The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-05-23
THE BALEARIC ISLANDS.
,emarkable Archipelago, but Little
U,own to the Outside World.

U,ovn to the Outside World.
.;oI correspondence of The Journal.
n.,uA ISLAND OF MAJoRCA, April
# is subject of continual regret
f.ng travellers in this part of the
qua That their itinerary cannot in
VA these curious islands, which are
"I visited by any of the steamships
~ ,;,c between Mediterranean ports.
r. y. only regular communication with
1.m is by a line of dirty little trading
,,.ss from Barcelona, whose disreput-
tIo looking crews have too much the
O. =. If pirateS to be chosen as compan-
'.as IN a pleasure excursion. There
ARE we gratefully accepted the invita-
,,,, nj our English friends to prolong
a.. Yachting trip from Sardinia to this
~., Interesting archipelago.
SPAN seems to be purposely keeping
.s.p LIST possessions in the back
,-rfd lest they, too, with the knowl-
...at good and evil should follow the
...oJm example of her other island
M1u l fancy that many well-in-
su.a readers will inquire, "Where
..ir Balearic Islands?' so complete
,faN .ley passed from the memory
.nr " hile almost forgotten by the
..rNMlng countries, they seem to
u,e appeared entirely from the
,.fa- commercial reckoning. Their
.-r. political and industrial condition
-auss precisely the same as two
4m>aad years ago, when corps of
-rtr ekiltul singers accompanied the
r.nu armies. Yet there are few
Mate, IN the globe of greater interest,
h ,eenery. history and inhabitants;
mi role with more delightful climate
reae rich, too, beyond computing, in
u1era. and agricultural possibilities;
md spain does well-from her selfish
oa.rt nt view-in disseminating all
,m.ruication which would tend to
.fjr Enlightenment. The group of half
dozen Islands lies midway between
lie coast of Spain and Africa, directly
aposte the province of Valencia. The
3rgest IS Majorca, and Palma, it's CAPT
nj iud principal port, is a matter of
1Iy eighty miles and a few hours sail
ngtl,m Barcelona. The name Balearic
ass 10 doubt derived from the Greek
gyd oallein, ito throw, on account of
l4 eXpertneSS of the islanders with the |
,ls 70 the use of which they were
nued from infancy. Their singers
slt tamous among the military men
EARLIEST times, and for five hundred |
vars rendered excellent service on
s4v uattlefield of the Romans. When
laulda sailed for the conquest of Eng
3uJ d body of Balearic singers was
mWs the picked warriors. To this
My sling is the first toy of the
BlHrc boy, and he delights in tradi-
-n> III The marvellous deXterity of his |
soldier ancestors who, like the left
-us.a sons of Benjamin, the old-time
E-frn could sling to hairs breadth
a miss" The island boy is
a this way: His dinner is put in
ntrrli vase of pottery and suspended |
FIJI. re branch of a tree, and he must |
t.a.s ,ue vase with a stone from his |
size uctore he can dine. AS he grows I
0l l more expert, a cord is substitute
dt.. Tue vase, as a mark. His food is
fed in a cloth and hung high as Ha- |
Gr aud his dinner-hour depends upon |
ua SOON he can sever the string with a |
9Nr AS among the Indians of the |
5at8n Andes, who are continually |
@alg with stones, all the murders |
an.Dtt ted in the island are done by !
- If the sling. 1t is cheap amuni- |
.u and man who is Whacked ON the |
temple with a stone, SHE'D with uner-
r1g am by some hidden enemy, cannot |
l-ll back, but drops without an out
el Every Belearic shepherd and
lHdsnan carries his sling in his cir
Die 10Th for offence and defence. He
dl ling pebble so softly as merely to
tick the ear of straying lamb, or hurl
a iock with such force as to brain a
Ntler or prowling animal.
Tie principal islands of the archi-
%ogo are Majorca the largest, as its
lame lndicates); Minorca, the smallest;
'eza and Formentora; and besides
urFe are Cabrera, or goat island" Con-
+n or rabbit island" and several
gners, Their combined area is about
''. thousand square miles, and their
Gsent population nearly three hun
died tIousand. Their authentic history
.oeS lack several centuries before
thirst. Owing to their central position
BETWEEN Europe and Africa they were
lI ages favorite bone of contention,
excessively gnawed by Phoenicians,
VaTtlagenians, Greeks, Romans, Van
4as- Arabs: and from the last they
8af taken by Don Jamie l. in the year
'-f Then followed a short period of
dependence, during which the island
els distinguished themselves as the
worst of Mediterranean pirates. Final
y Don JAMES undeveloped kingdom