Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 19, Scripture-SUG
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SPA [ 484 ] SPA
Spain. Spain, especially on its eaftern coaft, is remarkable for
' the drynels of its foil. Notwithftanding this aridity,
however, moll parts of the kingdom teem with fertility,
and native verdure and high cultivation render the fce-
nery delightful. Here and there, indeed, occurs a trafl
of defert utterly incapable of cultivation 5 but, in gene¬
ral, nature has done much more for the country than
, the labour of its inhabitants.
Soil. The foil is faid to be in general light, and eafily
wrought j but on many parts of the eaifern coaft it is
compofed chiefly of a dift loam or clay. 1 he moll fer¬
tile parts of the kingdom are in Valencia, on the coafl:
of Granada, in the kingdom of Old Caftile, and in fe-
veral parts of thofe of New Catlile and Leon. 1 he ioil
of Catalonia is very difeouraging, except in the valleys,
and the fame may be faid ot all the provinces bordering
on the Pyrennees; the foil of Eftremadura, though na¬
turally good, has been fo long abandoned to itfelt, that
it has almoft ceafed to produce, and that of Andaluna
has a very mixed character. 1 he foil of Murcia is un¬
commonly arid 5 that of the Aftunas cold } that of Gal-
licia extremely wet. In the neighbourhood of Cartha-
gena there is an extenfive traft, which is fo covered
with ftones as to form a defert as fterile and untameable
S as any on the fandy plains of Africa or Arabia.
Mountains. We have faid that Spain is a mountainous country.
The chain of the Pyrenees, common to it. and France,
is by no means the moft confiderable in point either of
elevation or extent ; though that chain may be regard¬
ed as»the common root or origin of all the reft. From
the weftern corner of the Pyrenees a vaft ridge branches
off through Navarre, Bifcay, Afturias, and Gallicia,
terminating only at Cape Finifterre, and Cape.Ortegal.
This ridge is the Cantabrian mountains, and is diftin-
guiihed into feveral fubordinate groups, denominated
from the principal towns fituated in their vicinity.. I hus
we have the mountains of Mondonedo in Gallicia. In
general, thefe groups are called Sierras, from the jag¬
ged or ferrated appearance of their tops •, as the Sierra
de la Aflurias. Sierra d'Avila, &c. The fubordinate
mountains that extend from the Sierra of the Afturias
in the north, to the Alpuxaras in the fouth, run in paral¬
lel lines; and the fame direction prevails in the moun¬
tains of Saint Andero, which join the Pyrenees.
From the mountains of Bifcay arifes a main, ridge,
which, after proceeding a little to the fouth, divides in¬
to three or four branches. Of thefe the moft northerly
chain feparates-the provinces of Old Caftile and New Ca¬
ftile, extending to the confines of Portugal, and called
the mountains of Guadarama. A fecond branch divides
the principal part of New Caftile from the province of
La Mancha, running from the north eaft to the fouth-
weft, as far as Badajos in Eftremadura. The moft re¬
markable part of this chain is the Sierra of Guadalupe.
South of thefe runs the Sierra Morena, or Sable moun¬
tains, rendered claflicai by the inimitable pen of Cer¬
vantes. This-is the laft chain till we reach the Alpux¬
aras, that’extend through the provinces of Granada and
Andalufia.*.
Of thefe mountains there are two points, which, in
elevation, exceed IVIont Perdu, tne higheft of the Py*
tenees, viz, the Pico de Venleta, in the Sierra Nevada,
or fnowy mountains of Granada, which is elevated more
than 1781 fathoms above the level of the ocean, and
\ke peak of Mulahafen, in the fame chain, raifed above
1824 fathoms, which is within 76 fathoms of the peak Spain.
ofTeneriffe.
The principal capes and promontories of the Spanifh Capes^andl
continent are, Cape Creus, Cape St Antoine, oppofite promonto>i
the ifiand of Ivi$a j Cape Palas, near Carthagena •, ries.
