Dr. Kubassek János szerk.: A Kárpát-medence természeti értékei (Érd, 2004)
Dr. Péter Rózsa: Robert Townson (1762-1827): a pioneer scientific explorer of the Carpathian Basin
Üfte/wvt tyotmtácn- (/762—4827/: a /li&nmr act-entfîc ex/i/owr ofí/is wwr/uzl/iicwi ÚSaáén ° ^ knew there ivas a shed here, which some years ago had been built as a shelter for miners. In travelling amongst alps, there is in general a deficiency of every thing except water; this even failed us here, and we were at a loss for some time to think what we should do. We had plenty of brandy, an excellent thing as a dram, but no substitute water. But adverting to the frequency of water in mines, I sent my servant to see if there might not be some there; he found but little, yet a great deal of ice: this we melted in a tin drinking cup, over the fire which we made with the remains of the old shed. There could not have been a worse place for passing the night at, ifit had not been for the remains of the shed, than this; for no Krumholz, or any other kind of wood, grew here, and the roughness of the climate may be conceived by the ice we found in the mine and by the height, which by the barometer I found to be 1425 yards above Vasetz, and 2318 yards above the level of the sea: and the shed was of more use as fuel than shelter; for the top was off, and the sides were almost down. At night the wind was very boisterous, and often threatened to blow these crazy remains in pieces. In the middle we made our fire, towards which we turned our feet, and our bolster was a beam of wood. [...] The morning was as windy as the night, and we had some mists. Though from the nature of the rocks I had no expectation of a rich botanical harvest, yet I was very unwilling, after having had so much trouble in coming thus far, not to ascend to the top of this mountain; for it is generally said to be the highest; [...] My spiritual friends were not only very unwitting to turn out to scale the top, but they! absolutely refused to accompany me. My guide was equally unwilling, and assured me solemnly, that he never was at the top, and knew not the way My servant was not more inclined than the rest, but made it a point of honour to run the same risk as his master; and when the guide saw I was resolved on setting out without him, he likewise promised to accompany me. \ ... \ After walking about an hour and an half chiefly over great loose blocks of granit, I reached the top; [...] This mountain is by far the most easy to ascend of any I had yet met with in this tour, and by keeping on the lee side we were little incommoded by the ivind. Here I collected nothing: the rocks were covered with the same Lichens I had found in much lower situations. My barometer was still in good order, and showed the height of this mountain to be 2781 yards above the level of the sea, and 1888 yards above the village of Vasetz; the Krivan is therefore something lower than the Lomnitz Peak. Clouds O 483 o
