by large

royal

mine

is

working

in

a variety of metallic rock, differing

fpecies
feldfpa!:h pieces

from the common

fprinked in
its

fubftance.

The uppermoil
in limeftone,

or
is

Anna

gallery

was driven

which

fuperincumbent on the metallic rock, and covers

large valleys
;

but the deeper gallery runs

in fand-

ftone

till

it

reaches the argillaceous rocks.

are

The
con-

veins and filires

taining

blendifh-leadglance,
filver.
I

fome gold and

have fome fim-

ples with gold immediately fticking on the blende

and the lead glance.

deeper gallery
vertical,
I

At

the tenth fathom of the

fifTufe

found an argillaceous
it

nearly

and

in

a great

number of blunted oval

opaque

tranfparent calcareous fparr-buUets v/ith

milkwhlte

ftripes,

refembling thofe of onyx.

Limeftone
minirnis)
is

(calcarius albus particulis gi^anulatis

hereabout a detefted ftone

among

the

miners,

128

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OP

filTures.

miners, finceit cuts their veins or

This

however fhould not difrecommend the calcareous

flones
;

fince,

according to the theory of luperinit is

cumbent mountains,
and depofited
in

of a more modern origin^

the valleys in which in former

fiflures bafletted out.

times the veins and

The
three

blcndifh lead ores contain here

commonly

ounces of

filver,

and the

filver fixteen denarii

of

gold per mark.

to be prepared in

The

flamp-ores are henceforth

three ftamp mills,

which are
at

at prefent building after the

model of thofe
ores

Shemniz.

They
;

ftand on a (loping ground, one

above the other

in a great

pulverized

to

be waflied

wafhing-houfe at the foot of the mounwill be fet

tain, in

which ten plane hearths

a^

work.

hundred weight of (lamp ore gives

fort

eight pounds of metallic powder, the upper

vieldino; fix the

lower two ounces of

filver.

The

mark of
It

filver

contains fixteen denarii or one

ounce of gold.

was impofiible for

;

me
but

to vifit the
I

many

other mines at Boicza

have got fome of

fi:ill

their ores as well as thofe of feveral

worl<.ing

mines

in

Tranjfyhania^ and thefe you will pleafe to

:

take notice of by this following catalogue

Auriferous pyrites
miini

in blueidi clay

argilla com-

plafika carulefcent^

from

llcrzigan

near

Boicza,

They do

not work here but on the old

man.

TEMESWAR,
Auriferous
Ginel near Boicza.
in the

<^c.

LETTER
black

XIIT.

129

pyrites in

hornftone

from

Nativ^e gold to be found here

fame matrix.
hair-filver

Native
place.

on lead-glance from the fame

this

The

rock flicking to
Ginel

fample proves

to

me

that the

mountains are metallic

rock.

Auriferous quartz from the old works

neai- Ruda

and Kriezur.
Native gold
in calcareous fpar

from Staniza.

Native gold
the fame place.

in ftarry radiate

antimony.

From

Native
kohoU).
left
I

gold

in

grey

fcaly cobalt

(fcherben

aflayed this cobalt, and had a gold o-rain

capell.

on the

The works
in

at Staniza are in

the Jeftiina and Dimbul mountains.

Auriferous
clay

pyrites

indurated lliivery black

from the

crofs gallery at Cajonel.

Auriferous pyrites on quartz from G^/y^^^gallery

at Cojncl.

Auriferous blende from the fame place.

Auriferous lead-glance
in

hardened white clay

a

from Kianya, where

at prefent

company has

united for working the lead-veins ofthat place.

Auriferous red filver ore on quartz from Trajka

near Trfztyan.

The
in.

vein runs in metallic rock.

Lead-glance
Zalathna.

quartz from Offen hanya near

a

Of late

company has united

to

work
there

the large lead-veins which have

been difcovered

J3O
there.

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

The
for

old works are of the fame kind,

it is

noc

known
lous.

what reafon they were given up many

Fridwalzky^s pretended reafon
nature of the rocks, that
is

years ago.

is

fabu-

The

to fay, ar-

gillaceous clay, fuperincumbent on our metailic

rock; the width of the veins

old bing-places
-,

the great

number of

and the marks of

thirty furnaces

hereabout, have co-operated to

into high fpirits,

raife the

company

and

to

undertake the works

with adivity
I

got neither famples nor creditable accounts

from the other Tranjfyhanian mines. However, to make my accounts of the known gold-works
as

compleat

as

pofTible, I will

give you

their

names, taken from P. Fridwalzky's Mineralogy. At 'Nagy-Almas^ to the weft from Zalathna^
in the Rudile
is

Bah a and Petrafack mountains, gold

antimony, and in a fpecies of ftone
to

found
is

in

which

unknown

me, and which P. Fridfame

walzky cd\h fpathor pyrites.

At Pojana
traft

in the Vertes mountains, in the

of land, the Wallachians hunt after ftampleft

ores

in the old

works.

In the year 1742 a

blueilh grey quartz vein with native gold was dif-

covered by rain in the Dimhul Kupiatra mountain.

It

had

its

direction

from

eall;

to weft

but
are

as

in general

the Tranjfyhanian

gold veins

very

inconftant

and

Iliort,

fo

proved

this

likewife.

TEMESWAR,
iikewife.

^c.

i^

E
it

TTE R

XIII.

I3I

After a

Iliort
off.

run
I

fliifted its direflioni

turned

and broke
obfcure

guefs from
that
it

P. Frid-

walzkfs
hornflone.

defcription

was

ia

At

Porkiire in the Cfetras

mountains the
;

Wdafter-

lachians

hunt

after ftamp-ores

which they

wards llamp and wafh

appeared Iikewife.

at their account.

In the

Vallkurcthe mountains marlcs of gold-mines have

At

Kiroanya^ a mining place

in the

bailli-

wick of

Wi(fe7jhurg and the Mayiira mountains, a

is

vein two fathoms thick

fmall auriferous
I referve

laid to be interrupted

by

fifilires,

the Tranjjyhanian gold-wafliings for

the defcriptiijn of

my

journey to Upper Hungary

and

defire

you

to

return with

me

to

Nagyag

for

the fake of fome iron and lead-mines on the other

fide

of the Maros.

The moft
is

remark;ible miningr
three hours joureaft,

place in the

Hunyad Comitat

ney from Vat da Hunyad to the

called Gyalter.
It

near a village
iron.

produces a good deal of

in

The iron
thoms

ores are

found here, as

many other //fix

garian iron mines in nefts, er ftocks

large,

or eight fa-

which have but an irregular and

I'he Kropilela mounores, confift of

uncertain direction to the fouth, and do not fink

into any confiderable depth.
tains,

which

ccp.tain

thefe

grey

and brown argillaceous

flate.

The

ores confift

of

1^2

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

in

of red and brown iron ochcr,

button-ore
is

which Ibmetirncs

wrapt up, covered with feather- like

iron cryfials, as the button-ore in the hidf-gottes

mine
this

at

Plauen
wifer

in

Bohemia.

The workmen
P. Fridwcilzky

call
is

button- ore iron-flowers.

-,

good deal

he

calls

it

antimony.

The
done
iron
in
is

fmeltinss have nothinq- pardcular, beinsr

a fort of fmall high furnaces
,

and the

beaten into bars in feveral hammer-works

along the Cferna.

The

Wallachians and gipfies

are in general blackfmiths and iron manufa<5lurers.

They
fire

ufc fmall

and low furnaces, and blow the

bellows
is

by portable
conftrutflion

made of bucks
;

fkin.

Their

very fimple

conlilling
air

of

a fmiple fewing of the fkin of an iron

fixed in the ntck,
fixed to the
fl^in

pipe

and of two wooden handles,

that covered the f^et.

The

an-

tiquity of thcfe iron-works appears

tion

by an

infcripColle-

found near Orow and fpeaking of a

gium fahrornm.
of the Porta
Turkey
jefture
is is

Perhaps even the denomination

or the pafs on the limits of

ferrea.,

hence derived.
entirely

This remark and con-

P. Fridwalzkfs.

Nearer towards the Maros^ and a village called

Kifmiines^y

have been found fome lead-veins

flate,

in ar-

gillaceous

which of

late

have been underthe road

1

taken by a private company.

calcareous
hills,

On

found
of

filled

with a great

variety

turbinites

TEMESWAR,
turbinites

Cffr.

LETTER
fliells.

XIII.

133
hills

and other marine

Thcfe

on the Maros are to be confidered as the foot of

the high mountains, vv'hich
valley, uniting

run by the Hacxeka

t\\(t

afterwards with

high Granite-

mountains, between

^ranjjylvania

and the Mol-

daw.

There
riofity

is

hereabout but a fingle natural cu1

remaining which
the door
I

cannot leave unnoticed.

Near

of

the deep Jofephi gallery at

No.gyag

have

found

an

iiill

about thirteen

fathoms high, con filling of an innumerable quantity

flat,

of regular pieces of metallic rock.

They
hill

are

and about a foot

in thicknefs.

This

can-

not pofTibly have been heaped together

by hu-

man
are

hands, nor

is

there any old

mine

to counte-

nance

this opinion.
fitted

Befides, thefe iivcrv (tones

exaftly

and joined one to another; are

vvith

not mixed

at all

any

otlier fpecies

of ilone,

and fpeak

at rd: figlit that

by fome accidental

caufe they are fplit and cracked into fo miany re-

gular
caufe

fifliires
?

and frag-ments.

But

v;hat accidental
to

concuiTion

fubfequent

the exfica;

tion of the rock feems to be a very probable one

but
as

have better rcafons to confider thefe flones

volcanic produdlions.

They

are

cfacoa.ier

texture than the

and are fonorous.

ftart

common metallic rock at Nar^a?. I know that mineralogifts will

opinion, as in
a grcai:

many

obje6lions againil this

134

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

are to be

a great diftance no exftinft vokanos

met

you would examine fpecies from the this Ihivery ilone, and a fimilar Samples of volcanic Euganean hills near Padua.
with.

Therefore

I defire

them you
which
I

will find

among the TratjJJyhaman foflTils,

have collefted for you.

LETTER

TEMESWAR,

^V.

LETTER

XIV.

35

LETTER.
FATIGUED
no accomodation
gers.

XIV.
24, 1770.

Near Foldwinz^ June

by the heat of the

clay I arrived

here, where, except fomegrafs for the horfes,

is

to

be had for the paffen-

Unable

to
I

fwallovv the four wine of

glafs

my

poor landlord,

drank a

of water.

think

of you, and write to you an abftrad of my journey

from Nagyag.
I

1 left

that place yefterday.

When
which

had paffed

the metallic rock-mountains,

are covered

with

flate, I got into a plain,

now
the

and then interrupted by argillaceous

then
left
I

llate-hills

reached

the

Marcs

to the right.

To

near Bobolna

ted clay and pebbles, as thofe near Boicza.

we had mountains of ferruminaThey

their

fcem to have been heaped and wafhed together

by the Maros, nce

lefs

Hoping to the river

tile

is

indurated, and a piece of

I

ferruminated

with other pebbles, which

is

found near the road,

and modern

good evidence of
.

their fuccelTive

origin.

The

hills

of the fame nature, which are

more

to

the north,

and thofe

at

Boicza^ which

are likewile

on

this fide

of die Maros^ had pro-

bably

136

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

this river

bably the fame origin, and accordingly feems to have fhifted

its

bed from fouth to north

and

to fnift

it

ever more fince the plains on the

it

other de do not confine

v/ithin conftant

bounds.
are

Hereabout, but on the other

fide

of the

river,

the Olapian plains, times imm.emoria] famous for

their gold-wafliings.

The furface
pebbles.

of thefe plains confifts of fands and

After the removal of the turf and of the

vegetable mould, thisfandy ftratum, two fathoms

thick, appears.

Times out of
by

m.ind

it

has been
It
is is

dug

out, and yielded gold

wailiing.
flate,

fuperincumbent
deftitute

on argillaceous

which
it is

of gold.
hills,

To

the

eafl:

and weft

fur-

rounded by
with thofe

which

in

the fouth

connefb

x\\'MCkY-^\diS.lVallachia
it is

from Tranjfyhania.
It

To
to

the north

adjacent to the Maros.

to

feems

owe

its

origin

fome inundation, perhaps

gold cannot polTibly be
;

even to the Maros.

The

confidered as produced in this plain

it is

pro-

bably wafhed by the rains from the adjacent goldfiffures

and depofited with the fands.

This con-

jedlure gains fome credit, becaufe gold has been

of

late

wafhed with fuccefs

years ago had been

in

luch places, Vv'hich

many

worked and wafhed out

already.

In the night
It
is

reached Carlwg^ a fine fortrefs.

my

birth place,

and

had here

my

education
till

T
till

ME
in

S \V

A R,

^c,'

LETTER
age.
It
is

XIV.

the eighth year of

my

pleafantly

fituated
flate

a plain, lurrounded
hills.

by argillaceous

and limefcone

met here with an

well ac-

Hungarian

nobleman, who was very

quainted v/ith the gold-wafhings, efpecially thofe

in Tra7tjfyhan:a.

He
I

gave

me

the following acto

counts,
Ihall

which

communicate

you,

fmce

have no opportunity to examine thefe wafhAll

the Tranjjyhanian the fudden
rivers

ings myfelf.

and

brooks,
ry rain

nay

even

and momentaare

and mountain
river
is

brooks

auriferous.

But the Aranyos

in

by

far the nobleil

of

all

that refpeft,

and

is

compared therefore by the

Wallachiam or gipfies.

Tranjjylvanian Hillorians X.oiht'Tagus ^nd Pa^olus.

The gold-wafhers
Thefe
idle

are either

gipfies are not in the lead refembling thofe

in

and lazy ones

Hungary.

They

are a labo-

rious people, and honeftly active for their liveli-

hood.

Some
;

are ftrolling fiddlers

;

and muficians
cattle

fome
horfes

blackfmiths

others

deal in

and

and the greater part has the gold-wafhing

bufmefs.

They pay

their poll-tax every year with

fome hundred
to

pifeths of gold-,

and

fell

good deal
il^ill

the

royal offices.

They have

great

in

finding and tracing out thofe places where gold-

wafning
confift

is

attended with fuccefs.

Their tools

of a board

tv/o or three feet wide,

and four
fides
v/ith

or five feet long,

commonly edged en both

138

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

Woollen
cloths are fpread
it,

with a wooden brim.

on

it,

and the fands, poured with water upon

leave the finer and heavier fediments in thefe cloths,

which afterwards are wafhed

in a great

water calk,

and then by the

from the gold.

common

fevering trough feparated

If the fands be

mixed with coarfer

crofs-furrows,
in

gravel, the board

has deeper

order to flop thefe coarfer fcones, and to examine

them

for

gold, which
in

often

is

found
is

vifibly

fprinkled

their fubflance.

Such

their

ma^

nipulation
all

at lopanfalva^

near

Ahruhanya, and

along the Aranyos.

Another pradice common

in "Tranjfyhania is to

dig pits, and to catch and flop in them the fand

and gravel carriage of the brooks,

fever

in

order to
I

them from the goid-dufl or

\

ores.
it is

have

obferved the fame at Kerpenes

at Zlathna

and

praftifed

on the Ardpoi

river, near the old

mer-

curial mines,

whofe crrriages contain a good deal

ore.

of mercurial

The

third

method

is

to fetch

the auriferous

vein rocks from the old mjnes, and to clear

them

from the gold both by pounding and wafhing.

This method
This
is

generally praclifed where plenty

it.

of water allows

morning

travelled over

a fine

culti-

vated plain to Enged.

Here

is

a Calvini acade-

my, and fome fchools of

that religion.

The

ad-

jacent

TEMESWAR,
jacent
hilis

^c.
;

LETTER

XIV.

I.

39

calcareous

the whole place built of

pale yellow

fandflone ferruminated

with lime.

The fandflone, filled with plenty of petrified (hells, and dug in the hills, which continued behind
Enged to Foldwinz^ and to the very place wheace
I

write

you

thefc lines.

LETTER

140

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER.
UNDER
life,

XV.
1770

Claufenburg, July 28,

the mofl tremendous thunder and

I

rain-ftorm, which
I

ever

beheld
at

in

my

arrived

the 24th

at
I

midnight

T^orda.

Behind the place whence

wrote you

my

lad the
the top,
I dif-

mountains are ever afcending.

From

whence
on

had

a fight

of the bafon oiTorda^

hillocks,

covered a great
this

many

fuperincumbent

high elevated ground.

Though

could

not examine their nature, they confift probably

of the
valley,

lame grey limeftone which

and ftretches to the Aranyos.

covers
'Torda
;

the
is

on

the other fide of this auriferous river

the fait

works half an hour's

an argillaceous (late
a great

diftance

from the town on

is

hill,

which

furrounded by

many

little

hillocks, faid to be calcareous,

and proving

at firft fight that

fait

they

owe their

origin,
fcas.

together with the

rock-mines, to former

The whole

plain on this high

ground contains

fo-

lid tranfparent fal-gemma:^

probably fuperirxumit

bent on fchiflus.

could not examine

myfelf,

and the miners were too unconcerned

to

know

whether

TEMESWAR,
whether their

l^c.

LETTER

XV.

141

falt-rocks

have a bafis of clay

all.

or of limeflone, or of any thing at

turf and

The

vegetable

mould which covers them

fhews commonly white efflorefcences of kitchen

fait,

which expofed to the fun tinge the whole

white.

furface with
either to

They

are to

be afcribed

the

evaporations of the

ground,

or

to the rain water running over the falt-bing places.

There

are

feveral

mines or

fliafts

funk

in

the fame falt-rock

is

ftratum.

Their conflruftion
is

particular.
in

As

foon as a fhaft

fjnk and
is

timbered

the upper earth bed, which

to fix

comthey

monly from three

cal pit, fo that

fathoms thicknefs,

reach the falt-rock, and

all

work down
the

in

it

a coni-

the miners are

employed on

the fame
[

fole.

The number of
firft

workmen
as

is

increafed

in

the

fame proportion
fight

the

cone

widens.

At

one
its

might believe the

thicknefs of thirty
;

whole

fait

ftock through

or forty fathoms confiding but of a fingle ftratum

but on nearer examination

it

appears to confift of

many accumulated
foot thicknefs,

parallel beds,

of one or two
horizontal or

which are

either

undulating and feparated from each other by a

thin layer of clay fcarce
line.

the thicknefs of half a

facilitates

This

natural

fepararion
is

the

breaking of the falt-rock, and

vantage
for to the

'the

more an adpaid only

workmen,

as they are

thofe pieces

which are eighty pounds, the

fm aller

142
fmaller

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

ones being thrown on the bing places
the rubbifh.

among

For

a piece of the requifite

,

weight they are paid half a groat

has the requifite bignefs
is

and whatever

carried to Carlurg^
I

whence

it

goes by the Maros Hungary.

defcended
all

with five gentlemen into the Therefia mine. Put

together in a wide fack of rope net-work, and

let

down

in the drawing-fhaft
fo

the fack contradled

by

our weight

much that only our heads peep'd

let

out.

miner was above our heads clinging to the

us down,
to avoid our

rope which

clalhing

asainft the fides of the narrow fhaft.

is

This fhafc

funk ten fathoms through the hardened clay,

fait-

fuperincumbent on the
gallery
is

(lock

and a fmall
fait

driven on the furface of the

beds to

bring away the waters foaking through the earth

and clay

roof, in order

to prevent their falling

is

down

into the works.

Befides, there

a fmaller

fnaft for defcending

and afcending of the workmen

but the works below being of a conical form, the

ladders

cannot pofiibly be

fixed

to

the fides

accordingly ihey are faftened by iron cramps or

ropes one to another, and hang free and fwinging
in the

midll of the deep and wide cavern below.

care,

However, the v/orkmen do not

ufed
t J it,

and being

afcend and descend thefe thirty or forty

as

fathoms

on fwinging ladders

unconcernedly

and

TEMESWAR,
and nimbly
Ihafts.

^'t.

LETTER

XV.

143

as other

miners in the moft regular

falt-

When we
we hung

reached the opening of the

in

ftock

free

our fack, and

faw with

pleafure below m.e, in the depth of thirty -three

fathoms, the

many lamps of

the

workmen.

found

in

the mine the director of thefe the politenefs

to fliew
I

fait- works,

who had

and

to explain

whatever was worth

feeing.

was agreeably

fur-

prized by a burning bundle of ftraw, dropt

the fhaft.
It

down

illumined the whole cavern, fhewed

me

its

conical form, unfupported by any timber,

diftinguifii

and made me
the falt-beds.

the undulating form of

The

light

was from every

fide

refleded by the whitenefs and brightnefs of the

falt-rocks.
I

have examined the clayifh earth,

their ftrata.
It has a fourifh tafte,

which feparates

but an offenfive difagreeable fmell, like that of

rotten cheefe.
fent fole
It
is

tough like
is

clay.

The

pre-

of this work

fourteen fathoms diameter.

is

The
fixty

Colofer mine,

of the lame nature and form,

fifty

fathoms depth, and

fathoms diameter.
long ago. Thefe

Many old falt-pits are given up

are entirely filled with water,

which they ufe here-

about for bathing.

was prefented here with

got

fome tranfparent pieces offalt-rock with inclofed

water drops
;

another piece contains mofs.

here likewife a great quantity of the lapis rdimifmalis

144

TPvAVELS

THROUGH THE BANNAT GF

maus Tranyhani^, defcribed if I am not wrong by Bruckmann. Gyps and alabafrer is very common hereabout. Pray tell me what is the reafon
that thefe ftones are for ever to be found in the
fait-

works

Might not
vitriolic
I

the faline acid perhaps be

acid,

changed into
produced
?

and thus gyps be

in

have gyps from the falt-mines

Upper-Aufiria^
it is

and

from the Marmaros, where

falt-beds.

found between the

fatisfied

After having
I favv the

my curiofity under ground,

of rejected falt-rocks which
fize.

immenfe

piles

are under the prefcribed

They

are kept for

no

ufe

and fevere penal laws forbid even the

poor
gave
of

to

make ufe of them. The

were

reafons which they

me

for this unaccountable fquandering

as follows
:

away
to

fo ufeful a fubftance,

That

prevent fmuggling pieces of the fame weight were

given to the carriers, and that the abundance of the

TraiiJfyhaniahXz-m'mtsdid notfeem to require any

grudging, or fending the fmaller falt-pieces in

facks or
caflcs.

This might do,

if the

world was
;

only to

laft

but a thoufand years more

but good

public ceconomy takes care of the

lateft pofcerity,

and difapproves any arbitrary

and unneceffary

deftruftion of an ufeful mineral as

inhuman ex-

travagance.
rejefted
fait
-,

Many hundred
are

millions weight of

thus expofed to diflblving rain

and fnows

and what vafl quantities are fpent

in

TEMESWAR,
In a fimilar

^c.

LETTER
in the

XV.

I45

way near and

Vizakna, Kolofer^
?

Szekes,

Deefe and Paraite falt-mines

Though

P. Fridwalzky confiders the '^ranjfyhanian faltmines as inexhauftible flocks, he could not digeft
this cruel

wafting of ufeful materials, and he had

p. 171, the fantaftical

in this

Mineralogia Bacia^

idea,

to

mix

thcfe

immenfe

falt-mafles with tarnitre,

tarus,

and thus to change them into

in

order to

make

fublimate.

However, there mio;ht

be fome chemical ufeof this wafting- fait.

not faline
fubftances,

Might

acid be

properly joined with urinous

every

where to be had,
?

and thus
of the
fal-

fal-ammoniac be produced

You know

ammoniac-manufa(5lry of Mrs. Gravenhorfi at

Bronfwic.

Might we not

poflibly expedl a greater

advantage from our fuperfluous falt-rock pieces,

than thefe gentlemen can get by their fcanty and

aqueous brine

Claufenburg^ two hours ride diftantfrom Torda,

is

divided from this

laft

place by a high mountain,

confifting of argillaceous flate,

and offering from

globular ftones,

the middle to the top a great

three, four,

many

and

five

foot thick.

They
found

confift
fil-

of yellow fandftone, cemented with lime and

led with petrifa(5lions, fuch as
I

ftratified

near Foldwinz.
clofely fticking

Some of
together
j

thcfe ftone-bullets are

which fuppofes
in

their
ftate.

having been

connefted

when

foft

This

14^

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

infulated,

This mountain ftands completely

there
is

and

no higher mountain round about, from

thefe bullets

whence
this.

might have been

rolled to

Accordingly they feem to have been car-

ried thither

by the floods of the

fea,

whilil:

it

covered

this country.

At

the foot of this

fineft

moun-

tain lies Claufenhurg^

one of the

and

mod

populous

cities

of Tranjfylvania.

The Roman
it

monuments, quoted by P- Fridwalzky^ and found

hereabout, prove that in former times

was a

Roman
which
tions.

colony.

The
filled

houfes and even the walls,

inclofe this place, are built of grey or yel-

low limedone,
however,

with fand

and

petrifac;

In general the country abounds in them

I

have not found any fcarce

converfe

fpecies.

The

delire to

with a mineralogift, or
to vifit P. Fridjefuits.

rather

my

curiofity,

prompted me

walzky^ living here in the college of the

His rooms
nerals

are filled with

ill

chofen ftones, mi-

and petrifaflions confufedly piled up. They

bear the

mark of
fcience.

their pofTefibr's confined

and

nconnefled

He is

really a very induftrious

laborious man, but he has got together fuch confufed ideas of natural-hiflory, that
I

am

appre-

henfive he never will be able to bring them into

any tolerable order, or

the
falfe ones.

to diftinguifh the true

is

from

This

rather

owing

to

want of

proper inftrudion and ufeful books, than to a

deficiency

W A R, ^C
led

LETTER
to

XV.

147

deficiency of his application or capacity.

defire to

The

be

iifeful

him
-,

compile a Mineral

Hiory of Transylvania

ignorant what fcience

to fuch a
his
taflc.

and experience

is

requifite

He

fuppofed to have difcharged

duty by giving

the names of the mines j the length of the drifts, the depth of the pits, by compiling fome accounts

of mine-officers, a couple of charters and other and then, after all, telling his monuments
,

countrymen that
fylvania.

this

is

a Mineralogia

Tranf-

No

fuch thing as proper defcriptions

or denominations of the rocks,

and

their local

connexion
material.

and variety, which would have been

At

prefent there

is

fcarce

any hope

of his improvement.

The

good-natured Tranfas

fylvanian noblemen look

upon him by

a great na-

tural philofopher, praife his deep

knowledge of

nature, confult him, and

all

thofe feducing un-

deferved diftinftions hinder

better inftruflions

him from getting the

of fci-

by

his mafters in that part

ence. Accordingly his future publications on

ral

Natu-

Hiflory will be but too much refembling the forones.

mer

He

feems to be fenfible that

his indi-

gefted

accounts cannot recommend him to the

elleem of true connoifieurs.

is

His chief attention

objects.

therefore bent of late

to

on other
ajeflus^

He

intends

make

tiles

from
2

paper from
ftalaclites

different vegetables,

and borax from

With

148

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

them

"With fuch propofals he endears himfelf to fome

of the T'ranjjyhanian noblemen,

nerous Mecanas's
in

calls

his geis

proper humility, and

ftates

to

have from the provincial

of 30
florins,

an annual penfion
his

in

order to

realife

projefls

and
It
is

to continue his difcoveries in

Natural Hiftory.

a great advantage for P. Fridwalzky, in i a

venijfe uhi aliquid fapere

loca

videatur.

I defired

him

to

fhow me the ftone from Gyalupopi from

to
extracft

which he propofes

borax.

It

was a

common calcareous ftalaftites. Then he brought me his fianmim ficulum which he mentions p.
104 of
his

Natural Hiftory.

It

was a black cry-

ftallized blende (black

Jack) from Kapnik, which

never will yield

any

tin.

At As
I

laft

he procured

me

a fight of the cryftal, with inclofed gold, which

he defcribes p. 177.

did not confider this

I
little

phasnomenon to be very extraordinary,

fancied
that

even

in this

he fhould have been

cryftal

miftaken.

But the pretended

containing within
as
its

was comex-

mon

glafs,

fubftance a paint-

ed gold garland, fuch

at

a few cruicers

pence you might buy by thoufands

Bohemia.

at 'Turnau in

All

this

proved to

me

that the gold

grains in grapes, the liquid fluid gold, and

many

other fantaftical Angularities which he pretends to

have

feen, to

have examined, or to have heard

at
all.

of, deferve

no credit

LETTER

TEMESV/AR,

is'c.

LETTER

XVI.

I49

LETTER.
SPENT
two days
;

XVI.
2,

Nagy-Banya, Aug.
in
I

1770.

going from Claufcnhtirg

to

this

place

and

had no

leifure cither to

fee the iron-works at Toroczko^

nor the lead-mines

of Runda

near Biriz.

had likewife no time to

I

fpare for the falt-works at Dees^ becaufc

am

to

make

great hafte, in order to return to Shemniz

I

within the fpaceoftime which

am

allowed to

be abfent.
that thcfe
*Torda^

But

know by
fait

very good authority,

falt-mines

entirely

refembh
is

thofe

at

and that the

produced
all

exported to

Hungary,
I

AH

the roads, and

the hills,

which

pafTed,

were covered by a pale yellowifh lime-

ftone,

containing

many marks of broken

flate,

fhells.
it is

In fonie parts the micaceous

on which

fuperincumbent, appeared naked above ground.

'Nagy Eanya
is

fituated in a valley, furrounded

by

a traft of mountains,
to the eaft.
It
is

which runs from the north

and royal mining town,
its

a free

and was

in

former times, with

dependant

mines, the conftant domain and allowance of the

queens of Ilmgary.

In the ancient records

it

is

often

150

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

con-

often called Rivulus Dojninartfm, on account of a

brook ^which runs, along the northern

hills,

nefted with the Carpathian mountains. fuch records

it

From
year

appears, that

its

mines have been

in the

worked already under King Lewis I. King Matthias Corvinus left 1347.
in 1468, the
leafe

to the city,

mint and the mines for an annual

gold
florins.

of 13000

In xht Hunga-rian
re-

laws,

from 15 19, two chamber^ of the royal

in

venues from mines are mentioned, one at Kremniz

and the other

the very

Rivulo Dominanim.
is

This and
the great

name of Nagy Banya^ which

its

mine, proves the antiquity of

fuccefsful works.

The ancients feem to have been very fkilful in fmelting and parting their ores. One hundred weight of
of clear ore
have contained from 79 to 112 ounces auriferO'us filver. The poorer and
is

faid to

mixed

ores were in thofe times

;

ground

in

com-

mon
flags

mills

and one hundred weight of the old

a

yields fcarce

drachm of

filver.

From
till

the year 1526 thefe mines decayed by a fucceflive

variety of accidents,

war and

rebellions,

in the

midft of the
tirely.

laft

century they were given up entheir

Such was

abandoned

ftate

till

Baron

de

Gerfdcrf,

one of the

mod

intelligent

mining-

officers of the imperial {lates, propofed the renewal

of the

works

in the Kreuzberg.

Count

Gotlieb

Stampfer, whofe character and mineral fcience

you
are

TEMESWAR,

iyc.

LETTER

XVI.

15^!

are acquainted with, ventured himfelf

by a fmall

gaping of an old gallery down into the mine,

which he found drowned by water.

danger he fhipped
to the fides
in a fort

With

great

of ikiffover the depth

of the vein, and gathering there feme

rich ores, he greatly

encouraged a fubfcription for

draining thefe works.

To

this

purpofe a deeper gallery was refolved

and the fuccefs being unqueftionable,

fituation
as

and the

favourable for fmelting furnaces and

as the

flamp

mills,

account of the ancients, the

proprietors purfue the undertaking with unwearied

zeal,

and have been

thefe laft feven years feriouily

engaged
It

with their gallery.

at firft driving for eighty
-,

was

fathoms

in

grey

marleftone
clay,

then followed

dark grey hardened

rock.
at

and

at laft the metallic at

This

is

the

only

mine

prelent
fifllircs

working

Nagy-Banya.
are

Several

other

however

workinoo

by poor adventurers, but

cefs.

at prcfcnt

without fuc-

In the year 1748 a board of furveyorfhip of

mines over feveral works, formerly belonging to

the

chamber of

ICijaz,

was

eftabliflied here

and

ever fmce,

the

neighbouring mines at Kapnik^

Felfo-Banya^ Fekete-Banya^ Lapos-Banya^ and lAis-

Banya^ have been conllantly

ftate.
I

in a

more

thrivinsj

Ihall exai=iine

all

thefj mines,

and

fee

out to-morrow for Kapnik, v.hich will procure

materials for a longer letter.

me

L4

LETTER

152

TRAVELS THROUGH THE ANNAT OF

LETTER
AVING
patriae.
I

XVII.
6,

Nagy-Banya^ Aug
the choice of
all

1770.

the places belongZ'icit

ing to the Nngy-Banya infpedion,

amor

went to Kapnik,

a royal mine, in a

rough country furrounded with mountains, and

fituated

on the furtheft
tlie

limits

of J'ranjfyhania^

form.erly belonging to

'Tranjjyhanian chamber,

but of
It
is

late

fubjeded to the diredlion of Nagy Banya.

four hours journey from this place, and the

cliffs,

which

met

v/ith

going there,

confift of

large naked granite-rocks and argillaceous glim-

mery

flate.

Kapmk

lies

in a valley.

According

to an old tradition the 'Tranjfylvanian princes are

faid to

have opened the

firft

mine towards the end

Its

of the fixteenth century.

gallery

name

the Princestradition.

(Furflen-Stolln)

fupports

that

The

annual produce confided then of four or 500

filver,

marks of
which

containing;

fome

o-old.

But the

prevailing ground-waters put a Hop to the works,

at

kfl ceafed entirely.

In 174S they were

refumed, which was occafioned by the Jofephi

mine, as having been fold to the chamber by the

impo-

TEMESWAR,
800
over
florins.

^c.

LETTER

XVII.

15^

impoverifhed proprietors for the

trifling

fum of

Kapnik has at prefent the advantage

other mining places,
in

many

on account of
which cf
late

many nnattempted mountains, have been difcovered the Maria

*Therefia^

Hulf, Barbara or

Jofeph^ Jofephina, Kapnik or Ungaroln^ Erzbach^

Clemens^ Peter Paul^

and

Chriftopher's,

veins,

each working by different companies.

veins run

All

thefe

from north to fouth, dipping

from weft to
mountains
is

eaft.

The rock

of thefe metallic

a white argillaceous

compaft

ftone,

refembling our Saxum metalliferum^ except that

it

contains

fome

fpots

of white

ftone-

marrow

(lithomarga).

The rock of
fire

the deaf and barren

mountains hereabout
ftriking

confifts
fteel.

of a

blueifli trap,

fome

with

In fome places both

thefe rocks are

flate.

covered with micaceous "clayifh

is

The

princes-gallery vein

purfued already
it

a length of 427 fathoms.

is

In the prefent drift

fkirting
is

narrowed a
Its
It

little

by the

rocks grown

harder.

common
confifts

breadth

four or five fafeld-fpatli

fal-

thoms.
fprinkled

of rofy-coloured
filver ore.
-,

with fallow
is

The pure

low ore

melted feparately

and the feld-fpath

goes to the ftamp-mills.

this vein runs a lead

In the hading fide of

and blende- vein. Fourteen fa-

thoms deeper
but the
reft
is

are

fome fmaller
in

drifts

working

drowned

water, which the ancients

154
cients

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

worked out by pumps,

by the deeped
all

and henceforth
gallery, wliich
toffether.

will be carried off

is

to

crofs

and to drain

the veins

Petri Pauli

vein produces

an auriferous white

quartz, fprinkled with fallow filver-ore, and

now

and then fome

nefts

of a pale yellowifh pure fcarce

coherent auriferous calcareous earth.

The

quartz

contains grey plumofe and pale yellow antimony,

which

is

likewife

found next with the vein

in coarfer cryflals.
I

in

white clay, but then

was

told that the vein grows richer in gold wherever

antimony happens to be found

in

it.

obferved

here on the hading fide of the vein a cryftallifation,

whofe furface was

cubes.

all

over covered with fmall

You
it

know
I

how

curious

am

of
to
this

cryftallifations.

endeavoured

therefore

feparate

from the vein, but found that

whole mals of cubes confided of a calcareous unpetrified earth.

I

obferved the fame phaenomenon

I fet

fome weeks before

found

out on the old Anthony

of Padua- St olln at Shemniz^ where in the deepeft

fole I

a large cube,

which

at

firft

fight I
1

believed to be a hollow fpar-cube, fuch as

have
this

many

in

my

cabinet.

When

touched

cryftallifation

the fmaller cubes, which covered

the greater one, were found incoherent, nay liquid,

and the greater cube yielded under the preflure of

the finger, and the water contained within run
off.

TEMESWAR,
ofF.

^c.

LETTER
in

XVII.

Thefe

fatts

prove that
the

cryflallifations are

continually producing

humid way
cryflals,

and

accordingly the

many hollow

which you

have leen

in

my

cabinet at Shemniz^ have been in

the beginning liquid lumps, whofe furface cryilallifing in

forms convenient to

their

faline nature,
cryllallifa-

fucceflively

hardened and

left

an empty

tion after the water was evaporated.

The Maria Hulf vein

mills.

is

a hardened auriferous

clay, Iprinkled with pyrites, wallied in thewalhing-

The

other

veins

confift

of a pale reddifh
fprinkled
is

auriferous

feld-fpath,

commonly
redder,
that

with fallow-ore.
the

The
it

to

fay

more irony

is,

the

more
are

auriferous too,

Moft part of

thefe

fiffures

feparated from

the deaf rocks by a foft argillaceous fkirt (faalband.)

The

deepeil gallery at

Kapnik has

been driven

already

700 fathoms
It

in

length into the above white

metallic rock.

The
their

was begun by Baron de Gerfdorf. veins crofTed by it are large and fine ; but
auriferous quality diminifhes in the depth.
is

This gallery
then
vein.
it

to be lengthened

500 fathoms, and

Furen
Stolln-

will

drain the remoteft

An hour's
tain, is

ride

from Kapnik
which

in the
I

Rota mounlike-

a private mine,

examined

wife.

The

vein

runs between a 2:reen indurated

fomewhat

J6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OP

is

fomewhat calcareous rock, which

and the white metallic
hanging
fide.

on the hading,
is

rock, which

on the

It confifls

of white quartz, mixed

It
is

with blende and lead-glance.

auriferous,

nav the gold appears often

in vifible native

lumps.

The

flamp-mills are
as thofe in

in

general of the fame con-

ftrucflion

Lozver Hungary.

However,
gutters.

the prefent
built one

upper
fix

infpedlor,
peftels

Baron Smidlin^ has

with

and double go very

This

really
,

does a good deal of work in very

Ihort time
as

but

as the peftels
is

brifkly,

and

more water
I

fpent and to be given in the

this conllrudlion to

trough,

do not conceive

be

any great advantage, fince the impetuofity of the

brifl^ly

running water does not permit the

fine

gold-duft to precipitate in the canals, and confe-

quently a good deal

is

carried away.

