The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-12

NAHAt shAtkt anu seat III government i liz
construction of from % to 100 miles of
post road is an immediate necessity, and
an extensive fast diligence service must
be established. A railway is ultimately
contemplated from Goix or some other
convenient point now reached by rail, 10
the village of Andorre, distance of prob
ably forty miles.
Perhaps nothing will serve better than
this very matter of travel and transporta-
ton to illustrate the present condition of
this little state which Is about to undergo
a revolution such Is the inhabitants can
not even conceive, so great IS their ignor-
ance of the world. The place is approached
by road from Folk, where the railway
ends, as far as Hospitalet, one of the most
miserable villages in the world, and the
last point on the French frontier Thence
all travel is on foot or else on the mule
back. There is no road, nothing that a
wheeled vehicle could move on, Just q
mere mountain path, passing over lodges,
sinking into valleys, and winding around
slopes and precipices, never aHording space
for two travellers TO ride abreast. The
Journey cannot be performed in less than
two days without hardship. Hospitalet is
a miserable place to break it. There is
practically no accommodation. On the
other hand Camille, the first place of any
size In Andorre, Is more than half way,
and the road to it is long and wearisome.
On leaving Hospitalet one rides Up q
Wild gorge to the French customs station
on the border, then the path winds up the
side of mountain by steep and strong
track. The mountain sides have not 3
tree or shrub TO break their desolation.
About two hours and a half good riding
lands the traveller at Pourtailles, another
wretched village. There are no forests yet,
but plenty of pasturage in the valleys.
The whole elevation of the country is from
5000 to 5000 feet above the sea leYel, or
higher than any mountains in New York
state, while the peaks often reach S,0oO
feet. As you ride along you have splen-
did view of Mount Rialp, often snow clad,
and presently you reach Camille. village
of 500 inhabitants, where very indifferent
sleeping arrangements may be made for
night. The second days ride is through 8
more genial country, and leads through
escaldas to Andorre.
So narrow and difficult is the access 10
the valleys of Andorre, that it would give
the military power of France no small
trouble to effect their conquest. The terri
tory is self-sustaining. and every man
among its 1000 inhabitants is brave and
hardy mountaineer and practiced sharp
shooter. They all have guns. too, though
some of them are chiefly valuable as an
tiquities. Napoleon the First probably re-
cognized the strength of the little republic,
in 1905, confirming all the liberties con-
veyed in Charlemagne's charter of 77S.
The state, like Monaco, owes 4 feudal
allegiance to the government of France,
which is shared, however, by the Bishop
of Urgel in France. The sovereignty of
the two powers is joint and equal in every
way, and in the Casino matter the bishop,
who is one of the poorest prelates in exist
ence, is relied upon to uphold the gam
blers against the influence of France. 1t
will be worth his while to do this tor the
sake of the enormous income he will de-
rive from his share of the profits, for he IS
counted very much in the deal. All he
gets from his sovereignty at present IS
some $50 francs year, while the tribute 10
France is about $50 francs.
The territory of Andorre is about 160
square miles and cannot therefore be
much over twelve miles in length and
breadth. 1t is rather on the French side
of the Pyrenees, and at short distances
from it in all directions are such famous
resorts as Bigorre, Luchon, AK and Per-
pignan. 1t is strange it has been so little
invaded by tourists or spectators; but as
a matter of fact it remains almost un-
known to the rest of the world and itself
ignorant of the world to an incredible de-
gree. The people are of the same race as
the Galatians, and their language is of the
same family; it is so peculiar. however,
as to be regarded rather as distinct Ian
guage than a dialect. The principal
wealth of the country is in goats,
sheep and cattle, which find good pas
ture on the mountain sides. There is
sufficient agriculture for the needs of the
population. The mountains are rich in
iron ore, and for a few years the people
have been working il IN primitive way
with little FORCES located out in the wilds.
The product is carried on muleback to ST.
Ts1lf 1s Il
cept little coarse wooden cloth is the only
export of the republics
The ignorance of the population is dense.
Not over hundred persons can read, and
not so many can speak French. There is
no book in the Andorran language, and
those who can read do so as rule In Cata-
lonian. The men wear homespun knee
breeches and the short Andalusian jacket,
showing the shirt between its edge and the
trousers belt They ordinarily wear the
Catalonian bonnet, headdress identical
with what is generally called Liberty
cap" The women dress in homespun.
too. They are kindly treated. but rather
as interiors to the men. They never sit
down to eat with their lords and masters,
transactions of life.
The government is kind of landed aris-
tocracy. The legislative function is vested
in a council of Neutrality-suspicious. from
each of the six parishes into which the
state is divided. These elect first and
second syndic, who are the executive
officers. l send you picture of Don Gil
Areny, the present first syndic, as he APP
pears in his official costume. 1t is the
same that his predecessors have worn for
couple of centuries, so slow is the change
of this place. The long coat, the knee
breeches and the wonderful hat are black.
and the syndic's waist is girt with a Grim
son scarf.
When the council assemblies, as it does
about three times year, at Andorre, the
delegation from each parish brings a key
with it, and with these the six massive
locks on the old chest in the Casa del Walls,
or Capitol, are unfastened so that access
may be had 10 the ancient charters and the
old books of laws and traditions which