The Coolidge examiner., 1932-06-03
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Street Scene in Palma, Majorca Island.
prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington, d. C.)
fNNIT Service
FTER more than four cen

CWNU service.)
A FTER more than four cen
~ turies of government by Eu-
n ropean nations, the Balearic
islands, now Spanish-owned, are
seeking autonomy under the pro-
visions of the new Spanish cOnsti-
tuition.
1t is doubtful if there is in the
worlds geographic photograph al
bum a family group whose members
show as little family resemblance as
do those Of the Balearics. MajOrca,
the big sister, so well known to the
world, sits in the center, full-grown
and radiantly beautiful. Minorea,
slight and delicate, yet with a grace
that suggests a certain knowledge
of the world, sits at her side.
While Majorca is manifestly a
daughter of Spain. MinOrca's fea-
lures and person partake of the
north-a strange mixture of Eng
lish and possibly a little Dutch with
the Spanish.
On the big sisters other hand,
Iviza a charming peasant in bright
apron, skirt and shawl, hung with
barbaric jewelry, piques the inter
est of the genealogist, for in her a
different strain, probably Arabic,
seems to predominant. She gazes
out of the picture with level, quiet
eyes that are a bit mysterious and
discOncerting. Her face is unsmiling,
even slightly smudgy, but still pc
culiarly attractive. At her feet is
Formentera island, one Of the two
babies, almost Iviza's counterpart
in face and dress.
1t. seems unkind to draw attention
to Cabrera, the other baby, crouched
at MajOrca's feet, for she is a
spare, pathetic little figure, NAL
treated since birth. In her plain
| face are to be read the signs of mis-
cry.
Such are the sister islands, and
their description fits their people.
The islanders are the pleasantest of
folk to visit-simple-hearted, even
tempered, sober-minded, honest, and
kindly.
The welcome accorded the trav-
eler in the Balearics differs accord
ing to island. Majorca greets the
stranger with easy familiarity, for
she has known many tourists in the
last few years; Minorca with quiet
grace; and Iviza shyly; but the
warmth of welcome is never in
doubt. Ask a passer-by to indicate
the direction to a store or hotel;
you will be escorted to the door and
bowed in, and generally you must
not offer anything more material
than thanks in return.
Mahon Has Fine Harbor.
One of the outstanding features
of the Balearic group is the abun-
dance and excellence of its harbors.
Mahon, the principal city of Minor
ca, is an example. Ones ship picks
its way down a water lane, through
pink and gray shores capped with
rolling green, into what the Spanish
government plans to make one of
the finest harbors in the Mediter-
ranean.
Ever since Mago, the brother of
I Ton-;ho1 n fhiS harhnr
| (Which still bears his name, POrtus
Magonis, now corrupted to MahOn),
| it has been famed as refuge for
ships, and its usefulness will be
greatly increased when the Island
of the Rats, small knob of rock
in the center of the basin, is re-
moved.
The islanders tell proudly how in
! 179S Lord Nelson, during the war
with France, came into Mahon with
his squadron, seized the mansion
that overlooked the port where his
ships rode, and installed the lovely
Lady Hamilton. But the towns his
torians smile rather sadly and ad-
nit that, while history is replete
with incidents of Nelson's visit, it
does not bear out the story of Lady
Hamilton.
Mahon sparkles, as does the
whole island. 1t is maze of spot
less up-and-down-hill streets of
shining dolls houses. From the
steamers deck the town, terrace
upon terrace Of white houses, with
the spires of churches dominat-
ing the mass, appears pure Span
ish: but that is just Mahon's little
Joke on the visitor, for many Of
the houses show English features
peering from under their Spanish
sombrerOs.
This mixture of the English and
Spanish gives Mahon character of
its own, which is shared by its peo-
pie. 1t is the women who refuse
to conform. In continental Spain
and in the other islands they take
their places in the fields with the