ARAGON. 



ARAGON. 



428 



extends between the Isuela and the Ebro from Zaragoza to the mouth 

 of the Segre. This hilly district is separated from the Pyrenees by 

 the basin of the Rio Isuela. 



The whole of the drainage of the Pyrenees within the limits of 

 Aragon flows into the Ebro. The largest portion of it descends from 

 the summits and offsets of Monte Male"deta and Monte Perdido. The 

 Noguera-Ribagorzana descends directly southwards from the Maledeta, 

 and forms the greater part of the boundary between Aragon and 

 Cataluna. The Essera flows down the centre of the valley of Venasque. 

 The Cinco, with the Isuela, the Alcanadre, and other affluents, waters 

 the valley of Gistain. These three rivers, all of considerable size, unite 

 with the Segre, which comes from Cataluna, and they enter the Ebro 

 by one channel at Mequinenza. On the north-western side of the 

 province the principal rivers are the Gallego and the Aragon. The 

 Gallego rises among the spurs from the south-western side of the 

 Monte Perdido group, and flows southwards to near Zaragoza, where 

 it enters the Ebro. The Aragon rises on the south flank of the Pic du 

 Midi, whence it flows south to Jaca. It then turns to the west, and 

 flows into Navarra, passing Ruesta, where it takes a southerly direction, 

 and enters the Ebro near the town of Milagro. 



The Ebro flows across the province in a direction from west-north- 

 weat to east-south-east, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. It 

 receives some large affluents on the southern side besides those already 

 noticed which fall into it from the north. Shoals and rapids render 

 the navigation difficult even for boats ; but a well-constructed canal 

 runs parallel to the south bank of the river from about 5 miles below 

 Tudela in Navarra to Sastago, about 40 miles below Zaragoza. It is 

 iiiteii<l*l to be carried to Tortosa, at the mouth of the Ebro, but 

 funds have not yet been raised to accomplish that object. 



Snuth of the Ebro, the districts of Tarazona and Calatayud con- 

 sisting of the spurs of the Moncayo and the Sierra de Deza arc hilly 

 and rugged, as is also the country between the Jalon and the Huerba. 

 The Moncayo is a sierra of bare rocks, rising to a height of 9600 feet, 

 and forming the water-shed between the Ebro and the Duero. It is 

 the Mons Caunus (ca/r*, bald) of the Romans. Farther south, the 

 Sierra Molina and Sierra de Albarracin fill up the south-western angle 

 of the province, while the Sierra de Gudor and the Peftaglosa (6000 

 feet high) occupy the south-eastern angle. The country east of the 

 Guadalope is also hilly. 



Some of the rivers which have their origin in these mountain-groups 

 flow northwards to the Ebro : of these the most important are the 

 Guadalope, the San Martin, the Huerba, and the Jalon with its affluent 

 the Jiloca. Other rivers flow in a south-eastern direction through 

 Valencia to the Mediterranean : the largest of these is the Guadalaviar, 

 which rises on the northern slope of the Sierra de Gudor, and takes 

 first a north-westerly course, but afterwards turns round and flows 

 southward past Teruel, and then south-eastward past the city of 

 Valencia to the Mediterranean. The Mijarea, another considerable 

 river, rises on the southern slope of the Sierra de Gudor, and flowing 

 oath-eastward into Valencia, receives the Villahermosa, which also 

 rises in the same sierra, the united rivers entering the Mediterranean 

 at Villareal. 



Climate and Productions. -The summits of the Pyrenees are covered 

 with snow eight or nine months in the year, and the slopes of the 

 ridges and elevated valleys are very cold in winter. The lower valleys 

 have a temperate climate, and are very fertile, but the plains have a 

 hot climate, and are frequently swept by dry winds, which harden the 

 soil and render irrigation necessary. The most frequent winds are 

 from the N.VV. -named ciergo, and the S.E. named bochorno, one or 

 other of which are said to blow nine months in the year. The west 

 wind, named fagtuno (a corruption otfatonio), brings fertilising rains. 

