TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 73 
_ intervals of from eight to nine for breakfast, and from twelve to two 
_ for dinner and the siesta. The salt is sold for seven and a half pecetas 
_ for 5 arrobas, or about 130ibs. avoirdupois. The only mode of con- 
_ veyance from the mine is on the backs of mules or asses, over rugged 
- mountain passes and dangerous defiles ; yet a canal might easily be 
constructed to bring this valuable product down by the Cardonero 
_ and the Lobregat to the sea, and thus all Spain might be for ages 
_ supplied from this immense deposit of the purest salt, at a moderate price. 
_ The surface of the salt in that fine climate appears perfectly dry ; 
and it is little liable to deliquesce, owing to its remarkable purity, 
_ and especially the absence of earthy muriates. 
In proceeding from Barcelona northwards, the author found the 
fertile marly soil to rest on sandstone, until he reached Caldetas, on 
_ the sea coast, where a crumbling granite is exposed, in a spur pro- 
ceeding from the mountains on the left. The neighbourhood of this 
place has thermal springs, which seem to arise in the granite; but 
the greatest peculiarity he observed was the occurrence of numerous 
_ veins of hornblende and porphyritic greenstone traversing the granite, 
which are lost soon after passing Arefs. The road thence leaves the 
coast, and winds among the mountains, in which strata of variegated 
marble abound, especially near Pineda; but the only rock visible on 
the route was disintegrated granite, which however disappears as we 
_ descend into the valley of Gerona, which is filled with marl; but that 
city stands on a hill of crinoidal jimestone. From Gerona to Figueras 
the marl rests on this limestone. At Bascara a calcareous farcilite is 
_ found; but the mountains on the left appear to consist of primitive 
rocks, as indicated by the fragments rolled down by the streams. 
_ Between Figueras and Junquera the soil is a deep loam, containing 
numerous rounded nodules of limestone ; but after passing Pont des 
_ Moulins, \arge blocks of grey granite make their appearance ; and in one 
_ place the author observed limestone strata in direct contact with the 
granite. The rocks round Junquera are granitic, consisting either of a 
small grained grey granite, or a reddish brown syenite. This granite 
continues up the pass of Junquera, almost to the confines of France, 
_where a shining unctuous mica slate conceals the granite, and is the 
_ only visible rock as far as the French fortress of Bellegrade. A little 
__ beyond this last point, the mica slate is concealed by strata of clay 
_ slate rapidly dipping to N.E. The eastern Pyrenees are more steep 
on the French than on the Spanish side. The chain is not there very 
_ lofty; but from Bellegrade a most magnificent conical peak appears 
far to the West towering to the clouds. 