They have
private mines

here

three fmelting places with

eight furnaces, both for

-,

the royal

and for the

the private reguli to be fold in

the royal purchafe office, and the whole produce

of gold and
at

filver to

be coined in the royal mint

is

Nagy-Banya.
in

Their method of fmelting

hardly

any thing different from that ufed

Gerfdorf tried

at

Shemniz.

ment,

Baron which deferves your

here an experi-

notice.

He
at

ordered

a quantity of the rejedled falt-rocks to be fetched

from the neighbouring bing-places

Marmoros,

and

TE ME
and when

SV/ AR,

'<^c.

LETTER
furnaces
to be

XVII.

^"j

the

fmelting

were

going,

fome troughs
and
the

full

of

it

thrown upon the

works, according to the practice of the aflayers,

in

order to prevent the filver flying away in

fire.

However, the
,

effeft did

not anfwer the

expectation

rather the filver

was leflened one half

was owing perhaps

per hundred weight.

eithej- to

But

this

the negleft or the malice of the

common

Imelters

who

are natural enemies to any novelty.

LETTER

158

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANN AT Ol

LETTER

XVIIL
'^11'^'

Ngy-Banya, Aug. ii^

MY
mon

long filence

is

the confequence of an un-

happy

accident,

which was very near put-

ting an end to
firing

my

life.

To

examine the comeffefts

I

at Felfo-Banya,
fo

and the great

produced by
vifited the

fmall an expence of wood,

great mine

when

the

fire

was hardly
flill

burnt down, and when the mine was

filled

with fmoke.

An
in

accident

made me
fenfes,

tarry

fome-

what longer
went
hours
off.

the fnaft,
loil

by which the fmoke

In

fiiort I

my

and

fifteen
blifters

after I

was reftored to myfelf by

and

other applications.
eyes run with blood,

My
and

lips

were fwoln,
limbs
in

my

my

ge-

neral lamed.

Without the

affiftance

of a

fliilful

young

phyfician at Nagy-Banya, and the great

care of the upper adminiilration's infpe(5tor.

Baron

G erham
ftill

in

whofe houfe

lodge, you
;

would have
is

been deprived of your friend

and the queftion

whether he

is

to be faved.

A violent
more than

cough-

ing and acute pains in the loins, which alternately

put

me on

the rack, are

I fear

fufficient

to

TEMESWAR
to deilroy this thinly

59 framed machine. If that fhoiiid

^c.

LETTER

XVIII.

be the

cafe, then

my

friend

I defire

you

to

have
of

my name

at leafl inferted in the JMartyrology

NaturaHfls. Fclfo-Banya
is

one of the eldeft mining places.

;

Formerly the inhabitants had no trade but mining

and
in that

refped they got from King Lewis

II.

a grant
troubles,
ins;

of freedom, dated 1523.

The

public

which put a flop to

all

the neighbour-

works, did not afiect thefe, which continued

uninterrupted to the year 1689. In 1690 the em-

peror Leopold bought the works at Felfo-Banya for

25,420 florins, granting by public charter eternal freedom from any taxes to the inhabitants the
:

mines have been ever fince

prefentthe Borkul^nd
\.\\t

in a thriving ftate.

At

great mine are the richeft.

Times immemorial
hornftone
in the

the rock, confifting of grey

is

(petrolex)
foles

worked by

firing,

which

upper

has caufed tremendous caverns

threatning ruin, and

timber.

not to be faftened by any

In thele ruins, or rather in this eld man,

lives in

feveral private adventurers hazard their

fearching after remaining ramifications of ftampores.

I

got from fuch an old cavern a fort of

ftalaftites,

which feems
It
is

to

me

extremely problein

matical.

very light, refembling

colour a

red yellow amber, vitreous and glolTy where broken,

refills

acids

and the

fire

without giving any fmell.

The

l6o

TRAVELS THPV.OUGH THE EANNAT OF

Borkul mine has
its

The
ing

hading;

and hans-

fides
is

of the above hornftone.

The The

vein-

rock

zinnopel, different from that in Lozver

lefs

Hungary only by

hardnefs.
lefs,

vein

is

one fathom more or

ore,

and contains ftampfilver, the

which yields but two ounces

great mine

mark

of

filver yielding

twenty denarii gold.

has likewife a vein like that
at

The
it is fix

of the pacher-floln

Shemniz.
I

In fome places

fathoms wide.

went with horror over

the ruins and the large rocks detached

floor, till I

from the
is

reached the third

the

fole,

which

lefs

ruinous.

On

fourth fole a
crofling the
deaf.

fiffure

coming
in

from the hading

of

fide,
it

main vein

an

acute angle, ftrikes

this vein contains

The ftamp
filver,

zinnopel

two ounces of

and the

mark of

filver forty denarii

or two ounces

and

a half of gold.

Some

times they meet here with

ore of fixteen ounces filver.

In a hanging

fifiiire

of this vein

is

found

fine red,

found or

cryftallifed-

fulphur, (fandaraca) [on white milky cryftallifed

quartz

the fame fort of native fulphur on yellow

;

orpiment

white coarfe cubic pellucid fluor with

inclofed fulphur-, grey plumofe antimony; the fame

on quartz-cryllals pointed on both ends, and

flicking together
;

clofely
;

red and grafs green antimony

grey coarfe radiated antimony on

white pellucid
ih

rhomboidal prifms of

fluor

two or three inches

length.

E S

WA

ft,

^c.

LETTER

XVIII.

l6l

length, which

by the antimony, and prove that thefe minerals, however different cryftallifed at the fame time. in themfelves,
are perforated

got likewife from the fame vein red fine cryftal-

lifed

magnefia.

have told you already that the mine

is

worked

by

firing.

But
at

this firing

is

different

from that

prad:ifed

Goar, and at Schlackenwalde in Bolarge ruinous caverns

hemia.
it

The

produced by
foles at

in thofe places, as well as

on the upper

Felfo-Banya^ caufed the proprietors to think of a

more

profitable and lefs ruinous fink their

ifjaft

method o^

firing.

They

by

chiffels,

hammers, boring

and blaftingjto

fix,

nine, twelve, fifteen fathoms.

To

contrive then a drift, a cut one foot high and deep

is

made
it

to

that fide

which they want to work.

of

In

they place an iron grate, which they call the

it is

pragel cat, and

fmall

to be covered with a layer

pieces of

wood, about an inch thick and

to be fet

one foot in

length, and then

on

fire.

This
levers

foftens
is

and loofens the rock, which by iron

taken off from the fides and the roof*

the further firing,
fo far that

and

facilitates
is

no

fide-cut

requifite.

The

drift

being widened

by

this

method, and the vein over head to be

it

obtained, they begin firing at its fole, covering

by

a bed of two or three feet of deaf rock or ftampore,

and lining the hading and hanging

fides

with

a wall

102

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

a wall of the fame rocks, in order to prevent the

flames fpreading that way, and caufing unneceffary taverns.

Then

they proceed to

fet

heaps of

wood

as noticed before.

Such

heap

confills

of

about twenty-one or forty-two pieces of wood,

three and three in layers a-crofs
till

they reach

the roof.

Twenty-four heaps requifitefor a length

;

of four fathoms
breaking

and for
the

thefe, together

with the

down

loofened rocks, are paid to

the miner twelve one- half cruicer and eight ounces

of lamp tallow.
the

By

this

method only the top of

flame works on
flvilful

the rock.

They have an
it it

hundred

manipulations to dired:
fide,

to the

hanging or hading

where they want

mofl.

The loofened ores are left on the foles, new foles made of them, new firings fet, and thus continued
till

the

whole vein between two

foles

be bro-

ken down. The vein being extremely

ding

large, they

begin firing in the hanging, going on to the hafide

on the fame

level a-crofs the

whole vein.
the

The
as a

ftamp-ores thus loofened are

left in

mine

magazine

till

they are in want of them,

when 'they
at a

are carried under the (hafts, and thence

to the (tamp- works.

Thus
florins,

the ore
drift

is

procured

cheap

rate,

fathom of a

by

firing coil-

ing not above fifteen

and requiring only

two

or three florins value of wood.

is

The

folidity

'and hardnefs of the rock

an advantage to this

mannei

TEMESWAR,

^c,

LETTER

XVIII.

163

manner of working; cracked and broken mountain or vein rocks would be lefs aded upon by fire.

The

vein rock of this large

mine

is

zinnopel,

a jafper-like flone, extremely hard, fcarce to be

conquered by the
to be blafted.

chiffel

and hammer, and hard

I

However,

cannot be convinced
this

of the great advantages of

apparently cheap
will

and

efficacious

firing.

Perhaps you

agree

with me.
1.
it
is

Whatever care be taken

impofilble
to

in lining the fides

prevent the

flames

from

loofening the rcck-fkirts of the vein, which,* un-

fupported by timber, of courfe break down, and

produce thofe unavoidable and dangerous

verns.
2.

ca-^

rites

pyand the femi-metallic part of the ore, makes

The

fire

volatihfing

and

difll)lving the

the air of this mine extremely unwholefome, and

afi^'cls

the health of the poor miners,

who feldom
fire

arrive to any

advanced age.

,3.

The

miners cannot, on account of the

in a

and fmoke, work more than three days

4.

week.
carries

too

The much

ores

being pyritical,

the

fire

fuiphur away, which of courfe lefiens

the lech-ftone and the fcorification of the

tallic parts.
5.

unme-

It

produces likewiie an unequal flamping,

fire

fince

the

afFeds the ore in a very different

manner

164

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

manner, calcining fome and leaving many more

found and unhurt
at all.

In Ihort, a well directbe, according

ed
to

crofs or oblique

working would

my

opinion, preferable in

many

refpeds to this

firing.

The
deep.

great mine
Its

is

at prefent

funk 70 fathoms
;

vein runs in a metallic rock

and

am

inclined to believe that the upper drifts arc

driven in fuperincumbent hornllone.

The many

among the rubbifh of the bing-places make me believe fo. The whole mountain of Felfo-Banya is underfragments
driven or underworked by a deep gallery 454 fathoms length. The ground waters drained by

two pole-pump-engines

(flangen-kunfle.)

The

royal ftamp-mills at Felfo-Banya are of a

conflruftion.

good and regular

the

Thofe of the

pri-

vate companies are 'but too

much

refembling to

common

bungling llamp-works of the Tranf-

fylvanian gipfies

The
royal
;

fmeiting places are, one of fix furnaces,

the other of

two furnaces, the property of

filver

the city.

The

gold and

produce

to

be de-

livered into the royal mint.

Companies who work

have for a mark of their
cers
;

flill

for

hope of a dividend

filver
4-

21 florins 20 cruiducats-, but thofe

and for their gold 77

who get

a dividend, or for other rcafons are de-

prived

TEMESWAR,
rins

^c.

LETTER
and
"^c^

XVIII.
1

165
7 flo-

prived of the higher

tarif,

are paid only

per

mark

filver,

ducats per

mark

gold.

The unhappy accident which befell me here deprived me of the pleafure to examine the other
works and the falt-mines
at
:

Marmoros.

What

know of them is as follows The falt-mines at Marmoros

micaceous
clayifli
flate,

are furrounded with

to the
It

which continues

granite-rocks of the Carpathian mountains.

contains thofe fine pellucid oftangular alum-form-

ed quartz
the

cryflals,

which,

carried

by the
fold

rains

into the brooks, are gathered there

and

under
a con-

name of Marmaros
hardnefs
is

(tones.

They have
polifh.
fine

fiderable
fait

and natural

In the
Itriped

found

pellucid,

white,

gypfum.
Fekete-Banya
is

a hamlet belonging to the city

of Nagy-Banya.

In

1645 above two hundred

miners are faid to have been employed here for

gold and
place.

filver

-,

but at prefent
in

it is

a deferted

However,

1752 the
this

city

o{ Nagy-Banya
is

opened a mine, which to

fuccefsful.

moment

not very

Lapos-Banya
ing to

Is

a metallic
is

mountain, belong-

Count Karoliy and

divided into the M:z-

Banya and Sargo-Banya mines.

Theie

laft

have

large flamp-ore veins, running in

metallic rock,

and

66

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT Of

Si

and richer
there
is

in

gold than in
lead-ore.

filver.

Now

and then

fome

Miz-Banya
and
filver at

has likewife copper.

The

gold

produce to be delivered into the royal

mint

Nagy-Banya.

In Olalapos have been of late difcovered fome

rich veins.
I

have from them a fample of zin-

nopel, fprinkled with native gold.

Near
glance.

Illoba

is

native copper (licking to lead

In

the Szamos river herrings are faid to

as

be fifhed now and then,

has been afTured to

me by

eye witnefTes.

'^t^x Nagy-Banya\s dimi"

neral well, frequently ufed

by the inhabitants.
I

If you
this

knew how much

have fufFeredto
it

finifh

letter,

you would confider

as the greateft

proof which you might expedt of my friendfhip.

LETTER

TEMESWAR, ^c

LETTER

XIX.

167

LETTER
IT ed
IS

XIX.
1770.
fuffer-

ShemniZy Sept. 5,
impofTible to
in

tell

you what

have

my

ten days journey from Nagy-Banya

I

to this place.

was commonly carried into the

coach and out again.

Any

ftone in the road, any

jumping of
mit

the coach doubled

I

my

pains.
of,

The dry
is
;

coughing, which

cannot get rid

does not per-

me

any

reft.

Under fuch circumftances

to

was

impofiible for

me

examine the mountains

and and

commonly
the
'Theijfa

the road went over plains in which I

to the right,

had the Carpathian mountains

river to the left.
is

Schmolniz
hills. I

on the promontory of the Carpathian

fliould

have ftrayed too

there.

much from

the

road

if

had gone

Befides the recovery of

my

health, if any

to be hoped, did

make my

hafte

home

neceftary.
in the fields

Near Tockay^

and the vineyards, are

blueifti lava,

found pieces of vitreous black and

Ptimex vitreus himuei^
lux-fapphires.
tain,
I

commonly

called hereabout

did not fee hereabout any

moun-

which might be fuppofed

a volcano in former

times.

The

hill,

which

is
4-

fo

famous

for pro-

ducino;

l68

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

'Tockay wine, confifts

ducing the noble

laceous
flate,

of

argil-

and does not manifeft any other

volcanic marks.
thefe

This makes
been

me

believe that

lava

pieces have

rolled
hills,

down and
which fuch

wafhed from the Carpathian

in

lavas and native fulphur are very

common.
hills,

A
Here
I

days journey from Altfohl begin the

flretch in t\i^

which to the right

Luptan

diftricl,

and thence join with the Carpathian mountains.

I

could not bear the jolting of

to

my

carriage

was forced
I

ftep out

and to creep on very

ilowly. pieces.
fift

obferved vaft quantities of loofe granite

Probably fome of thefe mountains con;

of granite

but

as far as I

might obferve

in

paffing by they

are in general covered with argil-

laceous
here
too.
j

flate.

Some

lead-mines

are

working

and

as they

told

me

fom.e copper-mines

When
matters,
arrival

reached Shemniz the account of

;

my

accident arrived likewife

I

and

as report heightens
it.

was

faid to

have not fuivived

My
to

was therefore a welcome confolation

my

family.

Among
firft
:

great

many

letters,

yours

were opened
into

I rejoice
I

on your happy return

fatisfied

your country.

have partly

your

demands by the accounts of what T have feen and but I do not know whether I ihall be obferved
;

able to give

you

compleat theory of the nature'

of

TEMESWAR,
deavour
fent

^c.

LETTER

XIX.
I

169

of the Hungarian mountains.

However,

will en-

my

beft in

one of my

next, and for the preat S'mol-

I fhall

entertain

you with the works

mz,
I
tafli,

as defcribed

by me fome years ago, when

thought that fuch obferan advantage to Natural

wanted principles and experience for fuch a

and when

I little

vations might prove

Hiflory.

Smolniz

is

a celebrated mining place, belong-

ing to the royal domain, fituated in the didridl

of Zips on the foot of the Carpathian

has very

hills.

It

noble

copper-works,

known

in

the

times of Count ZapoHa and Bathori under the The Zips county and emperor Ferdinand III.

Smolniz devolved to the Counts Cfaky^

neral lett the mines
tenants.

who

in ge-

and the copper trade to foreign

About

the year 1671 Francis and Stephen^

their

Counts Cfck)\ divided

engaged
count

county and the

;

Sinol-

niz mines in two equal parts

in
'Tokely^s

but Francis having

his part

rebellion,

was

forfeited to the crown.

But the imperial chamber

private tenants, and in

had no proper idea of this mine, and accordingly

left

this

part to feveral

1684
at

to the

comproprietor count Stephen Cfaky,

rent of

a yearly

after the

4000 florins. Three years chamber worked this mine at a common

Stephe?i,

expence with count

and

its

fnare of the

annual dividend was i483i^florins.

This opened
the

170

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANN AT OF

the eyes to the chamber, and

made

it

think of the

acquifition of the other part, which

was obtained

by an exchange
iifcated part

in the year

1690, when the con-

of the county was returned to Count

Stephen^ and he prevailed upon to renounce his part of the mine, and the hamlets Smolniz and
Stoofs^

into thepofieffion of the imperial chamber.

Since this tranfadion the chief mines at Smolniz

were royal

eftates,

under the direflion of the

\

chamber

at

Kaoaw
they

however, by want of proper

principles,

could not be brought to any

Therefore,
in

remarkable

dividend.

1748,

formal general direction was

eflablifhed
to a

here,

and the works were entrufled

rience.

man

of expe-

The mines belonging under

the general

direction of Smolniz^ are Smolniz^ St oofs , Swadler^

Einedler, GoUniZy Kru7nbach^ Borathod or IVagendrujfel, in the

county of Zips, Under and Upper

Mezenjeiffen and Jojfaiv^ in the Ahavira diftrid:

Tohaw, Rojenaw,
tion.

in the

Gomorha

diftrifl

Iglo

or T^ewdorf and Wallendorf under

P///Z> jurifdic-

The mountains

at Smolniz confift
flatc,

of a blueifh

glimmery argillaceous

in

which the three

veins at Smolniz^ called the middle, the exterior

lying, and the exterior hanging vein are running
in

hour

^\yi

in the

morning, dipping to the hori-

zon

in nearly feventy-five degrees.

Hence

it

ap-

pears

TEMESWAR,
pears
that they are

^c.

LETTER
They

XIX.
are
;

I71

parallel.

about

twenty fathoms

difiiant

from each other

nearer.

in their

bendings they are

ftill

The

fifTures

be-

tween thefe veins are of no remarkable

value.

metallic

The

veins are fubjed; to leaping, running

fometimes deaf a great length, and are affefted

in

their

run

even

by

the

lead

change

in

the

fituation or nature
in

of

the fkirting rocks.

Thefe changes

the fituation

of the rocks are

owing

to fmall

fifTures,

which cut the run of the

vein in a different hour or angle, and are called

here
kleins.

By long

obfervation of thefe crofs-

fiffures,

and

their effedl

on

the

main
:

veins, the

following rules have been laid

If the crofs-fifTure be
it

down

coming from
;

the eafl,

drives

the vein into the hading

if

from the

wefl, it

pufhes the vein into the hanging fide, where

it is

accordingly

to be found.

FifTures in

hour nine or twenty-one, and dipping

to the eafl or the north, are called here irregular

and refraory ones

are thofe that

regular fifTures in the contrary

keep the above run and dipping

of the main veins.

Regular
it

fifTures,

falling in with the vein,

pufh

into the

hading

but irregular ones into the

hanging

fide.

Though

thefe crofs-fifTures or kkins very often

interrupt the run of the vein, they are

however
requifite

172

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

requfite to enable them, as generally they are deaf

where

thefe crofs-veins are wanting.

The middle
in

vein
is

is

the richeft.
j

The
and

fecond

rank and value

the hanging

in refpeft

to thofe the lying vein, as running beyond the

mountain

in the valley,

is

poor.
is

The
with

rock of thefe veins

a dark grey clay,

commonly mixed with

fparr.

quartz, but very feldom

Generally the quartz begins and ends

the ores.

The
pyrites.

argillaceous flate between the veins con-

tains frequently
I

confiderable nefts or lumps of

have met with fuch a lump, improa pyrite-ftock, in a depth of

perly called here

fifty-feven fathoms,

between the middle and the

are rich of fulphur,
in a

lying vein.
tain

They

and con-

two pounds of copper

ores

hundred weight.
and found
Befides

The

are generally yellow copper-pyrites,

either fuperficially variegated, or yellow

or fprinkled in glimmery dark-grey

thefe ores,

flate.

whofe

richeft

fpecies

contains about

twelve pounds of copper, the mines at Smolniz

produce

annually about

an hundred

thoufand

pounds of cemented or precipitated copper.

The
veins
is

water v/hich foaks through the

fifTures

and
difit

impregnated with copper-particles,

folved by the vitriolic acid.

ftill

To

impregnate
fhafcs,

more,

it

is

led into

fome old

thence
raifed

TEMESWAR,
ralfed

^f

LETTER

XIX.

173

by pump-works, conducted through feveral bing-places, and then poured in canals, which
are

dug near
by

the fhafts and filled with old iron.

The

vitriolic acid nearer related

it,

with the iron,

is

attrafted

and accordingly precipitates the

foft

copper under the form of a

powder. If the

cement waters be ftrong,

is

this

powder or fediment
which
is

every third day feparated from the iron, to preits

vent

being incruftated with copper,

its

would hinder
ferved fooner
vitriolic

further difTolution.

It

ob-

that

the

copper precipitation
in

fucceeds

and better
water
falls

thofe

canals,

where the

with fome impetuofity on the

are

iron.

Every month the copper fediments

be entirely diflblved.
is

gathered in the canals, the iron cleared and put

again in the water,
till it

Another equally profitable work

the picking
confifting

up and wafhing of the

either
thofe,

bing-rubbifh,

of the negleded ores of the ancients, or of

which having been thought

unfit for fepa-

ration in the mines, are carried to the bing-places.

Thefe places are examined, the found ores feparated

from the deaf rocks, and

th.e

copper fprinkas

led flate pieces waflied

7iiz.

and fieved

at

Shem-

The remaining
This bufmefs

unfhining pieces go to the

is

mills.

carried

on by children,

fervant maids, and old

maimed

miners, and pro-

duces every year about 60,000 pounds of copper.

The

174

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

ftainp-mills are of the

The

fame conAruflion
^

as thofe in

Lower Hungary.

Thofe

ores that are too fulphurous are

by

roaft-

ing feparated from the fulphur.

Several fulphur

furnaces are built for that purpofe.

three to fix fathoms in length
j

They

are

from

from one

to

two

fathoms deep, and two fathoms high.

they have thirteen windows
leveral
;

Commonly

and each window

accord-

openings, by which the fmelted fulphur

runs out.
ino-

The bottom of
j

thefe furnaces

is

to their bio;nefs filled with three or four fathefe

thorns of wood

wood layers
;

are covered with

fome

carts

of charcoal

then comes

a layer of
this is

found fulphurous ore one foot thick, and

covered with alternating wafh-ore-beds
nace be a
filled.
till

the furfire

The wood below

fet

is fet

on

by

wood

canal vertically

a-crofs the ore-beds.

Such a fulphur-furnace contains about 500,000

pounds of
ore,

which continues burning twelve

If the fulphur ceafes runin

or fourteen months.

ning from the openings, canals are dug

the
flat

upper covering of the furnace and paved with

ftones.

Thefe canals, and wooden

are led

conductors
j

laid in tliem, as the

rifing

to a ftone refervoir
is

and
con-

fulphur fl;eam
in

catched

in the

duftors,

and cooled
is

the refervoir, a greater

quantity of fulphur
the former.

got by this method than by

it

The

depuration and fublimation of

into

TEMESWAR,

^c.

LETTER
known

XIX.

175

into flores fulphuris are

pradices.
is

The
about

annual produce or faving of fulphur

200,000 pounds.

The
put
in

uflulated pyrites ferve here likewife in a

vitriol manufacftory.

When

flill

warm
in

they are

tubs with water, elixiviated into a brine,

and

this boiled

and evaporated

lead

pans,

which produces a blue-greenilh

vitriol,

but the
confi-

want of

fale

makes
it

this

manufaftory

lefs

derable than

might be under more favourable

copper-ores require ten different
raw,

circumftances.

The common
roailings,
after

one

and

one black-fmelting

which they

are refined with

fome

lead, as
filver

not bearing the expence to part the

little

which they may contain.

The
as in

richer fiiver-mixed copper-ores are parted

yield
at

Lower Hungary, and

in

medium

from twelve to 1400 marks of

StoofSy

filver
is

every year.
a dependant

the

di(tri(5l

of Zips,

place

of

Smolniz,

and furniihes yearly about

iron,

500,000 pounds of
is

which for a great part

at Smolniz.
{latej

confumed by the cementation works

iron-veins
confift

The
ores

are

here running

in

the

of brown or red iron-ocher,

in

greater

depth

hardened into

an iron-coloured
It

found-ore,

Hccmatites

carukjcens.

contains

now and

then fome nefts of yellow copper-ore.

Swadlcvy

176

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

and a great advantage to the royal cham-

Swadler, a market-place, is furrounded with large

forefts,

ber.

The
and

furnaces in the midft of thefe forefts

refine

fmelt

every

year about 200,000.

pounds of rofe-copper.
adventurers

The company of private

(late,

work

here in rich copper veins, in-

clofed in glimmery argillaceous

whichever/

year produce above 400,000 pounds of fine copper.

EinftdeU
in

a place belonging to Count Cfaky^

the diftrid
in

of Zifs, has rich copper-veins,

which

former times produced confiderable divi-

dends, but for want of

inor

wood

are

but flowly workfell

at prefent.

However,

they yield and

every year to the royal purchafing office abouc

200,000 pounds of copper.

Golniz^ in the fame diftrid, iikewife belonging to

QowniCfaky^
tv/o

is

in

time anterior to Smclniz.

let

It

has

rich

copper veins,

to feveral companies.

The

royal

chamber has large

Ihares in them,

and

fome confiderable independant mines.

The
for a

veins run to the eaft

between horn-flate

length of

900 fathoms.

They

dip into a

confiderable depth.

The vein rock is

grey quartz

mixed now and then with fpar. They yield yellov^ copper-pyrites, and grey copper ore, called
hereabouts

white

ore,

which

contain

fifteen

pounds of copper per hundred weight, and from

five

TEMESWAR,
live to twelve

^c.

LETTER

XIX.

lyj
annual

ounces of filver.
place
is

The whole

produce of
of copper.
Krumbach,

this

about 600,000 pounds

in

the fame diflrid, belonging to

iron veins
in

the fame mafter, has

Hate-rock.

argillaceous

In fundry places of this

manor

are

rich copper veins,

which annually produce about

dependencies

200,000 pounds of copper.

Bcratdod or Wagendnijj'd and
its

produce about 300,000 pounds.

Under-Mezen-Seiffen, Jojfa'w
Seifen, in

and Upper-Mezen-

the Ahavira county, are three mining

places belonging to the convent of Premonfiratefriars at

Jojfaix),

This county
,

is

contiguous to the

Carpathian mountains

the ground, confiding of

arg;illaceous flatc, rather working- for iron than for

copper-veins.
T'opaijj,
in the

county of Gcmcr, on the river

in argil-

of Gollniz, has two capital copper- veins

laceous
fiate,

worked by

private companies.

The

different mines, belonging to this bailiwick, deli-

ver aunually about 100,000 pounds of copper to

the royal office at S^nolniz,

Rofenaw belongs to the Archbidiop of Gran,

and
is

fituated in the county of Gcrnor.

]n the

territory

of

this place are

copper, gold, and an-

timony veins.

The

large old bing-placcs at Zinga-

kanyn, near Rofenix)^ fpcak rich old copper-mines.

Some

178

TRAVELS THROUGH THE ANNAT OF

years ago they have been taken
<:^ood

Some
iilver

up

again,

and yielded
;

copper-ores, containing fome

but the adventurers being unable to afrbrd

the expences of pump-engines theworks are dropt.

The
'

gold- veins difcovered fome years ago are

dropt likewife.
in

The four antimonial-vcins run The ore is commonly found hornftone-flate.

,

granulated and grey antimony

it

fcarce

ever

appears

in cryrtalline

or plumofe forms.
is

Near
a rich

Krafznahorka^ in the county of Gomor^

quickfilver-mine, which yields
Jgto
Cti
'fine

cinnabar-ore.
is

or Neivdorf^ in the county of Zips,

one

the thirteen towns which the Emperor Sigifmund

to the

pawned

crown of Poland.

It

has rich cop-

per-works.

Walkndorf likewife pawned

mines belonging to
this place

to the Polijh.

The
hopes

work

ftill

in

of a dividend.

The buying
places
is

of the copper produced

in all thefe

a royal prerogative, according to

which
fell

the different private companies are obliged to

their

copper

in the royal office at

Smolmz

at dif-

ferent prices,

fettled

according to

the different

circumftances and the different goodnefs of the

copper.

Thefe prices vary from twenty-nine to

-,

thirty-one florins

but the

Iglo

and

Newdarf co^Three
in

per

fells

thirty-two florins thirty cruicers.

after delivery the

months

companies are paid

ready

TEMESWAR,
ready

^f.

LETTER

XIX.

79

money

which regular and conftant

fale

has brought

thele

Upper Hungarian copper-mines

into their prefent flourifliing ftate.

The produce
every year in
royal mines

of the private companies

1,400,000;

confifts

but

that

of the

of

^00,000

in all

of 2,100,000 pounds of copper.

LETTER

lO

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER.
OU
the
that

XX.

Shemniz, Sept. 7, 1770.

win not expeft a compleat

hiftory of

Lower Hungarian mines,

a

their

origin,

works, engines, furnaces, oeconomy and produce;

would be

volumes.

work of fome years and of fome Befides, you have been here and feen
yourfelf.

and examined
Severini's

You have
;

read

Mr.

treatife

of the ancient inhabitants and

the origin of the mines at Shemniz

expecfl an

and you may

account of the Lower Hungarian en-

gines from
it

Mr. Poda^ who

is

refolved to give

to the prefs.

Perhaps a defcription of our

fubterraneous and metallurgical- works might ap-

pear likewife,
into execution.

if

the imperial order be brought

It
is,

that the profefibrs of our

miner-academy are obliged to penn down proper

hand books
to

for the difciples, which are intended

at

be publiflied

her majefcy's

expence.

want only to remind

fervations
fliort

you of the nature of our

rocks, of the rule of our veins, and of fome ob-

thence arillng, in order to fupport a

theory

of

all

the Hungarian

mountains,
whicli

TEMESWAR,
which
to

^r.

LETTER
I

XX.

l8l

comply with you,

of the

have refolved to

Iketch out.

The

promontories

hills,

in

which the
on the

noble veins at She7nmz are running,

raife

borders of the G7'an river, where they

Hate,

conx^iit

of

which afterwards unites with a harder,

ar-

gillaceous grey rock,

mixed

either wich fherl,

or

quartz, or calcareous fpar-grains.

This rock, which hitherto

called

condantly have

metallic rock,

is

the

common mountain-

rock, in which the veins at She^niiiz and Kremniz

are

running.

They

unite with the Carpathian

mountains.
In the valleys behind Shemniz, near the glafs

manufactory, and in feveral other places of the

Lower Hungarian mines,

are

hills

of grey limeftone

accumulated on the Hoping, nay even on the

this argillaceous

fummits uf

rock.

The

metallic rock near Shemniz contains three

capital veins, parallel in their run with the direction of the river Gran, nay even v/ith the bendings

of

its

channel, as clearly appears by the minera-

logical

map

of the Shemniz veins, which has been

publiflied

by Mr. Zipfer.
is

The

largeft

the

Spitaler

vein.

It

runs

from north

to fouth

between twelve and four,

eaft-

and dips from weft

degrees.

to

from

thirty to feventy

In the remoteft northern field this vein,

belonging

lS2

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

and found deaf
depth.

belonging to the Nicolai mine, was crofied by a

drift,

in

the

Here

it

confifts

of grey loofe and

foft clay,

mixed with

fpar.

But the old rubbifh feems

towards the day.

to indicate that

there were iikewife rich and metallic veins in the

upper

level

Somewhat more
the vein
,

to the fouth, in the fields oi Michels and PacherStolln, it furnifhes

good ftamp-ores. Kere

confifts

of quartz, leadglance, and zinnopel

and

the wallied metallic powder contains a good deal of

gold.

In the field of the Packer Stolln

elfe.

it is

larger

than any where

parallel

On
aft,

the twentieth drift or

for example, at a
ill

depth of 127
it
is

fatl;ioms

from the Elizabeth

wide,

fourteen fathoms

and

the

deaf rocks

included eighteen.

This remarkable thicknefs of the vein has caufed

the crofs-works to be introduced.

The comhas
drift,

pany of the Three Kings and

here
that
in the
is

PacbercUn

depth of the thirteenth level or

to fay, in
rich

the depth of eighty-fcven faores,

thoms very
change
in

which

in |a greater

depth

zinnopel ftamp-ores.

Further to the fouth, near the limits of the

Winoaft
field,

an argillaceous white vein unites,

it

and thence conftantly runs with

in the

hanging.

The vein is from that place found to contain filver. The v/hite clay of this hanging nlTure offers now and then nodules of fpar and quartz pieces.
Containing;

TEMESWAR,
dred
laft

'r.

LETTER

XX.

83

Containing four or ve ounces of filver per hunweight

;

they are carefully gathered.

is

At

the

form of the vein

;

entirely altered in the

it

royal wind-jafts field

and

confiits

of broken

quartz, which,
ores

if

mixed with

fpar, yields richer

of diflblved pyrites and of an irony ocher,

to contribute to
its

which feems
ferous quality.

increafing auri-

This irony ocher decreafes

tion as the vein
is

in the

fame propor-

advancing to the fouth.

The

remoteft

field to the fouth, diilant

from the north-

ern about

3000 fathoms,

is

entirely deaf.

The J-6;w vein runs in a diilance of looo fathoms

in the

hanging of the m.ain

ZifpT^r's
1

Spitaler vein.
this vein

Ac-

cording to Mr.
the fame which
iffuing

map,

feems to be
as

mentioned before,
vein.

unitingor

from the chief

The

vein-rocks or

fubftance of this

fifilirs is

white clay, containing

fometimes ore,

fometimes metalHc quartz, and

flakes.

Ibmetimes fprinkled metal

In

its

midft

occur now and then feparated and deaf zinnopel

fragments, or dilfolved zinnopel.
the

To

the fouth,
its
it

on

fourth and

fifth

drift or level,
;

fubftance
has conficirt

turns
flantly

harder and richer

in

however,

the

hanging an argillaceous

or
in

feparation of

two or three inches thick, and

the hading
thicknefs.

a fkirt of zinnopel

about one foot

The

184

TP.AVELS THP.OUGH THE

BANNAT OF

The mines working on

the Spitakr vein are

the IVindjafi^ Pacber-Stolln,

the Gl.mzenhurg^ Michels- StoUn^

Three Kings-StoUn^

and the remoteft

I

northern

Ijillner

deep gallery-works.

am
in

to

take notice
is

here of a fingular curiofity, which

drill:

that in

driv^'en

on

this vein,

and

perpendicular depth of eighty-nine fathoms from

the Elizabeth
fliaft,

have found included

petrified

in the

found zinnopel a fpecies of

I

porpites. *

am

pofieffed of a

fragment of zinnopel
of
this

with

feveral impreffions

marine body, and a

;

porpites

belonging to one of thele impreffions

both offered to
vein,

me

in a

bing-place of the Spitakr

among

the rubbilli

and ilamp-ores, which

then were carried out.

The day
afls;ing

after

went

myfeif into
officers

the mine,
this

the

workmen and
?

whether
to

fort

of imprellions and flones

had offered

them

in

working out flamp-ores

They anfwered me

in the affirmative,

but uncon-

cerned at their Angularity had conftantly rejed:ed

them under the ftamp-ores. However, my endeavours to find fome other fpecimens for

my

mineralogical friends have been to no purpofe.

It is

properly a petrified Madrcpora mplcx, fnbtiis platta,

annulis

co?icentricis,

fupra con^exa,

iimhilico imprejfo,

lamellis

approximatis in fupcrficie granulos.

hitherto undefcribed,
viiindcn in
is

The fame

fpecies, tho'

common

near the falt-works at Ge-

Upper- Auria.

Now,

TEME3WAR,
Now, my
petrifaftions

^c.

LETTER
tell

XX.

1S5
thefe
a vein

deareft friend,

me how
into

may have been brought

of a mountain, which cannot be ranked amongr

the accidental

mountains, and whofe very rocks

prove

it

to

be of the primitive or original kind.

If there were any higher fuperincumbent calca-

reous

hills,

this

phenomenon might prove

hills

lefs

fingular.

But our calcareous

are

on the

floping of the mountain towards the glafs

faories, and theie petrifaflions

manu-

cannot poflibly

be carried thence to

this

high elevation, as none

in the

ofthat kind are to be found

calcareous and

lower

ilrata.

Hov/ever, a

fingle

circum (lance

fcems to give fome explication.

a
hill to

You remember
which of
late is

the north of Shemniz,

as

decorated

micaceous

mount Caharia. It confifts of clay iiilus, mixed with detached

which greatly refembles the
and chamites
;

pieces of red jafper,

deaf zinnopel.

Petrified turbinites

have been very often found about

famples of thefe petrifaftions are

this hill
in

and

my

cabinet.
v/as

Might

not,

when

this

accidental

hill
ftill

profea-

duced, and the whole country was

under

water, fome of thefe cruftaceous animals have been

carried

by water

in the ftill p;aping filTure

of

this

large vein? and by that accident have been brought

into the mafs of zinnopel
?

The

detached j.ifper
pieces

If thefe petrifaftlons

were of the fame kind

as thofe in

the before-mentioned

hill,

which

is

not, or

the fpecies of
turbinites

lS6
pieces,

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

mentioned
before,

leem to have been

in the Johns' filTure

brought by fimilar accidents

in the hangino-

of the vein.
the

The

fecond or the Beaver Stollner capital vein

in
it

runs in a diftance of loo and 150 fathoms,

hadin"- of the Spit alc" \ tin, parallel with
in
its

both
is

run and

in

its

dipping.

The

vein-rock

quartz mixed with pale yellow and reddifli fpar,

zinnopel, and richer ores.
the

In the hanging towards

Sptakr vein
,

it

contains

zinnopel and lead

is

ftamp-ores

but

in the

hading

a fkirtof clay,

from one
ore,

to four foot thick, with nodules of leadfive

which yields from two' to

ounces of filver.

This vein has not been worked, nor found metallic fo

far to the north as the Spitakr vein.

filTure,

Near
from

the Amelia fhaft the Daniel

ftraying

the 'Therefta vein, unites with the Beaver Stollner

vein, and

makes

it

richer.

More

to the fouth in

the Chrifiina field this vein has undoubtedly yielded

the greater quantity of ore.

