Deák Antal András: A Duna fölfedezése

Tartalom - III.A DANUBIUS PANNONICO-MYSICUS, 1726

T II E DISCOVERY OF THE DANUBE Marsigli incorporated these pieces of information in his Danubius, similarly to a report by an unknown person, who wrote about the sulphuric springs in Transylvania. The topic appears in the Danubius in the following way: In Transylvania, near the small county called Drik, close to the village ofAccida, there are bitter springs and cold baths beside them.

.., and a deadly hole can be found in their vicinity.

132 The letter from Ander Jacob Schmidt, a mining supervisor, also deals with mines. He sent a drawing of mining establishments of Selmec on a map following a survey on June 19, 1703, with the names of 124 establishments.

133 The manuscript collection includes Matthias Ethesiuss ink drawings of 4 shafts, all from 1688: the Scemnitzer Berg Chart, the drawing of the Herrengrund the depiction of the Ratzengrunder Bergwerk and the Polnitzer Eisbergwerks inheimische Grube from Selmecbánya.

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4 The drawings are in colour and illustrated with figures holding lamps, adzes and wheelbarrows, as can be seen in the mine depictions published in the book. INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING DATA FROM OUTSIDE THE TERRITORY OF THE HUNGARIAN MONARCHY

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5 Italian scholars and artists Masigli's bequest contains letters from G. D. Malpighi (a member of the Royal Society) who introduced him to the basics of anatomy. He used this knowledge when he described and drew the dissection drawings and anatomy of eagles, the great sturgeon and the otter in the Danubius (Volume VI). He also asked his tutor's advice regarding the depictions of fish in his Danube monograph which was still in preparation. The tutor was very satisfied with them.

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6 When he received Marsigli's report about the sensational discovery of Trajan's bridge on the Lower Danube,

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7 he called his former pupil's attention to its depiction in Rome. The picture of this relief can be seen in the Danubius (Volume II). From Triofetti, he learned botany. He listed the plants found growing along the course of the Danube in charts in Volume VI. Furthermore, many nicely coloured pictures are preserved in his bequest concerning the fruits growing infloodplains. Even fruit diseases and succulent plants are indicated in the drawings. Guglielmini, the author of a book about water, sent letters to Marsigli, who was serving and doing research in Hungary at that time, with instructions about the techniques used to measure the velocity of water.

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8 In two of his letters he even drew the quadrant necessary for the measurements and explained the theory of behind its operation: I applied a plumb line with a lead bob of about 6-7 pounds suspended from an AB cord depending on the speed of the river, although I think 10-12 pounds would be appropriate on the Danube. The AB cord should as strong, thin and light as possible. When the water is calm, the AB cord runs vertically into the depths, but when it flows, the cord will diverge to a certain extent in the direction of the flow, while it creates an AB angle varying in degree depending on the water speed, which can be read on an AEF quadrant. Marsigli measured the velocity of the water on the Tisza, the Danube, the Drava and the Sava. The resulting measurments can be found in volume VI of the Danube monograph together with the sites where the measurements were made. The drawing of Guglielmini's velocimeter quadrant was more than once used in the book as an ornamental drawing. 13

2 DPM, Vol. I. Pars III. 13

3 BUB Mss di Marsigli Vol. 25. 13

4 BUB Mss di Marsigli Vol. 11. 13

5 This is how Marsigli calls the Hungarian Kingdom. 13

6 ...le figure de i pesci con grandissima diligenza et arte 13

7 BUB Mss di Marsigli Vol. 79. Letter no. 2, Rome, 4 April 1963; Vol. 79. Letter no. 1; Rome, 30 August 1693. 13

8 BUB, Mss Marsigli, Vol. 79. pp. 46 - 47. Bologna, 30 August 1692 and Vol. 79. pp. 48-50. IMAGE No. 18 on page 38: Nuggets from Hungarian mines IMAGE No. 19 on page 40: In Marsigli's time the speed of rivers was measured with a quadrant fixed to the end of a boat 118