Cape de Gatte, near Almeria, and the promontory on
which Hands the town of Gibraltar, all on the coaft of
the Mediterranean ; and Cape Maehieaco, Cape Penas,
Cape Ortegal, the promontory of Ferrol, Cape Fini¬
fterre, and Cape Trafalgar, on the coafts of the Atlan¬
tic. . 8
The principal bays and gulfs on the coaft of Spain, Bays and
purfuing the fame courfe, are the following •, the bay gulfs,
of Valencia, the bay of Alicant, the gulf of Carthagena,
the bay of Almeria, the bay of Gibraltar, the harbour
of Cadiz, the bay of Corunna, commonly called the
Groyne, and the bay of Bifcay. ^
The rivers of Spain are intimately connefted with the Rivgfj,
mountains from which they derive their fource, and be¬
tween the chains of which they generally flow. The
moft important are, the Ebro, riling in the mountains
of Santillana in the Afturias, and running in a fouth-
eaftern dire61ion between the Caftiles and Valencia on
the one hand, and the provinces of Navarre, Aragon,
and Catalonia, on the other, till it reaches the Medi¬
terranean, at a fmall diftance from Tortofa \ the Xacar,
rifing in the Sierra of Cuenca in New Caftile, and flow¬
ing into the Mediterranean confiderably to the fouth-
Avard of Valencia ; the Segura, riling in a mountain of
the fame name, traverfing the province of Murcia, and
meeting the Mediterranean about midway between the
capital of that province and Alicant. Thefe flow into
the Mediterranean, and there are feveral other rivers of
lefs note, which pour their waters into the fame fea, and
which we can merely enumerate. Thefe are the Ter
at Gerona, the Lobregate at Barcelona, and the Mi-
jares, pafling by Segorbe. The rivers which flow into
the Atlantic are, the Guadalquiver, rifing at the foot of
Mount Segura, from the oppofite fide of which origi¬
nates the river of the fame name, flowing with a flug-
gilh courfe through the province of Andalufia, and meet¬
ing the Atlantic a little to the north-weft of Xeres ; the
Guadiana, rifing among fome lakes to the north-weft of
Alcaraz in New Caftile, and pafling between the Sierra
Morena and the Sierra de Guadalupe, till, near Bada¬
jos, it enters the kingdom of Portugal, and runs near¬
ly in a foutherly diredlion, till it meets the Atlantic at
Ayamonte ; the Tagus, rifing among the mountains of
Albara^in in New Caftile, and running wefterly till, at
Alcantara, it becomes a river of Portugal 5 the Douro,
rifing in Old Caftile near Soria, and pafling by Valla¬
dolid and Zamora, near which it forms a. part of the
boundary of Portugal ; the Minho, rifing in the moun¬
tains of Gallicia, and running to the fouth-weft, till it
meets the Atlantic to the north of Camina. The only
other river of any importance in this dire£lion is the
Lima, fuppofed to be the Lethe of the poets, which
rifes in Gallicia, and flows into the fea below Yi.ara.
If we except the feries of fmall lakes from which vyeLak&v
have faid the river Guadiana takes its rife, there are, in
Spain, few lakes that merit particular notice. The moft
remarkable of thefe is the lake of Abulfera, in the pr0'
vinee of Valencia. This lake begins near the village.of
Catarroija, about a league fouth of the city of Valencia,
and extends nearly four leagues as far as Cullera, When
lir.T
Spain. Spain, especially on its eaftern coaft, is remarkable for
' the drynels of its foil. Notwithftanding this aridity,
however, moll parts of the kingdom teem with fertility,
and native verdure and high cultivation render the fce-
nery delightful. Here and there, indeed, occurs a trafl
of defert utterly incapable of cultivation 5 but, in gene¬
ral, nature has done much more for the country than
, the labour of its inhabitants.
Soil. The foil is faid to be in general light, and eafily
wrought j but on many parts of the eaifern coaft it is
compofed chiefly of a dift loam or clay. 1 he moll fer¬
tile parts of the kingdom are in Valencia, on the coafl:
of Granada, in the kingdom of Old Caftile, and in fe-
veral parts of thofe of New Catlile and Leon. 1 he ioil
of Catalonia is very difeouraging, except in the valleys,
and the fame may be faid ot all the provinces bordering
on the Pyrennees; the foil of Eftremadura, though na¬
turally good, has been fo long abandoned to itfelt, that
it has almoft ceafed to produce, and that of Andaluna
has a very mixed character. 1 he foil of Murcia is un¬
commonly arid 5 that of the Aftunas cold } that of Gal-
licia extremely wet. In the neighbourhood of Cartha-
gena there is an extenfive traft, which is fo covered
with ftones as to form a defert as fterile and untameable
S as any on the fandy plains of Africa or Arabia.
Mountains. We have faid that Spain is a mountainous country.
The chain of the Pyrenees, common to it. and France,
is by no means the moft confiderable in point either of
elevation or extent ; though that chain may be regard¬
ed as»the common root or origin of all the reft. From
the weftern corner of the Pyrenees a vaft ridge branches
off through Navarre, Bifcay, Afturias, and Gallicia,
terminating only at Cape Finifterre, and Cape.Ortegal.
This ridge is the Cantabrian mountains, and is diftin-
guiihed into feveral fubordinate groups, denominated
from the principal towns fituated in their vicinity.. I hus
we have the mountains of Mondonedo in Gallicia. In
general, thefe groups are called Sierras, from the jag¬
ged or ferrated appearance of their tops •, as the Sierra
de la Aflurias. Sierra d'Avila, &c. The fubordinate
mountains that extend from the Sierra of the Afturias
in the north, to the Alpuxaras in the fouth, run in paral¬
lel lines; and the fame direction prevails in the moun¬
tains of Saint Andero, which join the Pyrenees.
From the mountains of Bifcay arifes a main, ridge,
which, after proceeding a little to the fouth, divides in¬
to three or four branches. Of thefe the moft northerly
chain feparates-the provinces of Old Caftile and New Ca¬
ftile, extending to the confines of Portugal, and called
the mountains of Guadarama. A fecond branch divides
the principal part of New Caftile from the province of
La Mancha, running from the north eaft to the fouth-
weft, as far as Badajos in Eftremadura. The moft re¬
markable part of this chain is the Sierra of Guadalupe.