Hereabout

feveral

regular and irregular

fijfTures,

fuch as the Althandlc-

turbinites

and chamites, which are common

in that hill,

were

iikewife fo in the zinnopel vein, which Baron

Born would

certainly have taken notice of,

then the flate-hill and vein-

rock of the Spitaler \t\n might be confidered as produced in

the fame time.

However, the vein rock may have been procircumftances, but in times anterior to the
(Tranfl.)

duced by fimilar

rigin of that flate-tiill.

Roka,

TEMESWAR,

t5c.

LETTER

XX.

187

Roka, and fome other hanging and hading ones, fometimes unite and iometimes feparate from it
efpecially

the

Wolf-gang vein parts from

tire Spitaler

it

and
fa-

runs towards

y tin.

An

hundred

thoms more
this vein

to the fouth, in the Siegelerger field,

its

has
five

greateft width,

which
it

is

from

four

to

fathoms.
fifi^ires.

However,

is

croffed

by two fmall

They worked

the

firft

by

galleries,

and found on the ninth

till

drift

vertical vein,
fince

then unknown, which has ever

yielded the richeft ores.

fiffures,

The

three hangparallel

ing

flraying

from and running

with the main vein, yield likewife great quantities

of rich

ore.

Beyond the Kcnigfegger

is

Ihaft to the

fouth the vein

deaf at prefent.
is

But the fouth-

ern part of the mountain

ber, in order to

rcferved for the

cham-

examine the vein and

to lengthen

the works.

The

'Therea vein runs

in

in

a diftance of

150

fathoms further

the

hading, in a dire6lion

parallel to that of the

two before dcfcribed.

On
the

the

higheft part of the

is

mountain

it

balilts out,

and

lefs
it

examined than any

other.

To
to

north

dips from eaft to weft,

that
,

is

to fay, in

a contrary and irregular diredlon fouth

it

more

th6

turns perpendicular
it

and

urther beyond
the other

the "Therea fhaft

capital veins at

dips

parallel to
is

Sbemmz, that

to iav,

from weft
to

83

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANN AT OF

to eaft.

The
;

vein-rock
in

is

lead-ore, inixed with

filTures,

zinnopel
S.

however,
it

Ibme

efpecially
Its

Daniel,
is

has yielded richer ores.

found-

nefs

the

caufe that the works on this vein

is

are not

funk above 150 fathoms, that

fole

to fay,

to

the

of

tlie

^'rinity

nopel veins being richer

The zinof gold make amends

gallery.

for their being poor of filver.

in this

That

is

the cafe

and the
is,

Spitaler vein.
in a

On

the eleventh

level, that

depth of 116 fathoms,

they

have found
rock,
drift,

in the

mid ft of the found mountain

from one to

when
a

cutting a crofs door, or an oblique

great

number of

bullets

two inches

thick, confifting likewife of metallic

rock, and being either loofe or fticking to the

other rocks.
I

am

at

a lofs to guefs

how

thefe

globular ftones came into the m.ountain, or

why

they came to be produced

in this

form rather

than

in that

of the other comprefled rocks.

On
fliafts

the Klingerflolln^ belonging to the Tkerea

field,
I

obferved the remains and marks of old

works, done before the invention of gun-powder,

which the ancients called

arbeit)

pocket

works

{tajen

and produced by ftrong and dry wood

forced in the hanging fide of the doors

wedges,

or galleries.

Thefe wedges being wetted

effect

after-

wards broke the rock by an

panfion.

of

their ex-

T
I

M
I

E S

W A R,

^c.

LETTER

XX.

89

remember

that in the defcription of the Spifre-

tler vein

mentioned deaf wedges, which

greater veins
at

quently offer in the

Shemniz.
differ-

They

confift

of an argillaceous grey rock,

ing from the metallic rock in a fmgle circumftance, that inftead

of mica

it

contains fpots of

white lithomarga.

The width and

lifations

thicknefs of thefe veins

has

probably occafioned the great quantity of

cryftal-

which are

fo

common

in

thefe mines.

Being

filled

with metalliferous fubftances there

their drying

might have remained, or by

have been

produced thofe holes

are depofited.

in

which the

cryftallifations

They

are generally filled, or at

leafl incruftated Vv'ithin

by calcareous,
as

felenitical,

or quartz cryftallifations.
rco-ular

Suppofing that
falts,

their
is

forms
tlic

"are

owino; to

commonly

fuppofed,

variety of metals and femi-metals

at

of the large veins

rally

Shemmz feems

to have natu-

produced

that great variety of fine cryin m.y cabinet.

ftallifations

which you have feen

Thus
I

have communicated to you

my

obfer-

vations on the chief veins at Shemniz.

However,

add that they are worked with fuccefs to the

greateft depth, fince the auriferous zinnopel con-

tinues in vaft quantities.

Though

this

depth be

about 200 fathoms,

in

it is

of no great importance
if

refped to the inner ftrudure of the globe,

wc

190

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

confider that, according, to
obfervations,

we
the

Mr. Pcdas baunder

ground,
fa-

rometrical

made

feventh fole

in Sargozi

thoms
above

below the

mine being 158 Charles lliaft, and 286

fhaft,
is
ftill

fa-

thoms below the

the level

'Therea

much

of the city of Vienna.

geographers

Accordhave no

ingly our

fubterraneous

reafon to be proud of their diicoveries of the inner

ilru(5ture

of the earth

even our deepeft fhafts

its

have

at

mod but fcratched

in

exterior furface,

and

Ovid's

Itum e

vifcera terrae will be a poetical ex"*

till

travagance,
propofal of a
earth to the
tion

Manpertuis^s

unphilofbphical

fliaft

funk through the centre of the

brought into execu-

Antipodes be

All the royal mines at Shemniz are drained and

uncJ^erworked by the

Emperor
is

Francifcus'^ gallery.

Its door or entrance

five

Engli miles from

It

Skemniz,
in

in the

Hodrizer ground.
finiflied

Was begun

1748, and

happily

in

1765.

Conbe
imin

tinually driven in

found and hard metallic rock,

height and widtli,
it is

and

in a confiderable

to

wondered
menfe and

at

even by connoifTeurs

how

this

difficult

work could be atchieved

lengthened
ftill

fo faort a time.

It is

further.

The
veins,

private mines, working in other metallic

and belonging to the metallic court

at

Sbemniz,

TEMESWAR,
Shemniz, are to the

^c.
v/eft

LETTER

XX.

ipi

or to the north in the

Rofs ground near Eifenbach, or to the fouth in the

Hodriz.
Stolln,

The New
the moft

Hope-Stolln^ the

Hofer Erb-

WinAeuten^ and the Old Antony de Padua

confiderable mines
in

StoUn, are

the

Rofs ground.

The mountains
lic

confift here generally

of metal-

rock

the veins, like thofe at Shemniz^ run-

ning from north to fouth.

In the fouthern valley
royal mine, which
rich ores,
in
is

Old All Sabits

Stolln^

former times yielded very

ftill

whofe remains are

working.

The

co-incidence of fome large

veins has

produced

here vaft caverns, fupported by the fparings of

deaf rocks.

Here

found
I

in a pit the year

777

cut in the rock.

Might

hence draw a confethis

quence for the high antiquity of

with this difference however, that

mine

The

rocks are here likewife our argillaceous grey rock,

it

is

as in all the

other Hodrizer mines mixed hithomarga.

Next

to this

mine follows

Fhifier

Ort and

Breii-

ner-Stolln,

whofe vein-rock

confifts

of large aulight,

riferous

and lamellared quartz, extremely

it

very often as

were cut with a knife, but com-

monly
its

in

a ftate of corrofion, ?nd containing in

holes rich auriferous red

and

brittle glafs filver

ore.

The Nezu

Antoni dc Padua Stolln has a

fimilar quartz vein.

More

592

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

to the weft our metallic rock
is

More
v.'ith

covered

argillaceous flate, crofTed by iron and lead-

veins.

The lame
where the

appears in the Rofs ground

begins near the Eifenbacb

valley,

flate

bath,

and yields iron-ore,

fine load-ftones.
filent

and now and then

fmaller private mines
Dulln, a minino-

Ibme

I pafs

over

many

to fpeak

now of Belo-Banya or
north of Shemniz.

place to the

The mountains
way diftant.
but

the fame as at Sbemniz, but an hour's

The mines do
portance
in

not feem to have been of great im,

former times

and nothing
tiie

is left

the names of fome mines and

ftill

working

deeper Didlner Erb

fhafc
is

SioUn.

The

Dullner Nicolai

funk on the

Spitaler vein,

and belongs for

I

the greater part to the royal chamber.

faw here
field

on the
drift,

Sez'en

Wornen vein,
old

in

the

northern

feveral

blafting-holes,

one marked

with the year 1637. Rofsler

the blafting

relates, that in

1627

of the mines
in

was
the

brought from

Hungary and introduced

German mines.
it

But Bayer

fays,

that

in

161 3

was invented
afifertion

by Martin Freygold
is

at Freiberg^

an

which

repeated

of

late in the

account of mines and

their workings, publiflied

at Freiberg.

by the miner-academy

Berg-Spiegel.

TEMESWAR,
The Maria
of auriferous
fouth.

l^c.

LETTER
It

XX.

193
a vein
to

Htilf
pyrites.

company works on

runs from north

To
awer

the fouth, on the other fide of the Reichwater-refervoir,

is

private

mine, called

the Moderolln, on
It has

a vein of auriferous quartz.

given good dividends.

is

Further to the fouth

a mining town.

Baka-Banya or BugganZy
to the eaft.

The

mountains, like thofe at

Shemniz

fome veins running

late

Sun-

dry companies have of

taken up different

old mines, in auriferous quartz and fpar veins.

The
form.

Ladiai company produces already a good

deal of gold, which often appears in a granulated

Behind Bugganz the Hoping of the mountain

is

argillaceous

flate,

dipping under the plain

which by Tyrnaw continues to Preurg.

Carpathian mountains,

On

the

northern fide of Preurg appear the roots of the

which near Modern are

working
running
1

for lead veins,

in horn-flate.

mixed with

afoeit

and

have noticed already in my laft

eafl

letter the Schious

mountains to the

of Shemniz.

To

the north,

on the floping of the mountains,

hills

are calcareous

of white fine-grained limeftone.

They

ex-

tend to the Glafs-huttner bath, which con fids of a

hot
well, ufed for

many

infirmities.

The water
depofits

194

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

mixed with
it is

depofits tophus

iron ocher, and the

canals in which
are incruftated

conveyed to the bathing-houfe

it.

by

Many

tophaceous

hills

of

the fame kind are ihen hereabout, and probably

have been accumulated on the furface before the

water was collefled into canals.

Between Creuz and Lehotka

plain.

is

a fine cultivated
here,

Marks of coals have been found

by P. Kircher

and

mentioned already
Subterraneus,
I

in his

Mundus
highway
refem-

Near Lehotka and

the

found

\vhite fhivery hornftone, petrofilex,

bling chalcedony and containing fome petrifactions of plants or corals.

Probably thefe detached

loofe flones have been carried hither

irom Leowixy

beyond Cremniz.

A
i

rivulet,

which flows here,

comes
a great

that

way

and found beds of fuch milk-

white hornftone are found near that place, befides

number of detached
are

jafpers
in

and achates,
fields

which

very

common

the

there-

about, and near Deutjh-L.it taw.

The mountains at Kremniz are our common metallic-rock. The works are on a large and rich gold-vein and on fome of its ramifications. The
rock
is

white

folid

quartz,

mixed with

fine

auriferous red and white filver-ore, and with auriferous pyrites.

This

pyrites, properly

ftampt

and walhed, contains from two

of gold per hundred.
to north,

to three

drachms

The

vein runs from fouth

and

is

auriferous above a length of

3000

fathoms

TEME3WAR,
fathoms.
It

^c.

LETTER
fearched
is

XVIII.

195
to

has

been

already

depth of 150 fathoms, and

riferous.

conftantly found au-

The fame
at Kremniz.
in the
tallic,

vein

is,

befides the

royal

mines,
citizens

worked by the Rothij company and the

Fine
flriated

grey antimony found

vein being

king's fhaft.
a great

The whole

medi-

number of ftamp and

wafli-mills

are eftablifhed here,

and to great advantage

rected by your countryman Baron Watram.

Further to the north, near T'oavoja^ fome leadveins are

working

in

blue micaceous clayifh

(late,

probably fuperincumbent on metallic rock.

To
by

the eafl Kremniz

is

feparated from Nezvfol

a fteep mountain, confifting of metallic rock

flate.

and covered with

Skalka
,

At

its

top, called the

red

native fulphur has been found in a

grey fuperincumbent fand- bed.

On

the other fide

of the

hill is T'ajova,

known by
Near

the royal copper-

and parting-furnaces.
orpiment,
polyedris^
is

this place cryllalline

cryflallis
flate.

Auripigmenttim cryfiallifatum^

dug from

a blue

clay vein in

The

hills

thence to Nezvfol, an hour's

way

diilant,

are calcareous.

This

city

is

in a pleafant plain

on the Gran.
rifes

To
flate,

the north, near

the village Jaaib,

confiiling

the mountain Baran,

of argillaceous

accumulated on limeilone and containing

copper-fifl\ires.

fome

Nearer to Herrn Grund ap-

pears

196

TxlAVELS

THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

grey micaceous clay fhiftus, in

ptars again the

which the mines are working.

chief veins,

There

are three

running from north to fouth, and

fifty

dipping from forty to

weft.
"jein
'vein
',

degrees from eafl to

is

The vein
and the

in the

hading

called the Copper-

the fecond to the hanging the Herrngrtwdcrthird,

more

in the

hanging, goes
,

under the name of the Pipe-Stolh-vein

to

which

may- be added a fourth, fu'-ther in the hanging,

and

called

the Rat-grund-vein.

All thefe veins

are cut off to

the fouth by an oblique croiTing

(late,

vein of red irony argillaceous

which

is

many

fathoms thick.

Beyond
in

thi^

red vein they have

begun

a gallery,

unfuccefsfuUy driven already

278 fathoms length

found continuing
red vein.
different

black limeftone,

in

hopes

to reach again the copper-veins, if they fhould be

on
is

the

other

fide

of

this

The- vein

common
is

fliivery

clay,

from the mountain by

Often the ore

a fmall

mixture

of mica.

fticking to quartz and

gypfum.
ed here
eight
I'here

The

ore

commonly

copper-pyrites, callfilver,

gilf-ore^

containing no

but from

to ten
is

pounds of copper
grey

in

hundred.
con*

likewife

copper pyrites,

raining fixteen or feventeen pounds

of copper,
Acci-

and from three to ten ounces of

filver.

dentally they meet fometimes with fine famples of

white ore, Cronedt.

glafs,

199, cryftalline grey coppercryflallifatum cryallis deca-

Cuprum vitratum

dris

W A R,

BV.

LETTER

XX.

97

drisi -planis tetraedris^ noble famples of verdegreafe

and copper azur, malachites, and white hair or capillaire vitriol,

Haloirichum

Scopoli,

fweating from

or (licking to the fides of the works.

This

vitriol,
is

which

in

undeterminate blue and green cryftals

likewife

produced on the timber,

to
its

contributes

greatly
rial

prcfervation, fince times

no repair of timber has

immemobeen wanting. The

For

copper-ores at Herrngrund are auriferous.

this reafon they ieparate the gold-duf!; in the wadi-

mills.

It

would be impoflible

to feparate

it

to

advantage by

fmelting and parting.

fix fields,

1 he whole

mine

is

divided into

three to the fouth

and three

to the north.

In the northern fields the

-g^vt

Ktigler, the

Pipe StoUn^ and

;

of x.\\q Herrnorund

veins are

working

in

the

fouthen they work

This
the
vein
is

only on the Herrngrunder vein.

twelve fathoms wide.

direflion

However,
it

different
affetfl it
it

of the rocks, which

interrupting
its

croiles,

fenfibly, either

run or forcing

into an other line of the compafs.

The fame
years

hap-

pens to the other veins.

It

has been conftantly

to

working

thefe

laft

five

hundred

depth of 15 fathoms.
is

The

Pipe-Stollner vein
is

fome fathoms thick

feet.

but the Kugler vein

water
is

only

four

The cementing
wood
and

conduced by

floping

wood-canals, and

many angulated windIn the corners of

ings in large
thefe canals,

refervoirs.

in

the refervoirs, they put old

iron,

198
iron,

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

which precipitates the copper
fo fuccefsfully,

that the fediments contain near feventy

pounds of

copper per hundred.

this

The
There

annual

produce of

cementation

does not

however amount to
is

above 5000 pounds.

eftablifhment in
the

another profitable

Herrngrund copper-works,

a manufaftory of verdegreafe or mountain-green,

Viride

montanum nativum.

To

this

purpofe the

mine-waters are conducted on old bing-places,

which impregnate them with vitriol by the folution

of the copper
flakes fprinkled in the

deaf rocks.

Thence they

are led in

feveral

wood' rcfervoirs,

where running againft obliquely erefled planks

the green precipitates as a fediment.

An

hun-

dred weight of

this

green

fells

for

100

florins,

and

is

to that rate delivered to the mineral ware-

and

fale-houfe at Vienna.

The

negligence

of the ancients

in feparating

the ores has likewife in this place caufed

bing-wafliings.

many

Tho'

there

is

a great

number of

them, they do not produce annually but about

300,000 pounds of
Travelling from

clear copper.
this place to

Modita towards
above

Liptaw^ you

fee

on both

fides

of the way a chain

thirty fa-

of calcareous

flalaflite-like hills,

thoms high.

Probably

this

(lalaftite

has

been

carried hither by rain-water,

from the limeflone,

fuperincumbent

on

the Carpathian ^mountains.

I

am

TEMESWAR,
I

&c.

LETTER
which

XX.

I99

am however

at a lofs

how

to explain the fio-ure

exacflly
in

of this cryftalline limeftone,

bles that
lar

refem-

of fcalaftites, and appears often

globu-

and columnar forms of one or two

is

feet thick.

Beyond Modita
worked without

a lead vein in limeftone,

fuccefs.
'Thaifolz be-

The

iron

works near Rhoniz and

at

long likewife to the chamber

Newfol.

At
have

Rhoniz the iron-veins run on the

Sirk,

in flate.

The
fpar.

richeft is
I

and produces fome iron

not feen Thaifolz.

The
to

hills

about Newfol are

argillaceous

calcareous and fuperincumbent on

flate.

But nearer

Shemniz the

common

rock

is

again metallic rock.

^
way
to Shemniz,

On

the midft of the

to

where the
I

highway

Kremniz and Newfol feparates,

confifting of argillaceous

ob-

ferved near the bridge over the Gran fome rocks

of breccia,

and mica-

ceous blunted ftones, and reddifh granite pebbles

ferruminated by lime.
carried hither

Probably they have been

from the Carpathian mountains and

depofited by the river in the before- mentioned

rocks.

Near

Poinik, an iron

work under

the

chamber
and pro-

of Newfol, the iron vein runs

duces thefe
diftilled

in flate,

fine iron ores, incrufliated

with blueifli

chalcedony, which you have taken noin

tice

of when you were

Hungary,

Konig^erg

200

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

in the Borfier diftrid,
is

Komgfherg (Ui-Banya)
in

rank the feventh of the free Hungarian mining

It
is

towns.
Shemniz.
fifts

fome miles

to the north-weft
it

from

The
fide

valley wherein

is

fituated con-

on one

towards Shemniz of metallic-rock,

granite-hills, run-

and on the other to the north of

ning hither from the Carpathian mountains.

the royal mine, at prefent working again,

In
the

vein runs between the red granite

its

hading, and
fide.

between the metallic rock

call
this

its

hanging
;

They
many
pur-

granite

mill-ftone

fince its

feld-fpath
left

particles

being difiblved, and having

it

holes,
p/)-fe it

make
is
is

good

mill-ftone.

To

this

exported to

many

parts of Hungary.

The
the

vein

grey quartz, mixed with auriferous

is

pyrites.
firft

This place
fteam or

remarkable on account of

fire-engine eflablifhed in the

built here 1721

Lower-Hungarian mines,

by Ifaac

Porter^ an Engli engineer in the imperial fervice.

Its objecfl

was the draining of the Althandler fhaft

but, the works being given

up nine

years after, the

engine has difappeared of courfe.

Thefe
to

are the notices

in

which
the

have been able

take

refpe:

of

Lower Hungarian
If
I

mountains, veins and mines.

fhould recover

my
and

health next
Scopoli'^

fummer,

intend, in

Mr. Poda's

company,
;

to

make
to

a trip in the

Carpathian

mountains

Scopcli

gather plants

and

TEMESWAR,
and infers
-,

^f.

LETTER
I

XX.

201

Poda

to
j

make
and

phyfical and mathefor

matical experiments

my

part to have

an eye to the nature

folTils.

of the mountains and the

The

defcriptions of the metallic-mountains in

the diftrifl of Liptaw, given

by

Bel^ in his Notitia

Hungarice^ and feveral curiofities which

fome

flu-

dents

have

brought

me from

the Carpathian

mountains, prove to conviiflion thatfuch an excurfion will be an advantage for Natural Hiftory.

Were this
gary^
this

part of fcience better cultivated in

Hun-

kingdom might,
in the

am

confident, fur-

nifh more remarkable obfervations, than perhaps

any other

World.

But, alas

fcarce the

name of that fcience is known hereabout, and fear we may for a long while repeat with old Seneca to the lazy Hungarians : " Sicut harbari pienimqtie inclufi

"
'* *'

&

ignari machinarum

fegms

la-

hores olfidentium fpeSiant^ nee

quo

ilia

pertineant^

qua ex lonquinquo firuuntur,

evenit.

intellignnt^

idem vohis

*'

Marc et is

in rebus z^eris^ neccogitatis

"
!

LETTER

202

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

L E T T E

P..

XXI.
1770
which

Shemniz, Sept. 13,

YOU
fandftone.

have feen by the

I

feries

of

letters,

hitherto

have written to you, that the

mountains

in

the Bannai, Hungary and ^^ranjjylclay,

vania confifl of granites,

lime, horn-and

But which
?

are

the
in

moft

ancient

which

are the riched

which

each of them
?

is

the rule of the veins and filTures

how have
?

the

different rocks fucceeded each other

ries

Thefe que-

properly anfwered might furnilh a compleat

theory of the Hungarian mountains.

The moft

ancient mountains in Hungary and

its

dependencies can only be obferved in the

\

higheft mountains

and even
illufion

there care

is

to

be

taken againft the

outfide.
pie,

of the fuperincumbent
for

7 he Carpathian mountains,
at
firft

exam-

might be confidered

fight as calca-

reous mountains, if examined only in fuch places

where mines are working

but that would prove
fancy that
hills

in flate

and limeftone

-,

as

wrong

as if a

man was

to

covered with vegetable mould are

it.

thoroughly compofed of
caution
i\\t

Examining with

this

Carpathian

hills as far as

the MarmaroSy
"Tranjfyl-

and thofe which feparate the Moldaw from

vania.

TEMESWAR,
vama, and
rife

^c.

LETTER

XX.

20^

near JVerocz in the Eannat,

we con-

ftantly find that their

undermoft

ftrata,

or rather

their main-bulk and nucleus,

I

confifts

of granite.

had ordered a young man, ufed to gather

in

foflils

the Carpathian

mountains, to obferve

every rock appearing above the fuperincumbent

mountains, and to bring

me

famples from thofe

rocks
mits.

as well as
I

from

tlie
it

highell Carpathian fum-

had them, and

was grey

granites.

You
I

remember
ferved

the granite- chain running towards KoI

nigerg^ which

mentioned

in
is

my
in

laft.

ob-

there, that the

granites

the hading,

and
it

argillaceous rock in the hano-jno; fide.

is

Hence

appears that the argillaceous rock

accumu-

lated

and fuperincumbent on the granites.

granite rocks in the mountains behind yf//-

The
Sol,

running to Upper-Hungary^ the fame rocks

I

which

mentioned

at Felfo-banya

and Kapnik, and

flira-

run there underneath feveral fuperincumbent

ta

to

the Carpathian

mountains, prove to con-

viflion that

they confift of granite.

my

letters

again from the Bannat.

Look You will

over
find

noticed feveral places, in which the

granite ap-

pears peeping from under the flate and limeflone.

Mr.

Deiius, in his Treatife

on the Mountains, has

;

likewife mentioned
granites,
rates the

fome fuch rock

and thefe are

which includes the Ha zegvaWey^ and fepa-

Moldow from

l^ranjjylvania.

It

appears

there eidier entirely naked, or covered with a flate

or

204

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

All thefe fads together are
hills

or limeftone roof.
fair

evidence of the higher Hungarian

con-

fifting

of granites.
is

It is material to

add, that

there

no place

in

Hungary

in

which the gra-

nite appears to be naturally

incumbent on other

rocks

that wherever

it

appears above ground,

the fuperincumbent more

are eafily to

modern
;

flone flrata

be

diftinguilhed
in

and that graalter-

nites has never

been found

any mine to
I

nate ftratified with other

mineral-hiftory

rocks.

know by
I

the

of other countries that the fame

has been obferved in general.

However,

would

not be underftood as did

fuppofe the inner part

It is rather

of the globe to confiil

probable that granite
hitherto
fhall,

of granite.
in

fuch

depths,

which

we have

not reached, and perhaps never

are accumulated on rocks of afimpler mix-

ture.

Neverthelefs

granite
,

is

the moft ancient

is

rock hitherto obferved

confirmed
in

and that opinion

greatly

Hungary.
hitherto

To my

knowledge there have not been

in the

found any metallic veins

mountains.
runs in

Hungarian granite-

The

Althandler vein at Konigficrg

the feparation

between the granites and

will lay

the metallic-rock.

Perhaps after-times

open

thefe hidden treafures.

That

veins are runis

nino- in other
fa<ft

countries throup-h the granite

too obvious to want here to

be evidenced by

me.

The

TEMESWAR,
The
ceous,

l^c.

LETTER

XXI.

205

fecond fpecies of rock, which feems to

after the granites
is

have been produced

fuch
as

argilla-

hornflate or

argillaceous
2.

mica,

thoroughly mixed with quartz.

fifting

Kneifs, con3.

of quartz, mica and lithomarga.

rock,

The

metallic

being

a hardened

clay,

mixed

either with quartz or fherl

and fpar or lithomarga.

And

laftly,

4.
is

trap and fliivery clay.

to

Hornflate

my

knowledge very

fcarce in

Hungary, but you have feen by

the
lead-veins

my
the

letters,

that

near Modern in

county

of

Preurg, on the foot of the Carpathian mountains,

run

in hornflate

and

at

Ruowa in

another
like-

lead-vein, under

the

chamber of Sbemniz,
But

wife on the foot of the Carpathian mountains, the

common
Kneifs

rock

is

of the fame kind

thefe

veins are leaping, thin and inconfiderable.

is

on the
Bannat.

fole

of Simon Judas, at Bog-

nazha

in the

Between Saa and Moldova

it,

whole mountains confid of

contain any
Kaiferolln
in

but unobferved to

copper-vein

Hodriz

is

and near Sbemniz the driven in Kneifs for an

;

auriferous quartz vein.

The moft common and

thefe argillaceous rocks in

the moft remarkable of

Hungary

is

the metallic

reck, which

have defcribed before.

it

Near Ko-

nigerg

we have found

immediately incumbent

on

granites.

The

large

and conftant gold and

filver

206

TRAVELS THROUGH THE EANNAT OF

Kremniz,
as

veins at Sbemniz and

likewife the

many

rich

veins

at

Felfo-Banya, Kapnik, Nagyin

it.

Banya, Nagyrg, Fufes, Boitza run

In the

Bannat the conftant copper-veins, nay even the

richefl:

mine

at

Dognazka

are

found

in the

fame

rock.

Our

trap,
at

which

have (ttn only

in a finglc

mountain

Kapnik, contains but fmall veins.

is

The
in the

argillaceous ate

the

common

rock at

Schmolniz,

Newfohl,

T'avoja

behind Krefnmz,
atTorda,

Bannat, and in the

fait- works

Marfhort,

7}mros

and Sovar.

It

contains

commonly

thin and leaping copper-veins, running either acrofs

or along this rock under incumbent lime-

ftone.

Limeone

is

the third, and if

we do
it is

not take

notice of the accidental beds, the

fpecies

moll modern
conftantly

of rock.

In the Bannat

accumulated or depofited on

clay. In the

Oravitza

mountains fome pretty conftant copper- veins, and

at

Saa and Moldova fome

in
it.

lliort

copper- veins are

working

In Tranjfylvania behind Nagyag,

I

from Daroa

to Glut,

found calcareous

hills in-

cumbent on
working.

argillaceous

rocks, in which

fome

poor copper- veins baffetting out to the day were

I

do not remember
in the

to

have heard of
calcareous

any metallic veins

hills,

many high

which are fuperincumbent on the granitehills

TEMESWAR,
hills

^c.

LETTER
From
flate
all

XXI.

lOJ

in

the Carpath

or thofe which feparate the

thefe fafts

Moldaw from
it

'Tranyhania.

follows, that veins between flate

and limeftone
and a hanging
this opinion,
it,

have conftantly a hading of

fide

of limeftone.
I

am

really

of

though

have had many

objec^lions againft

when

in

the Bannat I found

fome mines with a

;

hanging of flate and a hading of limeftone

but

on nearer examination
of

thefe

my

fcruples difapI will

peared for very good reafons, which

in
I

fpeak

the

defcription

of the accidental rocks.

is

Here
very

am

obliged to take notice, that lime

often

immediately incumbent on granite.

Thus I have been told, at leaft by many people who have feen the Carpathian hills, and maybe very well accounted for by fuppoflng granite
rocks uncovered by argillaceous rocks when the
limeftone beds were produced.

Thus far of the three ancient fpecies of recks, known in Hungary. Though it be impofiible to
determine
within a

whether they have

been

produced

fliort

fpace of time, or whether they have

in

been accumulated
ages, I
1

a long fuccefiion of
firft

many
it

am

rather inclined to the

opinion.

have feen granite, whcfe furface, v^here

was

in

immediate conta6l with the incumbent clay,

entirely

was

changed into clay

nay

keep

in

my

cabinet fome pieces of granite, with inclofed

ffagments

208

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

of
flate.

fragments

have feen
in

argillaceous
letters

mountains, and noticed them

my

from

the Bannat, which by the fuperincumbent iime

were penetrated and changed into marie.

not thefe fafts incline us to believe,
granite and clay-beds were
ftill

Might
that the
ftate

in

of

a wet

pafle,

when

the fuperior beds were accu?

mulated and depofited upon them

and that ac-

cordingly the origin of thefe different rocks can-

not be greatly diftant in refped: to time

But

go

aftray in hypothefes
It
is

which

in this

place are to

no purpofe.

a great fatisfaflion to me, that

my

obfervations

on the origin of the rocks agree

naturalifls.
fa:s,

with thofe of the beft

lifhed

Being eftab-

on experiments and
ipyfelf, I

which

have

feen

am

under no apprehenfion, that

my fyftem
hatched
in

can poflibly be confidered as an adoptor what

ftudy.
is
ftill

ed opinion,

worfe, as a fancy

my

Baron Haller has

given

in the preface to his Defcription

of the Helvetia^

a fine account of the

Alps in Switzerland.

He is

very explicit that the higheft tops of the Alps confift

of a rock, which

is

compofed of glimmer,
probably feldfpath,
in
is

quartz and a loofer

ftuff,

of a granite- fpecies, and goes

der the

Switzerland un-

name of

Gieergerftein.
;

The common
and the lower

Alpine rocks are a fpecies of flate

hills

are covered with limeftone,

fome

forts

of

marble.

TE
marble,

M E S W A R,

^c.

LETTER
his

XXI.

20g
is

and other hard rocks.

The fame

confirmed by Mr. Grner, in

ice-mountains of Switzerland.

account of the

Lord Bute has

to

noticed the fame rule in the Pyrenean mountains,

and

communicated

that obfervation

Baron
granite

Haller.

The

'TyroUan

mountains

are

covered with

(late, as I fee

by acoUecflionof foflilsj

which Baron Adolph Meyer has brought

that country.

me from

The fame

is

obferved in the Bohemian

mountains.
Altzedliz,

When
the

lived at

my

country feat

on the high mountains which feparate

Bohemia

from

Upper

Palatinate.,

exa-

mined

thefe

hills

with attention.

The whole
feveral

chain of mountains, which from Bavaria runs to

the circle of Eger.,
is

granite, in

places

covered by hornflatc and other argillaceous rocks.

Near Eger and Mautdcrf^ towards

on the Doping of
ftone-hills

the Palatinate,
firfl

thefe
to

mountains the

lime-

occur

the oblcrver.

Baron Pab
Charpe?itier

von Ohain

at Freyberg,

and Mcfirs

and

Lommer,
berg,

profeflbrs in the

miner-academy

at Frey-

have made feveral excurfions and obferva-

tions to the

fame purpofe
;

in the

Harz and Saxomanna~-

mountains
ture

and the Swedi are of the fame

to your
It
is

according

obfervations
to be

and thofe

of Baron Linnens.
lifts,

hoped

that natura-

fkilled in
this

mineralogy, will henceforth ex-

amine

opinion wherever they Iliould happen

to

2I
to

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

have an opportunity to do
it'

it

in

order to

bring

to fyftematical evidence, as highly inte-

refting to philofophers
.

and miners.

But

let

us return to the Hungarian mountains,

their accidental

and examine
in

rocks.

Such are

my

opinion fome limeflone

flate-ftrata.

hills,

the fandflones

and ibme
It is a
is

hard tafk to determine, which limeftone

more

ancient,

and which accidental.

The great-

eft

mineralogifts afcribe the origin

of lime-ftone

to a deftrufcion of marine
poflible that thole

fliell-fifhes. But is it immenfe mafles of lime-ftone

ftiouid be ov/ing to the animal

kingdom

A great

part of the Carpathian mountains, the bordering

hills

of the Moldaw and Tro.njjyhania^ the moun-

tains in Steyermarcky

and a great many more to

covered and
quanti-

my
ties

knovv?ledge are almoft entirely

buried under limeftone.

What immenfe
?

of

ftiells

v/ould not be requifite to the origin

of thefe limeftone-hills

Cronedt has obferved

already, that the granulated and fcaly limeftone

is

deftitute

of petrifactions.

Are we by

that in-

titled to

rank thefe fpecies under the ancient calto

careous rocks, and thofe with petrifaftions

the accidental ones, produced

by more modern

inundations

ftiall

leave that entirely to the

determination

of thofe learned men,

who have
I

more
^

principles

and obfervations than

have acquired

TEMESWAR,
quired myfelf.

i^c.
it
is

LETTER
fadl,

XXI.

211

But

that in Hungary
in

hitherto no metallic veins have been difcovered

rocks

filled

with petrifaftions.

rank however

the ftaladite-like limeftone beyond Altgehnrg and

Newfohl under the accidental limeftone.

fanie clafs I

In the

rank the fandftone, which

in

Hungary

furrounds the nobler metallic mountains, as near

Nagyag and Facebay

in

Tranjfyhania,
hills
;

SomeIn

times they appear in infulated

and often

they are accumulated on calcareous ground.

thefe fandrocks there has not

been hitherto found

any conftant or metallic vein.

flate is

The

accidental

often accumulated on this fandftone, on lime

It is

and other ground.

iike

produced

as the flaladite-

limeftone by

rain

or other water,

which
partiit

waflied
cles

and carried together the diffolved

of the more ancient mountains.

for example,

Thus

covers,

the

coal-beds

betv/een

Kremniz and Shenmi-z^ near Roniz and near JVaizen.

By
in

the fame realbn

it

appears as the hanging fide

I

fome mines of the Bannat oi 'Temefwar.

faw

at

Saa

mine whofe hading was limeftone, and

flate.

whofe hanging was

in the limeftone.

The

copper- vein was

fide, if there

The

old hanging

was any before, feems to have been carried away by accident-, and then the diffolved parts of the
higher argillaceous
hills,

which
to

mentioned

in

my

journey from

Saa

Aloldova, have been

carried

212

TR.AVELS

THROUGH THE ANNAT OF

compofed the prefent hanging.
feems to have had a

carried there and

The

red

(late at

Nagyag^ near Boicza, and near

Zalathna

in 'Tranjfylvania,

fimilar origin.

As

indurated clay

is

not fo eafily diflblved by

water as limeftone,

this flate

never occurs in lar^e

beds or

in confiderable hills.

The
in

mixture of

dilTolved limeftone and argillaceous parts has pro-

bably produced the marie, which

its

refpe(5l to

cEconomical ufes

is

entirely neglected in Huti'

gary.
It is certainly

matter of furprize to you, that

:

hitherto
trofilex
:

have not mentioned the hornftone

Pe-

But
it,

freely confefs

am

at a lofs

where

to rank

whether among the old or the accidenIn

tal rocks.

my

letter

from Zalathna

I defcri-

bed the mountains

rd'//-mine.

at Facehay^ efpecially the

is

Loin

This rich gold-mine

working

hornftone,

incumbent

on

argillaceous

beds

but

it

clearly appears to be

produced by modern
letter

inundations, as you will

to which
I

remember from the

referr you.

The

petrifadions in the
this fpeI

white hornftone near Lehotka prove that

cies

of rock belongs to the accidental ones.

cannot confider the horn and

flint-ftones as proinfedls
;

duced by the gelatinous fubftance of marine

a
in

fancy

which

once a good

naturalift
I

has
it

confidence

entrufted

me

with, but

rank

next

TEMESWAR,
ing the

^c.

LETTER

XXI.

21^

next to the current hypothefis, of limeftone be-

remaining fubftance of deftroyed and

diflblved fea-flicUs.

The veins
flate

in

thefehornflone-mountains are more

conftant and richer than thofe between argillaceous

and limeftone.

Thofe

at

leaft,

which

defcribed to you in
filver-ore.

my

letters,

contain gold and

If this

rock fhould belong to the

more ancient
nation,
it

ones, which I leave to your determiat

muft have been produced

the fame
I

time
find
clay.

as the calcareous ftrata

it

were produced, fmce

never incumbent on lime but conftantly on

Perhaps future obfervations

of hornftone,
like

will

prove fome
of clay,

fpecies
(late

fome

fpecies

and lime belong either to the ancient or to

the accidental rocks.

All thefe primogenial and accidental

tains

mounand

and rocks owe

their

origin to water-,

have been produced, either when the world was

raifed
neus'^s

from the chaos, or according

opinion,

to

Mr. IJn-

when
fo

the whole earth was covered

with water, and the precipitation, cryftallifation

and difiblution of
fubftanccs
lions
1
i

many animal and brought forth fo many new

from

vegetable
ftratifica-

or finally they arofe

later inundations.

fhould here

mention thofe mountains

that

are

produced by fire. There arc aftuaily fome marks of fuch mountains in Hungary. The vitre-

0U3

214

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

viireiis Linn<^t, at

ous black lava, pumex

in

'^okay

Hungary^ and feveral

forts

of lavas from the

Carpathian mountains, give conjedures and evi-

dences ofthat kind.

account, I want to
the Carpathian
hills,

But

to be particular

on that

examine the whole chain of

which

have a mind to do

next year
thefe

if

my

impaired health puts no ftop to

my intentions.

