The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-06-03
Street Scene in Palma, Majorca Island.

the field, and there she refuses to go.
Quite as remarkable, the alpargata,
the rope-soled canvas sandal of Spain
and the rest of the Balearics, is prac-
tically extinct here. Whether it is
that Minorca, producing large pro-
portion of the fine shoes sold IN Spain,
excludes this humble footwear from
feeling of local pride. or whatever the
reason, the fact remains that Minorca
wears shoes.
Minorca Spruns Alpargatas.
The Balearics are rich in relics,
from the days of the prehistoric inhab-
itants of the Mediterranean countries
on down to modern times. Castles,
churches, palaces, forts, and watch
towers are seen so frequently that
they become almost matters Of course.
In Minorca there are still standing
more than 200 of the talayOts, taula5
and naus-stone structures generally
supposed to have been used in connec-
ton with prehistoric religious cere-
monials and the burial of the dead
and the cliffs and mountains are liter
ally honeycombed with caves.
Within twenty minutes walk of Ma
hon there is a fairly well-preserved
talayot, a truncated cone Of huge
stones, probably 40 feet in diameter
and % feet in height, with a large
taula near by. Surrounding the tai
ayot, and marking another age in
Minorcan history, are the walls of a
fort built probably of the stones Of
the talayot.
The surrounding fields are strewn
with fragments Of pottery from pre-
historic times on down through the
Phoenician, Grecian, Roman and Ara
bic occupations, and the high stone
walls over which one scrambles to
reach the charmed hilltop are capped
with other fragments laboriouSly
picked from the fields by the island
farmers.
The deepest thrill for the visitor to
Minorca is to be found in it's pre-
historic caves. A talayot, taula, or
nau is an awe-inspiring sight when
one realizes what it stands for, but it
has not the instantaneous effect on
the imagination made by one of those
cave homes Of no one knows how many
years ago.
The Cove Caves.
The Calais Covas, or Cove Caves,
comprise a group in one Of the many
coves that indent the Minorcan shore.
and certainly better location from
dramatic standpoint could not have
been selected by the cavemen. The
cove is wild. winding cash in the
shore, descending sharply from the in
terror tableland to the sea.
The approach to the caves is along
a narrow path hedged by a matted
scrub growth and by fragments Of the
cove walls, which during the ages
have become dislodged and have
crashed to the valley. At the water
level these walls are high. jagged,
and precipitous; the sea beats and
snaps at them and the place itself
compels awe. Wild deeds are plainly
indicated. Add, then, to all this the
effect of some forty black apertures
extending from the water line to the
tops of the cliffs-all made by man
when the human forehead was lower
and human life more precarious than
it is now.
It is a meager Imagination. indeed.
that does not Immediately people the
cove with small, active men. wide be-
tween the cheekbones and as agile as
monkeys. We can conjure up the pic
ture and see them leaping among the
crags to their eerie homes, chatter
ing and pickering and certainly ready
to make it most unpleasant for for
eign invaders such as ourselves.
Palma Bids for Tourists.
The peaks of Majorca are plainly
visible across the channel. and when
one sails for Alcudia in toy steamer.
there are often among his travelling
companions cows. ponies, crates Of
chickens, and sheep, all protesting
loudly against the voyage. which is
far from tranquil. In the emission OF
horrendous groans a seasick sheep has
no competitor.
Palma, the principal city OF Ma
jorca, is snugly situated at the central
point of a magnificent horseshoe bay.
Like all other waters Of these remark
able islands, the Bay Of Palma could
supply half the colors Of an artists
palette. The left-hand prong OF the
horseshoe shore, as one steams toward
the city. was the scene Of the first
fighting between Don jaime /. the Con-
oueror, and the defending Moors In
1929 A. D.. and it is on this prong that
Palma's fashionable tourist section
has sprung up. with stately Deliver
castle. built by Jaime ii. overlooking II
from the top of handsome wooded
hill.
Palma itself is country village
of 100000 people and of considerable
commercial Importance. Some years
ago II awakened to the realization
that It had natural endowments In the
form Of great scenic beauty. perfect
climate, and historic interest that as
sured ii a place in the sun II properly
exploited. 1t heard the clink OF gold
in the tourists pocket and. rubbing
the sleep from its eyes stepped forth
to attract travellers. Handsome hotels
have sprung up; public service is fur
nished; roads are being improved
automobile registrations are well up
in the thousands; there are movies.
theaters and concerts. and Palma r.
even taking Of q golf course.