208 Journey across this Continent 
country is most sweet and pleasant, heing watered every 
where with rivulets, and navigable rivers ; it is beautified 
with many gardens which are planted with all kinds of trees, 
and the orchards particularly are watered with pleasant 
streams. The villages are adorned with houses built in a 
magnificent taste, having pastures ornamented with arbours 
covered with flowers. Hither the inhabitants retire during 
the summer to enjoy the fruits which the country furnishes 
them with in the greatest abundance. The mountainous part 
is covered with large woods, and all manner of fruit trees, 
and in the vallies, which are watered wlth rivulets, the inha~ 
bitants meet with every thing that can render life agreeable. 
In a word, the whole island, by its fertility and the abundance 
of its springs, furnishes the inhabitants not only with every 
thing that may flatter their wishes, but with what may also 
contribute to their health and strength of body. Hunting 
furnishes them with such an infinite number of animals, that 
in their feasts they have nothing to wish for in regard either 
to plenty or delicacy. Besides, the sea, which surrounds 
the island, supplies them plentifully with all kinds of fish, 
and indeed the sea in general is very abundant. ‘The air of 
this island is so temperate that the trees bear leaves and fruit 
almost the whele year round. Jn a word, this island is so 
delicious, that it seems rather the abode of gods than men. 
‘6 Anciently, on account of its remote situation, it was al« 
together unknown ; but afterwards it was discovered by ac- 
cident. It is well known that from the earliest ages the Phe- 
nicians undertook long voyages in ordet to extend their coms 
merce, and in consequence of those voyages established se« 
veral colonies in Africa and the western parts of Europe.— 
Every thing succeeding to their wish, and having becoine very 
powerful, they attempted to pass the pillars of Hercules and 
enter the ocean. They accordingly passed those pillars, and 
in their neighbourhood built a city upon a peninsula of Spain, 
which they named Gades. There amongst the other build- 
ings 