LETTER

TJEMESWAR,

5.T Of.

LETTER

XXII.

215

LETTER
Y
the laft pofl
I

XXIL

Sbemm'z, Sept. 28, 1770.

received an order from the

court, to

accept of the vacant commifTion

in

of Count
Prague.
at
it

Colloredo

the

board of mines

at

do not know whether

It
is

I fnall rejoice
vifit

or not.

out of
;

my power to
I

the Car-

pathian mountains
deftiny calls
I

however

am

to follow

where

me

to

no unprofitable

fituation,

and

am

preparing for

my journey Mo Prague. Though

I

have buu a few moments to fpare,

give, ac-

cording to your dcfire, an account of the different

ores

found

in the
is

how er

Hungarian mines.

Native gold

very fcarce in the royal mines at

Shemniz^ though in general the ores are auriferous,

being for that very reafon pulverifed and waflied.

In the beginning hov/ever of January
lafl,

they

have found

in

Emperor Francifci

Stoln^ in the field

of Siegeierg, and

in a foaring fifTure,

which runs

towards the great BieberfloUner vein, a lump of

found red

filver ore,

mixed

witft

glafs ore,

and

P 4

covered

2l6

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

covered with fome native gold.

A hundred weight
filver.
is

of

this ore

contained about 1270 ounces of

In the private mines the native gold

vious
,

more ob-

it

appears in a capillary form on quartz,

brittle glafs ore

in foft

and

on the Hofer and Jn~ found likewife on

tony de

Padua mine.

So

it is

red filver ore.

flill

At Kremniz and Konigerg it is more common. At Kremniz it is often found

I

in lamelloe.

have likewife a fragment of irony

quartz with native gold from Ladiai-StoUn at

Bugganz.
neral

The Lower Hungarian

cleared from
is

gold

is

in ge-

to be

auriferous
a

wafli-ores

or from zinnopel, which

containJing gold,
It
is

mixed red
and

jafper,
pyrites.

filver,

lead, zinc,

the
in

common rock
fire

of the fpital vein,

with
fleel,

and

general ftrikes

though

there are fome loofer

fpecies

of

this

zinnopel,

which

taint the fingers

its

and look

like

red bole.
it

Perhaps

conftituent parts will prove

to be

of the bolus kind-, the loofer fpecies appears often in a globular fcaly form like button ore ftriking on harder zinnopel
wafh-ores,
confifting
it
:

If found ftratified in
lead,

of blende,

and a

blueiih clay,
zinnopel,

goes under the nam.e of firing

(fchnur zinnopel).

Mr.

Scspoli

is

at

prefent about a laborious chemical analyfis of the

zinnopel,

TEMESWAR,
zinnopel,

^V.

LETTER

XXII.
in

21
his

which

he intends to

publifli

Anni
I

hifiorico-naturales.

can form no idea of the yellow zinnopel, men-

tioned by
that
cafe,

Mr.

Cronedt, unlefs he means to give

If that fhould be the

name

to irony jafper.
as well

we might

give the fame denominais

tion to the red jafper,

which

fo

common

in the
it is

Calvariberg and the Pacherolner vein where

rejected as rubbifh.

The denomination of

zin-

nopel implies an auriferous quality.

Another fpecies of auriferous ftamp orwalh-ores

is

the irony quartz found at Bugganz^ and in the "/-

ferfloln at

Hodriz.

You remember perhaps a pafTage

at Frei-

in the

account of mining works publifhed

herg, in
is

which

is

conjeftured, that irony quartz

j

generally auriferous
it.

our ftamp ores feem to

confirm

The
blende

pyrites,

feparated

from the lead and

wafhing,
contains

by

pounding

and

likewife a great deal of gold.

hundred weight

of

this pyrites yields fifty-

four pounds of ftone or

filver,

lech,

and three denarii of

which per mark

at Konigf-

contains fifty denarii of gold.

berg and

The pyrites
richer.

Kremniz are

ftill

Pyrites conGelft.
in the

taining filver, go here under the

name of
I

Native

filver is ftill
-,

more uncommon
all

Lo'wer Hungarian mines

here
I

the while

have been

have got but two famples, one from Old

Anthony

2l8

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

Anthony de Padua Stoln and the other from There-

a- Shaft.

On
The

the

firft

the native filver appears in long

and

thin threads, like

human

hair, flicking

on quartz. from

fecond

is

a pale

yellowilh
;

pyrites,
this is the

which the

fiiver

feems tobe grown

as Henkel^ if I

more

precious for

me

am

not miftaken,

denies native filver to be ever found on pyrites.

We

are the

better furnifhed with other

fcarce

filver ore.

Glafs

ore cryfialHzed extremely

call
it

fcarce.

The

miners

here IVeich-Gewaechs or foft ore, in

it

order to diftinguifh

from the

brittle glafs ore.

You

have feen

in

my

cabinet glafs ore in cubical

forms from Siegelerg^ and another knotty fpecies

from Moderoln.
Glafs ore^
is

brittle,

called here Roe-Gewaechs^

filver mineralized

with more fulphur.

five
its

It

confilver

tains

from four
;

to

hundred ounces of
value
is

per hundred

often

but feventy or
Jui^s chemical
Scopoli

eighty ounces.

Its defcription in

works
will

is

exaggerated

and extravagant.
its

probably give a better account of

conflitu-

tnt parts.

Red filver
either

ore

is

found

at

Shemniz and Kremniz

found or
is

cryftalized.

Kremniz

auriferous.

That found at On Old Anthony de Padua

red

Stoln near Shemniz^ I

have met with dendritical

TEMESWAR,
Anna
found
Stoln^
it

^c.

LETTER
;

XXII,

219

red filver ore on white quartz

and on Rudaina
I

between Konigflerg and Sbemniz,

light coloured

and flicking

in pyrites.

Dr. Moiler, at Newfohl, has in his cabinet dark

red filver ore in globular forms.
wife analyzing this fort of ore.
Scopoli
is

like-

IVhile filver
It
is

ore

is

very

common
as
it

at

Kremniz,
in-

auriferous, and

commonly

were an
miners
-,

cruftation

of

white quartz.
this

The

at

Kremniz

call

incruilation

Blachman

but

thofe at Shemniz give this

name

to the pyritical

incruftations of glafs ores or rocks,

ftantly obferved near the richer ores.

and

it is

con-

Grey plumofe filver

ore,

from Old Anthony de

fpecies

Padua
by
its

Stoln, different

from the Saxonian

being caft in white quartz, not in capillary

cryftals

but in ftar-like fpots.

It
its

There

is

a large

vein of this ore.

pretty well fets off

takes a good polifh, which

ftar-like

form, and the filver

fprinkled in antimony.

White plumofe filver

that this fpecies
years ago
it

ore.

am
in

of opinion,

is

no where elfe

to be found.

Some

was very plenty

Its

Old

Allerheiligen

mine

at

Hodriz.

white

cryftals

refemble

the white cryftalline pin-like horn ore,

in a matrix

and

ftick

of irony quarts.
ore,

Goofe
fcribed

dung

of

the
Spec.

fame form
301,

as
I.

de-

by Wallerius,

No.

of a

yellowifh.

220

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

green,

yellowifh,
in

and

reddifli

colour, was

dug

confiderable quantity at Wini-Leuten near

;

Shemniz

one hundred weight yielding only Soo

ounces of filver.
Silver ocher,

of a brownilli, yellow, and white

,

colour found in the fame place

three, fix, to fifty,
filver
;

containing from

and one hundred ounces of

it.

the native filver often vifible in

;

Field-fpath, containing filver

of a yellow, red or

white colour and hard contexture.

fire its

Roafted in
;

colour changes to brown and black

but

then
fio-ht

the fprinkled

quartz particles appear to

their

unchanged

in

colour.
,

It contains
is

from four to eight ounces of filver

and other private mines.

found con-

comitant with richer-ores on Siegelerg, Chriinaaft.,

Brunnich, in his
.

fupplements to Cronedl's Mineralogy,

^5. has

noticed already the blue colour, which appears on

fome fpecies of fpar in New Anthony de Padua

and conftantly indicate
Blende,

Stolln,

a richer filver value.

I

containing

filver.

do not know the

.

globular ore, which Cronfledd mentions,

175.

However, fuch
found
in

a fpecies of blend

may

have been

former times, which were remarkably

negligent
is

of fuch
that

curiofities.

Neverrhclcfs

it

faft,

our blende

conftantly
;

contains

fome

filver

though
it

in a fcanty quantity
is

and for

this very

reafon,

never thrown away

among
the

TEMESWAR,
the
rubbifli,

^c.

LETTER
and of a

XXII.
ores.

221
It is

but ftampt like other

folid

commonly brown,
ture
,

fcaly contex-

however,

have found here knotty, black,

yellow, green, femipellucid, whitifh

cryftalline fpecies

and feveral

of blende.

Lead

ore, contains filver,

and

is

commonly of
However,

a granulated or lamellous contexture.

there are likewife feveral forts of cryftalline ore.

White and grey

ten

lead-fpar

is

found

at IVindi- Leu-

in

the
in the

above

filver-ocher.

Blue lead fpar

found

fame place.
is

Copper-ore
Spitler-vein^

found with other

the

metal's in the
in

but

greateft plenty
It

Herrn-

grund near NewfohL

grey
green. copper-pyrites,

confifts

of yellow and

fallow-ore,

and copper-

Iron-ore
Libeten.

is

digging near Ronizy Thaifolz, and

it
is

Commonly
.

yellow and blue hae-

matites (Cronedt,

203.)

Black button-ore

is

confidered as fomething rare.

Such

is

the dripped

ore from Boinik^ in the furface covered with points

or pins two inches long, each of them incruftated

with blue chalcedony.

Quickfilver never occurs in a native ftate

cinnabar-ores appear

but
in

now and

then,

though

no fuch plenty

as to

deferve parting.

If found

concomitant to richer ores, they contain fome denarii

of gold.

During

my

ftay in this place they

have

1
222

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

have been found on Siegeierg, on the Wmdjhaft

and on John's
clay.

Kluft,

commonly

in white

loofe

Antimony was fo.undlafl- year in Three-KingsStolln

on white quartz, formed
the Rothi -mine,
like liars.
It
is

however

fcarce in the Shemniz-mines.

But

at

Kremniz, in

noble famples of cryftallized

antimony are dug out.

Sound antimony with

at

native gold, though fcarce, found

Magurka.
in

Red antimony

faid to

have been found

former

times on Althandle at Konigerg.

The
of,

fcarce an-

timony famples,
Konigerg.

am

polTeffed

are

found

at

One

confills

of fiftulous antimony
,

covered with a red incrultation

fifts

the other con-

of accumulated antimony-cryftals, each coCron-

vered by an incruftation of white quartz.

edt mentions a fimilar

fpecies.
in

Arfenic never offers

the

Low er- Hungarian

form
:

mines

in its

fcmi-metallic or calcareous
lefs

For

this

reafon our miners are

fubjeft to dif-

eafes than thofe in Bohemia, Saxony,

and the Up^

fer-Harz. There has been however found between

Kremniz and Newhl,

red arfenic

in a

bed of grey fandflone,

of a fibrous texture.
is

Sulphur
different

found mineralized

as pyrites in

many

forms, as capillary,
cryftalline.

globular, undulaI

ted, dripped and

have mentioned
the

TEMESWAR,
ters.

^c.

LETTER
my

XXII.

223
let-

the orpimeiit of I'hajova in one of

former

Vitriol drips

into ftalaiftite-like forms in

is

the

Pacheroln.

There

plenty of

it

every where in
Its

the Old-man, the roof and the drifts.

white, green, yellow and brown.

colour

At Herrngrund
blue and rofy-

near Newfohl

it

appears often
-,

in

coloured

ftalaftites

the

laft fpecies

now and

then

mixed light blue. It generally contains within fome moveable water-drops.

Halotrichum
to
Scopoli,
vitriol.

or
1

the

hair- fait,
fee
It

feems
it

me

to

be

do not

that

is

materially different from vitriol.

blofToms on

the fides of the galleries at Sbemniz, Kremniz and

Newfohl.
I

have no time tofpare for a defcription of the

different

many

ftones
I

and earths, which

poffeffed

have

colledled here.

am

of an innumerable
;

variety of quartz and fpar-cryRallifations

which

you

fhall

find

defcribed in the catalogue of

I ihall

my
fet-

foffils,

intended for print as foon as

be

tled at Prcizue.

My

next from Vienna will

is left

tell

you what hope

of recoverv

me, and what

I

curiofities deferv-

ing your attention

have met with.

LETTER

224

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

LETTER
YOU
in

XXIII.

Vienna, 051. 19, 1770.

are

acquainted with the diverfions, ad-

vantages and difadvantages of this city, and

the flate of learning in this capital univerfity has

not efcaped your obfervation.

You

complained
fo

one of your

letters,

that,

among

manyex-

penfive eftablilliments for the fciences, a profeffion

and a

colletflion

of Natural-Hiftory has been moft

If

unaccountably forgotten.

among

thofe,

who

are intrufted with the reformation and improve-

ment of the
had hinted
k6ted
it,

fciences, a fingle friend or connoifleur

it,

her majefty would not have negroyal care and munificence has

as her

amply exerted
Swieten

itfelf in

improvements of the
is

many ornaments and univerfity. Unluckily Van

fo

neither a remarkable friend nor con-

noifleur of Natural to be

Hiflory

a deficiency eafily
is

pardoned

in

man, who

fo

eminent in

many other parts of learning. With your obfervations in hand I examined the imperial cabinet of foflils. You have fcarce left me any new difcovery. However, you have
over-

TEMESWAR,
over-looked
a

Sffr.

LETTER
It
is

XXIII.

225
vitrein

great

fragment cf black

ous lava found in Hungary.

corner,
are as

thrown

deferving no great attention.

They
their

the more particular and forward with

in raifins,

pretended gold- grains inclofed

with their

gold incircied vines, and the gold threads, fup-

pofed to have grown as plants.

rarities

But

all

thefe
refi-

are downright impoftures.

is

Yellow

nous fap

looked upon

as gold-grains,

and the

pretended vegetable gold threads appear to an unprejudiced eye, what really they are,
wires.
I

artificial

goldtwill-

will allow that they

,

have been found

ed around the vines

but might not thefe remains

of ancient Hungarian drefs and magnificence have

been hid
torn

in

the ground, by accident have been

the vines, and by error have
?

up with

been
is

confidered as vegetable produdlions

This

the

more forcible, becaufe thefe vegetable gold rari

ties

are

generally found near l^okay and Altfohl^

refi-

places renowned in hiftory for having been

dencies
ly

o'i

Hungarian princes and kings, and equalfor

known

bourhood.

many battles fought in Even the Hungarians of

that neigh-

the prefent

age delight in faddles, harneffes, fwords, and weapons, ornamented with mafiy gold thread.

The
really

colledion of fine and precious Hones

admirable.
I

is

was remarkably pleafed by

Ci

the

,226

TRAVELS THROUGH THE BANNAT OF

or half

the diamonds, half white and half red,

yellow and white.

Though it
the whole

is

impofiible to form an exacft idea of

by

a fight

of a couple of hours,

did not

however
of

find here either the

compleat

varieties

of

minerals, nor the infenfible gradations of varieties

different ftones, nor

any of thofe mineralogical

at firft fight

fingularities

which diftinguilh even

the cabinets of a connoiflfeur from thole of mere

coileflors.

So

mifl^ed likewife the greater part

of the fcarce minerals of the imperial ftates. Mr. Jaquin has gathered in Hungary a
cabinet of
in
fofllls.

fine

Have you

feen his native gold

molybdasna fromRhima'zombalhttween Newfohl

^

and Schmolniz
infpeftion
rope.
is

The

botanical garden under his

likely to

be very foon the

firft in

Eu-

The coWt^ionoi xhtMinories refembles rather to

a raree
I

fhow than

to a cabinet of natural curiofities.

go very often to Baroct Moll.

of minerals, which
is

His chofen

col-

lection

fo

remarkably rich

in fine petrifaftions,

and

his explication?, give

me

both inilru6lion and entertainment.

if this

Pity

it

were

fine

coiledion fhould be feparated fome

;

fome day or other

fince his fons
.fcience.

but

this

feems to be the

fate,

have no inclination for

this part

of

The

TEMESWAR,
The
have afforded
their rarities,

^<:.

LETTER

XXIII.

22;

colleftions in the academies for

noblemen
by

me

great

delight, not indeed

but by their infpiring young noblerelifh

men with fome

blemen

of

this fcience.

Every noin his apart-

in the 'There/tan college

has a fmall cabi-

net of minerals, fhells

and infers

ment

and P.

Shiffermuller fpreads his

tafte for

Natural Hiftory among thefe young people with

great fuccefs, and very

good hopes for

aftertimes.

This learned
Aiifiria,

man is to publilh the butterflies of The Piarifls in the academy of Savoys

late eftablilhed ProfelTors

and Lcewenburg have of

of Mineralogy, and they think

fing their colleftions.

ferioufly

of encrea-

At

Prague^

I fhall

be almolt entirely deflitute

is

of literay company. Mr. Peithner

the only man,

by whofe fcience
It
is

unhappy

that

may improve my knowledge. we are doomed to live in fo

If I were fo free as you,

diftant countries.

my

impaired health Ihould put no flop to a

Carlfcrona.

trip to

THE END.

Q.2

B S

T R A C
O
F
J.

Mr.
I

J.

F E
I

Pv

B E

Pv'

M NERALOG

CAL
F

HISTORY

BOHEMIA.
Publifhecl in

German

at

Berlin,

1774.

ABSTRACT
O F

231

Mr.

J.

J.

F E R B E R's

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY OF BOHEMIA.

Publifhed
in

German

at

Berlin, 1774.

Catharinaberg, in the Circle of Saaz.

THE
of
clay
as
its

mountains about Catharinaherg

gneifs, v^^hich
is

confift

a mixture of quartz,

mica, and white or reddifii half petrified clay. This

has been by fome mineralogifls confidered
\

lithomarga

but

it is

commonly
clay.

deftitute

of

qualities as defcribed in Cronfiedfs Mineralogy^

78.

It is

rather

common
78. 2.

Terra pcrcel-

lana phlogio

aliifque heterogeneis
.

minima portione

mixta. Cronfledt,

Between Catharinaberg and Grunthal detached

columnar

bafaltes,

common on
hills, in

the

highway,
it

tumbled from the adjacent

which

fecms

to be incumbent on gneifs. * o
*

Between Loivoz and Topliz the mountains

feldfpath
is

confift ge-

nerally of granites, in which red

It is ftriped

predominant.

and undulated with blackifn glimmer.

ColumI

nar bafaltes ftands on fome of thefe granite-hills.

have

feen thereabout bafalt-rock, deftitute of regular prifms, but

confifting in a large mafs, cracked

and

fplit in

many

pieces,

more or
cryftals.

lefs

angulated, and containing plenty of black fherl

The

232

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
gncifs-mountains at
Catharinaberg
arc

The
in Saxony^

continuations of the metallic mountains at Freiberg

which

confifl:

of the fame rock.

They run
flate,

towards the Saxonian upper metallic-mountains,

and
as

infenfibly

degenerate into argillaceous

may

be {ttn even at Marienbtirg.

On

the Bois

hemian fide the fame degeneration of gneifs

to

be
,

obferved in the further run of the mountains

but

it

continues here longer in an unaltered flate

wliere the veins are

as far as Joachimfihal, in

found

argillaceous flate,
it

and even that extremely

bafiets out.
in refpeft

micaceous wherever

For

thefe reafons,
is
;

and

of

its

fituation

and extent, gneifs

argillaceous flate
it

to be confidered as a variety of

and

in

refpeft of

its

mixture

might, with as
a
variety

much

probability, be confidered
inftead of feldfpath

as

of

granites,

mixed with

clay.
will dlfapprove

No

body

of

tliefe afl!ertions,

as

chemical

and other obfervations have proved

is

that mica (glimmer)

folves again

produced by

clay,
;

and

re-

into the

fame fubflance
is

that part
;

of the fubftantial earth of clay

changes into quartz and other

flinty

that clay

flinty fl:ones,

which

by

art

can be reduced again

,

to clay in

an alumi-

nous form

and

finally, that

quartz and feldfpath,

by the aftion of air and age, diflbive into a white

clay,

OF
clay, for

BOHEMIA,

23^
this

'

which reafon many granites contain

in

white clay

the place of quartz, and fcldTpath.

If this clay fhould not be condered as diiTolved

quartz or feldfpath, but rather as their original

earth
(as

now and then feems

here
in

to be the cafe)

it

makes

no material difference.
is

However, the

dif-

folution

more probable,

fince in the circle

of Pilfen

Bohemia many
flate,

hills

of granite, of

pure argillaceous
fiate,

of grey micaceous gneifs-

and of hornflate, are obferved to be affefled

air
;

by the
kct^
is

fo that their outfide, for

two or three

changed into a white and clayiih fubftance,

which, in the granites, fcarce offers any vifible

mark

of

their

former conftituent parts of quartz, mica,

,

and feldfpath
hardnefs

nay often they loofe their very

fo

and flony concretion,

as to

appeal-

diflblved and mouldered into a white, loofe and

foft clay,
in

which but

few mouldering quartz-

and feldfpath grains, with fome mica lamellre,

are
to be dillinguillied
;

the latter changed

from

their black

and glofly brightnefs into a pale

of thcfe

filver-

colour.

Few

Hony
;

granite-particles

are vifibly remaining in this clay

there are

how-

ever enough to
granites,
as

prove
is

its

being a folution of
eafily to

which

the
is

more

be granted

granite in

iifdf

compofed of argillaceous
fub-

234

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
t
Similar
argillaceous folutions
oi:

lubftances.

the pure,

micaceous and
in the circle

gneifly clay-date are

very
clay

common
is

of

Pilfen.

This white
in the

dug

for

example near the new inn

and

neio-hbourhood of Ofiraw^ near Innichaw and in

feveral other places
j

it is

made

ufe of in

com-

mon
X

Having
which

in the year
is

1753

vifited

and examined the Blodfin the

iero-,

the highell:
it

mountain

Harzire and

in Germany, I found

in its

whole extent and wide fpreadgi-ey

flate

ing ramifications, conMing of

granite.

Where
more or

this

rock
tains,

rifes
it

above

the

metallic

of

the Harz-mounlefs

appears, either entitely naked, or

turf,

covered with fwampy combuftibie flaw

rotten vegetables.

produced by

On

the very higheft fummits of this faits

mous mountain and on

Blockfoerg,
Stcin,

wide branches, fuch

as the Little

the Heinrichjohe ,

the Bruchbergj the Rennekenfhat-

and many more, the granite appears in immenfe

tered maiTes, confufedly piled up

Vail:

ruins of a former
ftra-

world.
tified.

In the

deeper valleys

it

appears found and

its

The

air

has vifibly affedled

its

hard fubftance,
its

in

changing the colour of

outfide, in leiTening

hardnefs,

where moll expofed

in diflblving
it

to the inclemencies

of the weather, nay,

into

more or

lefs

coarfe fand

and

clay.

Large

beds of
leys,

X.\ih

granite-fand

]\2L\t

been vv'alhed down in the valto the foot

on the ope of thefe mountains, and

;

of the

moll expofed mouldering rocks

clay.

nor

is

there Vv'ant of graniteis

As

the mca in thefe granite decays

often of b yelthefe de-

low

brafs or white filver-colour, times

immemorial

cays have been confidered by the inhabitants of thefe wildernefles as

gold-and

filver-ores.

The

colour of thefe fands and

clays, or pretended ores, differs according to their different

folution.

OF
mon
it is

BOHEMIA.
its

?o/-

pottery, nay, on account of

white colour,
whitenino-

einployed

as

lime in the

wafliino-,

and incruftating of houfes and walls.

clay be found
in fuch

If this

beds, as

bafiet
it is

out

or

are expofed to the

day water, then

commonly
its

mixed with heterogeneous matters, and

colour

is

accordand

iblution, mixture

pofition,

as

Mr. Ferber has very juftly

obferved.

found on the higheft fummit of the Blockerg,

is

near a rock, which

called the De^viTs-Chancel, a fine pale

yellowifh clay, and a reddifh fpecies in another place, which

imparted to the hands, when rubbed with

gold-glittering.

it,

a fine filver-or
fine folution

This

vifibly derives

from the

of the mica, and, together with the remarkable faponaceous

foftnefs

of the clay, forcibly caufcs

me

to fay

fomething of the
i.

finer China-clay, as

having the fame qualities,

know

that

a very fine and white fpecies of China-clay has been difco-

vered of late in a vein, which

berg, connefted with

crofTes the granites in the

Bruchthe

the Blockerg.
is

I
lefs

know,

2. that

Petunt of the Chine

more or

decayed granites.

And

3.

that the Kaolin of the Chinee has been confidered

by

many as

the fubftantial earth of granites. Therefore

I ihould be

inclined,

and think myfelf Intitled

to conclude,

"
;

that China-

" clay is but a fine folution of decayed granite that there is " a good chance to find China-clay in or near any granite " mountains nay, that perhaps fuch a clay may be produced " by proper artificial clccompoficions of the granites. "
;

Whether
large

the quartz

or other fine fand, which covers fo

and extenfive

parts of the world,

and of the fea-ground,

?

may be

afcribed to diflblved granite-mountains or not

I

is

queftion Vv'hich

cannot pafs

filent.

The many

detached

236

MINERALOGICAL
brownifh or
colours may be owing

HISTOP. Y
Sometimes
to a ftronger irony-

accordingly
thefe

yellovvifli.

mixrure of the rock,

ifh

or to the yellow brownis

clay-Qate,

which
forts

not

uncommon
the white

in

thefe

parts.

Thefe

of clay,

as

well

as the yellow, turn red in fire, the white lefs than

the yellow, which evidences

its

being

lefs

impregyellow
Jn

nated
clay
is

with iron than

ufed
as

the

latter.

The
in

common loam

walh.

a great
frontier

part of the circle of Pilfen^ and on the

mountains towards iheUpper Palaiinate

ixud

Bavaria, the vegetable mould, or the upper ilrata

of the ground, are extremely loamy.

Unlefs they

be accumulated by river-inundations, they

properly
confidered
as

may be

produced

by folutions

and decays of the adjacent granite and other

argillaceous
hills,

which

v^ill,

am

confident,

granite-pebbles and rocks, which are fo frequent in thefe fandy

plains,

feem

to favour fuch

an opinion

and as among the peb-

bles of the fca-iores, befides thefe granite-pieces, a great variety

of the harder remains of the more ancient mountains, nay

of different fecundary ones, are to be found, fuch as jafper,

porphyry, various coloured hcrnftone, quartz-lumps, gneifs,
horndate,

marble,

limeftones and int, wliich prove that

;

nothing- Hands proof of age and time

credit,

this

opinion

Grains

fome

and

this

the
in

more

fo,

as hitherto

no

fort

of rock has
quartz

been difcovered,
be contained.
veins,

which a greater quantity of

vifible

The

pure parafitical quartz, depofited in the

I

would prove,

think, infurncient to cover half the

(Tranfl.)

wcrld with fandy plains.

account

OF
countries.

BOHEMIA.

237

account likewife for the fimilar nature of other

In thofe places where the granites
tirely difflved into clay, but

is

not en-

mouldered only to
and which

pieces, a

brov/nifli

fand

is

produced, fimilar to
fhores,

that
is

which occurs on many

perhaps owing to the f;me caufes.

But now the quedion

rates thefe argillaceous

arifes,

how

nature ope?

folutions

of the rocks

No
air
?

body indeed

will queftion the co-operation

;

of

the air and the long feries of ages

If
I v/as

but

how

a6ls the

allowed co recur to the general acid

fhould have done very eafily with
I

of the

air,

my

explication, fince

have feen the fulphurous

acid in Italy, ifluing

from the old volcanos, change

lavas
into a white

even the black and vitreous

and aluminous

clay.

But the

vitriolic acid in

the

air begins of late to be controverted, uniefs vi-

triol-works and other vitriolic exhalations account

for
its

prefence.

However,

cannot help obferv-

ing

the fimilarity

of thefe folutions

of lavas,
;

and fuch rocks and accordingly

rates

as contain quartz and feldfpath

I

am

of opinion, that nature opeIt

is

them
or

in

the fame manner.

fa6t

and
;

experience

that air
?

foftens any rock whatever

why
But
clay,

how

that I leave to future examinations.

as the rocks, I
it

feems to

am fpeaking me owing to

of, turn to

white
their

the acid of

own

argillaceous mixture, fmce by

Mr. Beaume's
excellent

238

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
Treatife on Clay
vitriolic
it

excellent
confifts

appears, that clay

of

acid, connefted with flinty or

vitreous earth,
notation, with
thefe

and according to Mr. Poerner's an-

fome phlogilton.

Now

fiippofing

rocks

or Hones to be fucceflively foftened

the
acid

or

loofened, and

of their fubftantial
fet in
arife,

mixture by humidity or other caufes to be

motion

the fame phjenomenon ought to

which

the acid

fleams produce

in

the

lavas.

Vitriolic

pyrites, after

having undergone feveral

elixiviations, continues to

produce
air.

vitriol,

when
is,

expofed for fome time to the

not,

The

reafon

what the ancient chemifts fuppofed, that

it

attracts

new

acid

from the

air,
is

but that

its

own

ftill

fixed
in

and una6luated acid

by the

air fet at liberty,

motion and

in a6tivity,to feparate

from the phloThis

gifton,

and to corrode the metallic earth.

is

phenomenon

called
-,

the mouldering {verwitle-

rung) of the pyrites

and the fimilar alteration of

juftly

the above rocks goes

under the fame name.

phlogiflon
it

1 heir

acid

forfakes

the
it
,

or

other
in the

mixtures, which fixed

fpreads

now

loofened Hone, afts upon the vitreous earth, unites

with

this earth
I

and produces

clay.

But
and
at

have deviated too much from

therefore
I

my

fubjeft,

return

to
faid

the gneifs-mountains
that

Catharinaherg.

they are to be
confidered

OF
mountains,

BOHEMIA.
SaxoJiian
;

239

confidered as continuations of the Freiberg gneifs-

and of the

and Bohemian

argillaceous flate-mountains

or,

which

is

the

fame, that the whole

tracft

of the Bohemian and

Saxonian mountains, which confifls of gneifs and

clay-flate,
is

the fame ftratum.

Befides

have enflate

deavoured to fhew, that the difference of clay,

and

gneifs

is

not againil this aflertion, fmce their

conftituent parts are fubftantially and really the

fame

and that the fame fubftantial earth, which

upper metallic mountains produced clay-

in the
flatc,

has under other accidental circumfbances and

mixtures produced gneifs in the lower metallic

mountains
rinaberg.

at Freiberg for

example, and at Catha-

This gneifs and argillaceous

hemia and Saxony, as in

flate

is

in

Bo-

many

other countries,
granites,
;

incumbent and accumulated on

in feveral

and

is

places covered with limeftone

which

fully confirms the obfervation, that the prevailing

and general rock-ftrata

European
chains

in

the greater and higher

of mountains confift of three

different forts of (tones.

The

loweft and underin the higheft tops

is

moft and moft ancient, which

appears bare and naked above ground,

the fecond
the granites
fort
is

granites

accumulated or incumbent on
gneifs or
is

clay-flate,
;

fome other

ar-

gillaceous rock

the third

limcfl:one.

Thefe general

240

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
more ancient
ftrata

neral and

of our part of the

world are covered with feveral beds, which are of

a

more modern

date,

and

confift

of clay, calcare(late
is

ous earth, marie, fand, or that

in flats

which

lies

over the coal-beds, and

never to be

confounded with the ate of primitive and older

mountains,
in

whatfoever degree
in their

they

may

re-

femble each other

ftantial earth.

compofition and fub-

The

phyfical obfervation of the

mountains, of their fituation

and beds,

of the

different time of their origin, of their connexion

and

their various

accumulation

is

carefully to

be diftincruifhed from the chemical and mineralogical

examination

of their conftituent parts.

often
confift

new ftratum may very

as

of the
general,

fame earth or rock

the lower,
;

more

and more ancient ones

been
the
the

and notwithftanding

the fimilarity of their fubftance, they

may have

produced
contrary,
it

in

very feems

difrerent

times.

On
with

to

be
the

confident

nature

of things,
it

that

fame llratum,

whatfoever extenfive
rock,
if

be, confift of the

fame

produced

at

the fame time, or if this

in

rock be found changing

that then
it

certain

diftance,

c-onfifts

of fuch rocks that are fimilar

as gneifs

in their conftituent parts,

this reafon I
larity
J

and

flate.

For
oF
the

have endeavoured to fliew their fimiconfifts

and nctwithftanding granites

OF

BOHEMIA.
it

24I
does

the fame conftltuent argillaceous parts,

not belong to the fame ftratum but to a lower

and more ancient one.

in

Many
it
;

remarkable fad:s

the

following defcription

of the
but
it

Bohemian

mountains will demonftrate

would be
attempt

matter of an extenfive work

particular accounts of
all

if I fiiould

the fafts, which evince

flate,

in Bohemia^ that granites, clay

and limeI

Hone
a

are conftantly in that fituation

which

havQ
give

indicated

before.

It

would engage me
and of
their

to

general

view of the Saxcnian and Bohemian

run
in

metallic

mountains,
fides.

the
a

plains on both

That would
all

require

particular phyfical
at

geography of

the mines
Platte^

Johan Gcorgenadt, Joachimfihal and

all

and of

the vaft mountains

I

between Prague
only a
fa(51:,

and Drefden. which

I

have hinted here

filent.

could not pafs over

in

dences will appear

the fequel, and

The may
fo.
I

evi-

per-

haps be given fome day by me,

Ihould not prevent
I

if abler

men
Euc

me from
beg
to

doing

being again aftray

to

leave, betre

return

Catharinaherg^

obviate

fome

objeflions,
this theory.
flate is
;

which might be perhaps oppofed to

Though
though
it is

it

is

an undoubted faft that

accumulated on granites, and limeflone on Hate

likewife

fad

that thefe three forts

of

242

MINERALOGICAL HISTORV
mod
ancient, moft extenfive,

of rocks are the

and

moft confiderable
have explored
its

ftrata

of the world, as far as

;

we

depth

there are

however many

other more modern, thinner and accidental beds,

which

either

cover fmgle parts of the above pri-

mitive mountains, or are accumulated in the valleys

and

gutters, or

on the

(lope of the higher

mountains.

We need
No
in
;

not believe nor pretend that

granite fhould be every where covered with flate

or

limeftone.
places,
in

there are in
it

the

contrary-

many

which

appears bare above

to the fide

ground, and

which

it rifes

of the adflate

jacent accumulated and fuperincumbent

or

limeftone-mountains.

In the fame manner flate

It is

appears often naked above the limefl:one.

indifferent

whether

this
this

have been

fo

from the be-

ginning or v^hether

may have been produced

their

by inundations, earthquakes and other accidents,

which have taken away
does
forts
it

incumbent roof; nor

alter

at all the

above rule of the three

of incumbent ancient rocks.

that a granite-mountain, within

Let us fuppofe

the verse of the greater mountain-chains of

rope,

Eu-

be covered by limeftone,
to be confidered as

this

calcareous

fliratum ought
in later times

produced either
partial inunda-

by a particular and
it

tion, or

if really

fliould

belong to the third

is

general and old limeftone rock, the granites

to be fuppofed having appeared

naked above the

flate

OF
flate

BOHEMIA.
very well

243
bed was ac-

before
;

this general limeflone

cumulated
imaginary

v/hich

accounts for the

difficulty

of the limeftones being found

gra-

now and then immediately incumbent on

nites.

The

pre-exiftence of the granites before

the flate, and that of flate before the limefl:one,

cannot be controverted,
bent on each other.

fmce they are incumarchited: can lav

No
I

the

roof before having

Before
I

laid the

foundation*
fl;ill

can go on

have

a previous re-

mark

to

recommend.

The

examination of the
fubfl:antial

phyfical origin, and of the commiOn

parts of feveral rocks,
larity

fliews

their

great flmi-

and

their infenflble degeneration, as I

have

evidenced
gneifs,

above by the example of

flate,

clay-flate,

horn

granite,
in
.

quartz,

mica and

feldfpath.
fcription
ceflity

Hence
of mines,

mineralogy,

and the dene-

arifes

an

indifpenfable

to

diftinguifli

by

conftant

names,

the

different

degrees

and

varieties

of

the rocks.

The name

of gneifs fliould never be given but

to the rock,

which vifibly contains the three

its

above fubflantial parts of

variety,
trified

milxture
in

and that
grey
pe-

which contains only mica

clay,

and which

is

deftitute

of quartz,

Ihould

conftantly

go under

the

name of grey

micaceous ate. I allow this to

be a violent diftinc-

uon

244

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
upon
nature, fince the three fubftanparts of gneifs are not conftantly vifi bis, (which
^lI

tion forced
tial
is

the cafe

Freiberg) and grey micaceous flateis

very often found with gneifs in the fame mountain

;

for

being nearly related to each other,

cannot help wifhing that the utmoft care be taken

in
their denomination.

Mineral bodies,

know
;

very well, are not differenced by nature into different claffes and families, as plants and animals

they are but different varieties and different rnixtures.

Neverthelefs

it

is

better to

diflinguilh

by words and

intellectual diflinclions things,

which

can be diflinguifhed, than to confound them and

to be in want of proper'expreffions.

The
which

mines
in
its

at Catharinaherg are in the Stadtherg,

length runs between hour nine and

ten of the compafs, has a valley on both fides,

and

is

of about 340 fathoms diameter.

the veins run in a direcftion which
is

Comparal-

monly
lel

with that of the valleys and the mountains

in this place three
fifTures,

but

noble veins, and feveral in-

fip-nificant

run a-crofs the mountain in

hour two of the compafs.

Thefe are the Nicolai^

the Calves head^ and the Elizabeth vein.

The

Nicolai vein dips

fomewhat

fliding or flip-

ping, (tonnlegig) has no diftinftfide-fkirts (faaU

h<nder)

The

dipping of veins and

fiffurcs Is

determined by their

angles and inclination to

the horizon, and accordingly mea-

fured

OF
licnder)

BOHEMIA.
fides.

245
vein-rock
-,

and

is

almoft infenfibly blended with

and
is

cafb in the

mountain

The

commonly
it

gneils as
confifts

the

mountain
fpecies

but

now
pabe-

and then

of a

of granite.
fplits

Tne

gneifly-mountain-rock breaks and

the dipping of the vein
fix
;

rallel to

but

if veins

tween hour

and nine unite or

crofs the

main

vein, the gneifs next to the vein gets or affeds a

fituation,

which

is

parallel to the dipping of xho.

crofs-vein.

