St
Miklos is charmingly situated in the valley of Gyergyo, at an elevation
of nearly 3000 feet above the sea-level. Here one is right in amongst
the mountains, the higher summits rising grandly around. The scenery is
very fine. There are interminable forests on every side, broken by
ravines and valleys, with strips of green pasture-land. In former times
these primeval woods were tenanted by the wild aurochs, but now one sees
only the long-horned white cattle and the wiry little horses belonging
to the villages that nestle about in unexpected places. St Miklos is
almost entirely inhabited by Armenians. There is a market here, and it
is considered the central place of the district. The year before my
visit the town was nearly destroyed by fire. Upwards of three hundred
houses were burned down in less than three hours. The loss of property
was considerable, including stores of hay and _kukoricz_ (Indian corn).
Since this conflagration, which caused such widespread distress in the
place, they have established a volunteer fire brigade. This ought to
exist in every village. Prompt action would often arrest the serious
proportions of a fire. It would be a good thing if some substitute could
be found for the wooden tiles used for roofing; in course of time they
become like tinder, and a spark will fire the roof. The houses in
Hungary are not, as a rule, constructed of wood, as in Upper Austria and
Styria, nor are they nearly so picturesque as in that part of the world.
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