CHAP. VIII.-THE KINGDOM OF NAVARRE.

THE kingdom of Navarre had in ancient times its own kings, who also held sway over considerable lands on the other side of the Pyrenees. In 1512 Ferdinand the Catholic conquered the Spanish part of Navarre, which was thereafter called Upper Navarre to distinguish it from the French part called Lower Navarre. But it was neither united to Arragon nor to Castile, and has therefore always been considered as a different kingdom. It lies close to the foot of the Pyrenees, from which the Sierra de Andia, the Bardenna del Rey, and the Higa de Monreal run into this country. The principal river is the Ebro which receives several tributary streams. The Bidassoa rises here and runs north into Guipuscoa. The climate is temperate and healthy; frequent rains refresh the air and preserve a beautiful verdure on the meadows and pastures during the whole year. Corn is extensively raised, and the wines are considered as being among the best in Spain. Oil is produced in the neighbourhood of Tudela and Tafalla, and also flax and hemp which are particularly good. The forests furnish timber and chesnuts. The rearing of cattle is considerable. The rivers have abundance of fish, and game is plentiful in the mountains, which are also inhabited by a particular kind of wild cat, standing 15 inches in height, and 30 inches long, which is very fierce and very destructive to the flocks. The commerce is animated; particularly that of transit and smuggling with France. Three roads lead across the Pyrenees in this province: viz. 1st. A very difficult road through the valley of Baztan, by Maya, to Bayonne, 2d. The Rolands road by the valley of Roncesvalles to Jean Pied de Port; and 3d. One by the valley of Aezcoa to Larun. The inhabitants are Basques and speak the Baskish language; they are a bold, vigorous race of men; distinguished by industry, skill, and spirited manners, but violent and quarrelsome in the extreme. In language, manners, and character they bear a strong likeness to the inhabitants of the Baskish provinces; but the early loss of their independence has effaced several of the national features of the ancient Cantabrians. There are 9 cividades, 159 towns, 630 villages, 763 parishes, 49 monasteries, 26 nunneries, and 14 establishments of charity in Navarre.

Chief Towns.] Pampeluna on the Agra is the chief town. Its population is 14,000.-Estella on the Ega in a fertile country, has 4,600 inhabitants, and some manufactures. The valley of Roncesvalles, between the Pyrenees and one of their branches, the Montes de los Alduides, is celebrated as having been the scene of the battle in which Roland and twelve peers of France fell.

CHAP. IX.-THE BASKISH PROVINCES AND COLONIES.

THE three provinces of Biscay, Guipuscoa, and Alava, on the northern coast of Spain, which formed the ancient Cantabria are now called the Baskish provinces. The population amounts to 310,758. The inhabitants speak a peculiar language, and differ in customs and manners from those of the rest of Spain. United since the 13th and 14th centuries to the crown of Castile, they nevertheless preserved their peculiar laws and provincial representation till within a very recent period. By

the ancient constitution, no bishop could establish his metropolitan seat in these provinces, and no taxes could be imposed upon the inhabitants. With these prerogatives, and the enjoyment of a country peculiarly favoured by nature, the inhabitants here became the most active, industrious, and wealthy in Spain; but a royal ordonnance of the 25th May 1805, deprived them of most of their ancient privileges.

The Province of Biscay or Vizcaya.] The surface of Biscay is everywhere surrounded with high mountains; the Cantabrian chain spreads in several branches over it, of which the pyramidal Serrantes are the most remarkable. The scenery is wild but not unpleasant; the soil is stony but fertile in the open valleys. Numerous streams rush down from the mountains into the Bay of Biscay, which indents the land with several small basins, and breaks its impetuous waves against different promontories, among which those of Machichaco and Ogonno are the principal. The chief river is the Bilbao or Ybaichalval which is formed by several small ones, and is navigable to Bilboa; another coast-river is the Cadagun. There are some small mountain-lakes and mineral springs. The climate is temperate; the air pure, healthy, and bracing. Agriculture is well-managed, although no animals can be used in the plough. Every thing is done by the hands of men, who even carry the manure up the steep rocks on their backs, and thus create a fertile soil in However, the corn places otherwise only accessible to the chamois. grown is not sufficient for the consumption; fishing is a principal branch of industry; sea-fish, oysters and mussels are sent from the coasts of Biscay through the whole country. This province produces the best iron in Spain, and in so great quantity that Antillon estimates the annual Wool is an imporproduce of the mine of Samorrostra at 800,000 cwt. tant article of commerce. The ancient language of Cantabria is nowhere spoken with greater purity than in Ordunna and Bilboa, but the only known compositions in the language are some hymns and psalms sung by the pilgrims of St Jago. The Biscayan is clever, but vain to a proverb of his personal graces. Wealth is very generally diffused here; but there are no rich convents, and the clergy live in a state of great poverty almost bordering upon mendicity. The abbot of Zenaruzza, the richest There are abbey in the whole province, has only 1500 florins a year.

