Chap. 4.] ACCOUNT or COUNTEIES, ETC. 173 



and with barbarous names. The number however of the free 

 population amounts to nearly 166,000. 



In a similar manner the twenty -four states of the juris- 

 diction of the Bracari contain a population of 175,000, among 

 whom, besides the Bracari^ themselves, we may mention, 

 without wearying the reader, the Bibali, the Coelerni, the 

 Gallseci, the HeqWsi, the Limici, and the Querquerni. 



The length of the Nearer Spain, from the Pyrenees to the 

 frontier of Castulo, is 607- miles, and a little more if we fol- 

 low the line of the coast ; while its breadth, from Tarraco to 

 the shore of Olarson^ is 307^ miles. From the foot of the 

 PjTenees, where it is wedged in by the near approach of the 

 two seas, it gradually expands until it touches the Farther 

 Spain, and thereby acquires a width more than double ^ 



Nearly the whole of Spain abounds in mines ^ of lead, iron, 



1 The people of Bracara Augusta, now Braga. Among the riiias of 

 the ancient city are the remains of an aqueduct and an amphitheatre. 

 This people probably derived their name from then- fasliion of wearing 

 braccse, " breeches" or " trowsers," like their neighbours of GaUia Brac- 

 cata. The exact locahties of the various other tribes here mentioned do 

 not appear to be exactly known. 



2 Our author is mistaken here, even making allowance for the short- 

 ness of the Roman mile (1618 yards), as the length is only 470 miles. 

 Coastwise it is 620. 



3 Now Oyarzim. It is also mentioned in B. iv. c. 34. 



* He is also in error here ; for, taken in a straight hue, tliis distance 

 is but 210 miles. * The distance is about 560 miles. 



^ It may be worth while here to take some notice of the mineral pro- 

 ductions of Spain in modem times, from which we shall be able to form 

 a more accurate judgement as to the correctness of the statement here 

 made by Phny. Grains of gold are still to be found in the rivers Tagus 

 and Douro ; but there is not found sufficient of the precious metal to pay 

 for the search. Silver is found m the mines of the Guadal canal. Copper 

 and lead are to be foimd in abundance. There is a mine of plumbago 

 four leagues from Ronda ; and tin is found in GaUicia. In every pro- 

 vince there are iron mines, those in Biscay being tlie most remarkable. 

 Lodestone is foimd in Seville, cobalt on the Pyrenees, quicksilver and 

 cmnabar at Almaden, arsenic m Asturias, and coal in Asturias and Arra- 

 gon. There are salt-mines at Mingrilla and Cardona ; almn is found in Ar- 

 ragon, antimony at Alcaraz. On the Sierra Morena, and in Gallicia, there 

 is saltpetre in numerous locahties ; amber in Asturias and Valencia, and 

 sulphur in Murcia, Arragon, and Seville. Pipe-clay of a pecuhar quahty is 

 found in the vicmity of Andujar. Gypsum and marble are found in great 

 abundance, and stone for building purjwses, of the best quality. Aine- 

 thysts, white cornehans, rubies, agates, garnets, and rock crystals, with 

 other precious stones, are also found in abundance and of the finest quality. 



