The northern part of the Carpathians is composed chief ly of granite, and its summits are covered with limestone, or spread with a kind of brown freestone. Granite forms also an essential part of the mountains of Konigsberg, and of the rocks of Tatra, which are adjacent, and stretch into the southern part of the counties of Zips, Goemor, Sohl, Liptau, and into the western part of the counties of Arw, Thurotz, and Trentschin. It also abounds in the northern part of Zips, where the mountains of Fleisclibank, Porte de Fer, Altendorf, and some others, are entirely composed of it. Near Altenclorf it begins to disappear, and is replaced ioy a greyish free stone, which covers almost tliltse leagues of country, and forms the great mountain of Babagura. This stone extends along the extremity of the western frontiers of Tatra, Godivilk, and towards the south the county of Arw. From the eastern extremity, it extends still more along the frontiers of Hungary, and into the counties of Zips, Scharosch, Zemplin, and Unghwar. There another kind of stone presents itself; clay slate co vered with brown free-stone. It is likely that the clay slate commences in the higher mountains of the north, as it begins to appear in the county of Goemor, neat Rose Pau, from whence it stretches into the southern part of the county of Zips, and into the northern part of the county of Abaujwar. The central mountains of the Carpathian chain and its promontories, produce limestone and porphyry. The other generations which are formed in the accessary mountains are, mica, clay-slate, trap, basalt, and breccia. There are also found volcanic stones, pumice stone, and different kinds of opals. The body of the Carpathians on the north-east, consist principally of clay-slate. The chain which stretches along the valleys of Marmarosch and the borders of the seven mountains, as far as the Theisse, and traverses the counties of Szathmar and Ugotsch, is composed chiefly of porphyry and grey free stone. In the eastern mountains, and, in general, in those of the Bannat, there is a great deal of lime-stone ; which pi-evails also in the interior mountains. The other stones that are found there are clay-slate, brown free-stone, and porphyry. The neighbouring mountains of Stiria and Austria contain lime-stone, free-stone and granite.
The mountains of Hungary, especially the Carpathian chain, abound with grottos of various dimensions, the prin cipal of which arc, .Mazarna and Dupna in the county of Thurotz, Drachenhole in the county of Liptau, Holgocz in Zips, Agtelek in Gocmor, and Sziliacz in Torn. Bones and skeletons, partly petrified, are found in these grottos, and the most beautiful stalactites of every size and form. Those of Drachenhole and Sziliacz are particularly cu rious, being filled during the summer with ice, which is formed in spring, and melts at the approach of winter. The grotto of Vetcranische Hole is famous for the defence which General Veterani, with a few followers, maintained against the Turks, in 1694. It is situated on the left bank of the Danube, a little above the village of Ogradina. The rock of which it is formed is inaccessible on every side except at the entrance of the grotto, which is about four feet high and two broad, and secured by an iron gate. The interior
is large enough to accommodate a thousand men ; and, from the embrasures cut out in the rock, it has the complete command of the navigation of the Danube. Here also, in the last war of Austria against the Turks, the brave Major Stein, with a battalion of infantry, defied the whole power of the Turkish army, and after enduring for three weeks the most painful privations, made an honourable capitula tion, and marched out at the head of his surviving followers with their arms and baggage.
The interior of Hungary consists of one almost conti nued flat, excepting a chain of mountains which, taking their rise near the Danube, run through Gran, Pesth, and the neighbouring counties, and divide the country into two immense plains, called the Upper Plain and the Lower Plain. The former is the smallest, and is of a circular form. It extends from the lake of Neusiedl for about twenty German miles, to the foot of the mountains on the north, and then streches as far as the Drave, upon the con lines of Croatia. The Lower Plain is of much greater ex tent, and comprehends all the east part of the kingdom, as far as Transylvania ; and where it approaches the moun tains, is finely diversified with hills and vallies. The level is evidently higher in the upper than in the lower plain, as the rivers in the former almost uniformly direct their course towards the Danube ; and the lowest spot in the whole ^,ountry is at its south-eastern extremity, near Orsova.
The Carpathian chain gives rise to innumerable rivers, which flow in all directions, according to the declivity of the ground and the sinuosity of the vallies, but which eventually fall into the Thiesse or the Danube. The Thiesse has its source in the county of Marmarosch. Its course from its commencement is full and rapid while it continues among the hills ; but when it reaches the plain its rapidity slackens, and, bending towards the west, re ceives innumerable tributary streams from the northern mountains. Taking a southerly direction, it is joined by the Marosch, near Szegedin, and, after a course of about 420 miles English, falls into the Danube not far from Bel grade. As the banks of this river are low, it often over flows them, and occasions extensive inundations, particu larly in the neighbourhood of Tokay. Few rivers in Eu rope abound more with fish than the T h less e ; and it is a common saying in the country, that it contains two parts of water, and one of fishes. It is navigable as high as Sze gedin. The lVaag or !Voh fertilizes the counties of Thu rotz, Trentschin and Neut•a. Circumscribed in its chan nel, it dashes its impetuous waters over frightful rocks, and forms during its course above a hundred whirlpools. It enters the plain at Sillein, and discharges itself into the left branch of the Danube, which forms the island of Schutt. Besides these, the other principal rivers which commence and finish their course within the bounda ries of the kingdom are, the Gran, the Gollnitz, the Hernad, the Torisza, the Sajo, the Nera, the Temesch, and the Bega.