Page 274 - 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. 274
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
well, but with no knowledge of other languages beside Slovene (Müller 1887,
9). Other more specific information about guides are not mentioned.
Comparing with the fee of the Postojna cave, the latter was significant-
ly higher. Yet, in the case of the Škocjan caves a bigger emphasis was given
to the research activities that were carried out and the tourist infrastruc-
ture still needed to be arranged. In this matter Postojna cave was at an ad-
vantage since these improvements started to take place decades earlier.
The official tourist guides briefly mention also the cave Vilenica in
Lokev: “The Grotto of Corgnale is another very beautiful cavern, about 10
km. from Trieste. The innkeeper Mukow has the key and the Grotto Book.
Fee, 15 kr. each person; one hr. sufficient” (Murray 1871, 458). Yet this was the
only attention that was given to Vilenica in the guidebook. A previous edi-
tion (from 1837) was rather critical when mentioning this cave: “There is an-
other, but far more inferior cavern, near Corneale […] a guide with a light
may be procured at the village […] the descent is perpendicular, and in
parts difficult, if not dangerous” (Murray 1837, 294). Another note of un-ap-
preciation was made in 1817 by Monson. He decided not to visit the cave due
to the deceiving locals.
We at last discovered the cavern, where the peasants made a de-
mand of five florins for showing it, the price, according to them, af-
fixed by law. We asked for the tariffe, and they referred us to a cot-
tage in the neighbourhood […] here they abated the demand by one
half, but would show us no tariffe, saying it was lodged at Trieste,
and insisted on the money being paid beforehand.
Due to this approach they decided to return to Trieste without visit-
ing the cave (Shaw 2008, 119). This means that along with an ‘official’ activ-
ity, a more ‘unofficial one’ was taking place too. The peasants may not have
been successful with Monson and his company, but they might have had
luck with someone else. The price, even the proposed half, was indeed very
high, if we consider the official one, but this kind of income is even hard-
er to trace.
As already mentioned the Vilenica cave’s entrance was closed in 1809
by its owner, the count of Petazzi. All the income from the fee was then
transferred to the nearby Church of Lokev (Agapito 1823, 22).8 At the be-
ginning of the century, the village inhabitants were also involved in the
management and arrangement of paths in the cave. In fact, in 1815 they dis-
8 The entrance fee for a group of visitors was at that time 2 guldens.
272
well, but with no knowledge of other languages beside Slovene (Müller 1887,
9). Other more specific information about guides are not mentioned.
Comparing with the fee of the Postojna cave, the latter was significant-
ly higher. Yet, in the case of the Škocjan caves a bigger emphasis was given
to the research activities that were carried out and the tourist infrastruc-
ture still needed to be arranged. In this matter Postojna cave was at an ad-
vantage since these improvements started to take place decades earlier.
The official tourist guides briefly mention also the cave Vilenica in
Lokev: “The Grotto of Corgnale is another very beautiful cavern, about 10
km. from Trieste. The innkeeper Mukow has the key and the Grotto Book.
Fee, 15 kr. each person; one hr. sufficient” (Murray 1871, 458). Yet this was the
only attention that was given to Vilenica in the guidebook. A previous edi-
tion (from 1837) was rather critical when mentioning this cave: “There is an-
other, but far more inferior cavern, near Corneale […] a guide with a light
may be procured at the village […] the descent is perpendicular, and in
parts difficult, if not dangerous” (Murray 1837, 294). Another note of un-ap-
preciation was made in 1817 by Monson. He decided not to visit the cave due
to the deceiving locals.
We at last discovered the cavern, where the peasants made a de-
mand of five florins for showing it, the price, according to them, af-
fixed by law. We asked for the tariffe, and they referred us to a cot-
tage in the neighbourhood […] here they abated the demand by one
half, but would show us no tariffe, saying it was lodged at Trieste,
and insisted on the money being paid beforehand.
Due to this approach they decided to return to Trieste without visit-
ing the cave (Shaw 2008, 119). This means that along with an ‘official’ activ-
ity, a more ‘unofficial one’ was taking place too. The peasants may not have
been successful with Monson and his company, but they might have had
luck with someone else. The price, even the proposed half, was indeed very
high, if we consider the official one, but this kind of income is even hard-
er to trace.
As already mentioned the Vilenica cave’s entrance was closed in 1809
by its owner, the count of Petazzi. All the income from the fee was then
transferred to the nearby Church of Lokev (Agapito 1823, 22).8 At the be-
ginning of the century, the village inhabitants were also involved in the
management and arrangement of paths in the cave. In fact, in 1815 they dis-
8 The entrance fee for a group of visitors was at that time 2 guldens.
272
