CHAPTER I.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

Limits, dimensions, and population of Roumania--Comparison with
England--Configuration of the surface--Altitudes of
towns--Mountains--Appearance of the country--The region of the
plains--Plants and agricultural condition--The peasantry--Female
navvies--Costumes--Wells--Subterranean dwellings--Marsh
fever--Travelling, past and present--Zone of the hills--Plants,
flowers, fruits, and cereals--Cheap fruits--Improved
dwellings--Wages of labourers--Petroleum
wells--Rock-salt--Mines--The Carpathians--Character of the
scenery--Alpine trees and plants--Sinaïa--The King's summer
residence--The monastery--Conveniences for visitors, baths,
&c.--Occupations of visitors--Beautiful scenery--The new
palace--The King and Queen--Geology of Roumania--Scanty
details--The chief deposits and their
localities--Minerals--Salt--Petroleum--Lignite--Ozokerit--
Hæmatite--Undeveloped mineral wealth.


I.

The kingdom of Roumania is situated between 22° 29' and 29° 42' east of
Greenwich, and between 43° 37' and 48° 13' north of the equator. Its
general boundaries are, on the _east_ and _south_, the Pruth and the
Danube, with the exception of the Dobrudscha south of the latter river,
at its embouchures, and on the _west_ and _north_ by the Carpathian
mountains, along whose heights the boundary line runs. The limit which