24 A Journey in Spain [Jan. 



The Sierra Morena form a chain of round topped moun- 

 tains, appearing naked and barren when seen from afar, 

 but in reality covered with a diminutive forest of strawberry 

 trees, (Arbutus Unedo) pistachio, and different species 

 of cisti. 



Near Cordova, at the foot of the chain, the waterworm 

 stone formation is observed, where it covers a shell lime- 

 stone containing fossils identical with those of Corsica. 



The whole of the low plain of Andalusia appears to con- 

 sist of a formation analogous with that of Castile ; but as 

 the characters of the formation are different in a mineralo- 

 gical point of view, the sea in which it was deposited, 

 must have been separated by the promontory of the Sierra 

 Morena. The central part of Estramadura is covered 

 with a rich herbage, which affords abundant pasturage to 

 the Merino sheep. 



At Badajoz, a small chain of tertiary hills crosses the 

 Guadiana ; and dislocated shell-limestone passing to dolo- 

 mite, is in intimate connection with the infiltrations of 

 crystalline rocks, of diallage and hypersthene. The latter 

 are also met with at Almeyda Cazallase. The tertiary 

 sand extends parallel to the frontiers of Portugal, while 

 the chain of Alburquerque consists of slate and quartz, 

 affording a curious succession toward Caceres, from gra- 

 nite to slate, and transition greywacke. The slate and 

 grey wacke are cohered with beautiful forests of green oaks 

 and cork trees, but the granite is destitute of vegetation. 

 The chain of Montanches consists of granite. The Sierra 

 d'Orellana, a transition ridge contains hematite near Oxel- 

 lanita. To Llerena, the rocks are slate and greywacke, 

 but here, limestone occurs with beds of galena, car- 

 bonates of copper, &c, and extends along the Rio Biar. 

 Near Fuente del Arco a small bason of coal occurs, with 

 nearly horizontal beds. The sides of the hills here are 

 covered with beautiful olive plantations, and the soil 

 though little cultivated, is of the richest and most pro- 

 mising nature. 



In the beginning of the seventeenth century, the silver 

 mines of Guadalcanal near Llerena, were worked by two 

 Germans, brothers, of the name of Fuggars, who amassed 

 great wealth, and gave origin to the proverb still current in 



