Page 266 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 266
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
which was also provided by local inhabitants. Communication sometimes
caused problems, if the locals did not know any foreign languages, another
problem was the lack of adequate accommodation and food supply (Shaw
1997, 172). Traveller’s diaries provide some information about the local pe-
asant population as far as their language skills and acquaintance with the
underground cave is concerned; in some cases we get their names. They ra-
rely mention the amount of retribution given to the peasant guides.
More information about guiding and fees can be traced in different
traveller diaries from the end of the 18th century. Fortis for example in 1777
mentioned the local peasants as guides: “The people of Cornial who are
used to guiding strangers in the dark places had made a convenient staircase
from broken stone.” He was accompanied by at least three guides, since he
mentioned a climbing of two of his guides (Shaw 2008, 82). F. L. Cassas in
1782 hired guides to lead him to the banks of the Reka River (flowing in the
Škocjan caves).1 John Russell, a Scottish lawyer, in 1822 was led by a miller’s
man to the entrance of the Planina cave, and in 1828, John James Tobin, an
English physician, “went with a guide from Trieste to see the Vilenica cave,
where they provided him with a man carrying a large lamp and some boys
with candles” (Tobin 1828, 152). Tobin also explained that once, he “went to
see the caves of St. Kanzian [Škocjan], with a lad, who spoke a little Ger-
man, as a guide.” He was also accompanied by three guides in the caves of
Postojna and by guides in the Vilenica cave (Tobin 1828, 152, 154–5, 159, 168;
Shaw 1997, 45). Edmund Spencer, a German Captain, also hired a guide to
help him get from the village of Cerknica to the caves of Postojna and from
there to Predjama castle (built in a cave) in 1836. Unfortunately these trav-
ellers left no information about the retribution given to their guides.
The first guidebooks, like the ones of Murray and Baedeker mentioned
local guides too. The Baedeker’s from 1873 said that “the Nanos Mountain
could be ascended from Razdrto, with a guide.” The guides in the Postoj-
na caves are said to have sold the peculiar reptile living in Karst-caves, the
olm, also known as the “human fish” (Proteus anguinus), to tourists (Shaw
1997, 45–6).
Local guides were commonly used by foreign travellers throughout
the 19th century, although it was not always easy to reach for a guide. Before
the discoveries of new parts of the Black and Postojna caves, some visitors,
1 The caves were difficult to access, which forced most of the visitors to stay on the sur-
face (Kelsall, Hooper, Hornschuch, Laurent), mostly admiring the disappearing of
the river.
264
which was also provided by local inhabitants. Communication sometimes
caused problems, if the locals did not know any foreign languages, another
problem was the lack of adequate accommodation and food supply (Shaw
1997, 172). Traveller’s diaries provide some information about the local pe-
asant population as far as their language skills and acquaintance with the
underground cave is concerned; in some cases we get their names. They ra-
rely mention the amount of retribution given to the peasant guides.
More information about guiding and fees can be traced in different
traveller diaries from the end of the 18th century. Fortis for example in 1777
mentioned the local peasants as guides: “The people of Cornial who are
used to guiding strangers in the dark places had made a convenient staircase
from broken stone.” He was accompanied by at least three guides, since he
mentioned a climbing of two of his guides (Shaw 2008, 82). F. L. Cassas in
1782 hired guides to lead him to the banks of the Reka River (flowing in the
Škocjan caves).1 John Russell, a Scottish lawyer, in 1822 was led by a miller’s
man to the entrance of the Planina cave, and in 1828, John James Tobin, an
English physician, “went with a guide from Trieste to see the Vilenica cave,
where they provided him with a man carrying a large lamp and some boys
with candles” (Tobin 1828, 152). Tobin also explained that once, he “went to
see the caves of St. Kanzian [Škocjan], with a lad, who spoke a little Ger-
man, as a guide.” He was also accompanied by three guides in the caves of
Postojna and by guides in the Vilenica cave (Tobin 1828, 152, 154–5, 159, 168;
Shaw 1997, 45). Edmund Spencer, a German Captain, also hired a guide to
help him get from the village of Cerknica to the caves of Postojna and from
there to Predjama castle (built in a cave) in 1836. Unfortunately these trav-
ellers left no information about the retribution given to their guides.
The first guidebooks, like the ones of Murray and Baedeker mentioned
local guides too. The Baedeker’s from 1873 said that “the Nanos Mountain
could be ascended from Razdrto, with a guide.” The guides in the Postoj-
na caves are said to have sold the peculiar reptile living in Karst-caves, the
olm, also known as the “human fish” (Proteus anguinus), to tourists (Shaw
1997, 45–6).
Local guides were commonly used by foreign travellers throughout
the 19th century, although it was not always easy to reach for a guide. Before
the discoveries of new parts of the Black and Postojna caves, some visitors,
1 The caves were difficult to access, which forced most of the visitors to stay on the sur-
face (Kelsall, Hooper, Hornschuch, Laurent), mostly admiring the disappearing of
the river.
264
