There is no country in the world of the same extent, where so many races of people are assem bled together as in Transylvania. Hungarians, Seklers, Saxons or Germans, Wallachians, Bulga rians, Armenians, Greeks, Servians, Bohemians, Poles, Jews and Gypsies. Each of these classes possess a distinct national character; and, though inhabiting the same districts, and often the same villages, they have for ages maintained a stubborn attachment to the customs and usages of their fathers.
The Wallachian language, which is a mixture of Latin and Sclavonian, is the organ of communica tion among the different nations, as all understand and speak it; but the Hungarians and Seklers, in their intercourse with each other, use always the language of Hungary; and the Saxons the German. Of all these nations the Wallachians are increasing the most rapidly, and may already be calculated at nearly one half of the inhabitants, of which the following table shows their number and propor tions:— The principal towns are Kronstadt, containing 25,000 inhabitants; Klausenburg, 20,000; Herman stadt, 16,000; Thorda, 6,500; and Udvarhely, 6000.
Agriculture has made but little progress in this country, and rural economy in general is in a very imperfect state. In the low districts along the banks of the Maros, the Hungarians raise abun dant crops; but this is owing more to the fertility of the soil than to the labour of 'the husbandman. The hardy and intelligent Seklers, who inhabit a higher region, are under the necessity of labouring their fields with greater care; but the best culti vated part of the country belongs to the Saxons, though even they still adhere to the antiquated modes of their ancestors. Transylvania, however, is greatly deficient in agrarian strength; and as it is surrounded by provinces equally fertile in corn, there is little encouragement to agriculture. Wheat is raised in the more fertile districts; and rye, which is chiefly used in the manufacture of spirits, barley, millet, maize, buck-wheat and oats in the mountainous tracts. The culture of potatoes and pulse is much neglected, the Saxons preferring the care of fruit trees and flowers. Tobacco is culti vated to a considerable extent among the Seklers, but it is all consumed in the country.
The most important object of national industry is the working of the mines, which are the richest in Europe, and are an inexhaustible source of Wealth to the country. There are above a hundred
in actual operation between the Aranyosch and the Maros, which all yield gold mixed with silver. Of these the richest and most productive is that of Szekerembe, near the village of Nagyag. The richer ores consist principally of Tellurium, which is found in no country in the world but in Transyl vania, and contain from 90 to 340 marks of silver per quintal, each mark of silver yielding from six to six and a half ounces of gold, or two-thirds gold and one-third silver. The works are carried on upon a grand scale, and are conducted with a de gree of neatness for which the Germans have long been famous in mining. The expense, however, is very considerable, owing to the high wages of the miners, and the dearness of provisions; yet not withstanding this the mines of Nagyag yield a handsome profit. From the 1st of November 1800, to the 31st of October 1801, they delivered gold and silver ore to the value of 205,572 florins; and the expense of working was 163,632, leaving 41,940 florins of profit. This, however, is not nearly equal to what they formerly produced, as M. Born, who visited them 25 years before, cal culated, that in the course of 20 years above 4,000,000 of florins in gold and silver had been cleared by the Nagyag mine. The other mines, though not so valuable, are very productive. The silver ore drawn from the mines of Vrospatak yield 328 ounces per quintal, from whichl is sepa rated nearly two ounces of gold. The mine of filala is remarkable for the richness of the ore, and the beauty of the native gold. Pieces of native gold are often found in the mine of Orlia of con siderable size; and in 1779 a detached piece was picked up weighing eleven marks. Most of the rivers, and even the brooks formed by the rains contain golden sand; but the richest in this respect is the river Aranyosch. The Wallachians, and particularly the Gypsies, who employ themselves in washing the sands, are said to collect between six and seven quintals of gold yearly, which they are obliged to deliver at a fixed price to the com missioners of government. The mines of salt in Transylvania are numerous and almost inexhausti ble. They belong to the crown, and a few only are in operation, which yield annually a million of quintals, of which 800,000 are exported to Hun gary.