1835.] Estramadura and the North of Andalusia. 343 



south-west course, but to the north, the limit, although not 

 so definite, maybe said to be included between Llerena and 

 Guadalcanal. In fact, the inhabitants of Estramadura, and 

 of Andalusia, differ in their definition of this ridge, because, 

 the mountains being about 1600 metres (5249 feet) above 

 the level of the sea, the former, in order to reach their 

 summit, have a less ascent, by above 500 metres, (or 1700 

 feet) than the latter. This chain appears to be formed of 

 several groups, which may have been at first separated, 

 but have been joined by some convulsion. The Sierra de 

 Guadalupe give a mountainous character to the country, 

 between the Tagus and Guadalquiver, and consist princi- 

 pally of granite, according to the reports of the muleteers. 

 The Sierra de Solana lie to the west of this ridge, and are 

 distinguished by their stratified graywacke formation. 



The country extending between the Tagus and Guadiana 

 is characterized by numerous broken ridges, some of which 

 rise 1700 feet, and consist of granite. The depressions which 

 connect them are termed Puertos. Between the Guadiana 

 and the Sierra Morena, we find numerous ridges, under the 

 name of Sierra de Hornachos, running from south-east to 

 north-west ; Sierra de San Servan, running north and 

 west ; Sierra d'Alcocer, 350 metres above the plain, con- 

 sisting of quartzoze rocks, extending west and north ; 

 Sierra de Cabeza towards west and north. To the south 

 of these chains is situated the country of Almaden, which 

 is formed of four rectilinear ridges of hills, the highest of 

 which is 400 metres (1312 feet) high, and consisting of 

 quartzite. This district presents to the eye a very barren 

 aspect, and the traveller cannot understand why such a 

 considerable population should be attracted thither, until 

 he learns that rich veins of cinnabar exist in the barren 

 rocks. To the south of Almaden, between the Rio Alcudia 

 and Guadalmez, another ridge exists, elevated 450 metres 

 above the former river, in whose vallies immense masses of 

 quartzoze sandstone are observed. The western portion of 

 Estramadura, comprised between the Tagus and Sierra 

 Morena, is varied with numerous chains of subordinary 

 hills, attaining a height sometimes of 400 metres (1312 feet) 

 possessing a rounded outline, and entirely destitute of 

 arborescent vegetation. These chains are frequently inter- 

 rupted by parabolic hills with a vertical axis, which have 



