the incursions of the Tartars
and Turks, who for centuries troubled the peace of this fair land. In
every village of the Saxons in the south and east of Transylvania the
church is also a fortified place, fitted to maintain a siege if
necessary. The construction of these buildings varies according to
circumstances: the general character is that the sacred edifice is
surrounded, or forms part of a strong wall with its watch-towers; not
unfrequently a second and even a third wall surround the place. In every
case a considerable space of ground is enclosed around the church,
sufficient to provide accommodation for the villagers; in fact every
family with a house outside had a corresponding hut within the fortified
walls. Here, too, was a granary, and some of the larger places had also
their school-tower attached to the church. It happened not unfrequently
that the villagers were obliged to remain for some weeks in their
sanctuary.

Heltau is an industrious little place. Here is manufactured the peculiar
white frieze so much worn by the Wallacks. Nearly every house has its
loom, but I was told the trade is less flourishing than formerly. The
woollen-cloth manufacturers of Transylvania have suffered very much from
the introduction of foreign goods; but, on the other hand, if they would
bestir themselves they might enormously increase their exports. Heltau
is a market-place, and reserves many old privileges very jealously. Its
inhabitants were often in dispute with the burghers of Herrmannstadt,
and on one occasion they had the audacity, in rebuilding their
church-tower, to place four turrets upon it. Their neighbours regarded
this with great indignation, for are not four turrets the sign and
symbol of _civic_ authority? The burghers of Herrmannstadt hereupon
obliged the men of Heltau to sign a bond, saying that "they were but
humble villagers," and promising to treat their haughty neighbours with
all due "honour, fear, and friendship."

From Heltau I went on to Michaelsburg, an extremely curious place. In
the centre of a lovely valley rises a conical rock of gneiss, protruding
to the height of 200 feet or more. This is crowned by the ruins of a
Romanesque church. There are, I believe, only two other specimens of
this kind of architecture in the country. The time of the building of
Michaelsburg is stated to be between 1173 and 1223. Before the use of
artillery this fortified church on the rock must have been really
impregna