The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-06-03
ISLAND PARADISE
IN MEDITERRANEAN
SPANS Beauty Spot Not
Wen Known to Tourists.

@~0-~C--A(&r A12
villages.
"Majorca is an island paradise not
very well known even to Spaniards,
and almost wholly missed by the
stream Of outside tourists that courses
through other parts Of the Mediter-
ranean, Italy, and to a less extent
through the Spanish mainland" says
a bulletin from the Washington head
quarters Of the National Geographic
society. "But the beauties and de-
lights Of the island are beloved of its
own people who have an intense local
patriotism.
Cleaning Marble Peaks.
"The island is almost square, about
forty miles along each side, and lies
as though hanging by a cord from the
eastern end Of the Pyrenees by one
corner. Thus a corner points in each
of the cardinal directions. while the
sides are exposed to the northeast, the
northwest, the southwest and the
southeast.
"AlOng the northwest side which
faces Spain is a high mountain range
whose Hottest peaks, nearly a mile
high, bear patches of snow Ia winter.
But even in the summer their tops
are cleaning white, for they are of
marble and the crests Of many are
devoid Of vegetation. The lesser peaks
and shoulders are clad In q mantle
Of dark green pines, while lower are
! greTes OF Hex and towering shrubs.
On the gentler slopes of this north
ern coast and In its valleys, man has
placed vineyards and orange and olive
groves. The whole panorama. sweep
ing from the blue sea through vary
ing green's to the shining-white peaks,
makes q picture Of incompatible love
hness.
LowIands q Vast Orchard.
8 at is south Of the mountains that
MajOrca's garden spot is found, and
the fertile plain that sweeps OF from
the foot Of the range to the hills that
rim the southeastern side Of the is
land is called just that, the Huerta.'
This level region supports many thou
sands Of acres of almond and apricot
trees, and In the spring is a vast sea
Of blossoms.
"Palma. the capital of MajOrcs. lies
In a broad bay that indents the south.
western side of the island just south
of the high mountains. A city has
existed there probably since the days
Of Carthage, when ~colonists from that
African empire occupied MajOrca; bu'
there is little evidence now Of any
thing but Spanish influence. Scat
tered about the city are numerous
interesting old palaces Of the leading
island families-One at least for al
most every street. The population 4
about equal to that Of Mobile, Ala.
or Portland.
"MajOrca, like the Spanish main
land, was Overrun by the MOors. Flo
500 years they held the island witt
Palma (then Mallorca) a iourishinI
Moorish city. 1t was a thorn in tn
side Of the Spanish Christian king
dom, however, for the MajOrca.
MOOrs became piratical in the Twelft
century, and no Christian ship wa
safe. King Jayne 1 Of AragOn Of
ganized a strong expedition whicI
sailed from near Barcelona in 122S
and after a siege, captured Palm'
Soon the whole island was subdue
and divided among Jayme's knight
and soldiers.
"The Spanish MajOrcans follOwe
: in the footsteps Of their MoOris
\ predecessors in SO far as develOpin
nautical ability was concerned. A
/. traders, they rivaled the GenOese fl
a time. and once dominated the Yves
4 ern Mediterranean, controlling Sicil
Sardinia, Corsica, Malta and the b
learics. Palma had a great dockyal
N for galleys. In the middle of Il
Fourteenth century more than 3O,OC
, sailors and 400 vessels were in Il
Majorcan service. The MajOrcan MAJ
n constituted one Of ChristendOn
chief bulwark's against the ravages
the Barbary pirates.
Europe's Leading Biographies.
During their prime as mercha
shippers, the MajOrcans were famO
40 thN ACNAAA6 6CDAAdRuGAo UL MuEOk
They invented crude but effective /
struments Of navigation, and drew L
most reliable charts then known. o
Of the most valuable old maps IN z
istence Is In a museum In Palm
Drawn by a Majorcan in 1889, Il "
once owned by AmerigO Vespucch
is a remarkably accurate depletion
the Mediterranean the Atlantic Coz
n Of Europe and Great Britain as I
or north as Jutlands and the Near-Ea
a. Including the Persian Gulf n I
Ia: Red Sea.
" "One Of the interesting sights
an Palma Is the old exchange bufldil
&c near the harbOr, where great 10
e. camille afalrs were conducted In
%. old days, as they were IN the
ID changes OF Venice and Genoa. q
". passage Of the galley and the SAIL
az vessel as fhe chief burden bearers
~ the worlds sea-bOrne commerce. s
fho nhfR2fmw ~ the mor91 troao ~s-