Wherever the mountain-rock turns

harder and founder, the vein turns fm aller and

thinner.
It
is

commonly not above one

foot wide.

reddifh irony clay foaks through the vein and init.

cruftates

This commonly appears

richer ores. FifTures

in the neigh-

bourhood of

from the

hanoring;

fured by a quadrant.

The

GcrT::an

miners give them different

names, which are expreflive of their dierent inclination to

the horizon.

A
A

"jertical

or flanding vein

dips or falls fi:om ninety to

feventy-five degrees.

tonnkgig voin dips or

;

falls

from fevcnty-five to forty-five

degrees

and has

this

denomination from tonn or tun and legen

or lay, implying, that tuns or cas or barrels laid on the hading

of fuch veins, fmk by their

that accordingly fhafts

own weight
iHll

to the bottom,

and
ii.

might

be funk in them, which

a great advantage to the works.

For

this reafon I fhould

;

not fcruple to

call thefe veins y7A-//>^

or flipping vziv.s

as tbat

denomination

anfvvcrs the idea of the

German miners.
j

Flach-faltend veins dip from forty-five to fifteen degrees

and might very well be engfhed hy at

Sch'-iuehende Gaetige

'veins.

dip under fifteen degrees, and I do not

fcruple to call t\\Qva foaring nieins, as this denomination exaftly anfwers the

German name..

(Tranfl.

or

24-6

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
White
j

or from the hading, uniting with the vein, improve

it.

fine

dry with quartz

is

a forerunner of

rich ore

coarfe v/hite clay deftitute of quartz forfills

bodesno good,
it

at laft the whole vein andftrikes

deaf.

Croffing veins between hour fix and nine

are pretty

common
ftrike

akerate the direftion of the

are deaf
in

vein; contain fome quartz-,

felves,

themit

nay

deaf the vein

unlefs

be

ftrengthened by
the
crofs-veins

fifllires

from the

eail.

In this cafe
in

bring rich

ores,

which
in the

the
;

hading are commonly richer than

hanging

but thefe richer ores are only to be found within

the crofs.

Thefe obfervations of the Nicolai vein Hand

in general for all the veins at Catharinaherg.

The
rites

ore confifts of rich filver and copper-pyfliior,

with blue

blende, copper-glafs, cop-

per-green and fometimes with fome native filver

and copper.

Commotau
f"
f

in the Cii'cle /'Saaz.

'^

HE

mountains from Catharinaherg to Ro^

-L
fift

thenhahn,

Commotau and Scnnenberg conin

of

gneifs,

which

many

places

is

fine

mi-

caceous

and greatly quartzous.

Some

p-ranite

rocks appear in thefe parts above ground.

Near
the

OF
the

BOHEMIA.
Commotau the
flate,

247
changes

alum work

at

gneifs
is

into that

argillaceous
coals.
It is

which

commonly

found with
vitriolic

much impregnated with

acid,

and properly roafted produces

of vegetables are not unto be queftioned
as a variety

alum.

Impreffions
in
it,

common
whether

and

it is

whether

it

might not be confidered

it

of gneifs, or

be owing
in

to a later origin,

and to an ac-

cumulation
the

fome valley or floping ground of

gneifs,

more ancient
ftate

which
flate

is

more probable.
Tolfa
in

However, the aluminous

at

the

Roman
This

belong to the Ampler or pretended

primogenial mountains.
flate
is

in

the open fields put in fquare

pyramidal

piles, fired

and

roafted.
;

Once
is

fired

in

continues burning by

itfelf

and

left fo

for

fome weeks
colour
a year
is

till it is

quenched by water.

Its

black

then found changed into red.

During

it is left

expofed to the
;

air,

and then three

elixiviation

times fuccefiively elixiviated

lafting
is

each

about twelve hours.

fix

The
in the

elixiviated flate
air,
till it

during

months

left

be
dif-

brought to the fecond, and

folution in

after a

fimilar

the air to the third

elixiviation.
it

At

the

firft

boiling of the brine

in

is

mixed with

urine,

and

the lead pans evaporated to a fa;

rinaceous powder
in

which afterwards

is

diifoived

fredi

water

and by two fuccefllve boilings

brought to

cryftallifation.

In

248

MINERALOGILAL HISTORY
they boiled likewife vitriol
j

In former times

but

it

was found unprofitable.

is

The

annual

pro-'

dues of alum

about 200,000 pounds, which,

on account of the great number of alum-works

in

Germany^

fells at

a lowered price of twelve flo-

rins per

hundred

v/eight.

The

other Bohemian

alurn-works at Eger and 'Tarn are of no importance.

Thefe alum-works induce rne to mention the

Bohemian fulphur and
Alfattel
vitriol- works.

Thofe

at

x\\ft

circle

of

Sa%, at Najjahcrg

and

Crofilucko-iviz

are
its

the moil remarkable.

is

The

pyrites,
is

after

fulphur

extrafled by firing,
Kupferherg^ in the

clixiviated

for vitriol.

At

circle of Saaz^ there might be produced towards. 100,000 pounds of blue or cyprian vitriol ; but

there

is

no opportunity for
florins

fale,

tho' the price be

lowered to fourteen

per hundred weight.

Prefniz in the Circle

ofi>Z2.'z.

THE
loured.
faltes
is

m.ountains confift of gneifs, which

fllver-coicured,
blueiili

is

white

or dark-cothat ba-

Detached bafalt-prifms
not wanting.
i.

fliew

They work

here for filver

is

and
in

iron.

The

filver-mine iVf^n Kirchhaw,

a vein running to the louth, betwixt the hours

twelve and one, and containing reddifli ponderous

OF
gyps-fpar.
in

BOHEMIA.
nay to the very

249

In the deeper drifts native filver,

and
turf,

the iippermofl ones,

other rich filver ores are faid to have been found

of old.

Even

this
filver.

gypfeous fpar
It

is

fuppofed to

contain fome

ferves as a fluor in the

copper furnaces
the vein
is

at Catharinaherg,
;

To

the fouth

found

but to the north,

it is

in the

Hoping

of the mountain,
in

fhattered and deaf.

A vein
but
v/ith-

which the gallery or drain was driven has unilliaft,

ted with the chief vein under the

Dut improving

it.

The works
and
produce of
2.

are carrying

on rather

for the fluor,

for hopes, than for any prefcnt

ore.

remarkable

Orpes iron-mine.
flats

It

is

common obfervation,
the foot offimple,

that

commonly begin on

more
tains,

ancient

or pretended primogenial-mounplains.

where they fink under the adjacent

exifl;ence

However, the
ancient

of

flats

in the midfl:

of

mountains, and

in their valleys,

appears

am.ong feveral other evidences by the nature of

this

iron-work

at O'rpes,

and fundry others more

Partial and
as

to the north, which produce the fame ore and are

under fimilar circumftances.

dental
wafliing
jiiore

acci-

inundations,

as

well

the

fuccefllve

down of

the decays of the neighbouring

ancient and higher mountains, will pretty

well

250

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
|1

well account for this phsenomenon.

At Orpes the
on v/hich

undermoft or loweft ground

a large bed of fcaly limeftone

is
is

gneifs,

accumulated and

incumbent.

This

is

covered by a fearing vein or

a bed of iron- (lone thirty farhoms thick.

The
ftriped

whole

is

buried under a white argillaceous ftone

II

One
is

of

the

moft remarkable

flats

of

this

kind,

%vhich

undoubtedly a

marine^ bed, has been more than

It is in the

once examined by the tranflator.

Harz

foreft

between ZellerfeUt,

Altena-w,

and the Calenberg,

in

the

midft of ancient mountains, and appears there in feveral places

near the Feenburg, the Schulenberg, and the Caleriberg, not

only in deep valleys

as

Mr. Ferber

fuppofes, but even

on

and near the top of the higher ancient flate-mountains. Such

is its

fituation

on the

fides of the

Calenberg and the Schwoarfo

xeberg

towards Altenaiv,
is

and rem.arkably
quarry

near an inn,
there

which
the
that

called the Auerhahn in a

Shalke.

known
is

by

name of
this
is

The
to

tranflator
as

therefore

of opinion, of that

flat

or

marine bed,

many
;

others

kind,

rather

owing

more general
to

revolutions

and

caufes than
tial

Mr. Ferber feems

alledged by him,

admit

though the par-

caufes,

may

be without difpute ad-

mitted for thofe fecundary beds, which are deftitute of marine bodies.

The

fecundary marine bed on the higher

inftrudtive

Harz
of

mountains

is

a very

phaenomenon.
fine

It confifts

fine fandftone,

commonly white, compadl,

found in the Shalke, and
is

grained and

pure

and

fo

it is

cut into the form

it is

of grinding and fcythe-ftones.

greyifli or brownifli colour

But

in feveral places

of a

and mixed with fome

the Feenburg.

fine
It

mica

flakes.
a'

Such

it;

is

commonly near

contains

great variety of fine impreflions of fcarce and moft part un-

known

OF
flriped

BOHEMIA.

2^1

with mica, to the thicknefs of feven fa-

thoms.

The above

large foaring iron vein, if not rather

iron ftratum, contains the fineft iron-coloured ores,

which refemble the Swedi)

fra5lorium
chalybea.

fuch as ferrum reatra^

mineralifatum,

tritura

textura

Lythophyl Bornian, p
refracioriura,

124.

Ferrum
minimis.

textura granulata, grants

Ibid

known marine
ferforat^.

fea-bodles, as of Afleria columnares rotunda

Afieria folut^ /olares,

Oreo peinites anomius

njefpertilio alatus,

whofe impreffion

produces a fpecies of hyfterolithus.

Ofireopedinites anomius planus latior,

whofe impreffion pro-

duces a fpecies of hyfterolythus, peculiar to this place.

Entomolithus paradoxus y trilobus tranfverm rugofus
;

or a

new and
Co-nchce

uncipfcribed fpecies of

Cacadu or

Dodey-{o^\\., pe-

culiar to this place.

minores

lee-ues

and Cochlea and

Buccinitce Icenjes

minores.

The
miles

decays ol

this

remakable fandftone bed appear many

oil

the other lide of Goar, in the plain country near

Kloer

Graz'.'of,

and towards the

Steineld, in

detached drag-

ged and bluniod fandftone

tions

pieces, filled with the

fame petrifac-

which are

fcarce in themfelves, but the

is

cluded and moulded in fandftone, which

more fo as incommonly deftitute

draw confequen-

of petrifaftions.
ces

forbear in this place to

fadl
;

from

this

fmgular

which, obvious in themfelves,

prove to conviftion that very \iolent caufes have co-operated

to raife

and

to deftroy

our higheft mountains.

(Tranfl.)

which

252

MINERALOGILAL HISTORY
fherl,

which are found with

mica, hornblende,
{Cronedt Mineral.
2. p. 398. 5
gre^/
.

garnets,

\yolfrain,

amianth, green fudflag,

106. Wlleriu Mineral. Edit.

clay, in
llick-

&

6.)

and a deaf irony green

are

which

all

thefe minerals

commonly

The
floor

fcaly limellone,
this iron-vein

which

is

the hading or the

of

or bed,
it

is

grey towards the

fouth.

In both places

bafiets out.

The
tnica,

white
is

argillaceous

Hone,

flriped

with

which

the hanging or the roof of this vein

or bed, feems to be produced by the decays of

the adjacent mouldering higher gneifs-mountains.

This

fucceflive accumulation

is

fupported

by

feveral argillaceous beds in the neighbourhood,

and by many pieces of

upper

foflil

wood, which arc

penetrated with iron, and are fo frequent in the

flats

of the argillaceous ground near Orpes

that even fome

good

iron

is

extradled

from them.

^ Near
Cronedt,

Prefnik,
.
'](),

tKey dig in a gallery a green painters clay

and near Kaaden white China-zXzy ,

with,
is

a white grey, milky, opaque, argillaceous ftone, which

fmooth and
C/jhia-clay,

glo/Ty in
as

its

fraftures

and a produftion of the

its

appears by the loofe clay contained in

it

middic.
'Tables

Mr.

Peithner has defcribed

in his Mineralogical

under the name of

Porcellanites-

China-clay

is

found

in feveral other places in Bohemia, for example, at Lumpe,

near Eoehmi? Giejhubel,

at

Zitolib,

on
SiC,

Soniienn.virbel

near

Weyperth at Latm, Marklin, Hlublofs,

Weiperth

BOHEMIA.

253

Weiperth

hi the Circle of^2aJz,

THE
yet.
It

following mines are working here for

filver

and cobolt.
is

i.
;

dementis- Stolle.
the vein

The

mountain rock

gneifs

not opened

Where

it

baffets

out they have found under

the turf a fpecies of very rich brown filver-ore.

feems to have been horn-ore

but want of knowit

ledge and curiofityhasdeftroyed

fmelting.

by unconcerned
they have

The

fituation

of the ground did not

in the vein
;

permit to drive the gallery

therefore driven
it

in the gneifs,

but

fo unwifely,

that they have not thought neither of a

place

where to put up the rubbiCh, nor of the

to include the brook
trance,

neceflity

which runs before the enit

and of courfe overflows

as often as

it

fwells

by fudden fpring-or autumn-v^'aters.

2. S.

Anthony

Stolle is

driving in the vein, in a

fole

gneifs-mountain.

On

the

of the gallery the

gneifs.

hanging
flate
is

is

(late,

and the hading

This

branch of the neighbouring metallic

in

mountains

Saxony^

and a variety or dege-

neration of the gneifs, v/hich appears clearly in

this place,

where they border together.

in this gallery

They
John

have found

fome

filver

and cobolt.
3. S.

254
3.
S.

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
John
in the

Defart.

The

vein

runs in

gneifs.

Joachimflhal

in the Circle 0/^2.2:1.

LL
gneifs,

the Bohemian metallic mountains, from

confiil generally
vifible

Catharinaherg hither,

of

which

is

mixture of
clay.

quartz,

mica and a
this

whitilh

Near
fo

Joachimfihal

vifible difference

of the conflituent parts

clofely

difappears,
gether,

and they are

mixed
is

to-

that the

rock thence produced

to

be

called grey micaceous and quartzous clay-flate.

It
is

the

common

rock of
lefs

all

the
in

mines at
the depth,

Joachimfihal, and turns

micaceous
fofr,

where

it is

more argillaceous,

lamellous and

black, and the more refembling to the argillaceous

(late

of other metallic mountains,

efpecially thofe

at Claufihal in the

Harz forc. However,

continues
it

the grey

micaceous

clay-flate

in
its

Ibme mines
nature.

to a great depth before

changes

The

metallic mountains at Joachimfiahl are toin different

wards the fouth of a gentle afcent, run

ridges to the eail, to the north, and to the weft (the

higheft being that which runs to the north) and

to the frontiers of Saxony fink
plains.

down
hills

again in the

The

valleys between thefe ridges are ex;

tremely deep

accordingly the

are

remarkabljr

O F

A.

255
a

ably high, which has afforded to the miners

good opportunity to work

from every
valley in
fide

many

galleries,

which

converge to the fouth, and to the

city

which the

of Joachimflhalh fituated.
i

Thefe ridges are to the fouth

and the Little Mittelerg
the 'Turkner^
;

the Adelfgreen,

to the north-eaft: rifes

and

in the well the

-,

Ffaffenherg

to

the eaft

is

the Hoheherg

to the weft the

Upper-

^urkner^ the Shottenberg^ the Kohlberg^ the Keilberg^

and the

Under-2iVidi

Upper Nidafjerg.

All

thefe hills are very fteep,

terior

and naked.

Their ex-

mould

is

fandy and barren.

The

facility

of workir^g by

galleries has induced the miners of

old to fearch the numerous veins from every part.

Hence Above

that
forty

aftonifliing

number of old
ftiil

galleries.

of them

are

working, and many

'Therefia

of them, for example the George and the

llolln are

driven a length of 450 fathoms.

All thefe galleries and works of Joachimfthal

are divided into fix different fields, and belongto the following
1.

companies
to

their tenants.

Unity\

belongs

the

community of

the

citizens at Joachimfthal.
2.

Hohe Tanne

is

belonging to the imperial

court.
3.

Hubert or Helena-Hubert,

4. Friedenfield.
5.

Schweitzer- Gew^ltigungy divided between the

court and private companies.

6.

S^chi

26
6.

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
Stech EeUeuth-Stolln, d^nd Apple-iree-Stolln

at Abertham, belongs to private aflbciations.

All of them are drained by tv/o deep canals or

levels,

^^r^^n^ ^ndDaniel. The former has

its

door

in the city,

and including

its

feveral wings
it

is

driven
fa-

4,500 fathoms. thoms, and its fole

In a diredt line
is

is

1600

170 fathoms perpendicular

It
is,

under the higheft top of the mountain.

the deepeft gallery of the ancients.

was
in-

Daniel

cluding

its

wings, driven 5600 fathoms, and in

It

a direft line 1500 fathoms.

runs twenty fa-

thoms underneath the fole of Barbara^ empties

under the town m.ore to the fouth.
ing-levels
are kept
in repair

Thefedrain-

by the court, for

profits.

an allowance of a ninth part of the

There
mines.
in

arc but three

drawing

fhafts for all thefc

Hohe-Tann dips fomewhat Aiding nearly

Itswhole depth is 60 -i fathoms. 73 degrees. is 154 fathoms perpendicular. HubertUnity-aft

Jhaft
is

70 fathoms perpendicular.

Hence

arifes

the neceflity that thefe fhafts ferve

by alternate

turns to different mines and affociations.

The works
neath the
fole

are every

where funk
and

much

underfo that

of thefe

fhafts

galleries,

thefe mines, after thofe in 'Tyrol,

in

are the deepeft

the world.

They have from 200

to

350 fa-

thoms pefrpendicular depth under the

turf.

Confiderino;

OF
hills,

BOHEMIA.

257

Confidering the finuation of the high and ftcep

which go under the colleftive name of the

metallic-mcimtains of Joachinifihal^

and which are

feparated by deep valleys, one would be inclined to

think that the afcent,

fall,

and

direiflion

of their

rocks and veins exttrior form.

mud

be correfponding with their That is comm.only the cafe in

other metallic mountains.

fuel) obfervations, the

But

here, contrary to

rock generally afcends from

the fouth, and finks either to the weft or to the

north, as in

fome

rcfpeft will appear

is

by the run of

the veins, which

abfolutely unaffefted and un-

dilhirbed by the diredion of the valleys, except

that
it

feems to influence their quicknefs.

\

Thefe veins are very numerous

an
indefinite

they

fall into

depth,

and continue quick

and

metallic 350 fathoms.

In refpeft of their general

run and diredion, they are by the Bohemian furveyors and engineers divided into midnight and

moYning veins.

The

midnizht or northern-'veins run from fouth

to north,

between the ninth hour and three, dipeaft

ping from
being
1.

to

weft from 54 to 78 degrees,

in

general iding veins.

fifllire

Gold-rofe hading

runs in

hour
2.

filTure

runs in

6 i

line.

Gold-rofe hanging

3.

Francifca

258
3. 4.
5.

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY

6. 7. 8.

9.

10. 11.

12. Bergkitler-vein 13.

14.
15.

16. Geiiler-vein

17. Flat- vein

18.

Anna Fundgrube Backer Hilbrandt Gelhieber hour Rofc, from hading Jofeph Schweitzer loung Schweitzer Jerome Mathefi-vein
Francifca
vein

line.

8:7
12:6-^.
1
"

1-

12:64.

10:4
2
1
:

Jericho, in

fifTure

12:14.
1:24.

1:24-

2:44.

1:74
12:4 12:7 2:2

The Morning

or Eaern-ve'ins run from eaft to

weft between hour 3 and 9, dipping from fouth to

north from 60 to y^ degrees, being

iding veins.
1.

all

of them

2.
3.

4.
5.
6.
7. 8.

- de Paula Joachim Sufann Kayferthum Corona Defart John Urfula

Lawrence runs
Francis
in

hour

-I

line.

p^:

6:046: ^ 6: '^l

5:2
6:04.

in the

6:64
Q.

Three

OF
9.

BOHEMIA.
5i

259
line.

10.
1 1.

12.

13.

14.
15.

16.

17
18.

19.

20. Wafferftoiln
21.

22.
2 3-

24. Elias

25.
26. 27.

28.
29.

Htten plaa Morice Seegen-Gottes Geyer Andreas Heer-Paukner Fundgrubner - Spathgang Cow-vein 6 . 6 Michael James Major 6 Rolher 6 Saxen-Kerl 6 George Old Saxen-Kerl 6 Tirre Schonberg Himmeis-Krohn
Three Kings
-

74-

Trinity

2t 7t

o
6

Stoln

34-

There

are befides

them many other midnight

but not having

and morning- veins, either uniting with the former, or running by themfelxes
,

been yet examined they are

frill

deftitute

of proper

names.
In order to give a general idea of the mines ac

Joachimhal
plate,
1.

have annexed a general

richeft

map

in

The

veins are
2

among

the nor-

thern

26o

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
:

thern ones
richo,

Geieber^ Fundgrube^ Rofe from Je-

Berg-Kittel and

Jerome

among
Stolln.

the

morning ones, Morice, Geyer, Andreas,

Elias, Old-Saxon-Kcrl,

Coiv-vein,

and George

The

vein rock
is

in the

northern as well as the

eaflern veins

afiigrey, yellow, white or blueifli

clay, argillaceous fiate,

and various coloured but

is

commonly

red hornftone (petroftlex) which

the
is

matrix of the richeft ores.

The

Rofe-fpar

calcareous fpar, confiding of accumulated roundifli

and twiftcd

lamellse,

found

in the

vein

called

Rofe from Jericho.

The midnight

or northern

veins contain for the greater part a very fine red

hornftone, femi-pellucid and ofapleafant colour.

It has not yet

been found

in

any morning vein.

As

foon as this red hornftone appears the clay

off,

breaks

but prefently returns at the end of the

hornftone.

They

are

conftantly

alternating,

but feem to be of the fame fubftantial mixture.

The
but

Paukner-vein has not fhev/n any thing yet

flate

intermixed with arfenical pyrites.

is

The Fundgrube
flintlike

either entirely filled

it

up with
and

grey hornftone, or holds

in nefts

nodules.

The width and

rious,

thicknefs of thefe veins are vato

from one inch

two

feet.

The fame
;

vein appears very

different in its thicknefs

they

Arc

OF
are

BOHEMIA.
comprefled that
is

261

often

fo

much

no vein

but a fimple joint only

to be diftinguilhed.

The

hardnefs or foftnefs of the mountain-rocks

in
it
,

have a fhare

nay, the mountain

and vein
turns

rocks turn fofter as foon as the vein

itfelf

quicker and nobler.

The
to

veins

do well
;

in

general in the afcent

richer

of the mountains
be expe6led

and
the

ores

are

ever

in

croflings

of the nor-

thern and eaftern veins.

If both veins be filled

ore.

with clay there

is

no chance of

If one be filled with quartz or calcareous fpar,

knd the other with hornftone, the ores turn

in the crofTing
;

rich
ar-

infallibly

if

two

veins,

one

gillaceous and the other hornftone,

crofs

by dippino-

one another, rich ores are produced.

thefe crolTings the
in

In

veins

are

now

and

then

difturbed
if

their

run

and

dippino-,
lliat-

and

they

do not

improve

they are

tered.

Ramifications or

fifTures

feparating from a vein,

to

and

uniting

afterwards

another,
if

raife

its

value and

thicknefs,

efpecially
ir

they

fliould

happen

to

unite with

in
it

an
for a

acute

angle,

and continue to run widi

length.

confiderable

This happened

in the Geyer,

where they
have

S 3

202
have

MINERAL OG ICAL HISTORY

at prefent a

profpeft of the

richeft ores.

However, the contrary happens

likewife,
fo

and

veins have been by the uniting fiffures

much

comprefied and fhattered, that fcarce any track

has

been

left

remaining-,

then experience has

taught, to trace the run of the deftroyed vein

that
fiflure,

by
of

which contains a

thin covering

clay one fingle line thicknels.

The
monly
of

fifiiires

of the Rofe from Jericho

in the

ha-

ding are fcarce evxr worth working, though comlarger than the vein
itfelf.

Beiides thefe

metallic veins

fome deaf ones,

a confiderable thicknefs,

go

a-crofs thefe argilla-

ceous and metallic-mountains.

here
tice.
is

They

are called

combs (kamme) and deferve particular no-

Some of them
is

confiftofred^iyr/)^'^)',

which

called here fandftone,

and fome of a fpecies of

trapp, which

called here wacke.

flefh- coloured

The
in

porphyry confifts of a red

hornftone (petroftlex) and milky feldfpath grains,

which fometimes vitreous quartz-grains

diftinguifhed.
is

may
por-

be

In

fome

places

this

phyry

foft

and unpetrined.
are
in

Then

the feld-

fpath grains
"I

caft

in

reddifh

loam.

Sh

found

it

the Ktihgang.
this

Some
crofs

large veins

or

combs of

porphyry

the

metallic

mountains

at Jcachimhal,

commonly from

fouth
to

OF
to north.
jel

BOHEMIA.
crofs

263,

They

unite with the veins, runparal-

with them

and

them, now and

then

improving
ry

their metallic value.

Such

porphy-

vein

is

next to the Cow^vei^i-, two of them

to the Schweitzer,

are clofe

one near Elias on

George-Slolln, but the largeft,

and

till

yet the only

improving one, has been found on the Rofe from

Jericho.

Here

it

has in the hading united with

the vein, and has produced the richeft glafs-ores

which ever have been dug

broke
it

in

this

mine,

but

off with
this

the porphyry.

The whole
eight or ten

width of
it

porphyry-comb has not been explofuppofed to be at

its

broke

it is

leall

fathoms.

In

cracks and
a

filTures this

improving
fat clay
;

porphyry-comb contained

remarkably
it

nay the porphyry foftened by

rocks turned
rich.

as other

vein-

The
and
this

Combsy confiding of a fpecies of Trapp

or hardened irony clay, are

greenifli

commonly of
are black,

a grey

colour.

Some
calcareous
in

and

in

fpecies
fherl

white
are

fpar-grains

and

greenifli

found
is

the Cow-vein in tbs

Unity.

Their run

very regular.
inclies

Their width
to forty

and thicknefs from fame

upwards

fathoms, remakably large where they baflct our.

They
and

unite,

run parallel with the metallic veins,

either to their

crofs

them

improvement or

to

S 4

thtir

104

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
llriking

their various difadvantage,

them

deaf,

altering their run, or compreffing thetn fo as to

be

v/ith great

pains to be found again.

Under

ground

thefe

combs

are often

fo
;

hard that they but croed by

to the air,

cannot be worked but by blafdng

galleries, or

by other accidents expofed

they wither

and moulder into that argillaceous

earth which formed them, change their colour to

yellow and ochraceous, and turn very faponaceous.

This clay for the greater part diflblves in water. In refpefl to their run and diredion they are
hereabout
as other veins called

Morning or didmid-

night-Comhs.
nio-ht-veins
latter

The former

crofs the metallic

and dip from north to fouth.

the metallic morning-veins
to
weft.

The

crofs
eaft

and dip

from

Some of ihem

are entirely

perpendicular.

There have been found above

Combs
v^\\\c\\

thirty

Morning6"^^^

bafTet out.
it

One of them
bafiets out.

^rz

is thirty

fathoms where

Five fuch

PFacken-veins have been crofied by the works be-

tween the Cow- vein and

"Jericho vein
is

Elias.

The

Rofe from

crofied on the level of the 'Daniel-

Gallery

by three fuch combs, fourteen, nme and

eight inches, two of

them twenty fathoms deeper

and with the vein, which
has

have united

togetlier,

OF
has been fo

BOHEMIA.
to break in the hading.

265

much improved by
or

this accident, that

Wifinuth has begun

The

Midnight-combs

IVacken

commonly
combs
near the

difturb the run of the

metallic

morning-veins.

The Cow-vein

is

croifed by three large

T'herefia-drain

two of them are on the

Geyer^ under ground from fome inches

to fix feet

but where they baflet out they have a thicknefs

from
and

thirty to forty fathoms.

The

third

comb
is

is

grey, and on the Barbara-Sole,

forty

between thirty

fathoms.

In this place, which

150
fa-

fathoms perpendicular depth, and about 3000

thoms

diftant

from the door of the

gallery, they
tree,

found of old, that

is

famous antidiluvian
as
it

which

the

more remarkable

lay in the midll of

I

thefe (late rocks

of.

and the comb

;

am
;

fpeaking

The
,

exterior appearance

the

inner ftripes
the ramifi;

or fibres
cation

the
this

concentric

circles

of

fubftance into

round branches

the foft bark which ftuck to

them

and fome-

thing like leaves found in feveral parts of this grey

(tone, or

even on

this

fubftance

itfelf

in fhort,
firfl dif-

every vifible circumftance convinced the

coverers of their having found one or
trees in the midft

more

petrified

of the mountain

and the pious

fimplicity of thefe former times, wliich confider-

ed the moft natural phsenomena as prodigies or

figns

of divine warnings, dared not conder thefe

trees

2.66
trees

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
but
as

having been buried here by the

deluge, as appears by the

name of

this petrified

wood, and by the

in his Sarepta,

different accounts

oi Mdttheiis

and

in his Chronicle of Joachimhal.

Soon
this

after this difcovery the water prevailing,

drift

and
it

whole

of the cow-vein giving way,

has been ever fince either impoflible or extremely

dangerous to examine
curious for Naturaliits.

this

place,

which

is

fo

Many mining

officers at

yoachimfihal\i2iWt fince attempted to

doubt whether

thefe pretended antidiluvian wood-like blocks ever

have been

real

wood.

They have

confidered

as a fibrous and black variety of the grey

them comb-

rock, which they fuppofed generally torife from this

place, and thence to diverge in the feveral ramifications,

which
laft

crofs the

mountains

at Joachim-

hal.
.as

This

fuppofition cannot be admitted,

thefe

combs

are fo very different in their direc-

tion
is

and dipping.

But even the

firll

fuppofition

deftitute

of foundation, unlefs a

man

Ihould

allow to himfelf to conclude from the remarkable

fcarcity

of petrifactions,

in

the fimpler or pre-

tended primogeniai mountains, that no fuch petrifaftions are to be

found or to be admitted

at all.

Naturalift cannot help wifhing to fee thefe old

drifts

and caverns cleared again,

in

order to take
j

fuller

information of this angular phasnomenon

but hitherto no information is to be had except what

may

OF
may be gathered from
thofe fragments

BOHEMIA.

207

the accounts of MaUheJIus a.nd

in feveral cabinets.

which are kept

Theirfimilarity with other petrified wood, efpecially

with beech-wood,
firfl

is

fo ftriking, that

even the very

fight of

it

keeps

down any doubt which you

wood
in

might haveentertainedagainftit, except you fnould

be inclined to look upon the petrified
neral as lufus 'nature.
J

gein

remember
It

to

have feen

Baron Fabfi von

miftake the
the

Ohayn''s colleflion at Freybe^g

fme

very unequivocal famples.

was impofilble to
annular circles,

wood

fibres, the yearly

ramification of the branches, their roundifh

foft unpetrified

form and the

people have
fil

bark, which

fome

falfely

fuppofcd to be amian thine fof1

cork

(ftiber

montannm.)

cannot fay any thing

of the leaves,

fince I never did fee

them

-,

but for
really

my

part,

am

perfeftly convinced that

it is

petrified

wood,

and that

may

rather

depend

upon

the evidence of

my

eyes than

upon the obcon-

jedions of fome wife pyrrlionifts,

fider

who might

even the petrified

of nature.

Ihells

of calcareous ftrata

as fports

Subterraneous caverns have

generally but in

not

been found

calcareous

hills.

However,

know by

very good authority, that a cavern of a

in thefe ar-

remarkable width has been difcovered

gillaceous metallic flate mountains at Joachimfihal^

in the

mi J ft of

folid

rocks, and in a depth

of

250

26S

MINER ALOGICAL HISTORY

It

250 fathoms.
drift,

was

hit in

1772 by the

fifth

driven by the Hob-Tanner

company on
had

the

Andreas Vein.
in the vein

fhort time before they

fine ore
;

from an half inch to three inches thick

but fuddeniy, when the miners worked a blafting

hole in
the hading, a violent flroke

from under
and a
hole,

ground forced the bore from

their hands,

flood of water, fpouting not only

from the
fiflfure,

but breaking forth from every rock

flowed the whole
to
fly.

over-

drift,

and obliged the miners

Soon

after

the water ceafed to break in

it

from the roof a head, but

fathoms.

continued violently

to fpout from the bore hole to a diftance of three

The

engine could not overcome this

till

fubterraneous inundation
fee

a fecond wheel

was

to

work,

and the

drift

was drained again,

which

facilitated the

going on with the works, and

the breaking into a cavern eleven fathoms length

and nine fathoms wide.

Its

roof appeared foul

and Ihattered
maflies

its

floor

was craggy by large rock

;

tumbled from above

which made

and

it

was

ftill fil-

led with water,

it

impofTible then to

explore

its

depth.

The fixth
however,

drift or level

of the

v/orks has fince been extended and driven towards the fame place
ftill
;

its

depth or bottom

is

unexplored.
the

Having giving

names of the

feveral paten-

tee-companies, and of the feveral fields which they

are

OF
are working,
I fliall

BOHEMIA.

2^9

here take notice of the veins,

which

fall

within the extent of their works.

The
Tiers,

field

of Hubert
Sy

is

crofTed

by Geyers^ Pauk-

trinity
veins.

hundgrube. Baker, Gefiicber, and

Anna

Unity works

on Andreas, Geieher, Cow

vein,

Seegen Gottes, Fundgrube, Backer, Hillebrand

and

Rofefrtm Jericho.

Hohe

'Tann

works on Geyer, Seegen

and
Elias.

Gottes,

An-

dreas, Roje from Jericho,

Fridenfeldt

on Cow

vein,

RoJe from Jericho,

Schweitzer, Chriopher,

Jofeph,

and feveral

crof-

fing

morning

veins.

The
former

field oiSachftfld-Edelleuth-Stolh (or the

is

Sax-

onian gentlemcns gallery)

fields,

feparated from the

in

and fituated

an argillaceous
is

flate-hill,

called the Dirnberg,

which

indepen-

dent of,

and divided by a valley from the other

It is the higheft

metallic mountains.
eaft

top to the

oi Joachinifihal

'y

has

its

own

veins,

which feem

to

have no connexion with thofe

in the metallic

mountains.

Being emptied towards the day,

the works are driven already above lOO fathoms

below the

level

of the valley.

Its veins are like-

wife divided into eaftcrn and northern veins.

The
I. S.

'Northern or Midnight Veins are,

'Thomas; runs in hour ten three lines, dips

It

in fifty degrees to the eaft.

has two ramifications,

which

270

MI NER A LOG
white

AL

HITSORY
unite.

which turn deaf where they

rock
is

The

vein-

calcareous

fpar,

red

hornftone

(petrolex)
2.

and blende.
in

MargarethaVein runs
in

hour eleven

fix lines

and fpreads

two ramifications.
they are yet purfued.

They

are

me-

tallic as far as
is

The vein-rock
pyrites.
five
its

clay,
3.

and argillaceous flatefprinkled with

Hulf-GotteS'Vein runs
in

hour eleven

lines

dips in feventy-five degrees, and fpreads

fiflures

and ramifications

in

the hading, which

from twenty

to twenty fathoms unite again with

the main vein.

it

The ramifications

feparating from

make

it

deaf, carrying the ore along with

\

them

in
it

the hading

but uniting again with

it

they

make

quick and
cate ting
flate,

fair again.

This

feeras rather to indi-

two veins conftantly and

and
unitino;.

alternately feparais

The

vein-rock

aro;illaceous

clay, pitch-blende or

blackjack.

4. WolfS'Vcln runs in hour nine and three lines

dips in feventy-five degrees;

in crofles.
5.

is

never quick but

Daniel runs
out.

in

hour nine and

five lines.

Is

worked
6.

Newhetificr runs in hour ten,

is

worked out
in eighty

likewife.
7.

Zeitler runs in

hour twelve, dips

degrees.

The

OF
The Morning
ones, and are,
i.

BOHEMIA.
Veins crofs

27

the

above northern

Reichs St ollner Vein running in

2.

hour
Saul

five

dipping in feventy-five degrees.

in

King
in

running

four
,

and

five,

dipping

eighty-five degrees

both having in former times

produced very rich ores, and are on that account

v/orked out.
I fliall

only take notice here of tlie mo: remark-

able ores found in thefe feveral veins at Joachim-

hal, as Baron
his

Boi'-n^

in

tlie

printed account of
all

cabinet, has

accurately defcribed

their

varieties,

and the vein-rocks

in v/hich they are

contained.
all

But previoufly

am

to obferve, that

the ores of thefe veins

are deilitute of vifible

coverings, nay that often they appear fprinkled in

die hading -and hanging rocks, though the veins
in

themfelvcs

be not immediately grown to the

rather

rocks,

but

feparated

from

them

by

thin argillaceous joints.

is

To
fides

fave the ore which

fprinkled in the rock fides of the vein, they

are cut

down on both

of the vein one foot

thicknefs, and delivered to the wafh-works.

The molt remarkable

as follows
I
.

ores at Joachimflhal are

Nativefther

in different

vein-rocks

in

Skard

Cohoh (Scherhen-Coboh) and on the black wacke

it

appears in capillary forms, and

is

called then

Brujh-ore.

Native

filver

has

been

found

in

Geuber,

272

MINERALOGICAL KISTORr
;

Gember^ Schweitzer ^ and Cow-vein

though more

common on
2.

thefe veins
is

it

has never been plenty.

Glafs-ore

the ricwt^ ovc ^t Joachimhal',

is

one hundred weight

comm.only valued
it

at

180
and

marks of filver.
part
it.

They melt
in

in lead in order to
cryftalline,

It

is

undetermined,

grape-like forms, and has been found in former

times

on

Cow-vein,
fo

Rofe from Jericho^

and

Schweitzer, in

large

lumps nnd

maffes, that

fmall

pyramids,

fcatues,

and many ornamental

it,

toys, have been carved of

as

appears from the

accounts given by Matheus, and from the

many

curiofitiesof that kind kept in the electoral cabinet

at Drefden.

Large

cryflalline pieces

of glafs-ore,
fale in

found

in

former times, are kept for

the

archives at Joachimfihal.
3.

Rediver-ore found,
is

in

undetermined and
y^^tdrocis,
;

in cryftallized forms,

found on

Geyer,

and
its

Br.ckerS'Veins,
is

in arfenical
;

cobolt

in 'Trinity
it is

matrix

arfenical pyrites

in Ge/juher

red
it

hornftone (petrolex) and on Roe rom Jericho

is

rofe-form.ed

lamellous calcareous fpar.

is

This
is

laft

variety, which
its

at prefent

very fcarce,

in

refpect of

fingular beauty
cryftalline,

preferable to any

other.

