DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44973#0076
A Journey /mzKomara to the Mine-Towns in Hungary.
Notwithstanding the great quantity of Silver made every week at
Schemnitz and carried away in Carts, I found some dissiculty to pro-
cure the least piece there, and.scarce any one in the Town could fur-
nifli me with any that was pure, sor the Money of the Country is mix-
ed with above half Copper; and being desirous to see what alteration
divers of those Mineral-waters in that Country, would make upon
Metals , for want of other Silver, I was forced to make use of silver
Crosses, Crucifixes and Medals, which I borrowed.
. Near unto Schemnitz, where old Schemnitz slood, is an high Perpen-
dicular Rock, part of which from the bottom to the top is naturally
tindlured with shining fair blue, some green, and spots of yellow in it.
At firsl sight I was much surprized with the beauty of it, and could fan-
sy nothing like it, but a whole Rock of polilhed- Lapis Lazuli: and I
have heard from a Spaniard, who lived long in the Weft-In dies, that
there is also a Rock like this nigh to the Silver Mines in Peru.
At Glasts-Hitten, an Hungarian mile, or about seven Englisb miles
from Schemnitz, there was formerly a rich Gold Mine, but it is lost,
no man knowing where the entrance was since the time that Bethlem
Galor Prnice of Tranftylvania over-ran that Country, and the Inhabi-
tants ssed away. The Owner notwithstanding left some marks and di-
rections whereby they might discover it, with the Figures of his In-
struments upon the Barks of Trees; which Instruments they have
already found by digging in the Earth, and thus much is intimated to
them, that where they find a Stone, on which a Face is carved, they
are at it,and are onely to remove part of a Rock with which the Owner
slopped up the Mine.
This place is much frequented by reason of its natural hot Baths, of
which there are five very convenient, with handsome descents into
them, and covered over with large high Roots. The Springs are ve-
ry clear, the Sediment is red and green, the wood and seats of the Baths
under water are incruslatcd with a stony subslance, and Silver is gil-
ded by being left in them: But the most remarkable of these Baths, is
that which is called the sweating Bath, whose hot Springs drain through
an Hill, and fall into a Bath built to receive them ; at one end of which
by ascending I went into a Cave which is made a noble Stove by the
heat of these Thermo, and so ordered with Seats, that every one who
sits in it, either by choosing an higher or a lower feat, may regulate his
sweating, or enjoy what degree of heat he desires. This Cave, as also
the Tides of the Bath are covered by the continual dropping of those hot
Springs, with a red, white, and green subslance, very fair and pleasing to
the eye.
Bathing my self in the largeslof thefe Baths when there were a great
many Men and Women in it; an active man to divert the Company,
had privately conveyed himself to the top of the House which covered
the Bath, and on a iuddain cast himself down into the water, and by
taking hold upon the bottom of the Seats kept himself under water
for some time; afterwards a Serpent coming into the Bath through
a channel which conveyed the water into it, many of the women
were afrighted at it. He still to continue his service and good Will
to the Company, was the first that would encounter it, and deliver
the Damfels; which he did in a ssiort time, so successfully, that he
caught the Serpent in both his hands, and holding it out of the water,
put
Notwithstanding the great quantity of Silver made every week at
Schemnitz and carried away in Carts, I found some dissiculty to pro-
cure the least piece there, and.scarce any one in the Town could fur-
nifli me with any that was pure, sor the Money of the Country is mix-
ed with above half Copper; and being desirous to see what alteration
divers of those Mineral-waters in that Country, would make upon
Metals , for want of other Silver, I was forced to make use of silver
Crosses, Crucifixes and Medals, which I borrowed.
. Near unto Schemnitz, where old Schemnitz slood, is an high Perpen-
dicular Rock, part of which from the bottom to the top is naturally
tindlured with shining fair blue, some green, and spots of yellow in it.
At firsl sight I was much surprized with the beauty of it, and could fan-
sy nothing like it, but a whole Rock of polilhed- Lapis Lazuli: and I
have heard from a Spaniard, who lived long in the Weft-In dies, that
there is also a Rock like this nigh to the Silver Mines in Peru.
At Glasts-Hitten, an Hungarian mile, or about seven Englisb miles
from Schemnitz, there was formerly a rich Gold Mine, but it is lost,
no man knowing where the entrance was since the time that Bethlem
Galor Prnice of Tranftylvania over-ran that Country, and the Inhabi-
tants ssed away. The Owner notwithstanding left some marks and di-
rections whereby they might discover it, with the Figures of his In-
struments upon the Barks of Trees; which Instruments they have
already found by digging in the Earth, and thus much is intimated to
them, that where they find a Stone, on which a Face is carved, they
are at it,and are onely to remove part of a Rock with which the Owner
slopped up the Mine.
This place is much frequented by reason of its natural hot Baths, of
which there are five very convenient, with handsome descents into
them, and covered over with large high Roots. The Springs are ve-
ry clear, the Sediment is red and green, the wood and seats of the Baths
under water are incruslatcd with a stony subslance, and Silver is gil-
ded by being left in them: But the most remarkable of these Baths, is
that which is called the sweating Bath, whose hot Springs drain through
an Hill, and fall into a Bath built to receive them ; at one end of which
by ascending I went into a Cave which is made a noble Stove by the
heat of these Thermo, and so ordered with Seats, that every one who
sits in it, either by choosing an higher or a lower feat, may regulate his
sweating, or enjoy what degree of heat he desires. This Cave, as also
the Tides of the Bath are covered by the continual dropping of those hot
Springs, with a red, white, and green subslance, very fair and pleasing to
the eye.
Bathing my self in the largeslof thefe Baths when there were a great
many Men and Women in it; an active man to divert the Company,
had privately conveyed himself to the top of the House which covered
the Bath, and on a iuddain cast himself down into the water, and by
taking hold upon the bottom of the Seats kept himself under water
for some time; afterwards a Serpent coming into the Bath through
a channel which conveyed the water into it, many of the women
were afrighted at it. He still to continue his service and good Will
to the Company, was the first that would encounter it, and deliver
the Damfels; which he did in a ssiort time, so successfully, that he
caught the Serpent in both his hands, and holding it out of the water,
put