1 cividade, and 20 villas in this province. The inhabitants chiefly live in isolated houses. There are 165 parishes, 32 monasteries, 19 nunneries, and 14 establishments of charity.

Chief Towns.] Ordunna, with 4,000 inhabitants, is the chief town. Bilboa, a town in a narrow valley, on the river of the same name, with 15,000 inhabitants, is one of the most important and animated places of commerce in the north of Spain. There are above 200 commercial houses here, among which the British and Bohemian merchants transact a great deal of business. The principal articles of exportation are wool, of which 50,000 or 60,000 bags are annually exported, iron, chesnuts, and timber; about 160,000 tons of stock-fish and 6,000 tons of fish-oil are also yearly sent from here into the interior of the kingdom. This town, Small vessels however, has nothing deserving the name of a harbour. the river; others remain at Portugalete, or Olavijaja, and their cargoes are brought to Bilboa in lighters. Durango with 2,800 inhabitants is famous for a manufactory of sword blades.

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2d. The Province of Guipuscoa.] The scenery of this small province is very picturesque and romantic. High mountains, partly barren, and

partly covered with ever-green forests, run out from the Pyrenees, and spread over the whole country. The Cantabrian ridge, to which belong the elevated Jaitzquibel, and the Alzanja, over which the great high road of the Romans was conducted, takes its rise in this province. The Cabo de Higuera and the Cabo San Antonio belong to this coast, besides numerous small bays which form excellent harbours; but none of the rivers are navigable, and all have a very short course. The soil is rocky; the climate is very mild and healthy, and there is no want of rain, which preserves the fresh verdure of the fields. Thunder-storms frequently occur in December and January. Among the Guipuscoans it is not rare to find men of 90 and 100 years of age. Fishing is the chief occupation of the inhabitants of the coast; they supply Alava, Navarre, and a part of Castile and Arragon, with sea-fish. The principal inland industry is confined to the working of iron. The inhabitants have nothing of the gloomy and repulsive gravity of the Castilians; notwithstanding the roughness and simplicity of their manners, honesty, benevolence, gallantry, and industry, are prominent features of their character. They are fond of games which require bodily strength and exertion, in which even their women join them. They are passionately fond of dancing, particularly of their national dance the Zorcico; but their principal amusement is a kind of bull-fight, called Novillos. There are 2 cividades, 65 villas, 17 villages, 120 parishes, 13 monasteries, 26 nunneries, and 14 establishments of charity in Guiposcoa.

Chief Towns.] Tolosa, with 4,200 inhabitants, is stated to be the capital. St Sebastian is a sea-port town containing 12,000 inhabitants, with a good trade and a well-frequented harbour. It is situated at the foot of a mountain which rises in the form of a sugar-loaf. A castle is built upon this lofty height, which, from the steepness of the ascent is almost impregnable and inaccessible. The town is also very strongly fortified, and the harbour is secured by two moles. The houses are neat, the churches handsome, and the environs pleasant. The trade is so great, and the city so populous in proportion to its extent, that several families are obliged to dwell in the same house. The trade consists chiefly in iron and steel said to be the best in Europe. This place is extremely important in a military and political point of view, as it is in a great measure the key of Spain on the western side of the Pyrenees; and, on account of its strength and importance, is esteemed the Gibraltar of the north of Spain. It was taken on the 1st of August 1794 by the French. It was again seized by Napoleon, and was retaken, after a long siege and gallant defence, by the allies under lord Lynedoch.-Fuente Rabbia, with 1,700 inhabitants, is a small fortress on the Bidassoa, close to the French boundaries. A ferry here crosses the Bidassoa, and, according to treaty, the river being neutral, Spain draws the ferry-duty from the travellers coming from France, and France from those coming from Spain.-At Mondragon, a town of 2,400 inhabitants, the rich iron-mines above mentioned are situated. Salinas, on the Deva, has a salt-work which produces 20,000 cwt. a year.-La Isla de los Faisanes, is an island in the Bidassoa, celebrated in history for the peace of the Pyrenees, which was concluded here in 1659.

