DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44973#0087
A Journey srom Komara to the Mine-Towns in Hungary;
The Veins of Salt are large, and there are pieces to be found of ten
thoufand pound weight: they commonly hew out the Salt into long
fquare pieces os two foot in length, and one in thickness, and for use it
is broken and grinded between two Grind ftones.
The Mine is cold and moist, but the Salt being a Stone sait, is not
tfasily dissolved, or at leas! in any great quantity by dampness or moi-
fture ; yet much of the water of the Mine is impregnated with sait,
in such sort that being drawn out in large buckets, and afterwards
boyl’d up, it affords a blackifli Salt, which they give to their Cattle in
that Country.
The colour of the ordinary Stone-salt of this Mine is not very white,
but somewhat grey: yet being broken and grinded to powder, it be-
comes as white as if it were refined, and this Salt consifts os pointed
parts or fossets. Another sort os Salt there is also, which consists of
Squares and Tables ; and a third to be found of fomewhat stirious or
long shoots.
Nor is all the Salt of this Mine of one colour, but of divers; that
which is found grosly mixt with the Earth receives some colour from
it; and even that which is most pure and resembles Crystal, doth
often receive tinctures of several colours ; in the middle of a Crystal-
sait with long shoots, I have seen a delicate blue ; and at Count Ro-
thaU his House at Vienna, I saw a large piece of a fair transparent yellow.
There are also some pieces so clear and hard, that they carve them into
divers Figures, as is they were Crystal it sels. Of all these sorts men-
tioned I also obtained some pieces, and brought them with mt into
England*
But it is time to conclude this long discourse of Mines and Minerals,
which mayseem of little concern unto many; yet for the satisfadtion
of the more curious inso considerable a piece of Naturals, in places lit-
tle known unto us; and withal, undescribed by any Englifh Pen that I
know; I would not omit this particular account thereof.
I continued my journey near to the River Waag, and came to Nove
Mnejio, and from thence the next day to Tirnaw, a City seated upon a
Plain, and to be seen at a great distance ; it hath almost recovered it
self out of the Alhes that it was reduced into six years before : the day
following we got to the Danube again, and lodged that night at Pres-
burg, whereof I have spoken elsewhere; and then passing the Danube
in two Ferry-boats, we travelled by Homburg Tower, by Haimberg
Hill, by the Town of Haimberg^ by Regelsbrun, Vifchet and Swechet,
and came to Vienna.
A great part of these Countries of upper Hungar'ta, through which
I travelled, had a different face from that of Aujlria, and from what
they had formerly been. For some places had been burnt or plundred
by the Tartars and Turks in the late war, and divers pay contribution
to them, so that many live warily and meanly to become less noted :
And in divers places their Houses are bare and unfurniflied ; and it is
well is they have any other Bed than one for the man of the House
and his Wife. Even in parts of the Country better provided, and un-
der the Emperor, a great part os the people being of the Lutheran, or
the reformed Religion, are under such hard measure and fears that they
live in little content, and being of a stout and persevering temper, they
may in time become so desperate, that if the Turk should break power-
fully
The Veins of Salt are large, and there are pieces to be found of ten
thoufand pound weight: they commonly hew out the Salt into long
fquare pieces os two foot in length, and one in thickness, and for use it
is broken and grinded between two Grind ftones.
The Mine is cold and moist, but the Salt being a Stone sait, is not
tfasily dissolved, or at leas! in any great quantity by dampness or moi-
fture ; yet much of the water of the Mine is impregnated with sait,
in such sort that being drawn out in large buckets, and afterwards
boyl’d up, it affords a blackifli Salt, which they give to their Cattle in
that Country.
The colour of the ordinary Stone-salt of this Mine is not very white,
but somewhat grey: yet being broken and grinded to powder, it be-
comes as white as if it were refined, and this Salt consifts os pointed
parts or fossets. Another sort os Salt there is also, which consists of
Squares and Tables ; and a third to be found of fomewhat stirious or
long shoots.
Nor is all the Salt of this Mine of one colour, but of divers; that
which is found grosly mixt with the Earth receives some colour from
it; and even that which is most pure and resembles Crystal, doth
often receive tinctures of several colours ; in the middle of a Crystal-
sait with long shoots, I have seen a delicate blue ; and at Count Ro-
thaU his House at Vienna, I saw a large piece of a fair transparent yellow.
There are also some pieces so clear and hard, that they carve them into
divers Figures, as is they were Crystal it sels. Of all these sorts men-
tioned I also obtained some pieces, and brought them with mt into
England*
But it is time to conclude this long discourse of Mines and Minerals,
which mayseem of little concern unto many; yet for the satisfadtion
of the more curious inso considerable a piece of Naturals, in places lit-
tle known unto us; and withal, undescribed by any Englifh Pen that I
know; I would not omit this particular account thereof.
I continued my journey near to the River Waag, and came to Nove
Mnejio, and from thence the next day to Tirnaw, a City seated upon a
Plain, and to be seen at a great distance ; it hath almost recovered it
self out of the Alhes that it was reduced into six years before : the day
following we got to the Danube again, and lodged that night at Pres-
burg, whereof I have spoken elsewhere; and then passing the Danube
in two Ferry-boats, we travelled by Homburg Tower, by Haimberg
Hill, by the Town of Haimberg^ by Regelsbrun, Vifchet and Swechet,
and came to Vienna.
A great part of these Countries of upper Hungar'ta, through which
I travelled, had a different face from that of Aujlria, and from what
they had formerly been. For some places had been burnt or plundred
by the Tartars and Turks in the late war, and divers pay contribution
to them, so that many live warily and meanly to become less noted :
And in divers places their Houses are bare and unfurniflied ; and it is
well is they have any other Bed than one for the man of the House
and his Wife. Even in parts of the Country better provided, and un-
der the Emperor, a great part os the people being of the Lutheran, or
the reformed Religion, are under such hard measure and fears that they
live in little content, and being of a stout and persevering temper, they
may in time become so desperate, that if the Turk should break power-
fully