Journal of a Tour in the Years 1828-1829, through Styria, Carniola, and Italy, whilst Accompanying the Late Sir Humphry DavyTobin, J. J.
History
Journal of a Tour in the Years 1828-1829, through Styria, Carniola, and Italy, whilst Accompanying the Late Sir Humphry Davy
Tobin, J. J.
Davy, Humphry, Sir, 1778-1829; Europe -- Description and travel
_17th._ Sir Humphry went this morning to the river and fished for
some hours, but in vain. This, added to an exorbitant bill brought
in by the host, determined him to proceed, and we left Murrau at four
in the afternoon. The scenery of the valley of the Murr is always of
the same kind; mountains clad with fine woods diversified with fields
and villages, and the river winding through the valley. We passed on
our road two old feudal castles, rearing their grey walls out of the
wood. At the next station, Neumarkt, we found ourselves on the same
road which we had traversed on our way to Carniola. There being no
tolerable inn here, we proceeded a post further, to Friesach, and had a
very pleasant moonlight drive along the banks of a foaming brook, and
through some dark and shady glens.
_18th._ Sir Humphry spent the whole of this day in the fields round
Friesach, in the hope of finding a good many quails, but returned late
in the afternoon with only one or two, and complaining terribly of the
heat.
_19th._ We left Friesach early this morning, and drove on, over our old
road, to St. Veit and Klagenfurth, where we turned off to the right,
and proceeded along the banks of the Lake of Klagenfurth to Velden.
The length of this lake is about fifteen miles, its greatest breadth
three or four. The scenery of its banks near Klagenfurth is rather
flat and uninteresting, but towards Velden it becomes more diversified
and beautiful. Sir Humphry intended passing the night at Velden, but
the old ruined chateau, which now serves as the post-house, was better
adapted for the habitation of bats and owls than the accommodation of a
sickly and susceptible traveller; and accordingly he ordered horses for
Villach, in spite of the approaching night. Whilst they were being put
to, we enjoyed a fine view of the lake through the arched windows of
the earth-floored hall of the chateau. Some time before we arrived at
Villach it was quite dark, but the road being very good and perfectly
safe, Sir Humphry, notwithstanding his reluctance to travel after
nightfall, said that he was glad that he had gone on to Villach, where
he would stay to try the shooting.
_20th._ This morning he changed his mind, and we went on to Wurzen,
crossing over the same mountain which we had passed on our road
to Ischl. The ascent on this side is much longer than that from
Wurzen. At the foot of the mountain are some hot baths, much used by
the inhabitants of Villach. We tried their temperature and found it
to be 85° Fahrenheit. The proprietor said that the water contained
principally sulphur and magnesia.
_21st-25th._ These days were chiefly wet and rainy, but when it did not
pour Sir Humphry was out shooting in the marshes. Two mornings, when
the rain kept him at home, he occupied himself with the additions to
"Salmonia," and in dictating _an ancient Irish Tale_; a fairy fiction,
or a tale of enchantment, founded on the supposed adventures of a
Norwegian hero in Ireland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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