The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-08-09
prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. D. CD


Society. Washington. D. CD
"HE Balearic islands, in the
Mediterranean off the coast of
Spain, are off the beaten path
today, but once when that in
land sea was the center Of world
culture these isles throbbed with life
and activity.
There are five main islands in this
Spanish group, and several islets.
They are ruled as a military district,
but the mother country has been wise
enough to recruit the soldiers needed
for discipline from among the island
ers themselves, thus insuring SYM
pathetic rule.
Majorca is the main island. 1t is
delightful spot, not very well known
even to Spaniards and almost wholly
missed by the stream of outside tour
lists that courses through other parts
of the Mediterranean. The island is
almost square, about forty miles along
each side, and lies as though hang
ing by a cord from the eastern end
of the Pyrenees by one corner. Thus
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 in winter.
But even in the summer their tops are
cleaning white, for they are of mar
BILE and the crests of many are devoid
of vegetation. The lesser peaks and
shoulders are clad in a mantle of
dark green pines while lower are
groves of lick and Towering shrubs.
On the gentler slopes of this northern
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 picture of Incompatible
loneliness.
1t 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
hand 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. Among the trees gar
dens are cultivated and grass is grown
for paSturage. The hills that rim the
plain have been terraced for centur-
les and on them rise tier after tier of
grape vines and olive trees.
Palma Has an Ancient Site.
Palma, the capital of Majorca, lies
in 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; but
there is little evidence now of anything
but Spanish influence. Scattered
about the city are numerous interest
ing old palaces Of the leading island
families-one at least for almost every
street. The population is about equal
to that of Mobile, Ala, or Portland,
Maine.
Majorca, like the Spanish MAIN
land, was overrun by the Moors. For
500 years they held the island with
Palma (then Mallorca) a f1ourishing
Moorish city. 1t was a thorn in the
side of the Spanish Christian king
doms, however, for the Ma orcan Moors
became piratical in the Twelfth GEN.
fury and no Christian ship was safe.
King Jayne l of Aragon organized a
strong expedition which sailed from
near Barcelona in 1929, and, after a
siege, captured Palma. Soon the
whole island was subdued and divided
among Jayme's knights and soldiers.
1t has remained Spanish ever since
and there is no trace of Moorish
blood among its inhabitants.
The Spanish Majorcans followed in
the footsteps of their Moorish prede-
cessOfs in so far az developing nau-
teal ability was concerned. As trad
ers they riyaIed the Genoese for a
time and once dominated the entire
western Mediterranean, controlling
Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, 1iaIta and
the BalearicS Palma had a great
dockyard for galleys- In the middle
Of the Fourteenth century more than
10000 sailors and 400 vessels were
in the Majorcan service. The Major
can navy constituted one of Christen-
dom's chief bulwarks against the raw
ages of the Barbary pirates.
Minorca Looks Very English.
During their prime as merchant
shippers, the Majorcans were famous
as the leading geographers OF Eu-
rope. They invented crude but effec-
tive instruments of navigation and
drew the most reliable charts then
known.