It was well on in the afternoon before we got to Dognacska, a mere
mining village, but prettily situated in a narrow valley. On
approaching, we found it to be a more uncivilised place than we had
expected, and we had not expected much. The children ran away screaming
at the sight of two horsemen, so travellers, I expect, are unknown in
these parts. We found out a little inn, indicated by a wisp of straw
hanging above the door, and here we asked to be accommodated; they were
profuse in promises, but as there was no one to look after the horses,
we had to attend to them ourselves. The woman of the house said the men
were all out, but would be back presently. We only took a little bread
and cheese, but ordered a substantial supper to be ready for us on our
return later in the evening. The fact was, we were in a hurry to be off
to look at the works. Lead, silver, iron, and copper are found at
Dognacska, but the working at present is a dead-alive operation. The
blast-furnaces for making pig-iron are of recent construction, but the
smelting-furnaces were very antiquated.
It was the same answer everywhere, "All belongs to the Marquis of
Carrabas;" in other words, the States Railway Company owns both mines
and forests in all directions throughout the Banat, though at the same
time I was told that they do not undertake metallic mining.
From what I gathered it would seem that the mines round here are not
really very rich.
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