3d. The Province of Alava.] The surface of Alava is everywhere covered with high mountains running out from the Pyrenees; the Cantabrian ridge forms the boundaries between this province, Biscay, and Guipuscoa; in the E. rise the Aras Montanna; in the S. W. the Sierra de

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Tolanno; and in the W. the Montes de Aracena, the Sierra Arcanio, and the Montes de Guibijo, almost all covered with forests. The climate is serene and healthy, but much warmer than in the N. of Cantabria, as there is no sea-breeze here to cool the burning heat of the sun. ing of cattle is more extensive than in the two other provinces. forests are considerable, and of importance to the Spanish navy. habitants are wealthy, and begging is not tolerated. There are 1 cividade, 91 towns, 340 villages, 435 parishes, 7 monasteries, 11 nunneries, and 17 establishments of charity in Alava.

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Chief Towns.] Vittoria, the capital, is a handsome city, situated at the end of a beautiful plain, irrigated by the Zadorra. It does not contain above 4,000 inhabitants. It was frequently taken and retaken during the late war and will be ever memorable in the annals of history for a most complete and decisive victory obtained over a French army of 70,000 men, commanded by marshal Jourdan and Joseph Buonaparte, by the allied army commanded by the duke of Wellington. The enemy's loss amounted, by all the private accounts from Spain, to 25,000 men. Vittoria is 180 British miles, horizontal distance, from Madrid.-Bannos de Ebro on the Ebro, contains a bath and mineral springs.-El Ciego on the Ebro, is a town of 1,200 inhabitants.

COLONIES.] Spain at the beginning of this century possessed the following colonies.

IN NORTH AMERICA.

1st. MEXICO or NEW SPAIN, the most important of all its colonies, now independent.

2d. GUAMALATI, now independent.

3d. THE ISLAND OF CUBA, containing the important city and harbour of the Havannah, which still belongs to Spain.

4th. PUERTO RICO, consisting of the island of Puerto Rico, and several smaller islands, which yet belong to Spain.

IN SOUTH AMERICA.

1st. NEW GRANADA, now the independent state of Columbia.

2d. THE CARACCAS.

3d. PERU, now independent.

4th. CHILI, now independent.

5th. RIO DE LA PLATA, now independent.

IN AFRICA.

1st. The CANARY ISLANDS in the Atlantic, which still belong to Spain. 2d. The PRESIDIAS, a name given to the islands of Ceuta, Metilla, Pennon, and Albucemas, the remains of the Spanish possessions on the coast of Barbary.

3d. The ISLANDS of ANNABOA and FERNANDO Po, which were ceded in 1778 by Portugal, but never taken possession of by Spain.

IN ASIA.

1st. The PHILLIPPINES, a group of islands between the Pacific and the Chinese Sea, said to be inhabited by 3,000,000 inhabitants, of whom two-thirds acknowledge Spanish authority.

2d. The CAROLINES, an archipelago in the Pacific.

3d. The MARIANES or LADRONES, an archipelago in the Pacific.

Authorities.] Townshend's Journey through Spain in 1786-7. Lond. 1791. 3 vols. 8vo.-Swinburne's Picturesque Tour through Spain. Lond.

1806, fol.-Elementos de la Geografia de Espanna y Portugal por D. Isidoro de Antillon. Madrid, 1808, 8vo.-P. C. Rehfue's l'Espagne, in 1808. Par. 2 vols.-Geografica hist. moderna descr. de las Prov. de Espanna por D. Lopez. Madr. 2 vols. fol.-Blayney's Narrative. Lond. 1811, 4to.Carr's Descriptive Travels in Spain. Lond. 1814. 2 vols. 4to.-Broughton's Letters. Lond. 1815. 8vo.-Quin's Visit to Spain in 1822-3. Lond. 8vo. Diccionario Geografico-Estadistico de Espana y Portugal. This great work was begun by the Spanish Academy of History, and has been recently completed by Dr Minano, in 10 vols. 4to.-Carte d'Espagne et de Portugal, d'après Montelle et Chanlaire en 9 feuilles. Paris, 1799— 1807. Mapa general de Espanna por Lopez. Madrid, 4 feuilles.—Antillon's Map, though on a small scale, is very accurate.-Semple's Tour in Spain, 8vo. 1813.-Laborde's View of Spain. Lond. 1809, 5 vols.Bourgoigne's Travels in Spain. 4 vols. 8vo. 1823.