The

ruby coloured, and pel-

lucid red ore Hicks on, and often in the midft of

the above lamellous rofy-fpar,

cident refembles

which on that ac-

now and

then to a rofe or ra-

nunculus, and has given the

name of

that flower

to

OF
to
will,

BOHEMIA.
it is

257

the vein in which

found.

connoicur

by

the very
in

colour
it

of the red ore, guefs

found.
fine

the

mines

which
is

is

The
in the

Bohe"

mian red ore

remarkably

ruby coloured

and pellucid
fore,
is

that

from Andreaerg

Harzits

fomewhat darker, on account of

;

ftronger mixture with fulphur

and iron that from

Saxony keeps the middle between thefe varieties

Agricola^ in the tenth

book

de

Natura

FoJJilium^

is

of opinion, that the red ore from Joachimhaloti

the

Barbara vein
is

is

auriferous

which by the
it

affayers
felf.

denied.

had no

leifure to try

my-

4. in

White fdv er- ore

is

faid to

have been found

former times on Andreas and Rcfe from JeriLead-Glance, containing fome

in

cho in pyrites.
5.

filver,

found

in
in

former times on Geyer, and

1730 onCow-veiny
ores are gene-

one foot thicknefs.

Such poor

rally fcarce in the veins

6.

cf finer ones.
pyrites, faid to

Yellow copper-ore and

in Seegen Gottes. in

have

been found
7.
ties

Cobolt

different

argentiferous

varie-

occurs witn feveral filver ores in the Geu-

ber^ Hillebrandt,
S. Efprit,

Roje from Jericho, Schweitzer^

Emperor Jofeph, and other veins.

filver, is

The
Bohc'

pure cobolt, deftitute of

flampt and fold

afterwards to feveral cobolt-manufadlories in

mia and the Empire.

A hundred weight

fells

from

thirteen

2S

M IN E

ALOG

AL HISTORY
In former times, the
lefs,

thirteen to forty-five florins.

demands ofthat commodity being then

produced
in

they

the
;

v/hole

Kingdom

not

above

20O5OOO pounds
T,

at prcfent they

produce about

000000 of pounds.
for this

In the moll ancient times

coboit-ores
the rubbifn

were by ignorance thrown amongft

;

reafon the bing-places at

at

Joachimhal are fearched over

prefent,

and

fome wafh-works
are to be
^(^t

after

the Hungarian principles

up.
is

The
as

greater part of the Bohe-

mian coboit

exported to Holland.

Though
not

the

Bohemian ores are

the preparation

good

as the
is

Saxonian ones,

of the fmalte

brought

hitherto in Bohemia to the fame mechanical perfedlion as in Saxony^

where the manufadlurers are

exactly the famples defe-

never at

a lofs to

work

manded.

This feems owing to an imperfect

and manipulation.

paration of the ores, and to fome ignorance of

their nature

8 Pitch Blende^ containing fometimes three marks

of

filver,

faid

to

have been found

in

1772 on
then with
filver

Geyefs vein^ occurs in fome other mines.

9.

Arfimcal

ore^

mifpickel,

now and

fome orpiment found with the coboit and

ores.

In

the

old v/orks on the Hiibcrt-'vein a

calx
drips

white arfenical
ftalaclites.

and coagulates into

ID.

Cinnahar-ore^ according to Matheiis and

Jlbimis^ formerly
Shcttenber?- at

found

in

Dorothea-rein in the

JcachimflbaL

The

OF
The
flate

BOHEMIA.
is

259

hardnefs and folidity of the argillaceous

a great advantaf^e

or of the mountain rock

to the works, nnce in mod: places they

want no

timber.

The
ciples

engines are built according to the prin-

of thofe which are

uf;;d

at Shemni^,

and

which have been defcribed by Mr. Poda.

fame
mills.
is

The

to be faid of their wafiiing and ilamping

The
at

hiftory

and the former riches of the mines

Joackimhal have been defcribed by Mr. Peithfecond volume of the

ner^ in the

New
in

Phyfical

Amufements^

pubied

at

Prague

1771

in

Odavo.

Aberdam

t\vo

hours

way

diflant

from

Joachimllhal.

THE
date,

mines

lie

on the

limits

of the deeper

granite

and the

incumbent argillaceous

and afford an eafy opportunity to be conflate.

vinced of the orranites beins; under the

Some
flate,

veins at thi

place run in grey micaceous

and contain

filver

and

cob.ilt-ores

fome

in

reddifli or

alternating grey granite, which here,

in

as

commonly

Bohemia and Saxonia^ contains

are obferved like-

tin ore,

though fome tin-veins

flate.

wife to be in argillaceous

F^v&^s

260

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
and Jerome
are

Eva^s Apple-tree
filver-mines at

the

chief
at

Aber dam.

Thefe veins are

depth of fixty fathoms, and by uniting with red

porphyry veins become remarkably

have itzw native
forms,
filver,

richer.
in

in wires

and

capillary

yellow,

brown and black horn-ftone

;

(petrofdex) with glafs-ore

bolt,

and hair

filver in co-

both found

in

Eva's Apple-tree.

The
nite,

Morrice-mine and fome others are in gratin.

tell

and are worked for

Matthefius and Albimis

that a tranfparent
S.

cinnabar-ore has been found formerly in

rence at

Lo-

Aberdam.

Platte in the Circle of Saaz.

HERE
diftant

are three different forts

of mines,

fil-

ver, iron

and tin-mines.
is

Zwittermill

high

mountain two hours

from

Platte,

Its eaftern
flate

part confills of alh-grey micaceous

or a fpecies of gneifs, in which Trinitylveris

mine
lid

working.

Its

weftern part confifls of fo-

compa6t hornflate or a mixture of quartz

This hornflate
It
it

and mica, thoroughly mixed and penetrated with

fome

iron.

is

extremely hard and

fonorous as metal.
lerii.

belongs to the Corneus IFalit

They

dig

in a quarry, cut

into the

form

OF
form of
as
peftels,

BOHEMIA.
it

261

and ufe

hereabout, and as far

inftead of iron
lefs

Johan Georgenadi
the tin-ore.

in Saxonia^

ones, as being lefs expenfive

to
is

and

obnoxious

For

this

reafon this horndate

S.

called hereabout poch wacke.

tjiis

John Bapti^s

vein crofTes

rock, and confifting of blackilh,

more

or

lefs

micaceous
been given

deaf clay
up.

(late,

its

working has
in the hansiino-

The

hornflone
is

DO

and hading of O
poch wacke,

this vein

fofter

than

the

common
fide

grey coloured,
to the grey gneifs
;

mixed with mica, and milar

on the eaftern
of
this

mountain
is

whence

it

appears that this hornftone

but a variety of the

eaftern and general rock of the Zwitter-mill.

In

Trinity

mine on the eaftern part of

are

this

mountain two veins

BleJJing

working,

C2i\]tdi

Heavenly

and Divine Providence.

To
,

the weft they

are comprefled

by the hornftone

but they

may

very likely

in a greater

depth unite and

fall in to-

gether by their dipping, and then prove quick and

metallic.
It
is

obferved in this mountain, that

the filvcr morning-veins,

7
if
-i

running
if

in

hour 7 or

are

quick and metallic

lefs

ftanding or vertical
is

they dip

than 45 degrees, that

flat

or

foaring, they are deaf.

2.

Irrgang or Labyrinth
all

is

a large iron vein,

nine, line four,

which

along

its

run

in

hour

for a fp?ce of about three

German

miles, as far as

Annaberg

in

Saxonia,

is

v/orked by feveral com3

panics.

262
panies.

MINEP. ALOGICAL HISTORY

Each of thefe companies
gives to
its field

and part of the vein a particular name.

ample, Maria Hulf mine near Platte
Gottcs-vein.
calls

For exit

Hilf

Here

the hading

is

granite,

and the

hanging flate \ and it has been obferved to be richeft where running between thefe rocks. Commonly
it

runs in granite, which often contains fherl

and
it

it

gets a hanging of .ue in thofe places where

flate.

runs into the incumbent

They

told

me,

that this granite-rock contains

bafaltes.

fome wedges of
veins
,

Crofiing foul and

argillaceous

force this iron vein into a different direction

but

conftantly
It
is

it

returns to

its

rule

and main direction.

about four fathoms wide, and yields the

red button-ore

fineil

and other areillaceous red

in a thicknefs

iron-ore,

which often appears

of

one fathom.
ganefe
it is

Now

and then brownHone or manufe'

found with the button-ore, and they

as a flux.

The
granite.
S.

^in-mincs

near Tlatte are

all

of them in

Conrad

is

the chief of

all,

and v/orks the

foUov/insf veins
1.
6'.

Chrifiopher' s vein^

running

in

hour 11,

points' 6,
2.

dipping

in

72 degrees.

Fref-for tune's vein, running in hour 11 4,

in

dipping

82 degreec.
8

3. Conrads-vein, running betv/een hour

and
It

Q,'and makes a crofs with the two former.

dips in 82 degrees.
4.

Chri

OF

BOHEMIA.
They
baffet generally

263

4..Chri birth's 'vein runs in hour 3.

5.

Matthiew'i vein.

out

with tin-ftone, which formerly has been waPned

and thus furniflied an opportunity for difcovering

the veins.
difh

The
is

rock, in which they run,

is

red-

and grey

granite,

fometimes

greenifli.

Their

vein rock
ftripes

loofe granite with parallel layers or

;

of zwitter

which diverging from the vein

Generally
fo
it

make

it

extremely thin.

it is

from one
eighty
clay

to four fathoms

wide; and

was about the

is

middle of
fathoms
,

its

depth.
ftill

The
quick.

deepeft pit

the vein

White yellow

or lithomarga, blackifli mica, and fine pointed

black wolfram or pyrites are found with the tinzwitter.

The wolfram

is

here in deaf veins, the

tin.

conftant fore runner of

The

crofTings

of

the veins, and of the fmaller vertical or

fures

flat fif-

running

in

hour

fix

improve

thefe veins in

general.

Gottes

Gab

in the Circle
at prefcnt

ofSiiz.
no mine work-

this place there

is

ing except in the

Kf.Jf-,

mountain confifting

of micaceous and quartzous

clay-flate.

They

dig

here in feveral pits, fuch as

T'ubal-Cain^ iron ore,

but

ijrony

lin-zwitter.

John in the defert^ good loadilones, and rich Accidentally they meet

likewife

^64

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
copper and filver-ore
filver,
,

likewife with

nay there

have been found famples of

copper, iron

and

tin flicking in the

fame matrix

The
is

miners fuppofe that an iron-flat or bed

a tin-flat or

incumbent here on
is

tin-ftratum

but that
ture

inconfiftent with

the height and nais

of the

mountain,

which

fimple

or

true gang-or primitive mountain.

vertical as
latter

Several veins,
crofs
it.

well
iron

as

fiat

ones,

The
and
flats.

carry

and

tin,

and being

flat

foaring have been by the miners miflaken for

The

vertical veins

ftrike

them

deaf-,

and they

yield lefs tin as

fiflTures
;

loon as they are united with filver

this

feems to be owing to the fame caufe,

which
duced

in

the Saxoraan metallic mountains proarfenical veins (and fuch

filver in

are the
fif-

tin-veins) wherever they are crofi"ed

fures.

by irony

Infiead of cobolt, mifpikkel, tin and other

arfenical ore, they yield then filver-ore.

Though

fuch particular obfervations are

lifhing general principles,

fjg.r

from eftab-

and the alchymifl:ical

filver,
;

conclufion, that iron

and arfenic produce

rafli

might prove t90 bold and too

I

perhaps

am however
if

of opinion,

that furh

obfervaveracity,
fince they

tions

made with
not only rules

precifion

and

are extremely interefling

eftabliih

and

ufcful,

f^.r

particular mountains,

veins and mines, but may

in

time lead to a nearer

knov/ledge of the hitherto too myfterious chemical

preparations of nature.
I

have

OF
I

BOHEMIA.
in

265
iron

have faid that

tin is

the

Kaff-mountain

and
vein.

dug
tin,

in the

fame

pit

and

in the
its

fame

The
;

iron here generally appears in

upper
irony,

part

the

which
at

is

here extremely
greater depth
;

conflantly

appears

a to

and

it

would be worth while

which might be
conjecture
in the
is

examine whether
ftill

filver-

ore might not be found in a

eafily

greater depth,
gallery.

done by a

My

fupported by a general obfervation

filver mines.

neighbouring Saxonian rich

The fame
in a
filver
;

vein contains there under the turf iron,

tin,

middle depth

and

at the greateft depth,

and

this

feems to be owing to the fame

caufe,

which

in

any point of thefe veins,

filver

if arfe-

nical, has

produced

whenever,

as I told be-

fore,

an irony vein comes a crofs or unites with

them. Having already declared

my

opinion on the

importance of this obfervation and its confequences,

and being
cies, I

far

from inclining

to alchymiftical fan-

hope not

to be aflved for a natural folution

I

of

this

phsenornenon.

declare freely to be as ig-

norant of the caufes

as I

fhould like to
is,

know them

what non
It
is

I
is

know
faft
I

of the matter

that this

pha^nome-

in the

Saxonian metallic mountains.

it

not

alone'who have been convinced of

;

by

feveral

obfervations
atteft
it,

fome of the moft learned

it

miners can

and have convinced me of

in Saxony they

by many examples. Nay

make

ufe

of this and other fuch obfervations, and apply

them

266

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
fuccefs to
their

them with
working of

a fcientifical
;

and pra6lical

mines

and even the annaliits

ftill

of the Saxonian mining places, but

prefent producing filver,

more

fo

the ancient records, prove that' feveral Saxonian

mines,

at

yielded in
drifts,

former times,

and

in

their

upper

good

tin-and iron-ore.

Mr.

Peithner,

who

before his

prefent preferment to the

fellor,

chara6ler

of coun-

taught

at

Prague the fcience of mines, has

found the fame obfervation fupported by feveral

correfponding ones in Bohemia.
I

have perufed

fome parts of
of

his iedlures, as

penned dov/n by one

following

his difciples,
:

and

in thefe I find the

paflage
'*

" Some of our Bohemian mountains,

the golden-top^ near the new road to Berinconfifl in their

fuch as thofe at Platten^ Neudeck, Gottes Gab^ and

" above
'*

ger.,

and fome others,

drifts

upper parts
(which
as I

" and

of iron

flats
is

or beds,"

have already noticed lowed by rich

I

a miftal<ie of flat

and

foar-

ing veins) " but in a greater depth they are fol*'.

tin,

nay even by
in

filver-ore.
.

"

return to

the mines

Kaff

Pyrites here

quickens the tin-ore.

vious roafting,
in
is

The

tin-ore, after a pre-

pounded and wailied on

hearths,

which operation they make ufe of theloadftone

in order to feparate the iron.

Though
off

all

the iron

particles cannot be

drawn
raifed

by

the loadftone,

they are

however

by

ir,

and the

eafier

wafhed down.

Formerly

OF
mines, which are
red
ore.
filver-ore,

BOHEMIA.
faid to

267
fil'/er

Formerly there have been near Gottes Gab

hereabout called native

have produced a dark

brown-

Bleyftadt, in the Circle ofS^izz,

THE
in a

mountains

confift:

of grey micaceous,

quartzous and argillaceous flate, which mine called Heerzug contains red garnets. The richeft veins run from the weft ; the northerly veins are deaf

and

crufli the

former.

The

rock

filling

the weftern or eaftern veins confiftscall

of quartz, which they

gneifs,

and appears
fa-

under a found and compad or a loofe and a

rinaceous form.

Their dipping
width
is

is

generally vertical, and their

to

from three

eight

feet.
till

They
is

are

fteady to a depth of i6o fathoms,

the quartz

turns deaf and

glance, and

unmetallic.

The

ore

coarfe

now and then white

lead-clay.

lead-ore and

brown and reddifh

was
likevv'ife

Formerly there

green lead-ore.

The

glance confell it

taining fcarce any filver, they

pound and

either as lead to the furnaces at Joachimhal, or

to the potters for glazing.

Schlackenwald,

268

M INE

R A LO G

C A L

HISTORY

Schlackenwald,

in the Circle

ofS>-3i2iZ.

THE
than

country

is

rather
;

gently

afcending
till

mountainous
foil

accordingly they

and plow the

Thefe
forms
confift

which covers the deeper rocks.

of a mixture of quartz, glimmer,

and white

clay,

which
a

fplits

into lamellse,

and

gneifs,

or

continuation

and variety

of the Bohemian argillaceous metallic mountains.

They have
I.

here

three different forts of veins.

;

Lead-veins with filver

and particularly a quartz

gallery,

vein in the

Emperor JofepFs
veins ^ fuch as

running

in

hour eight.
2.
'Tin

thofe in the crofs mine,

pyrites, tin ore,

which produces wolfram, copper

and
3.
tin zwitter in

quartz.

Tin

flocks.

In fome mineralogical accounts,

is

the

name of ftock-works

too

often

mif-

applied to the uniting of feveral veins in the fame

run, or to the larger bellies of fingle veins.
cither of thefe cafes there
is

In
the

no reafon,

why

name of vein fhould be given up

ftock-work.
I

for that of "a

underlland by flock-zvork^

that

native place of metals, which without any regular

or determined run to any certain point or line of

the

compafs, and without any determined dip-

OF

BOHEMIA.

'26g

ping, appears rather as a large conical

rocks, funk or inferted in the
tain.

body of midftofa mounof pure

lefs

Such a cone or lump

is

confifts cither

ore or of a rock, which

more or

impregis

nated and penetrated with metallic particles, and

conflantly of a different kind than the furrounding

or including rock.

within a curve line, which

The whole may

flock

is

included

be either an oval

or a circular one.
unite as
In the

Thefe circular out-lines either commonly in the depth or they diverge.

cafe the flock has the
in this
it

firft
,

form of an invert-

ed cone

hath the form of a truncated

and flanding cone.

Three fuch flocks have been

i.

hitherto obferved at Schlackenwald,

1 he Royal
working,
3.

Huber, which
2.

is

the

largefl,

and

ftill

The

Stock-aft, fmaller

and worked out.

Stock not yet examined, but reputed to be

of the

fame circumference
condition beincc
ferved,
I

as the fecond.

Their natural

the

fame, as far as hitherto ob-

fhall

confine myfelf to the defcription

of the Royal Ruber

The

rock which furrounds

is

it,

or in which

it is

flanding,

gneifs.

The

flock

itfelf confifts

of

granite, or a mixture of quartz,

feldfpath
lefs

and

mica-grains and lamellas, more or

penetrated

and fprinkled with

tin-ore.

The
in
its

feldfpath

is

reddifh or grey

-,

but often

place appears a white and greenifh clay, which

probably

2^0

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
as a
in the

probably might have turned into feldfpath,

decay or mouldering

midft of the rock and

under ground cannot be properly luppoled.

laft

This
the

variety of granite, which

is

commonly

leafl rich

of tin,

is

2.x.

Schlackenwald

C2.\\zdigrit{greifs)

and

its

conflituent parts, quartz, mica and clay

it is

feem to indicate, that

sneifs,

but a variety of the

In a mineratrue;

which furrounds the fiock.

is

logical refpeft that afiertion

pretty

and
of

the difference of the rocks being lamellous and

of the

grits

appearing in a compaft form,

is

no importance.
origin, antiquity

However,
and

this difference is

very

remarkable and intereiling

in

refped:

of their

fituation'.

This grit-fcone

confiils

of grains and lamellae,

ferrumiinated together as the pebbles in a

ftone.

pudding
of

Whatever be

its

origin,

it is

in refpeft
it

the time and the manner, in which

happened,
in vv^hich

ofcourfe different from that revolution,

fimilar conflituent parts joined into an uniform,

not granulated more

compadl rock,

which

is

lamellous, and goes under the

name of

gneifs.

Moreover

it

breaks in with the granite of the flock,

j

without any remarkable feparation or bedding

it

never occurs
it is it

in the

including gneifs.
is

Accordproduced

ingly

a variety of the granite, and

with

in the flock, in the

fame moment and by

the fame revolution.

The

OF

BOHEMIA.

I*]!

The oranite of this flock is comparatively with the common merallic mountains to be confidered
as the vein
;

the furrcanding gneifs

is

in

the fame

refpeft to be

compared with country rock.

:

But
like

here the queilion arifes

whether

this ftock, after,

other veins and

in its this

fiflures,

be produced
?

and

prs-exiiling mountain-rock

Or whether

granite-Hock

may be

confidered as a top or

flimmit of the ancient primitive and deeper granite,

which was afterwards furrounded, inclofed and

covered

by the more modern

gneifs

Being cona

vinced by
cient

many

fa<5ls

that granite

is

more anflate,

and deeper rock than argillaceous

gneifs

and other fuch

inftances

varieties

-,

having moreover

feen

many

of the granites high and bare

appearing through and above the more modern

and incumbent rocks,

laft

am

rather inclined to this

opinion.

1.

ccaufe the

common
firft

theory of the origin

of veins by

filFures

or cracks

produced

in

the

mountain-rocks, when

they began to dry,

does not account for round conical holes in the

mountain-rocks, of fuch extent and regular form

as the flocks
2.

under confideration.

Bccaufe even allowing fuch conical holes

remains the difficulty,
filled

there_

how

they might have

granite,

been afterwards

up with

which

commonly

272

MINERALOGICAL HiSTORV
as vein-rock,

commonly is not found its own fifllu-es.

However,
to

except in

wave

the charge of being

too

much

prejudiced for

my

hypothefis,

leave

my
this

conjeftures of the
granite-ftock and
to
its

origin

and antiquity of

furrounding gneifs-mountain,
intelligent reader.

the
in

confideration of the

Nay,

fupport of thole,

who might be
in

inclined

to confider this granite ftock as being of

modern date and produced

Graniie-ock in
its

the

more more ancient

Royal Hui>er

gneifs, I will candidly relate, that the

upper part

is

ioo, but in the

depth only 92 fathoms diameter, having the form

of an inverted cone, and being for that the more

refembling to the metallic veins, which diminifl^
to the depth, and at laft difappear entirely.

But there
at the
this
is

is

befides a third'poffibility

that of

the granite {locks and gneifs-rocks being produced

fame time.
indeed the

Of

all

the before-mentioned

leall

probable.

Whatever hypothefis
a

my

readers fliould have

mind

to,

they will obferve that no conclulion

g;eneral obfer-

can be drawn from them againft the

vation, that the granite in the largeft and higheft

European mountains
ceous
(late

is
;

more ancient than

argilla-

and

gneifs

and that thefe are incum-

bent on granite, as limeftone and other modern

beds are accumulated on them.

Though by my own

OF
own, and
(o

B O

A.
I

289

many
I

other obfervations,

am

con-

vinced ofthat,

cannot denyto nature the power of

producing under proper circumftances the fame fpecies

of granite or rock, which

times, either
lava's
It
is

it

produced
fire,

in for-

mer

by water or by

as

appears

by fome
tello's.

which exaftly refemble the graniobvious that

I

meant not

to

fpeak

of thefe fuppofed modern granites, but of the ancient ones, in as nature in

which we can be the

lefs

miltaken,

its

prefent quiet courfe, and without

in

fome new and great revolution

not likely
to

our globe,

is

produce any remarkable granite

rocks, or any far-ftretching, high-tov/ering chain

of fuch mountains.
chief,

The

argillaceous flate of the

in

middle and richer, metallic mountains

is,

Europe
that

in a

mineralogical
is

rcrpe(5t,

the fame as

flate,

which

bedded

mountains; nay which is

ooze of every

more modern every day produced by the

in

the

muddy

lake

however,it would be
in

extremely wrong to confound them

Natural

Hiftory of the Earth, in the fame manner as they

are
lar

confounded

in a

Syllabus of Mineralogy. SimiItratified itones,

beds of clay or other

or

dif-^

ferent only

by accidental circumftances, fuch

as

that

of colour or hardnefs, or mixture of iron,

very often found in difftrata.

lime or phlogifton, are

ferent

depths and feparated by other

mineralogifl

A
rank

mere

or

coUedor

offoflils

would

290

MIN-ERALOGICAL HISTORY
in the
clafs,

rank the produce of thefe different beds

fame

nor think of any difference

but the
fail

hiftorian of fubterranean geograp'hy

cannot

to obferve their differences in refpedl of their antiquity,

origin, relation to

other beds, metallic

the
crofTing veins.

contents,

and

influence

on

The

fine-grained iimeftope of the Alps^ the fcaly

or faline limeftone, the calcareous tophus or travertine, the limeftone

finally

incumbent on
which we
fee

coals,

and day

that

fpecies,

every

on the Dutch fhore, produced by fea are lime, nay fome of thefe different
a<7ree in the

fhells,

fpecies
in

manner of

their oripjin

though

general they are different in this and in

many
their

other refpefts.

common

fyftematical colledor
flints

will unconcernedly break the

from

chalk-matrix, in which they are found in France^

.

in

England^ and in Stevens-Klint on Seeland, and

flints

moll fyltematically rank the

fiiices,

with the other

and the chalk with the calcareous earths

fcientifical naturalift

but a

draws from thefe na-

tive places, and other concomitant circumftances,

conclufions on the origin of the

flints.

The former

examples
and
its

illuftrate
;

what

have

faid

of the granite

varieties

and the

latter

demonftrate the
dif-

neceffity

and ufe of a nice obfervation of the

fofTils.

ferent native places of

Ire-

O
I

B O

A.

29

return to Schlackenwald.
is

The

mixture of the

granite

not uniform throughout the mafs of the

whole frock.

Sometimes large
it,

(Iripes

of pure

quartz are contained in

ably
rich

and thefe are remark-

of

tin-ore,

with blue and green fluors,

of wolfram, fome copper- pyrites and black-lead

(molybdana.)
In other places the mica
;

is

accu-

mulated

in large laminse

in

others

prevails the
fat clay.

feldfpath, or, inftead

of that, a white

Though

the wliole (lock be throughout fprinkit is

led with tin-ore,

however more frequent and

the parallel ftripes, which

more accumulated

-in

crofs the finer grey or reddifh granite.

Some deaf
monly
of them
ore.
in
in

fifllires

or veins crofs the (lock

hour
their

three.

The
the

ancients

commade ufe

works, efpecially for firing tha

called
in

One

vein,

TJhevpermac.s-Vein^

croiTes

our granite frock

hour twelve, and conin

tains tin-ore, pyrites

and wolfram

quartz.

am

ignorant, whether thefe veins have their con-

ftant run

beyond the granite-ftock

which
is

in the gneifs,

a circumftance
at

obferved in the tin (lock

Geyer in Saxony^ and might be fuppofcd perin tills, as

haps
other

they are found agreeing in fo

I

many

circumflances.

am

equally

ignorant

whether

this granite-flock,

as that at

Gey er^ have

a fkirt or inclofiire (flockfcheider) which in that

place confills of feldfpath, fometimes mixed with

quartz.

292

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
The tin-ftock at
Altenberg
in
in
is

quartz, mica or day.

in Saxony

of a different nature, fince inclofed

granite,

and confifling of a variety of granite,

particles are prevailing.
faid to

which the quartzous

The

mines at Schlackenwald are

have

been working above 530 years.

The

Royal Huber

was formerly held by grant by

feveral companies,

who worked
prefs-queen
;

this ftock in

common

with the

Em-

but hence arole very irregular works,

place are of old {landing, fmce the

which

in this
fields

upper
fore

or levels,

having been worked out

without any refpefl to after-times gave way bethe year 1580,

and caufed a large gaping

to be feen.

fifiure,

which

is ftill

However, they
be above 100 fais,

went on again with the fame

under
levels,

irregularity in the

which are

faid to

thoms under ground.

even
at prefent the

The

confequence
fafely

that

works cannot be

exami-

ned, and that any jumping on the turf above the

works makes the whole ground tremble and fhake.

Some

time after the ocular examination of thefe

in

mines by Baron Mitrofy^ which happened

the year 1743, her Royal and Imperial Majefty

has

recalled

and redeemed the grants, but to no

great advantage, fince after the irregular ravages

of the old man, which have crippled the whole

ftock,
it is

almoft impoflible to introduce any

befides,

regular

work

and the richer and larger

tin-

OF
tin-ore cryftals

BOHEMIA.

293

of former times feem to be gone.

Formerly they had here that fcarce fpecies of ore,

which
ore.
is

known under
otiis

the

name of white
III. p-

tin-

Beyer in

metalii eis. Part.

169, has

given an account of the preparing, uftulating,

waihing and fmelting of thefe and other

ores.

tin-

To

encourage and to
in

facilitate the

Bohemian

tin-mines

general, her Majefty has ordered

at

her mineral trade commiflion

Vienna to buy the

Bohemian

tin at a certain fixed price.

The

tin-ores of Schlackenwald, 'Platte, Gottefgah

and of many Bohemian wafh- works, were formerly

fuppofed to be auriferous, and to contain feme
filver.

But modern

aflays

have proved the con-

trary.

Schonfeld, near Schlackenwald.

THE
The
Siincn

tin

mines

in this

place are the mofl anthe

cient in

Bohemia.
is

Of

former

filver

mines nothing

remaining but ancient records.

Judas and the Crofs mine have been the

richeft

tin-mines,
in gneifs.

and were worked on veins

which ran

The

white tin-ore, which

Cronedt,

294

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
. 2.

Cronedt^
terra

209, has called ferrum calciforme

quadam

incognita intime mixtum^

It offers

was found
in in-

in thcfe

nnines.

either

compaft
it

determinate forms, in which cafe

refembles to

ponderous white or greenifh

and

fat quartz, or

in white or j^ellow fplendent cryilallifations.

Grasllitz, in

the Circle of S2i2.z.

HAS
they

yellow andgreenii copper-pyrites, with

green and brown copper ochres in argilla(late.

is

ceous and quartzous

thefe pyrites nothing

In the fmelting of

remarkable, except that

make

ufe of white fluor, fetched

foft pyrites

from Saxony,

and that to fome

ftone.

they

mix lime-

Mies,

in the Circle /'Pilfen.

rx^HE mountains confift of grey micaceous and

-L
argillaceous
flate,

fornetimes

mixed with

quartz.

The
then

veins are generally quartz, which

is

now and

c ry flail ifed.

In a fpecies of thefe

cryftallifations I

obfcrved the

fame parallel

in-

cifions

OF
cifions,

BOHEMIA.
a

295
cryftallifa-

which

are

charader of the

tions

from Hodriz near Shemniz in Lower Hungary.

ore
is

The

lead glance, which per

hundred weight
to-

yields

from two to four ounces of filver, and

wards forty pounds of lead.

Yellowifh green
in

hexagonal prifmatic lead fpar has been found

former times.

The works
ill

are

in

great decline,

and have ever been very

contrived, which

makes

their examination not only difficult but dangerous

too.

T^Joe

coal work near

Wilkifheu

/ the Circle

^Pilfen.
is

IT-

but of

late that in this place a gallery

has
-,

been driven into a coal-bed, which baffets out and they have butjuft begun to fink a fhaft upon it. If I were only to write for thofe who in the art and
fcience of the mines fee

and conceive no further

have a profpetft
were not con-

entertainment than

as far as they
;

of clear gain before them

and

if I

vinced too, that exaft mineralogical obfervations,

even of poor mines,

richer ones,
1

may prove
f^.y

very ufeful for

might have very

of

juftly fupprefied

what

fhall

have to
its

this

inconfiderable
as thofe gentle-

coal-work and

fituation.

But

men

will

not poffibly loofe their time with

my

performanceSj

296

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
I Ihall

performances,

rather freely fubmit

my

ob-

fervations to the judgment of the few learned connoiffeurs.

The
piia
fift

mountains, which to the weft divide Bohe-

from the Upper-Palatinate and Bavaria^ conof granite and of feveral varieties of argillaflate.

ceous

The
In

granite

of the higheft

moun-

tains hereabout contains large and thick black

Iherl-cryftals.

my

defcriptions of the mines at

Caiharinabergl have given already Ibme account of

the rocks of thefe mountains, which connect with
en, and to the fouth run into the the Circle o{ Pi If

Circle of Prachin, and to the north into that of

Saaz.

In order to determine the fituation of the

I

coal-bed at V/ilkiden,
this ridge

am

to fix

upon a point of
fliall

of mountains, and that

be a-tKla-

draWy one hour's way diftant from Wilhen.

The mountains
dark grey or

in this place

confift
lefs

of pure

fometimes micaceous and more or

quartzous

blueifii argillaceous flate.

* If a great quantity of quartz be clofely blended and con-

nefted with argillaceous

flate,

it

proves very hard and longi;

tudinally fibrous in the fradlures

into true hornfiate.
p. 358. 2.
I

that

is

to fay,

it

changes

Cornsiis Fijfijis

Wallerii Mineral, Ed. 2.

/i/fti/r/zou

have been convinced at

llate
is

of

this

dege-

neration,

pure argillaceous

commonly
I'eins,

cro/Ted

by

quartz veins.

Horn
its

flate

has

no fuch

but inftead of

them quartz has with the clay and

internally and

equally connefted itfelf

It is

produce the mica.

found here in
the

OF

BOHEMIA.
this flate are

297

On

the road between

Kladraw and Haide, and

found,
in the

towards Pilfen fragments of

fome of them regular cubes, others

form

of oblique or rhomboidal pyramidal columns,

from fome

inches

to

one foot
I.

in height
in

their

form

as the cryilal, n. 8. tab.

III.
I

Linnets Syema

Natura^ tom.
near Kladraw,

In

the granite mountains,

have found fimilar rhomboidal

conllant and regular; in

and pyramidal columns of grey and reddifh granite.

Their form'

is

the fame horizontal or foaring fituation as the

argillaceous flate
tical
;

common pure
mountains

accordingly

it

is

not conftantly in a ver;

pofition, as at Edelfors or in other metallic

it

nor does

appear in the form of waves.

It

may be doubted
More-

therefore with great propriety, whether that vertical polition

hath been

its

natural poiition from

its

very beginning.

over the pofition, which

may

be accidental, does not deter-

mine the
flate,

fpecies

the lefs {o as even the pureft argillaceous

firatined ftone beds appear not

nay many other modern

only in horizontal and foaring, but likewife in

many

other,

and even

in vertical poficions.

All thefe circumftances, toit

gether with the chemical aflays, prove

(Wallerii Mineralogy, ed. 2, p.

to be argillaceous

355, 358, 359, and 364..)

and convince me,

but that
it

that

it

fliould not

be confidered

as

a genus,
ar-

might bevery
{Scbius

juftly

ranked with the

common
as
it

gillaceous flate
variety, I

Wallerii.)
its
;

Hov/evcr,

is

do not controvert

proper

name and

claHification

in the Mineralogical

Sydcms

but in refpeft to phyfical geo-

graphy
flate.

it

fhculd ever be

fepi;rated

from the argillaceous

fome

29S

M IN
is

RAL OG I CAL HITSORY

in

ibme of them the feldfpath,

quartz

fome others the

clay.

decayed into farinaceous

But a
is

third fpecies of

columns of the fame form

;

to be found about

Kladraw

and

this confifts
flate,

of a variety of the dark grey argillaceous

whicli Teems to be an intermediate fubftance be-

tween argillaceous
is

flate

and

granite. Its fubftance

fine

darkgrey, blackii and

it is

micaceous

flate

-,

but

mixed with parallelopiped fpots of white

air

and lamellous feldfpath, which expofed to the

turn milky and opaque.

By

this accident

it

refem-

bles to porphyry or to a variety of granite.

Near
its

Plan red garnets are found

in

it,

which proves

being a variety of argillaceous flate, becaufe the

Bohemian

garnets are
flate.

commonly
in

in

micaceous
I

quartzous clay

Perhaps the rock,

am
is

fpeaking
ate
in

of,

is

breaking

the limits where

together.
It

and

granite

border

my

opinion a remarkable phenomenon, that

this variety

of argillaceous

flate

with fpots of feldflate

fpath, nay even the

pure argillaceous

and

granite are found

in thefe parts in confl:ant deter,

mined and regular columnar forms

are

and

as they

found
it

fo in their natural fituation in the

moun-

tains,

appears clearly that thefe rocks in their for-

mer

flate

of

fluidity

had a natural tendency to a

it;

regular form whatever be the caufe of o

The

OF
The
induce
tions
is
*,

BOHEMIA.
forms as

299

regularity of their faces

and angles would

cryftallifa-

me
but
as

to confider their

commonly the name of cryftallifations

I

given only to regular aggregations of diflblved

faline

and metallic bodies,

leave to

my

readers
is faift,

the liberty to look out for a better name. It

that thefe rocks iplit and break with as

gularity as poffibly
ftallifation.

much

re-

may be produced by any

it

cry-

How

happens, that fo few granite

in certain

and

flate-rocks,

and thofe but

places,

are, endowed with that quality, I

am
is

at a lofs to

account "for.

|1

In the neighbourhood ofKladraw

riety

another va-

of argillaceous Hate.

It is clofely

mixed

with quartz

and mica

is

extremely fhivery and

a true table-flate (ardefia) for which reafon they

break and ufe

it

inflead of
it

tiles.
;

The
I

convent at
it is is

Kladraw

is

covered with

and

fuppofe

fair conclufion that this table-flate (ardefiaj

not

conftantly
(flozberge.j

found

in

modern or flat-mountains

II

Let us

fairly confefs that

we

are equally ignorant of the

;

natural caufes of the faline and metallic cryftallifations

befides the

and that

above-mentioned rocks and Hones there are

many

more, which break into regular forms, though thefe have

not been hitherto properly attended to by our Mineralogifts.
I

gave a hint of that kind in the

firft

Latin edition of my

Syftem of the Earth, p. 11, 12, 13.

The

300

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
coal-work at Wilkien
diftant
is

The
way

but one hour's

is

from Kladraw^ and the road

diftant,

thence
fields,

conftantly defcending.

In the adjacent

and fcarce a gunfliot

blocks

many

grey granite
I

appear above the vegetable mould.

diftinguifli

could not

whether thefe blocks were

of the granite-rocks
fad,
that

detached pieces, or parts

under ground; but

bed, with
its

it

is

the coalflate,
is

Ikirts

of black and rotten

but from three to

fix

fathom under the

turf.

Its

roof or cover confifts of a mixture of white-grey

clay,

fome quartz-grains and fome

is

flakes

of

ar-

gentine white mica; that

loofe incoherent granite,

to fay,

it

confifts

of a

which on that account

in faft is

rather deferves
called
fo
it

the the

name of fand, and

workmen.
?

by

The

queftion

whence

was produced

is

eafily

anfwered by the

above defcription of the higher mountains near

Kladraw
as
grit

and that roof may juftly be confidered

fchiftous

and decays of the

and granite

mountains, waflied down

and

fuccefiively accu-

mulated upon the coal-bed.

coal-bed in
itfelf ?
I fay,
it is

But what

is

the

the continuation of

the argillaceous
this

flate at
;

Kladraw^ penetrated in
it is

by petroleum
mountain

accordingly
fiat,

not, as

com-

monly, a modern
mitive

accumulated on the priat

rock

Kladraw, but

it

is

a pare

OF

BOHEMIA.

