154 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. XI. — AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, TURKEY, AND GRERCH. Aus’-tri-a-Hun’-ga-ry, | Tur’-key. Vi-en’-na. | Con-stan-ti-no/-ple. mosque mosk]. Rou-ma/-ni-a. 1. THERE is in the central part of Europe, east of Germany, a large empire called AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. The western portion includes a part of the Alps, and is much like Switzerland and southern Germany. Through this the Danube flows, winding along beauti- ful valleys, or rushing down deep and narrow gorges in waterfalls and rapids. 2. East of the mountains, is a fine country of low hills and rich plains, in which are forests, grainfields, and vineyards. Everywhere are villages and cities, some of which have stood for hundreds of years; and here and there, on rugged hills, are strong old castles, like those in Germany. The largest of the cities is Vienna; which is situated beside the Danube, near the point where it leaves the mountains. It is the capital of the ampire ; and contains the palaces in which the emperor and his family live, and many other splendid buildings. 3. Beyond this varied country, a broad plain stretches aastward, without hills, without trees, without roads, without houses. Along the streams are immense marshes, which it is almost impossible to cross. KElse- where the plain is sandy, covered only by grass or other low plants. In some places, even these do not grow; but the bare, loose sand is driven by the winds into ridges like snowärifts.