of the Magyars, of course; throughout their history they have always made common cause with them.  In the autumn of the same year, Joseph Bem, a native of Galicia, who had fought under Marshal Davoust, later with Macdonald at the siege of Hamburg, arid had also taken part in the Polish insurrection of 1830, attached himself to the Hungarian cause.  He had formed a body of troops from the wrecks and remnants of other corps, and soon by his admirable tactics succeeded on two occasions in beating the Austrians at the very outset of his campaign; the latter of these victories was near Dees, to the north of Klausenburg, where he defeated General Wardener.  The winter of that terrible year wore on.  In Transylvania it was not merely keeping back the common enemy, the invader of the soil, but it was a case where the foes were of the same township, and the nearest neighbours confronted each other on opposite ranks.

The Austrians meanwhile had called in the Russians to aid them in crushing the Hungarians; and at the time it was believed that the Saxons of Transylvania had instigated this measure.  It is easy to understand how the Russians would be hated along with their allies; it was a desperate struggle, and well fought out by Magyars and Szeklers, ably handled by General Bem.  Herrmannstadt and Kronstadt both fell into his hands, after a vigorous defence by the Austro-Russian garrisons; in fact, by the middle of March ’49, the whole of Transylvania, with the exception of Karlsburg and Deva, was held by the troops of this fortunate general.  But, as we all know, the Hungarian arms were not so successful elsewhere, and the end of that struggle was approaching, which was to find its saddest hour at Villagos on the 13th of August, when the Hungarians were cajoled into laying down their arms before the Russians!

The rest of the miserable story had better not be dwelt upon.  Much has changed in these few years.  Now a Hapsburg recognises the privilege of mercy amongst his kingly attributes.  The last words of Maximilian, the ill-fated Emperor of Mexico, were, “Let my blood be the last shed as an offering for my country.”  Since then capital punishment has become of rare occurrence in Austria; and remembering his brother’s death, the Emperor, it is said, can hardly be induced to sign a death-warrant!

[Footnote 17:  Boner’s Transylvania, p. 624.]

CHAPTER XX.

The Tomoescher Pass—­Projected railway from Kronstadt to Bucharest—­Visit to the cavalry barracks at Rosenau—­Terzburg Pass—­Dr Daubeny on the extinct volcanoes of Hungary—­Professor Judd on mineral deposits.

Kronstadt is a capital place as headquarters for any one who desires to explore the neighbouring country.  One of my first expeditions was to Sinia, a small bath-place in the Tomoescher Pass, just over the borders—­in fact in Roumania.  Here Prince Charles has a charming chateau, and there are besides several ambitious Swiss cottages belonging to the wealthy grandees of Roumania.  My object was not so much to see the little place, as it was to explore this pass of the Carpathians, now so familiar to newspaper correspondents and others since the Russo-Turkish war began.