 Winds from the S.W. are rare and of short duration. 



The central plain has the appearance of a dry and desert steppe 

 furrowed with ravines. Cultivation here is mostly restricted to maize, 

 vines, and olive-trees, except in the valley of the Ebro, where by 

 means of irrigation from the canal and the various affluents, rice is 

 extensively grown, as well as other kinds of grain, and mulberry-trees 

 fur the feeding of silk-worms. In northern Aragon the vegetation is 

 rich, and though the agriculture of the province is generally very 

 defective, a surplus is produced of corn, cattle, and sheep, to supply 

 the deficiencies of Cataluna. Nearly 2,000,000 sheep are fed on the 

 pastures. The common agricultural and horticultural produce consists 

 of wheat, rye, barley, maize, pulse, flax, hemp, wine, olive-oil, madder, 

 saffron, liquorice, fruit, honey, and wax. The vineyards of the Campo 

 de Carifiena, east of Calatayud, produce the best wine. The forests 

 consist mostly of oak, pine, beech, and other trees, which furnish 

 timber for exportation, as well as plenty for building, and sufficient 

 for fire-wood. Game is plentiful ; the great object of attraction to 

 the more accomplished sportsman being the mountain-goat (C'abra 

 Ibex of Linnaeus, Bauquetin of the French). Trout in the rivers and 

 streams of the Pyrenean valleys is abundant and very fine. The 

 bear is nearly extirpated, but wolves are common. The chief mineral 

 products are iron, copper, and lead. There are many forges of iron in 

 the Pyrenees, but they are all small and rude. The manufactures are 

 exclusively for home consumption, consisting chiefly of linen and 

 woollen goods, serges, hats, leather, shoes, and other articles required 

 for common use. 



Tovmi.Zarayoza (Saragoiia) is the capital city of Aragon. 



[ZARAGOZA.] Albarracin, about 17 miles W. by N. troin Teruel, 

 is situated on the slope of a limestone mountain, near the northern 

 bank of the upper course of the Guadalaviar. It is surrounded by 

 walls pierced by five gates, and contains three parish churches. 

 Population about 2000. Alcaniz, about 70 miles S.E. from Zaragoza, 

 stands on the east bank of the Guadalope. It is a walled town, with 

 four gates, and has a large plaza, or square, a collegiate church, and 

 three -parish churches. It was much injured by Severoli when he 

 evacuated it after the defeat of the French at Vitoria, and has not 

 since been materially restored. A canal, about 15 miles long, 

 communicates with the Ebro. There are alum mines in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and plantations of mulberry -trees and olive-trees. Population 

 about 3000. Sarbastro (Balbaslro) 55 miles E. by N. from Zaragoza, 

 is situated at a short distance from the right bank of the Cinca, near 

 the confluence of the Vero, which intersects the town. It is an 

 ancient town, walled, the see of a bishop, suffragan of Zaragoza, and 

 contains a cathedral with some paintings by Antonio Galceran. 

 Population about 7000. Calatayud, an ancient town, 48 miles S.W. 

