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

Sk 0W ^ta o s/o/œ, M/A/cÄ seemed to reach almost to the top: it was covered with great loose blocks of granit. The clouds now began to collect about the foot of the mountain, and some fleeces ascended towards us: this made us halt, and consider ivhether it was prudent to go further: I insisted on ascending to the top of the slope, as we could, I thought, have found our way down again, though enveloped in mists and clouds. We accordingly continued our journey: when arrived there we halted again; for my guides were very unwitting to go further, for fear of the clouds rising up to us. After we had a baited, and a heart-cheer ing dram had passed round, I insisted on ascending to the top; but it seemed to fly from us, or rather to groiv up before us. When we had reached the peak, this was so steep, that, to get up, we were obliged sometimes to wind round it, and sometimes to descent, and then climb up the most craggy precipices, and sometimes walk upon the most dangerous shelves of the rock: but at last we reached the summit, and with my barometer in good order. I believe, I may safely say, this was the first that ever was upon it. [...] Ascertaining the height of this mountain, teas all I reaped from this laborious and dangerous expedition; for the clouds, which kept increasing, entirely deprived us of the fine and extensive view we must otherwise have from this elevated situation, This peak ivas composed of grey grand, like the rocks at bottom, but with a small admixture of greenish black terreous substance. \

... ] The clouds rising higher and higher, made my guides more and more clamorous to descend; and indeed they had reason, for at best it was a perilous undertaking, and without good guides impracticable. After this expedition Townson returned to Késmárk, however, he finally left this town on 20

th August. He travelled to the west and reached Nagyszalók (Velky Slavkov). Here, he made friends with the botanist Lutheran minister of the village. Townson does not mention his name in his book but it is known that he was Tamás Mauksch, who help Pál Kitaibel during his expedition in the Tatra, too (NAGY M., 1999). From Nagyszalók he passed through Batizfalva (Batizovce) and Csorba (Sírba), and arrived at Vázsec (Vazec)

. He decided that he would try to ascend the Kriván peak from this village. He was accompanied by the Lutheran ministers of Nagyszalók and Vazsec as well as a guide. He reported on this expedition as it follows: "We lost so much time, and the distance was so great, that it was late in the evening before we reached the mine, where we had agreed to pass the night, as we