South of thefe runs the Sierra Morena, or Sable moun¬
tains, rendered claflicai by the inimitable pen of Cer¬
vantes. This-is the laft chain till we reach the Alpux¬
aras, that’extend through the provinces of Granada and
Andalufia.*.
Of thefe mountains there are two points, which, in
elevation, exceed IVIont Perdu, tne higheft of the Py*
tenees, viz, the Pico de Venleta, in the Sierra Nevada,
or fnowy mountains of Granada, which is elevated more
than 1781 fathoms above the level of the ocean, and
\ke peak of Mulahafen, in the fame chain, raifed above
1824 fathoms, which is within 76 fathoms of the peak Spain.
ofTeneriffe.
The principal capes and promontories of the Spanifh Capes^andl
continent are, Cape Creus, Cape St Antoine, oppofite promonto>i
the ifiand of Ivi$a j Cape Palas, near Carthagena •, ries.
Cape de Gatte, near Almeria, and the promontory on
which Hands the town of Gibraltar, all on the coaft of
the Mediterranean ; and Cape Maehieaco, Cape Penas,
Cape Ortegal, the promontory of Ferrol, Cape Fini¬
fterre, and Cape Trafalgar, on the coafts of the Atlan¬
tic. . 8
The principal bays and gulfs on the coaft of Spain, Bays and
purfuing the fame courfe, are the following •, the bay gulfs,
of Valencia, the bay of Alicant, the gulf of Carthagena,
the bay of Almeria, the bay of Gibraltar, the harbour
of Cadiz, the bay of Corunna, commonly called the
Groyne, and the bay of Bifcay. ^
The rivers of Spain are intimately connefted with the Rivgfj,
mountains from which they derive their fource, and be¬
tween the chains of which they generally flow. The
moft important are, the Ebro, riling in the mountains
of Santillana in the Afturias, and running in a fouth-
eaftern dire61ion between the Caftiles and Valencia on
the one hand, and the provinces of Navarre, Aragon,
and Catalonia, on the other, till it reaches the Medi¬
terranean, at a fmall diftance from Tortofa \ the Xacar,
rifing in the Sierra of Cuenca in New Caftile, and flow¬
ing into the Mediterranean confiderably to the fouth-
Avard of Valencia ; the Segura, riling in a mountain of
the fame name, traverfing the province of Murcia, and
meeting the Mediterranean about midway between the
capital of that province and Alicant. Thefe flow into
the Mediterranean, and there are feveral other rivers of
lefs note, which pour their waters into the fame fea, and
which we can merely enumerate. Thefe are the Ter
at Gerona, the Lobregate at Barcelona, and the Mi-
jares, pafling by Segorbe. The rivers which flow into
the Atlantic are, the Guadalquiver, rifing at the foot of
Mount Segura, from the oppofite fide of which origi¬
nates the river of the fame name, flowing with a flug-
gilh courfe through the province of Andalufia, and meet¬
ing the Atlantic a little to the north-weft of Xeres ; the
Guadiana, rifing among fome lakes to the north-weft of
Alcaraz in New Caftile, and pafling between the Sierra
Morena and the Sierra de Guadalupe, till, near Bada¬
jos, it enters the kingdom of Portugal, and runs near¬
ly in a foutherly diredlion, till it meets the Atlantic at
Ayamonte ; the Tagus, rifing among the mountains of
Albara^in in New Caftile, and running wefterly till, at
Alcantara, it becomes a river of Portugal 5 the Douro,
rifing in Old Caftile near Soria, and pafling by Valla¬
dolid and Zamora, near which it forms a. part of the
boundary of Portugal ; the Minho, rifing in the moun¬
tains of Gallicia, and running to the fouth-weft, till it
meets the Atlantic to the north of Camina. The only
other river of any importance in this dire£lion is the
Lima, fuppofed to be the Lethe of the poets, which
rifes in Gallicia, and flows into the fea below Yi.ara.
If we except the feries of fmall lakes from which vyeLak&v
have faid the river Guadiana takes its rife, there are, in
Spain, few lakes that merit particular notice. The moft
remarkable of thefe is the lake of Abulfera, in the pr0'
vinee of Valencia. This lake begins near the village.of
Catarroija, about a league fouth of the city of Valencia,
and extends nearly four leagues as far as Cullera, When
lir.T
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Description | Ten editions of 'Encyclopaedia Britannica', issued from 1768-1903, in 231 volumes. Originally issued in 100 weekly parts (3 volumes) between 1768 and 1771 by publishers: Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell (Edinburgh); editor: William Smellie: engraver: Andrew Bell. Expanded editions in the 19th century featured more volumes and contributions from leading experts in their fields. Managed and published in Edinburgh up to the 9th edition (25 volumes, from 1875-1889); the 10th edition (1902-1903) re-issued the 9th edition, with 11 supplementary volumes. |
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