 from Zaragoza, stands on the left bank of the Jalon. It is next to 

 Zaragoza in size, and has a population of about 15,000. It is of 

 Moorish origin, and was constructed out of the ruins of the Iberian 

 town of Bilbilis, the birth-place of the poet Martial, which was 

 situated about 2 miles to the east at Bambola. It has a noble external 

 appearance, but is much dilapidated. It contains a plaza de toros 

 (bull-arena), a theatre, some churches worthy of notice for their 

 architecture, an episcopal palace, provincial hall, prison, hospitals, and 

 barracks. The river is here crossed by three bridges. There are 

 manufactures of common woollens and of leather. Ca.nfra.nc, a 

 frontier town high up in the Pyrenees, 1 4 miles N. from Jaca, near 

 the pass (Puerto de Canfranc) leading by the western flank of the 

 Pic du Midi to Urdos, in France. It is a poor place, but has a castle 

 on an overhanging eminence which affords fine views. Daroca, 48 

 miles S.S.W. from Zaragoza, stands on the right bank of the Jiloca, 

 the largest affluent of the Jalon. The population is about 4000. It 

 lies in a valley among hills, and is liable to floods. In 1500 a tunnel 

 to carry off the swollen waters was constructed by Pierre Bedel, a 

 French engineer. It is 2340 feet long, 24 feet wide, and 24 feot high. 

 When dry, it is used as a road. The Collegiata is a fine gothic church, 

 and there are besides six parish churches. The town was conquered 

 from the Moors by Alfonso I. in 1123. Ejea de los Caballeros, 30 

 miles N.W. from Zaragoza, is situated on the Arva, an affluent of the 

 Ebro. It is an ancient town, walled, and has a population of about 

 2000. It is the largest of Las Cinco Villas, the Five Towns, a district 

 north-west of Zaragoza, so named by Philip V. as a distinction for the 

 assistance which they gave him in the War of Succession. The five 

 towns (villai) which were previously only pueblos, or villages, are Ejea, 

 Castillo, Sadava, Sos, and Tauste. 



Huesca, the capital of the province of Huesca, 40 miles E.N.E. from 

 Zaragoza, is situated at a short distance west from the Isuela, on 

 the slope of a spur from the Pyrenees, with extensive plains to the 

 south. The population is about 9000. It is solidly built, and 

 surrounded by walls in a ruinous state. It contains eight plazas, or 

 squares, and has four or five alamedas, or public walks, in the environs. 

 It is the see of a bishop, suffragan of Zaragoza. The cathedral, built 

 about 1400, is a very fine gothic structure. The grand entrance is 

 ornamented with 14 statues, larger than life, below, and with 48 

 smaller, in niches, above. The interior has three naves. The Retablo 

 over the altar, sculptured in alabaster, is the master-piece of Damien 

 Forment, who was occupied upon it from 1520 to 1533. The Saviour 

 on the Cross, in high relief, forms the chief figure. There is an ancient 

 palace of the kings of Aragou, who at one period resided at Huesca. 

 It contains also a town-hall, a bull-arena, and four parish churches. 

 Huesca is distinguished as a place of education. The UniversidaH de 

 Sertorio was founded by Pedro IV. in 1354 ; the Colegio de Santiago 

 by Charles V. ;' the Colegio de San Vincente by Jayme Callen in 1587 ; 

 and the Seminario de Santa Cruz in 1580. The French, while they 

 occupied the town, plundered the libraries of the universities and 

 schools, and the books have never been recovered. Huesca was called 

 Osca by the Romans. Under the management of Sertorius it became 

 an important place. He founded a large school in it, and hence the 

 title ' de Sertorio ' given to the present university. " The youths of 

 noblest birth he collected from the several nations at Osca, a large 



numerous coins, many of which still exist in modern collections. 

 Roman Osca was destroyed by the Moors, and rebuilt. It was 

 recovered from them in 1096, after a siege of two years, by Pedro I., 

 who fixed his court here, and it continued for many years to be the 

 residence of the kings of Aragon. About 10 miles north from Huesca, 

 at Pantano, the Isuela is collected into a dam by a stupendous wall, 

 built by F. Artigas, for purposes of irrigation. 



Jaca, 60 miles N. from Zaragoza, and 35 miles N.N.W. from Huesca, 

 is situated on the Gas, a small stream which soon afterwards enters 

 the Aragon by the left bank. The town stands at the foot of a lofty 

 wooded hill, which overlooks the town from the south-east, the road 

 from Huesca winding round the base. To the west are extensive and 

 fertile plains through which flows the river Aragou ; and about a mile 