^01

a part and a continuation of that very primitive

mountain. Some of my readers

will, I

this aflertion at variance with

am confident, find the common opinion,

according to which coal-beds are generally confidered as conftantly

belonging to the modern

accumulated

flats

(flozberge) and as never

making
pe-

part of the more

fimple

ancient

or primitive

mountains

but

as coals are argillaceous flate

netrated with petroleum,

I fee

no reafon why

Though
it

the continual floping defcent of the primitive

this

ground from Kladraiu to JVilkien be favourable to

pothefis,

hyflo-

wants neverthelefs better evidence, as

on that

ping primitive ground modern beds might have been accumulated

by the fame revolutions, which have accumulated

{o

many others.
However
it

would be very unfair

to

deny the

polTibility

and

ingenuity of the hypothefis, ftubbornly to

Mineralogifts againft fafts and reafon,
i.

aflert

with fome

that coalbeds are

conftantly to beconfidered as the remains of ancient forefts,and

2. that they are conftantly covered

with and accumulated on be fupported by partial

modern
and

ftrata.

That

aflertion
;

may

local obfervations

but they can never

make good

a ge-

neral afl"ertion as will appear in the fequeh

^ Many
and
forefts;,

coal-beds confift vifibly of remains of trees, plants

more or

lefs

bituminous, and more or

lefs afFel-

ed and changed by the fituation in which ancient revolution

have

left

and brought them.

here.

Thefe are out of queftion

Mr. Ferber might liowever

have taken fome notice of them, by telling, that befides thefe

coal-beds, there are fome others, which are undoubtedly confifting

of bituminous argillaceous modern

flate.

It

would

not have hurt his hypcthefls.

'

nature

302

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
flate,

nature fhould not faturate with the fame fubftancc

any argillaceous

whether
;

it

be of an ancient
I

or a more modern origin

and
far

am

the

more

of this opinion,

as

we
is

are

from being con-

vinced that petroleum

only to be found in mo-

dern beds.
fiats
lels

The

diftinclion

between the modern

is

and the pretended primitive mountains

material than
is

commonly

fuppofed.
;

It

merely

relates to their different antiquity

flate
is

for the

argillaceous

of the pretended

primitive
as

mountains

as well

accumulated on granite
is

every other modern bed

accumulated either on

granite or other rocks-, and whether this accumulation arrived in the beginning of the world, or long
after,
is

an objedl of mere conjecture.

is

The diffe-

rent width of the ftrata

of no greater importance.

The

pretended primitive mountains are moreover

called

Gang or ^^/Vmountains, becaufe

them
at
-,

metallic
as thefe
is

veins are generally found in

and

have been formerly working

Kladraw there
gang-mountains

no doubt,

that the mountains hereabout are juflly

,

to be confidered as primitive or

However,

this

circumftance alone would not

make good
likewife

the affertion, fince metallic veins are

in

found

modern

ftratified

fiats

for
,

example the cobolt-work

lead-works
in

in

Saxe-Saalfield
in

the

Derhyire^

and

many

other
-

places J for hence it naturally foilowsjthat the moun

tains

OF
tains
refpe(5l

BOHEMIA.

3O3
folutlon, in

produced by water, or by aqueous

of

the different periods of their origin

and

accumulation, and on no other account, can be

with propriety divided into old and modern ones,

owing

their origin

to different degrees of relaancient -mountains might, in

tive antiquity.

The
the

comparifon

to

modern

incumbent

ones-,

and

their greater variety of thin ftrata, be called

with greater propriety mple- mountains.

Their

denomination

of primitive,

original,

or gang-

mountains
I

is

by no means

charafteriftic.

am

to obviate here an objeflion,

which pro-

bably will

be made to

me by
Pilfen

thofe

who

are ac-

quainted 'with the country between Kladraw and

IVilkijeny

and between
flat,

and Prague,

It is

in general

and immediately behind Kladraw

the mountains flope into a plain, which confiftsof

clay

and loam, and afterwards of coal, lime, and

other depofited aqueous

ingly this whole
tra(5t

modern

ftrata.

Accord-

of land feems
beginning

to be coverat

ed by

modern

beds,

Wilkoen.

But

cannot allow that affertion

I

in refpe<5t to the

place

am

treating of, fince the

in the plain,

coal-works ac
in the

Wilkien are not

but

Hoping
the

of the higher ancient mountains.

coals are immediately under the

Befides,

turf, being cover^

ed only by loofe grit and decays of the higher

mountains, and deftitute of any regular roof of
lime

,^04

MIN

R ALOG
1

AL

HISTORY

lime or marie.

had no opportunity to examine

the coal-works at Kottejaw^ Vv'hich are but one

hour's ride diftant-, but
I

am

afTured for the rclt

that the whole trad of land hence to Pilfen and

Prague

is

generally

flat

and

ftratified,

containing

fome coal-beds near

greyifh

Pilfen^ Shabrach^

Berawn, and

limeftone beds at Stiez^ which

are covered

by
at

yellow clay.

Probably the brooks

Pilfen and Berawn

v^ere larger in

former times,
thefe dif-

and may be fuppoled to have depofited

ferent

beds.

The

ancient

mountains

behind

Kladraz however, which confift of argillaceous

flate

and granite, continue uninterruptedly running

;

under ground

for they appear

above ground

in

fcveral places between Kladraw, Pilfen and Prague

The

grey granite-rocks appear on the road from

to Pilfen
;

Kladraw
ous, or

and thence
is

to

Prague the

ar-

gillaceous flate, which

either pure, or micace-

a horn-fchiftus.

All

this together coin-

cides to fliew that the coals at Wilkien

may

be-

long to the more ancient mountains, which are

found running under ground

far

beyond this

place.

Even

fo far as

Prague are obferved fome fchiftous

rife

mountains, which

high above the ground.

The
and
coal-

other mountains thereabout are calcareous,

contain petrifaflions
;

fo that the

common
Itrata

beds

at Shabrach,

and the different

of marie

and

clay,

which are found between the prominent

OF

BOHEMIA.

3O5

ncntrocks of argillaceous flate,may bejuftly afcribed to one or to different inundations.

The grey-yel-

low veo-etable mould between Kladraw and Prague

is

for

the greater part

it is

owing to inundations
and
\

however

partly produced by the decays of

the argillaceous

and micaceous

flate-gneils

hornftone- rocks, which appear above the ground

and

this

is

evident from the mica flakes, which

it.

are found in

The
is,

conclufion, which

am

to

draw from

this,

that coals are not conftantly found in the

flats,

mo-

dern

but that ancient (pretended primitive)

is

argillaceous flate

llkewife

now and then

other places.

fatura-

ted and penetrated by petroleum.

This may be

probably obferyed
it

in

many

Should

not perhaps be the cafe of the coal- works in the

high and Ihaggy mountains of the Habichwald

near Cajfel in Hejfe
^
-f-

There are

feveral others,

which
f For this I refer the reader to my late account of th German volcanos, by which it will appear, that this large
and iliaggy mountain
is

produced by many

fucceflive ancient

volcanic eruptions, and

cannot by any means be ranked

among

thofe ancient granite-or Ihiltous-metallic-mountains,

is

which Mr. Ferbcr

fpeaking

of.

However,
on the
I

as I

have no ob-

jeftion againft his hypothefis,

and am rather

inclined, to agree

with him, I
laying

Ihall lillen to his call

naturalifls,

and by

down

in a few vvords^

what

know 0/ my own obfervation

306
which
ever,
I

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
fufpefb to be of the fame nature.

Howmight

wifh, that intelligent

this

naturalifts

examine
it

my

adventurous opinion, compare

it

with nature, and confirm or refute

It is

by exafl

obfervations.
naturalift,

of fome importance to the

to

nay even

the miner, fince

it

ac-

counts and will account not only for the horizontal

and foaring, but likewife for the

vertical fitua-

tion of coals.

Zinnwald

tion

of the coal-mine on the Habich^MaU, not only make a

Aipplement to the above defcription, but likewife to Mr. Ferher's affertion.

On

the higheft

fummit of the HahichwaU, which

confifls

of alternating and various beds and rocks of volcanic afhes,

lavas, cinders

and tufo, accumulated on more ancient lime and

is

fandftone, there

(befides a fpacious plain behind the oftofalls

gon,) towards Hof, a gently Hoping ground, which

runs down
rifes

or

Into the Dru/eltbal.

In

tlie

midft of this ground

hill,

which

is

called the Zigenberg,

and

is

incumbent

on the lower coal-bed, which has been worked

reftions,

in

many

di-

and

as it ftiould feem, furrounds it

on every

fide.

The
turf,

ftrata in this

coal-mine are,

Immediately under the

black vegetable mould, mixed with decays of the furhills,

;

rounding volcanic
hard lava and tufo
2.

that

is

to

fay,

with fragments of

three feet.
as

White

fine

quick fand,
hill

found on the other

fide

of the

Dmfelthal, and the

behind the Pauls-harmitage, under

many

tufo and lava beds, in an ancient pit

and gallery,

cal-

led xhelver-<weU,

and behind the Sneckenberg in

a fand-pit

'immediately furrounded wich volcanic materials, but notcapt

with them.

One fathom

three feet.
3.

White

OF

BOHEMIA.

^O^

Zinnwald

in the Circle

o/'Leitmerlz.

THE
or the

mines
if

in

this

place are but (lowly

at all.

working,

working
is

The

country

mountain-rock

granite of a different.

mixture.

Some

large foaring-veins,

which very
improperly

3.

White

fine clay^ as

found likewife under the above fand

bafalces
;

pit

and under a flratum of

behind the great water

fpout in the garden at Wei'enine

three fathoms.

Digging
begins
black,
to
its
firft

in this clay bed to the to

depth of three fathoms,

it

turn grey by ftripes

;

and afterwards entirely

which
is

till it

degenerates into coals

lelTer faturation

vifibly

owing

greater or

with petroleum.

4.

Coals, having in this mine no roof, as being immedi;

ately connefted with their fubflantial earth, the above clay three fathom three feet.

The

clay penetrated with petroleum, or the uppermofl imis

perfeft coal,

in

fome places

loofe,

and afpecies of

blackifli

or brownilh ruble or rotten-ftotie, which being an excellent

brown or

blackifli painters clay,

CaJJel,

was formerly fold under the

till

name o{ Painters clay from

v/ho
dealt in
it

the painter Huchfeld iied. native place a fecret.

I

it,

and had kept

its

have found

again, not only in

tJie

coal-mine, but likewife

immediately under the above fand pit behind the Snekenherg,

whence the painter Huchfeld is faid to have dug it. Towards the fole the coals turn harder and richer,
then more bituminous and more like the Zcotch coal
again proves the former prefence of fluid petroleum.
;

bein?o which

5.

The

308

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
call
off,
flats

improperly they
are varioufly

run

in

it,

and thcfc

cut

comprelTcd

and altered
;

in their diredion

by other vertical ones

in v/hich

cafe they are purfued

and found out again by the

fmall metallic or argillaceous joints, which to the

German miners

are

known under

the

name of

Schkppiingen,

5.

Thefole of the
ftriking fire with
this

coals
fteel.

is

white fand rock, extremely hard,

and

As

hitherto no pit has beeen funk

through

rock,

cannot

tell

on

whai:

ground

it is

incum-

bent, whether on

volcanic mafies, which in refpeft of the

high fituation of the coal-mine on the fummit of the Habicfj^

ivaU
cafe in

is

probable, or on limeftone, which feems to be the

refpeft of the fimilar fandftone rocks,

found on the

ether fide of the Drufelthal near the caftle of Weijfenfiein,

which

is

in a lower fituation than

any volcanic ftratum of the

Hahicbnvald.

From

thefe fads I

draw the conclufions,

r.

that coals are

not conftantly found in any regular order of facceffive ftrata,

nor conftantly under a roof;

2. that

being in

this place vifibly

produced from clay, faturated by petroleum, they

may bs
llratr;

"found in any place or tuation where clay or argillaceous

Hate
fied

is

to be

met with,

in
as

ancient fimple or modern

mountains, as well
3.

on and

in

volcanic mountains

and

that henceforth coals will not be confidered as con-

ftantly

produced from

trees, plants

and

forefts,

buried by

inundations, though
gin.

many

coal-mines have had fuch an ori-

I cannot conclude this

account without taking notice of

in the coaf-

iome fpungy

coals,

which occur now and then

bed

OF
Schleppungen^

i\I

A.

309

and have been defcribed by Baron

or in his ac-

Swab
the
nite,

in

the Swedij Tranfa<5lions,

at Edelfors.

count of the gold- veins

The

rock of

foaring veins confifts of various

mixed grablu^,

quartz partly

cryftallifed,

tin ore,

green and yellow fluor, pyrites and verdegreafe.

They appear

often on

both fides inclofed by

faalhands or fkirts of lamellated cat-gold of fome

inches thicknefs.

bed on the HaLichtvald.

the found coal-bed
fied
;

They

are found

by nodules within
fcori-

are extremely light,

aud refemble the

fpungy

lava's,

found near the oftogon on the Habichi.vaU,

confidered as cinders or as coals
is

They cannot
confumed by

poffibly be
fire
;

fince

there

no reafon why they fhould

heat or
fire fliould

have been burnt out, and

why

their

not

have catched the combuftible matrix of found coals, in which

they are contained.
If I were allowed to

fuppofe that the clay-bed on the

thofe in the Solfatara, from

Habich-ixald was produced, as

volcanic

allies,

changed by fulphurous acid into clay, there

account for thefe fpungy honey-

would be

lefs
;

dlfiiculty to

combed
the
acid,

coals

fince then they

might be

juftly confidered as

fpungy volcanic cinders

volcanic afhes,
firft

or

confumed

lavas, together with

changed into
coals

clay by

fulphurous

and afterwards changed into

I

by

fluid

petroleum.
to the

Though
and who

am

inclined to think fo, I leave

it

however

nearer examination of thofe,

who

are qualified for the talk,

will greatly oblige the Mineralogilts

by making out,
llrata

whether any

coals are

found under the volcanic

of the

Habichi-vahi, which, if fo,

would greatly

alter tlie hypothefis;

but

it

nevej has appeared fo to me.

(Trart.)

Toplitz,

3IO

MINERALOGICAL HISTOB-V

Topliz, in the Circle (j/'Leitmeriz.

nr^HE mountains
-^
nite
;

from the above place

to this,

by the way of the Oak-fore^ con fill of o-raand the ground is continually (loping to'loplitXj
till

wards

at

once

it

fmks abruptly into

the plain.

The
It
is

country about Toplitz confifts of gentle

accumulated modern mountains of clay,limeand coals.

interrupted by fome fteep infulated higher

mountains, which are calcareous, and feem to be

detached parts of the lower and gentler
raifed
flats,

by fome violent accident.

This affords
dif-

an excellent opportunity to diftinguilh the

ference of the

modern incumbent and the more

and to obferve

ancient fimpler mountains,

how

the former have been accumulated on the latter,

when
in

their vallies

were large refervoirs of water,

feveral

which

their

fediments

were

fuc-

cefTively depofited.

The

hot zvelh

and the hath

at Toplitz

are ob-

jeds too

much and

too generally known, to want

any defcription of mine.

a ftrong fmell

The

bath-water has

of hepar fidphuris.

They

tell

here that, at the time of the earthquake at Lion^

thefe

OF
creafed,

BOHEMIA.

3II

thcfe wells, together with

thofe at Carlsbad, de-

and then burft out with great violence ; whence they deduce fubterraneous canals, reachBut the great diftance ing as far as Portugal.
feems not to be favourable to fuch a fuppofition

and a

fimilarity of caufes
in the

phasnomena
the town

may have produced thefe fame moment of time. Next to

for kilns. Neartheforeft-

rifes

a large limeftone ftratum, and clofe

by

are
is

loam

pits,

worked

gate
clay,

a coal-bed, covered with

fome fathoms of

which partly
ftratum

contains

is fullers clay, and commonly lumps of cry ftallifed pyrites. Immediately

is

under

this

a ftratum of wood-coals, or
-,

foffil-v/ood,

fome inches thick

and then the coal-

bed, which appears four fathoms above ground,

and has not been hitherto explored

width.
thill

in its

whole

It

confifts

of fhivery coals, and

many

beds of clay,

from

five

to eight inches

thick.

There
as

are

no regular works, the coals

being dug
bilh
is

from a quarry.
and the
afties

The

ftiivery

rubas

burnt,

produced fold

manure or dung

to the farmers.

Graupen

312

MIN E

ALOG CAL HISTORY

I

Graupen^

rr^ H E
-*-

road from 'Topliz to Maria-fchein runs.

hills

over gentle and low

of clay and lime.

The
curs,

detached granite, which

now and then occomes from the mountains on the other fide
Near Maria-fchein fuddenly
this fide
rifes

of

Toplitz.

large chain of high and fteep mountains of gneifs,

which include the bafon on

Graupen^ a tin-place,
tains,
is

of Topliiz,

at the fcot

of thefe moun-

which are called the Knutkr Gezirck.

fteep

Af-

cending thefe
vein,

mountains
to

obferved an old
-,

worked out up

the turf

but found no
filver-veins,
ftill

remains of old bing-places.

Two

belonging to the community of Graupen^ are

working
beech^
is

one called

S.

Nepomuc^ the other Silver-

which proves

alfo in this place, that gneifs

generally a matrix of filver- veins, though here

iikewife contains tin-veins, v/hich
in granite,

it

commonly

run

and are then not interrupted.

Bj
and
a

means of a

fhaft

funk on a vein, they had difcoat a fmall depth,

vered others, which unite

all

of them, are metallic.

They

might, by

draining level of two hundred fathoms, clear

to a confiderable depth
;

them

and to judge of the bingplacea

OF
be worth
1.

BOHEMIA.'
It

places and the ores, which I found there,

their while.
1

would
and

obferved,
pyrites,

Sound

lead

glance with

blackjack
2.

in quartz.

The fame
Lead
Sound

with yellow blende.

3.

glance, blende and tin-ore in quartz.

tin-ore

4.
5.

and lead-glance

in tin-ftone.

Large pieces of

cryflallized

tin-ore

and

blende.

6 Fluor with copper-green and

azure.

The
make
tin

mixture of leadglance and yellow blende

it

probable, that, in a greater depth, the

will

be followed by

filver,

as

is

commonly

the cafe in the neighbouring mines of Saxony.

Thefe veins
to the
filver

are

called
is

filver- veins, in refpe6t

;

which

contained in the lead-ore

and befides them many tin-mines are working

the fame
I

in

mountain, but to no great advantage

called the Sweif^

examined one of them,

ia

which they work on thin f oaring

fures,

tin-veins or fif-

which

in

refpe(5t

to their flat

and foaring
at

extenfion

greatly refemble the

larger ones

Zinnwald, being like them crofled by

tical

many

ver-

or dipping veins, cut off or alter'd in their

fituation,

and accordingly worked and purfued

principles.
in

pn the fame

They

are

nothing different from thofe

in their thinnefs

at

^innzvald,

except

and

in their

want

^14

MIN ER A LO G
fkirts,

AL

HISTORY
in

want of
fides

being immediately grown to the

of the country or rock,

which they are whole width of

running.

They

confifl in their
it
is

folid tin-floney

and

very rare to meet any

quartz in

them, which makes them bear the extheir

pence of working, although

ever above half an inch.
lae

width

is

fcarce

The

beds or lamel-

of the gneifs-rock

in

the country, on both

fides

of the veins, are moftly vertical or {landing

upright.

The

foaring veins, if cut off or croffed

by

vertical ones,

produce large joints or

in the vein.
It

riders

of

tin-ftone

up and down
filver

would be

worth enquiring whether

tain

thefe vertical veins conin

any

but the miners

this place

do

not
It
is

know

nor care for any other than tin-ftone.

remarkable, that the furface of the

moun-

tain finks

and

falls in

the fame direftion, as the

foaring tin-veins are raifed or funk by the crofling

vertical veins.

From

the top of this mountain the whole coun-

try or valley of Maria-Schein and ^cplitz appears

before you.

It

is

covered by

many

gentle in-

cumbent

hills

or

flats,

which are interrupted by

of

fome infulated conic

*

fteep granite-mountains, for

example near Muhlfrjaw, where

granite-rocks
rifes

a fteep chain

above the ground, and iows

Graupen

to the cooleft imagination, that the mountains at

OF

BOHEMIA.

315
fea,

Graupen have been formerly the fhore of a

which covered the valley of Maria-Schein, and

above

which

the

infulated

granite- cliffs

at

Muhlaw

mult have once appeared.

Muckenburg

or

Muckenthurmel.

FROM
flope of the

the before mentioned old mines in the

I

Knutkr-Gezirck

purfued that afcending

line
I

mountain to another

of old mines,

which

is

called the Altenherg.

paUed near
Itiil

Creuzgang and Manfuetus^ which are

working

on

larger tin-veins than thofe at Schweif.

Though
flo-

five

workmen

are only

employed in Creuzgang^ the

dividend however in 1767 confifted of 1400

rins,

which greatly vouches for the riches of the

afcends rapidly towards Muckenthur"
in

mountain.

Hence
funk a

it

mel or Muckenherg^ where they have

Ihaft

gneifs

on a large copper-vein, which they

confider to be a flockwork.

Here

is

the highefb

point of thefe mountains,

many hundred fathoms

;

above the valley of Toplitz

and hence they flope

in

and fink towards Altenherg

Saxonia.

Gneifs-

rock continued to Furfienaw^ where a variety of

granite

^l6

MI N

ALOG

C A L

HfSTORV

granite appeared, which beyond Geifing at Alten-

herg had
ture.

its

common and

natural colour and mix-

Ratieborziz

or

Bergftedt, in the Circle of

Tabor.

THE
gentle

filver-mines

in this place

are the pro-

perty of Prince Swarzenberg.

hills

They

are in
;

and grey or

blueifli clay-flate

in

which

are obferved

fome

fiffures

of greenifh

litho-

rnarga, or half-indurated pot-ftone earth or ba-

con-ftone.

A variety
Kietiburg's

of veins, which crofs thofe

mountains, are worked to advantage.

Count
which
mine.
is

works

at

Rzemizow, a vein

parallel to that at Ratiebcrziz,

To

the

weft of this place Cardinal Migazzi has a filver-

The
io

old mines at 1'abor, which were for-

merly

rich
late

of native-and redgilder-ore, have

been of

taken

up again by Baron

Keer.

Near Budweifs, and near Rudolph and Adamfladt^ are many confiderable old mines in different mountains,

which are working partly by Her Royal

citizens at

and Imperial Majefty, partly by the

Budweifs.^

and

partly

by prince Swarzenberg.

They

OF
at

BOHMIA.'

31^

They have of late found

Budwei.

dendritical native filver

The mines
taken up them.
fiedt
I.

at

Ratieborziz

or Bergfledt, which

belong to the prince of Swarzenhfg, have been

again
in

17 19.

There

are feveral of

Tht

Chief-mine or Haiipt-Baw 2it:Berg-

confifts

of Lawrence^ Charles, Michel and

S.

Nichols,

which are drained by

Johi's gallery or

the deepeft water-level.

The

veins are S. Nichols

and Charles

both northern veins, or running from

in

north to fouth, and dipping

grees.

about fixty de;

S Nichols dips to the

eaft

S.

Charles to

the weft.
inches
,

Where

richeft,

they are

about three

where yielding fprinkled and mixed ore,

{c^l.

they are about two

The

deepeft fcle

is

at

prefent feventy fathoms vertical under ground.

About

fifty

fathoms to the weft, and

in adireftion

parallel to their's, runs a

foul vein twenty-five

fathoms

wide,

which

confifts

of mixed,
ofi^

white

blue and yellow clay, and cuts

ramifications,
in fuch a

the crofting

which diverge from the chief veins

manner, that hitherto they have not been

hit again
2.

beyond

it.

The

under- work near Bergfiedt, purfues a

vein which runs between hour two and three, and

has lately yielded rich- ore in

[haft. It contains

the
vv^ith

S.

Aiithany-

lead-glance

filver,

and

that fort of fpeculsr blende

which

fi^.all

be fpoken

of

3l8

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
foftens

of hereafter. Where the rock

with quartz, there
3.
is

and

is

mixed

likewife native filver.

S.

Dorothea-mine and

George's gallery are

to the weft of Bergfledt, for the prefent extremely

rich,

and work on two veins, which have united. One is called S. George, runs in hour two the other is Dorotkca-'vein, which diverges from the
,

former

in the

hanging runs

in

hour twelve.

This

was formerly exremely

thin, ran in

hard rock,

and contained rofy-coloured feldfpath, with fome lead-glance blende and a little filver; but as foon
as a joint with mifpikkel

came

into

the hading,

the vein produced white-and red filver-ore, native

lver and glafs-ore.

S.

George has

in refpedt to
it

Dorothea an

irregular dipping, becaufe

it

coinas

cides or unites with

it

in the depth.
itfelf,
it

As long
fo

continues running by
clay-veins, that

it is

much cut

by foul

produces but little and

poor lead-glance and blende.

4.

Old-Wofchix-Uope God*s BleJJing-Gallery was

-quick already fourteen years ago.

They work

here

on

a vein, which

runs between hour nine and

twelve, and dips between forty-five and feventy-five

degrees. It
richeil
is

from

tv/o inches to
It
is

one foot wide, and

where thinneil.

chiefly

quickened by

the coming-in of a winding undulating black clay

fiflure,

which appears fometimes

in the

hanging

then

OF
then
It
is it

BOHEMIA.
by feme morning or
in a different

3 IQ
filver-ore,'

produces fallow, white-and red

likewife crofTed

eaftern;

veins,

which affed

it

manner

fince,

before they crofs

it,

the vein appears cut off

crofs,
;

and

dead,

till,

beyond the
former run

it

appears quick

again in the

fometimes the ore and

the vein are entirely loft or hid under the crofsjoint, fall out extremely rich

underneath

it,

but

difappear entirely above

it.

Three hundred and fifty men, the wafhers and

fmelters included, have here

employment.

The gang
1

or vein, or the metallic matrices in

thefe veins are,

Fine white quartz partly tranfparent, partly

cryftallifed.

Some

cryft-o.llifations are

lamellous,

having on the under part fquare regular impreffions,

as

in the cryftallifations

from Hodriz near

Shemniz.
2.

White calcareous
cryftallifed.

fpar, variouily tranfparent

and

3.

Yellow tranfparent calcareous

combs.
feJd fpath,

fpar, cryftal-

lifed like

4.
5. 6.

Reddifh

remarkably found.

Clay, black, grey, and yellow.

Aftyeft- like

cork, in whitifti, thin and flexi-

ble lamellse.
7.

Mifpikkel or white arfenical pyrites, quick-

ens the vein.

8.

Sulphurous

2^0
8.

MINERALOGICAL HISTORY
Sulphurous pyrites occurrs now and then.
filver-ores contained in thefe matrices are,
filver, like

The

9 .Native

wire or hairs,

commonly on
tranf-

mifpikkel or on yellow cubic fulphurous pyrites.

10. Red-filver-ore,

found and cryftallifed,

parent like ruby.

11. Glafs-ore, found, cubic, 12.
13.

and

capillary.

White

filver-ore.

Lead glance

mineralifed with filver, coarfc

or

fine,

cubic or polyedrous.
or red blende, knotty or
cryftal-

14.
lifed,

Brown
contains

much

filver.

15.

Specular

blende,

yellow

or

greenift>,

lamellous

and

tranfparent,

occurrs

in

large

lumps, now and then under a

broken,
it

cryftallifed

form

confifts

of large lamelise, which

It is

refle<3;

the light like mirrors.

filver.

extremely rich of

The
much

wafti-and pounding-mills

have nothing
containing

particular.
filver,

But the above blende,

and being for that reafon fmeked

with the other ores, makes the fmelting fome-

what difficult.

The medium of the

is

filver-produce

of thefe mixed ores

from 40, 50, to

up-

wards of 100 ounces per hundred weight.

THE END.

INDEX.

X/i.-/>iJ

a,l>ur.-,

N
.^Brud-hanyn^

X.

a miningplace near Xalathna in Tranjylvaniay has gold

mines,
uigathe,
wi'ite

page 117

of fluor, 160 Antimony^ red and grafsgreen, lo ArdeUia^ Wallachian name of Tranfylvania^ 14 Argidaceous rocks and ftones,

and

red,

in

Horn flatc^
Kneifs^

Simon "Judas copper vein at Dognaia^ which runs

Metallic rocky
Schious clay^ and

53 Alahacr and Gypfum^ conftantly found in and about

rock-Calt- mines,
Alcaline
foffil,

in metallic rock,

144.

Jalty

native

and

at Debreczln^

AlumworksySX-Commotau^ 247 Antimony^ found with mineralized gold at Nagyag,

m Hungary incumbent on granite, 205 and under limeftone, which has changed them in fome places into marl, 208
Trapp^
Arfenic cryaUifedy or orpi-

102
,

v/ith native gold,

ment, found with mineralized sold, 102

calx, dripping into

129, 130, and at Alagurka, 222 -, grey and yellowplumofe ; if found in the veins at Kapnik improves
their auriferous quality,

form of

ftaLiclites

Joach imhaly
Arfenical^ fucn

th^ from 258

as tin-veins,

crolled

by

iron- veins,

produce filver in the Saxonian mountain^, 264, 265

veins, fuch a mifpikkel, uniting with ii'ver-

grey plumofe, in a fiffure of an auriferous zinnopel-vein at

-,

hanging

veins, iiviprove them,

318
its

Felfo-banya^
,

160

Bannat

of Teme/wary

on

quartz-cryft.ils,

limits and

160 on white pellucid rhomboidalprifms

-,

radiated,

government, 7 10 inhabitants, 14 mines, 2427

Bafaltes

1
Bafaltes

N D E

X.

columnar prlfmatlc^

Cat-gold, or yellow laminated

fkirts and includes the tin-veins in-granite at 'Zinnwald, 30 9 Caverns fub terraneous, generally found in calcareous

incumbent on Gneifs and 228 on granite,

mica

with black cryftal-

lized fherl,
)

228
33,
34.

(grains) in metallic

rock,

mountains
late

but one of
in
flate-

Blachmann^

a.

name given

at

difcovered
at

Kremniz to white filverore, which incruftates quartz, 219 >At Shemnlz it fignilies a

rock

'Joachimhal^

267, 268
Chalcedony, or white hornftone, with petrified 'corals,

pyriticalincruftation

of glafs

and other rich

filver-ores, v/hich it is conflantly found concomitant, 219 Blqing of the mines, invented at Frey her 1 6 1 3

near Lehotka, 194 , milky, {^ratified, with detached jafper and the fame in a^athe,
place,

194
,

gm

or in 1627, from Hungary introduced in Germany, ig2 5/fW^, withnativegold, 129 (fpectilar) yellow and greenifh,tranfparent ; rich of fih^r from Ratiebor"'^mia, ziz in 320 Blokerg^' ie high efl moun
.

(blue) incrufta221 tion of iron ore -, (blueifh) dripped

as
ftaladtites

on
clay.

iron-

ore,

199
See
Kaolin

China-clay.

and Petuntfe ; a vein in granite-rocks under the

tain

in

Germany, and in

Blockerg, 232 probably to be , found in every tra6t of granite mountains, 232

the Harz-foreft, confifts of granite rocks, either ftratified or confufedly piled up, 231 Bo'icza, rock, veins, mines

and ores, Born (Baron)

fuflrbcated

127, 128 danger to be in the mines

in

at Fcljo-batiya,

158
Joachims-

produced from , decaying granites, 232 may be produced perhaps by artificial decompofitions of granites, 232 and porcellanites or indurated china-clay found in Bohefnia, 252 Cinnabar, folid and fcaly,
at

Brui-ore, a fpccies of native

Tilver,

Dumbrava,
,

20

found

at

granulated at Boin

thal,

271
307

boja,
,

CaJJel (painlers clay) defcri-

bed,

vein,

120, T2I limeftone 120, 121 Claujenburgf

INDEX.
Clanfenhirg^ ancient Roman colony, 146 Clay^ the fubftantial earth

of mica, glimmer, quartz

feldfparh and other flints,
as mouldering and decaying into clay, 229, 230,
fubftantial

volcanic productions, deftitute of any roof, confifts of clay faturated with petroleum ; perhaps produced fi'om volcanic afhes

and cinders,
Coal bed, at Toplitz
;

305
foflil

mon
,

and

comwood311

earth

ot

coal,
Cobalt, with filver-ore,

<

305 309 * , produced from mouldering granite, gneifs and micaceous Hate, 230 235 volcanic afhes , from and fubftances, 309 with py, (auriferous)

coals,

com-

mon
away
bifh,

in

the veins at foa-

chimfbaU
,

formerly
in

257 thrown
as

Bohmia

rub-

pyrites,

in
^

the veins

at

(grey fcaly) native gold,

,

258 with 129

Kapnik,
,

155

Co7nbs or

{auriferous) grey, at 110 1 12 Facebay,

names given

Wacken, popular in Bohemia to

large vertical veins of por-

*
'

(blue) with auriferous

phyry and trapp,

Copper, cemented
niz,
,

262
at Smol1

pyrites,
,

129

(blue) in flate, a vein

'

producing orpiment, 195 with aurife, (black)

rous pyrites,

(ore) a.

Azur, or
&:c.

blue,

cryilallifed,

in

129

quadrangular oblongtrun31 polyedrous femipellucid forms from Saa, B.

in

(grey) a vein in flate,

cated forms,

with quartz and copper pyrites, at Smolnh, 170

172

40
-,

'

(Painters) from Cajjel^ defcribed, 307

,
,

b.

Brown

a/i

undefcribed fpecies of jaf~

per,

(white)
near

with

au-

riferous lead-glance,

129

mouldering into red copper mulm or tile-ore,

Coal-bed^

TVilklien,

from Saa,
-,

39

feems to be a ftratum of old pretended primitive flate, impregnated by petroleum and covered v/ith detached decays of granite,

Broth-ore; a copper-pi rites penetrated

c.

with brown copper-mulm,

d.

Glafs;

red.

300,
,

301305

cryftallized

in triangular

tvald,

on the Habichfurrounded with

odlangular and from Sa^a,

forms,
3[^

39

Copper

INDEX.
Copper, (ore)
ftone,
.

e.

Mulm

at

copper pyrites, and grey

copper-ore, 176 Copper (veins) At Moldova, run in every diiexion, between grey argillaceous flate and a hanging of limeftone, both incumbent

Sqa incumbent on limepage 35 J 37

Native^ on ', f. lead-glance from Illobor,

i66
,
ff.

Pitch-ore

produced from hardened copper-mulm at Saa, 40

-,

on
.

gneifs,
,

44 At Muckenthur-

h.

'Tile-ore,

or

Red-ore, or red copper-

mel in gneifs, 315 -, At Newfol, in argillaceous flate, running from to fouth, dipping from eaft to weft, between forty and fifty degrees, cut off'byan oblique crofs joint of red irony argillaceous flate; confift of com-

from produced mulm, mouldering decaying jafper, 39, and found at

Oravitza,

north

,
cal,

3
IVl/ite

/.

arjeni-

Copper,

(fmelting)

in

31 the

Bannat defcribed,
,

57

mon

fhiftous clay,

mixed

Propofals of Mr. Delius to improve the operation, and to foften the copper by additional fulphur, or a fulphureous
regulus, (veins) Copper,

with mica, quartz, gypfum and copper ores,

which are auriferous in fome places, 195, 196

-,

At Oraviza,

in

At

63 Dog-

the

Simon jfudas, erroneoufly called a ftock,

;

na%ka

mountains of Cooluiz, run between argillaceous flate and limeftone, confift of calcareous and felenitic ftones,

51
In metallic rock incumbent on gneifs, 51 Confifts of copper pywhite limeflone, rites, fpar, agathe, and yellow or black garnets, 53
,

of

28, 29 mountains Cornudilja, run in

-,

in the

limeftone, confift of gyp-

fum and
fpar

phofphorefcent

Mary

Viiory, in

metallic rock, confifts of

diflblved

mica and cop-

per pyrites,
-,

54
Golniz,
in

At Sa a, run -, between marie mixed with bafaltgrains on the hading, and limeftone on the hanging fide, confift of calcafelenitic reous or fpar with fome quartz, 33 35
,

At

horn-flate, running

from

weft to eaft, confift of grey quartz, f:jme fpar.

At

Smolniz,

in

blue

INDEX.
blue glimmery argillaceous flate, parallel to each other, run in hour fix, dip in fc V en ty- five degrees, improved and altered in their
diredlion by fmall crofsjoints, confill of dark grey

imperial cabinet at Vienna^

Dognazka

veins, rocks

ores defcribed,

226 and 47 56

Ducca; a generous character ofa man, 10

evaporation of a vein, during a thunderftorm, 60 Efitomolithus paradoxus ir'ilo^ bus ; an undefcribed fpecies in the fandftone beds on the Harz-fore, 551 Facehay^ near Zalathna. The
pyritical

EleHrical

clay with quartz and copper-pyrites,

'

At

171, 172 in Sivadhr,

argillaceous

glimmery
flate,

Corfars,

ftrolling

176 merchants

allowed to purchafe gold

from private mines and walh-works in Tranjjylvania^ 126 Cryallifatlonsy with inclofed water, or cryalli

Maria

Loretto

gold-mine
fand-ftock
1 1

confifts of a

fmall ftrati-

fied auriferous

and gold-veins,
vein at Nagyag,
,

117

en-

Feld-jpath (red) in the gold1 01 matrix of aurife-

hydri at Kapn'ik^

,
Cfertes
lic
-'
j

155

(quartz) great

variety in the large veins

at Shemniz,

189
123

gold mines in metalauriferous glafsfoflil

rous fallow filver-ore at Kapnik, 153^55 , the redder the more

auriferous,

rock,
,

155
filver,

with

comveins,

ore in hornftone,

Debrezin

122 and native

mon
,

in the richer

alcaline fait,

4
Traivgott)
foften
'

its

319 320 red colour owing

220
155

Delms

(C'^ijhph. to

to iron,

copper by fulphur, or an additional fulphureous regupropofals

lus,

,inmetallicrock, 127

Fd-banya

63

Demler (Francis ) examination of the o;old-duft and and gold-walhings in the Bannat, 83 93 Ueva\ its copper Itoclcwork, 94 Diamonds^ white and red, white and yellow in the

a mining place, ; mountains, veins, works anderes, 166 158 Firing of mines, at Goar, Schlackcnwaldcy and Felfo-

banya^
Fiiires or

Klfte,
lefs

I 6 fmall er

veins,

conftant and

wide

in their

dipping;,

run and 28
native

Fluor cubic

with inclofed

INDEX.
Fluoi\
i^^o native fulphur, in rhomboidal prtjms
,

mines,
Gipjics,

in

the

217 Bannat of
in TranJ/yl^

lOo
^^^^ ,griea
'

T'efnefivar

and
gold

with

vama commonly employed

in

yellow

^ quartz
309
at Frey-

wafhing,

76
See copper- ore ; Glafs ore. or native filver from Joachimhal
l']1

jn a tin^vein in ^rai-ite at
Zinntualil,

Freygold
berg^

A Ja) tin)
ro

have invcn ed the blafti^g of mines by gun powder, 192 Fridivaizkj [P.) at Clanfenauthor of a Nat. berg-, Hiftojy of Tranffytvania,
i'aid
_

G^i/}, an argillaceous rock or

mixujre oi quartz, mica and white or readifli clay,

243
the mountains at Catharinaherg and Graupen
,

10^-, 107, 14O, 147 Fuczes; mines, rocks, veins, and orus, 124, 125 Gang. See vein

in

Bohemia confift of it, 228 312

the veins at Catharifilled

naberg
-,

with

it,

245

Gang mcuntairs-y German name of ancient metallic

mountains, v/hichby fome
philofophers
too inconfiderately have been called

at Sr.Jha cap'd

with ar-

gillaceous flate and lime-

ilone,
,

42

52
228
gra-

under columnar ba-

faites,
,

primitive mountains, 302 Garnets^ found with goldduft in the Bannat, 71

incumbent on
infenfibly

,
',

.91
in grey

micaceflate

ous and argillaceous

at Bleyadt-

236, 205 connects and degenerates into rrilcaceous and argillaceous flate; accordingly to be
nites,
,

267

confider'd
fituation

in
as

refpedt

to

(yellow and black) with eighteen or thirty-hx points in Simon Judas

vein at Dognazka, 53 56 inPaul'sltdd n.ineinthe hading of the former, 54

a variety of
;

argillaceous flate
refpedi

but in
it is

to mixture

variety

of granites, 229

236247
,

degenerates at Com-

At Doznazka

errone-

}notau into

common

argil-

oufly called yellow blende,

laceous
-,

flate,

247

56
Grift
;

common name
in

of py-

white, filver-coloured. blueifh and dark-coloured

at Prejuiz,

rites

fome Hunzarian

248
Gneijs

INDEX.
Gnei,
,

Silver-vein
a

in

it,

248,
is

312
312

Gold-ore^ according to a popular opinion of the Trari'-

common mabefides

trix of filver-veins,
,

contains,

fyhanians, found only immediately under the furface of the horizon, 121

the filver-veins, tin-veins

130

Graupen^ 312 , copper veins at Sa/ka^ 42, 52 and at Muckenat

Gold-ore. See gold-du^ zinnop el^ and veins ^

A. Native.
1.

ihurmel^

315

In calcareous fpar

Gold-dufl and wolngs \ ia the Bannat of Te?nefwar found in the river fand

from Staniza,
2.

129
anti-

In radiate

mony, from Slaniza, I2g

3.

and beds, which are pathe turf, and rallel to

confiftofloam,rockft:ones,

In grey fcaly co-

balt from Stani%a,

4.

129
127

On

blende and

mica,

garnets

and

fine

lead-glance,
5.

irony-fand, incumbent on flate or brown fandftone

In black lead, 226

and

coals,
in the

77,

78

84

6 Fuezes,
7.

On

felenite

from 125

--87-91

On

auriferous

ted,

Bannat not to be defcribed to any goldveins, fmce never-found flicking to any matrix, 86
-,
,

pyrites

ftone,
8.

and black horn129

In grapes and preve<!;etable o;old are

tended
takes,
9.

its

origin inveftiga-

grofs impofitions or

mif-

92
,

its

wafhino-o in the

225 Onzinnopel, 160

Bannat defcribed and examined, 76

,

B. Mineralized. Lamellous, fpten1

dcnt, black-grey, or

in

Tranjfylvania

wo-

found under the turf in a fandy (Iratum, incumbent on argillaceous flate, 136
,

all

T'-anJJylvania carry

the brooks in gold-

ven in feldfpath, from Nagyag, 98101 found with native filver, loi, 102, and orpiment, 102
_

duft,
is

137 wafhed by the

2.

like

fcaly anti-

mony from Nagyagy

3.

102
or

Wallach'iam in 'Tranjfylvania^ and produces every year about a weight of

In

pyrites,

fprinkKd upoii as Spanij fnufJ-'j from Facehay^ 115

thoufand pounds,

iic

GM-orey

INDEX.
Gold-ore,

C. Aur'iferom
jiances
I.

ores

or

Sub-

veins confift of blendifh and auriferous lead- glance

127
Gold Feins
3.

Calcareous auriferous earth, found by

in metallic rock.

At

Cfertes,

the

noduks
Kapnik,
2.

in

the

veins
1

at

metallic lock cap'd with

Hate,
4.

54

Red

filver-ore au-

123 At Kapnik, run

;

riferous,

from Trfzty an, 129 GUfb-re auriferous in horn-flone, 122 4. Lead-glance auri3.

from north to fouth, dip from weft to eaft confift

of red feld fpath, fallow aurifer us filver-ore, auriferous quartz and clay,

ferous, in

white clay, at
1

Kianya,
in blue clay, from

29

152154
Theirauriferous quality diminifhes in the depth, 155, increafes wherever anti-

5. Pyrites auriferous,

Her128
black

zigan^
6. in

mony

appears,
5.

154

hornftonc, homGinel, 129

7.

At Kremniz, run

in

black

from fouth
of
folid

clay,

from
8.

Cajonel,

129

from

Cajonel^
g.

on quartz, 129

to north, confift quartz, auriferous red and white filver ore

on blende
ibid
rock.

from

Cajonet,

Gold-veins, running

A.

In

metallic

See

metallic-rock

At Abrud-hanya 1. near Xalathna, 1 1 In th^ Kirn ik-muntaifi they are thin and fnort ; being and deaf firflly vertical for eight fathoms ; then dipping till they become fearing and auriferous for about two fathoms, when they turn again and break
of,
2.

and auriferous pyrites, 194 6. At Nagyag, the metall ic rock covered with red clay, run from north to fouth, confifting of red feldfpath and white quartz lor 97 7. At Rota, run between green ifh calcareous and white metallic rock ;

contain blende, leadglance and native gold,

8.

At Sargo-Banya^
165, 166
to fouth,

confift of auriferous filver

and lead,
9.
fift

118

At Shemniz, run
con-

Boicza the is covered with limeftone, and the

metallic

At

from north

rock

of quartz, lead-glance, and zinnopel 3 produce gold.

I
gold,
filvcr,

N D

E X.
of the higheft mountains and deepeft mines in Hungary and TranJJylvania, 202, 203

lead,

190

i8i

Gold-veins^ hi meiallick rock. 10. At lopiiza, in

metallic rock cap'd with Hate confift of auriferous quarts native gold, auriferous
ores
;

Granite,

appears no where incumbent on or alternating with other rocks,

filver,

and

lead-

204
however may be incumbent in unexplored depths on fimpler
rocks, hitherto undifcovered, 204 does not contain

run from fouth to north, immediately under the turf, 123, 124 11. Jt Ui'banya^ or

Konigerg^

run between

metallic-rock andgranitej confift of grey quartz and

auriferous pyrites,

200

any metallic veins in Hungary, 204

contains
confift

B. In Hornone. 1. At Facebay. a. Sigisnwnd gallery, confifts of quartz, hornflonc,

many tinwhich
at

veins in Bohemia,
Platte,
at Catharinaberg,

of granite

263
Zinnwald
.

auriferous pyrites,

auriferous clay, and gold

245

at

mineralized witn pyrites,

b.

no 112
Loretto,
parallel

307309
at

The
granite,

tin-ftock
ftriped

Maria
of

Schlachniuaid cons of

confifts

two

with

veins and a ftratified auriferous fandftone ftock,

containing mineralized gold in pyrites, IIO 113

JI7
and

pure quartz and tin-ore, This tin-ftock 291. furrounded with gneifs
ibid

2.

At

Felfo-banya^

of granite with a fragment of llatc

fticking in
it,

A piece

run

in grey hornftone

207, 2oS
a ftate of

rock, which is under the former ; confift of zinnopel, which contains gold, lilver and other-metals, 159 164 Granite^ under columnar
metallic

Was
in

in

pafte and duilility

when

fome places flate was accumulated on it, 207,

208

A grey and
fpecies

reddifh

bafaltes, between Lowofiz. and Topliz, 228 under gneifs 225 236 Is the undermoft Itratum

near

Kladraiu

breaks

naturally fplits into cubical and

and

rhomboidal forms and

prifms.

INDEX.
prifms,

297

Granite,

may be produced
ttie

S%amQS-nvtx in Hungary, 166

Horn-ate, (Corneus Waller/7 jconfifts of quartz clofely

by modern revolutions,
as appears by
lava's

which
nitello,

refeaible to gra-

289
its

clay,

mixed with mica and incumbent on gra-

If
particles

feld-fpath

moulder into
called gneifs,

clay,

it is

231, and pttuntfe, 232 Produces by mouldering ar>^iilaceous flate

Hungary fome thin metallic veins, 205 Never contains any quartznite, contains in

veins, and

is

229 236 Clay more or lefs mixed with quartz, mic and feld-ipath particks, ^29 236 247. Perhaps c .'na-clay, 230 235. quartzous
gneil's,

and

Wilkien

in

found near Bohemia in

beds,

horrizontal

247.
'

297
is

moulders into clay,

130
flate,

296,

240
called

a variety of grey mica-

ceous
in

and

fand,

231

Bohemia pochwacke, 260 Aveinof blackifh flate runit at Platte, 261 Quartz and copper- veins running in it at G'/wzz, 176

Contains
veins at
Platte.,

iron-

ning; in

262
cry-

With
Granitcllo,

black

ftallized fherl,

296
to

refembling
lavas,

Antimonial-veins runnins: in it at Rofenaw, 177

fome

289
131

Gyalter, an iron mine,

Horn -one ( Corneus IVallerii) at Facebay, incumbent on

argillaceous
tains rich gold-veins,

confilts of fmall flocks or Hvidules in grey and

brown

argillaceous flute

conand feems to be produced by

ftrata,

modern
Gypftim, conflantly found in and about the rock falttions,
in

floods

or revolu-

212, no, 114 HungaryriQ\tx found in-

mmes.
pellucid

144
ftriped
in the

cumbent on lime,

213

white
at

rock-falt

contains auriferous filverveins at Cfertes, ill.

mar mar OS,

165

And
By

problen:iatical

Habiclnvald near

CaJJel, co-A-

holes,

round 114

mine defcribed,

305

P. Fridzvahky errone-

Halotrichian Scopoli, feems to be an effloiefcence of vi-

oufly called calcedony, 119^ a. Black, with native

trei,
Jietrings, fi(hed

223

gold,

now and then

in

in

frefh

water

the

129 Grey (petrofilex incumbent on metaliic rock.

^

b.

INDEX.
ver and
Grey.,

rock, with auriferous filzinnopel-veins,

from P ///(',
Iron-ore^

jQrt

at Felfo-banya^

159- 164
fills

fand with goldduft in the Bannat and in

-

and

flint- like,

^#?

7791

a vein at 'Joaclninjihal., 260 t. Red^ femipellucid,

flintlike,

Iron-veins, at Orpes, foaring

in the northern

veins AX.yoaohifuJIhal ; the matrix ofthcricheft filverores,

betweejuimeftone and incumbent white argillaceous ftone, 250

,

in

flate,

at

260
d.

272

Stoofs,

White, fchiilous

Kru?nbach, Jbavira, Rho~ niz, Poinik, 175177

,

and rocky, refembling to calcedony, and flintlike, with petrifacftratified, near tions of corals ;
Lehotka,
1

granite,

or beflate, at

tween granite and

Platte,
-,

262

Hot-wells, at Ofen,
^

94 4
in

uniting with arfenical ones, fuch as tin-

at

SheftiKiz,

produce calcareous tophus with iron

limeftone,

produce filver in the Saxonian mines, 264,

veins,

265
ore appears in the upper-drifts of the tin-vein
at Gotte-gah,

193, 194 olatus planus HyfleroUthus, latior, in the fand-ftone beds on the HarzforcJI, 251 226 Jacquin. At Vienna, jafper. See zinnopel, -, Red or deaf zinnopei, found in micaceous clay-flate near Sihem<

ocher,

265
fubftantial

Kaolin,

is

the

earth of granites,

232
de-

Jr^/);z//f mountain-rock-veins,

and rich gold-ores,

fcribed,

152154

>'

185 , Brown, an unJefcribed fpccies moulders

?iiz,

into red eopper-ocher,

39

'Joachijnbai

The moun254
veins unaf-

Kirmk-?noimtain, contains a great number of fhort and rich gold-veins, 117 Klein, a popular German name ufed in Hungary for the crofs- joints of the

tains black flate,

'

main vein,
Kluft, fee Fijjiires.

171

The

fected by the direction of the valleys, 257 . The mines extremely deep, 256 joints or crofs-filTures, call-

ed Kleins
Jron-ore^

171 with blueiih dripped calcedony

incruflated

m Hungary,

Kneifs. See Gneifs. Koczians obfervations on th j gold-wafhings in the Bannat, 76 Koleferi (Sam.) Auraria Romano Dacica or account of the ancient Roman antiquities and mines in Tranf.
;

INDEX.
TranUylvanlay

Kremniz,

great

I o6 mining

place, mountains, veins, ores and works defcribed,

194.

Lavas, fomerefembling gra289 nitello,

,

vHreous or pretendi

ed

Ice land- figa.the

c. black.
^.blueifti, femi-tranfparent,

Limeone^ a cinnabar-vein in it, 120, 121 occurs in the , (fcaly) Simon Judas copper vein at Dognazka, 53 feems to have had a different origin, and to be either ancient or accidental, 210, 290 the granulated and fcaly deftitute of petrifactions,
,

in detached pieces near lynx or Tockay ; called lux-fapphircs in Hungary^

the accidental and

210 mo-

167
.,

dern limeftone beds, containing petrifactions, are

in

See metallic

rock^

Hungary
,

deftitute

of

Nagyag, and
ductions.

volcanic pro-

metallic veins,
tites in

211

head

glance^ auriferous,

129 124

and with native gold in white quartz and blende at Rota^ 155, 156
,

tophus, like ftalacglobular and columnar forms, produced near Liptaw by the waters coming from the higher Carpathian mounta is

Lead-vein

198
;

A. In limeftone
dita^

at

Mo199

B. In flate, 132 267 C. In metallic rock, at Dognazka^ 47, 48

AtTopliza and Fuezes^ contains native gold,

copper-veins in it at Oraviza, 28, 29

,

Lux and LynxHungary^

blackifli

Sapphire^ in

a popular

Ger-

man name
and
pellucid lava

of

vitreous

blueifli
;

124

femierroneoufly

i/w^Ki',incumben ton clay, metallic rock and granite, with fea-fhells at Bogariy 62 , incumbent on argil-

called Iceland-agathcy

167

laceous
,

flate,

2428

conftantly incumbent on clay, contains in Hun-

Alanganey red, cryftallifed in a hanging filTure of an auriferous zinnopcl-vcin, 161 Marmaros-ones^ oftangular alum-like quartz-cryftallifations,

J65
See

gary feme lead and copper

often

veins,

206

immediately incumbent on granite, 207

Cinnabardind ^t'.ckher-veins Metaliic-rock, an argillaceous rock, mixed with mica, quartz.

Mercury -mines.

INDEX.
quartz, feldfpath and bafalt-grains,

MetaUlc
called

- rock,

33, 34

erroncoufly fandfione at Dog-

Metallick-rock, Is fo called in Hungary (or rather by Baron

jiazka,
,

54

Born) becaufe the richer mines oi that country are conftantly found in it, 33,
,

contains gold-veins at Abrud hanya^ 117

at Cfertes, at
1

23

immediately
granite,

.34 in-

cumbent on
,

205 206
argil-

under
flate,

the

laceous

181 123

--97-^^5
with and fpargrains ; the common rock at Kremniz. and Shefnniz^ 181 igi--i23 contains gold and
,

Kremniz, 194 at Nagyag, 67-105 at Nagy-banya, 150 151 ;''"likewife filver at Sargo-banyy 165, 166 ; likewife lead at Rota^ 155, 156 contains copper,
veins at i)(?^/Z(7:^/Y7, 51 MicOy produced from clay, into which it moulders

(grey)

(herl,

quartz

again,
-,

229

lead-veins,

165166
-,

123125

a variety, inftead

of mica mixed with litho-

marga,

as a wedge or ftock in the common metallic rock, 189 (white) with lithomarga, contains veins of quartz and clay with auriferous filver, gold and

white and difiblved in the copper veins and rocks at Dognazka^ 54 on cat-gold , (yellow) fkirts, and inclofes the tin- veins in granite at zinnwald, 309 M'ifpickkel, uniting with a lilver-vein improves It,3 18

Moldova

veins, rocks

and

ores defcribed,

44

antimony, 152 154 iqi

-,

Mountains. Their diftin6lion into primitive or primogenial and fecundary or accidental

tains,
is

a variety, naturally

modern mounmerely relating

fplit

and broken,

in flat

regular pieces, near

Nag-

to the different times

and

yag

refembling to fome lava's from the Euganeanmounta'mi ; feems to be a volcanic producSlion, 133 -, avariety formed like bullets, found in the found metallic rock near the Therefta-vein at Shemniz,
;

accidents of their origin, and implies no real diffe-

rence in their fubftances,

302
,

incu?nbent ox accumu-

lated.^

are

modern

in ref-

pecl to the lower ilrata

on

i88

they are accumulated, 310 Nagyagi properly called Sekerejnbj

which

INDEX.
kenmb, a gold-mine and mining place, 96 105 Nagy-banya, mining, place,

Porphyry (rcdj Cveins) uniting with the veins at

auriferous filver in metallic

Aberdam^ improve theni with filver, 260

,

rock, 150, 151 Newfol^ mining place, mountains, rocks,

or

affile

combs

veins, ores

and works,
mifmales

195

Nti?n'mularii , or lapides

98 nu-

Tranjfylvania^

from Tarda,
Ofe?i petrifacStions

143 and hot3,

wells,

Joachlmhal, quicken the vein, 261, 263 or pri?nogenial Primitive precarious mountains, a denomination, implying only that they are anterior the origin in time to of the incumbent more
at

Orpbncnt, or cryftallifed arlenic, in a vein of blue

clay in flate, incumbent on metallic rock, 195

modern
tains,
,

ftrata

and moun* 302

caverns difcovered
at 'Joachimjlhal,

in

them
',

with

mineralized

267
petrifactions,
in

gold,
,

102
with
native
ful-

but

very fcarce, in the veins

phur,

160
Hungary^

which run

Pe, a
in

PetrifaSfions

3 fea fliells of limcftone near Ofen,

Claujeriburg,

city in

184185
the

them,

265

Pyrites in a tin-vein at Zin-

tvald

309
quickens
tin-

near
,

146
-,

veins at Gottefgab,
in

266

white ftratihed
or

auriferous, in clay.

hornftone
at Lehotka,
-,

calcedony,

194

hornftone, blende,
,

in a trap-vein, run-

and 115 129 called gelft by the

quartz

ning in old flate-mountains, a petrified tree, call-

German miners
gary,
_

in

Hun217

ed the diluvian-tree, 265 -, in a zinnopel vein

at

Pyritical vein gives an elec-

Shemn'iZy 7nadrepore% or

porpites,

Petunfe,

is

184, 1 85 decaying granite,

the
feldfpath

flame during a thundreftorm, 60 ^lartz quickens the coppertrical

veins at 5wo/mz,

172

in

which

moulders into clay,

Plajaoes, a

232

(auriferous) andlamellous, 191

,

national militia
*
)

in the
ivar,

Bannat of Temef1

with native gold, 129, 130

{cryalUfations) point-

Pocket-work, ufed before the blafting of the rocks, 188

ed on both ends,

160 odangular alumlike

INDEX.

like
,

from Marmafos, 165

in

flate-mountalns

of

fhe

a tin-vein in gra-

Har%-frey

250

nite at
,

Zinnwald,
(fat) in the
A^-^t^^^,

309
gold1

vein at

01

-defcription of the coaibeds on the fumrnt and around the Habichivala irl

{grey) vein, between

He,
Rock'falt, at
clay-flate,

305

granite and metallic rock,

Marmaros

fur-

contains

gold-pyrites

at

200 Konigfierg, [irony) auriferous, ,

217
vi\\h native , (milky) fulphur, 160

rounded with micaceous 165

at Torda^ incum, bent on argillaceous flate, cap'd withlimeftone beds,

140
,

^lickftlver-veins at
"ua^

Dumhra-

confifts of ftratified

nt2iv

ZrJaOma^

am in

fait,
,

141

argillaceous flate and iandftone, confifts of quartz,

gypfum and
.

alabaf-

ter foi

fpar and found fcaly cin-

flrata

nd between the faltat Marynarcs, are

nabar, 120 ^iBoboja^ runinlimeftone, contain granulated cinnabar, 120, 121

Raizes, a
calling

common near the faltmines, 144 ,with incl uded waterdrops, 143 Romwi, name of the Wallachians
in

Sclavonian

tribe,

themfelves Srbi, inhabiting Servia and the

the

Bannaty

Tranjfylvania and Walla^

chia,

Bannat oT
,

T'^wf/jf^r,

their

14 language Scla-

14

vonian,
,

their character,

14 22

Rofe-fpar, fpecies of calcareous lamellous red-fpar,

peculiar

to

mine

at

ufe the Gr^^/^ alphabet,

23

260 'Joachimhal, , with red filver-ore,

272

Rafpe's {R. E.) defcription of the Blockjler^ 231 , of granite-fands

-SWiW^ the fimbriae, out-fhirts

or fide-covering of metallic
veins

and clay, 231, 232 on the origin of chi, na-clay, kaolin and petunfe, 232
,

not conftantly ap; pearing fmooth and pobut

lifhed as flickon-fides,

oiten

giown

to the fides

ontheorigin of quartz

fand,

232

defcription of marine
petrifa6lions,

fand-ftone-beds with un-

of the mountain-rock, 155 vein in , of the tin granite at Ziiimvald^ confift of yellow mica or catgold,
,

known

in-

209

cumbent oa

the

higher

many

veins, as the
tin-

INDEX.
gneifs have

Graupen in flcirts, but are immediately grown to the fides, 313, 314
tin-veins
at

Saa^ copper-ores defcribed,

no

3741
Sezuga ("Baron) 9, 10 Selenite, with native gold, 125 Shemntz ; mining placq, mountains, rocks, veins, ores and works, 180 194 Sherl (cryaWd) in metallic rock, 123 181 191 a. bluBy columnar, hexa-

Sal-ammoniacmzn\ii-&.dioty at
Bronfvicy
Salt

145

See Rock-falt. Sandaraca. See Tuiphur. Sand (quartz) on the feathe plainer fhores and countries probably, produced from decayed granative.

nite rock,

232, 233
flate

gonal or polyedrous, truncated, on copper-ore from

Saa.,
b.

Sandone^ incumbent on argillaceous

tallic
i

40

and me195
ful-

rock,

with red native

ftratified

phur,
,

195

Bohemian bafaltes, 228 in granite, 296 in trap at Joac. green,

black, in

mineralized gold- pyrites in a ftock 1 at Facebay^ 1 in Hun-, furrounds gary the nobler metallic-

chimjlhal,

26.3,

264

Skalka

(compofed of the Hungarian article is, and

mountains,
,

ftone,
,

211 incumbent on lime211

deftitute

the word Kalika a point or fummit) the name of the top of a mountain in

Hungary, which produces

red native fulphurin fandftone,
flate

of metal-

lic-veins,
-,

211

accidental

ilate-beds often

on fandftone,
,

modern incumbent 211

139

name of a fand, ftone quarry on the fumm\toHh.tHarz-fore, 25O

Silver -ore,
a.

incumbent on clayand metallic rock, 195

with petrifadlions,
-,

of

unknown

Blach?nann

fignifies

at

fea-fliells

metallic

on the higher ancient and

Kremniz white

filver-ore

incruftating quartz,

219

mountains of the Har-z250 fore,

Sapphire, (Lynx or Lux) a vitreous femi-pellucid

At Shemniz
b.

it

has another

fignification,

219
from
jfoa^

Bru-ore, a fpecies of
filver

native

blackifh and blueifh lava from Tockay, 167

Saa.

See veins.

chimhal, 271 Fallow, auriferous, in c. id6(^mhfrom Kapnik, 153

.

Gla-

INDEX
d.

Glafs-ore,

in

cubic

fifiures,

produce

filver,

forms,
Silver- ore^
is

21 mineralized

with fulphur,
e.

2l8

272
See

264, 265313 Silver-veins, by uniting arfenical ones improved,3i8

Gosfe dtmg-ore^2iC)^

/.
g.

Mulm^
filver.

220 220

A. In gnci, at Prefniz, at Graupen, 241 312

Native Bru-ore.

from 'Joach'imhal^ 271 with mineralized gold lOl, 102 at Nagyag^ 21 on pyrites,
dendritig, Native-fiher cal, from Budwei^ 3169

3'7
/>.

Gneifs being a common matrix of filver, 512 B. In Hornone, at Cfertes, 122 At 7netaUic-rock. C. In KreTnni% run from fouth to north, confift of folid quartz, and auriferous red and white filver- ore and
pyrites,

Plumofe
1. Gr<?)',

194
150, 151

in quartz,

219
219

At Nagy-banya, with auriferous filver,

2.

iPhite,

in

irony-

quartz,
i.

At Shefnniz, run from north

to fouth, confift of quartz, lead-glance and auriferous jafper or zinnopel,

iJ^Y/.

1. auriferous^

124 129
218 124

at Kremni%,
at Topliza,

190
At

181

2. CryaUifed, at foachiiJi-

D. In

hiaci

clay-ate.
ft ill

hal ruby-coloured and

pellucid,

Joachi?nhal,

from Saxony,
darker,

257 fomewhat 257

quick in a depth of 350 fathoms,

254257
At Clauhal
fore.
in the

Harz-

from J/idreaerg, darker, 257 on rofe-fpar from yoachi?nhal. 269 272 on cobalt, arfenical py-

At Weiperth
cumbent
flate,

in

between gneifs
E. In grey and
Slate,

Bohemia and in-

253
hliie

clay-

ritesaiid

red

horn-ltone

ate, at Ratiehorziz,

316
in

from 'Joachhnhal^ 272 3. Dendritical and in globular lumps, 218, 219

k.

fragments of

flate

granite,

207, 208

A.

Argillaceous ox clay-ate;
old- metallic

fVhitCy
;

auriferous

at

of the
tains,

and pre-

Kre7nmz

and

called

tended

primitive
in

mounto
its

B lachmann when
ting quartz,
Silver-veins.

incrufta-

refpeil

219

Iron fiffures in Saxonia uniting with arfenical-ones, fuch as tin-

mixture, the fame as tha^ which is found in modern mountains ; but is different in refpedl of antiquity

INDEX.
Slat^^

A.

Argillaceous.
.

289 Produced from granite and

gneifs mouldering and de-

quity and origin,

C. Grey, micaceous ate, incumbent on gneifs, covered u'ith limeftone. 44 confifts of grey clay and

caying into clay ; as apits being immediately connecting in the fame mafs witli gnei fs, 229 247 by petroleum
pears from

mica,
contains
Stoojs
;

240

243
at

iron-veins

and between them

fome

nefts of copper-ore,

175

changed into coals, 305 At Kladraw in Bohemia breaks and broken in regular cubic forms, or in rhomboidal prifms, 297

At Moldova,

44

copper-veins at Swadler^ lead and quartz-veins at

Bleyadt,

176 267

incumbent

on on

granite,

D. Horn-ate '^zo.Hornate. E. Modern argillaceousate^

incumbent on fandltone
and lime, caps the coalbeds in Hungary, 211
is

incumbent
rock,

metallic

195 under limeftone, 24 28 contains iron veins and ftocks, 192 177 131 lead-veins in it, 192 132 at copper-veins in it,2o6 Neivfohl, 195, 196 At Oraviza under a hanging of limeftone, 28,29 filver veins, 253, 254

vitriolicand furnifhes the

alum-works zxCommotaWy

247
Slickon-fides,

of fmoothandpolifhed fkirts, fimbriae and coverings

a
fpecies

or vertical joints in
tallic

veins,

155

See

me-

257316
B.
Blue., rnicaceous clay-atCy

Saalband
Smolniz, mining place, 169

contains the copper-veins

at Smolniz, filled with dark

175

grey

clay

and quartz, 17c 172

Spar, calcareous, with native gold, 129

C. Grey, micaceous
is

clay-c/tCy

thai,

(Rofe) at "Joachims' with red filver ore,

a variety of horn-flate,

260
Srbi,

272
arfe-

260
forms and fills a vein in hornflate,

name of

the Raizes in

the Bannat of Tc?ne[zuary

261
StalaSiites arfenical, or

14
nic calx dripped in a ftaform, from Joachim-hal, 258 problematical fpecies,
Jaclical

incumbent on granite, contains at Jberda?n filver and

cobalt-veins,
tin*;s

and fometin-veins afcending

from the deeper granite,

259
Dogna-zka, copper-veins,

light, red

and yellow as

At

contains

amber

vitreous and glof-

47

^V5

INDEX.
fy
;

refifts

the acids

gives

clay,

flate,

marie, fand,

no

fmell

when

burnt

found at Feljo-banya in the zinnopcl gold-and filverveins,

237'247 (marine) on the fummit of fome of the higheft

lime,
,

259

argillaceous and metallic

Stala^ttes, blueifh calcedony

dripped as ftalalites, 199 Stocks or Stochuorks at Deva and Dogna^ka^ erronecufly fo called, as confifting of many coinciding and uniting copperveins, which run in metallic rock, and micaceous clay flate, having a determined direction and

mountains in the Harzforc^ confift of f^mdftone

and
petrifacStions,

250

Sulphur^ for itsdeftroyins; the iron, recommended in the refining cf copper, 63 Howfeparated from the pyrites at S)nclni%,
,

74

fied)

crvftallifed

or fandaracain
ftallifed

vi'hite cryquartz at Fclfo-

dipping,
Stock
at

505394,
auriferous

95

hanya.

Facchay^ in hornftone, confifls

grey of a

orpiment.
fli

160 on yellow 160

in

ftratified

cone

cubic

or {lock, containino- old mineralized in pyrites, 1 1 ztSchlackenwald, in gneifs,

confift of granite

160
native in faad-

flone,
Temej'njar,
city,

ore ; inverted cones ; are crolTed by fome deaf and fome metallic

and tinhave the form of large

unhealthy,

n
1'm-ore, white, from Schonfeld, refembles to

white or

veins,

which feem
in

greenii fat quartz,

294

to continue
tain

the

fur-

rounding gneifs, uncerwhether having re-

Tln-ocks at Schlackcmvald^ confill of conical granitelumps, furrounded with

gneifs,
2b<:)--2']i-~7()l

gular inclofures orflickonlides (Stoceider) as the tin-ftock at Geyer in Saxonia ; feem to be the fummits of old granite-peaks, furrounded with gneifs by

Tin-veins at Aberda?n in granite, and thence afcending

in the

incumbent

flate,

259

At

Goitcfgahy carry iron in

modern

revolutions,

269 ~27I--29I

the upper drifts ; produce tin a middle depth, and

Strata, (ancient) granite, argillaceous rock, lime-

may

ftone,
,

236
(modern)

238
Z

yield filver in a greater depth, as arfenical or tin-veins crolfed

thinner and accidental, confift of

by
are

iron-veins

crofl'ed

conftantly

obi'erved

in

INDEX.
in Saxony to produce filver
in the crofling,

ceous olay-flate,
h.
c.

153206

Tin-veins^
gneifs,

at

264, 265 Graupen in

black,

grey and
;

312
and tin262, 263
the tin-

d. greenio

At
ore,

Platte, run in granite,

confift of granite

hardened irony fpar and fherl-grains ; occurs at

bole; contains

At Schlackemvald,

'Joachimflhal in large vertical veins, running in

ftocks confift of granite, inclofed in gneifs, 269 At Schoncld, run in gneifs

293
at

black flate, 263, 264 under ground extremely hard ; moulders in open air into faponaceous bole,

Xinnwald
confift

in granite,

which

diflblves in water,

nite,

of

granite,

264
contained zX.'jQachimhal in the cow-vem a petrified and pretended antediluvian tree, which is defcribed,

307--309

At Ah er dam,
granite

the ve;ns in
tin

produce

which afcend into the incumbent grey mithofe

265

caceous flate produce filver and cobalt, 258 Tickay, vitreous black and
blueifn pellucid lava, cal-

Trjztyan near Fuezes.

Gold

mine defcribed, 125 Lead mines in Tavoja. blue micaceous clay-flate,

ed thereabouts Lynx or Lux-Sapphire, 167 Toplitz, hot v/ells and coal-

Vana

(Peter) a generous chief of robbers, faved the

310, 311 See gold-veins. Tophus, feems to be proced by the fediments of hot wells, 194 Tor da Salt mines, 140
Tipliza,

works,

Emperor of Germany from

being taken by the Turks, 10 Vein and Gang fynonima, 47
,

FlJJures

are

fmaller

veins, having a lefs con-

Tranjfylvania.

Antiquities

delcribed by Koleforj, J 08 Natural Hiftory,

and fteady run and dipping, 28, called Kliifte

ftant
in

written by KoUferi and P. ic6 Fridivalzky, , called Ardeliia

,

Germany, 28 Combs or TVacken are large vertical veins of porphyry, trap and horn-,

Trap,

14 rock j a. blue \ ftriking fire with fteel ; unmetallic or confmall deaf taining but veins j cap'.d with micaargillaceous

by the Wallachiam,

262. or Stockiuorks^ are large mafles of ore, or metallic rock, as nodules

ftone,
,

Stocks

included and furrounded with the mountain-rock

they

INDEX.
they have no diredion or run to any part of the
Veins, petrifaiSlions in veins,

184,

185265

having commonly the form of a large See Stach and cone.

compafs,
Stockvjorks.

See Cinnabar, Copper, Gold^ Iron, Lead, ^ickfilvery

Silver,

Tin-veins.

Saal-

band.

Veins,

monly
thal,

the veins run comparallel to the valat "Joachims-

Veins (Crofs) or Crofs-Joints^ are called Kleins in Hun-

leys, except

gary,
_

171

where they are unaffe6ted by the valleys, 257 254

T^h'eW dlrc5lion or

are fuch veins as

in

the

run fame mountain,

run,

is

in a contrary dirckStioa or contrary dipping to the

but

determined in Gerynany by the compafs or a dial ; accordingly thofe w^hich run 'from eaft to weft, or vice verfa, between hour three andnineare eafternor JHorning-veins ; and thofe

main
crofs

vein, fo
it

that

they

either in the

run

or dipping. In the laft cafe they make what they

call in
crofs.

Germany

a falUng-

They
filled

are

com-

monly
which
thofe

which run from fouth

to

with fubftances, clay, ftones and ores,

are different
in the
it

north, or vice verfa, between hour nine and three, are called Northern or

from main vein,

Midnight-veins,
,

i^'j

and afFecl manner.

,

in a various

Their
is

dipping,

or

at

Cathari7iaberg^

inclination

rizon,

towards the hodetermined by a

"Joachimfthal
it,

and Shemniz.

they quicken and improve

quadrant or fc6for ; and they get accordingly different names, 245 vertical or andingveins are thofe

245, 246261182,
,

at

vein deaf,
-,

Srnohvx the main unlefs quickvarious

efFedl

which dip
feventy-

ened by crofiing ones, 172

their

from ninety
five degrees.

to

upon the main veins

Smolnix,
,

at

Sliding

or

ipping Veins

lyi

(To?inlgigt) thofe

which

at Felfo-banya ftrike

dip

from feventy-five to

forty- five degrees.

Flat veins, thofe w^hlch dip b-^tween forty-five and

fifteen degrees.

160 See Cinnabar, Copper, Goldy Lead, ^ucklvery Iron,

the
Tin-veins.
Ventilator

main vein dead,

and air-condul:ors

Soaring veins, which Jip Uom. fifteen de&rees to o

in the gold-mines at

Na100

gyag,

Vitriol

INDEX.
Vitriol^

how

feparated from

confift of granite,

26^

pyrites,
_

175

JVood, petrified and irony in

Volcanic

produ^lons, fcarce in Hungary, 21 See Metallic-rock ; Lava.

Sapphire.

the clay beds nearO/^, 252

,

petrified

found in a

trap-vein,
thal,

which runs in

old flate-rock at Joachims-

Wachen

name

hard phyry and trap,

Wallachia-^

popular for large veins of rocks, fuch as por-

German

265
;

Zalathna, metropolis of the

Jl-'^allachians

a great

mi-

262
14.

ning place
nia,

in

Tranff^lva-

by the inhabi-

tants called Xara-7nore,

'Lara-moreJ'Vallachian,

108110120 name
14

JVallachians, call them.fdves

of Wallachia

Romun, and feem

to be

remainders of ancient Ro-

Zinnopel; red auriferous jafper, contains gold, filver,

lead,

man

colonies,

14.

zinc

and

pyrites,

their language cor-

216-188
,

rupt Laiin,
atrrees

fome

loofer parts

and
216

with
in

famples look as red boles,

chief rock of the veins at Shemnizy which run in metallic rock, 182--189
,

common Italian many qualities,

the
,

14

their manners in the

Bannaty
,

their

15 religion the
Greek-,

petrified,

madreporse
in
its

non-united
,

make
in

ufe

17 of the

of

Greek alphabet.
,

or porpites found vein at Shemniz,

184

Tranjfylvania

more humanized and induftrious, 94137 Wolfram ; the fore-runner

tin in the tin-veins at

, at Feljo-banya the zinzopel-veins run in metallic rock and hornftone, contain auriferous filver,

159164
,

with native gold from

Platte,

which run

in and

OlalapoSy

166

FINIS.

BOOIL^
I-

fr'mted for
hi

G.

Kearsly,

at

No. 46,

Fleet-Street.

'T^ H P. Gentleman's Guide in his Tour through

Roads, &c.] By an Officer. Containing an accurate Defcription of that Country. Including Paris, Verfailles, Fontainbleau, Marli, St. Germains, St. Cloud, and every public Building and Place worthy a Traveller's Notice. Lifts ot Lodging-Houfes, Ordinaries, Places of Amulement, with their Prices Stage-Coaches and Water-Carriages to different Parts of the Kingdom, with their Fares ; and every other Particular neceffary for the Information of
ftrangers.
II. The Tour of Holland, Dutch Brabant, the Auftrian Netherlands, and Part of France ; in which is included a Defcription of Paris and its Environs.

France. [With a corred:

Map of the Pofi-

III. Ufeful Hints to thofewho make the Tour of France. In a Series of Letters written from that Kingdom. By Philip Thicknefle, Efq. Thefe Letters ('none of which were ever publiflied before) contain fome Account of the interior Police in general, and of Paris in particular, with a confiderable Numberof entertaining Anecdotes, relative to the firft perfonages on that Part of the Continent.

Thefe three Volumes, which may be had feparate or together, Price 3s each, will enable Travellers to make the Tour of France and the Low Cor.ntriei ; as they contain every Thing worthy the and will Attention of the moft minute Enquirer prevent, if properly attended to, the fcandalous impofitions too offen pradtifed by the Publicans upon the continent.The laft Article only is written
-,

\*

by Mr. Thickneffe.

,>