A. D. 14. 129 



Carthaginian founders, and furnifhed the commodities of diftant lands 

 to an extenfiveback country in return for faked provifions, and cordage 

 made of the plant called fpartum, which were carried chiefly to Rome, 

 along with the filver of the mines. Saguntuin (Morviedro), was celebrated 

 for its manufadure of earthen-ware : and Tarracon (Tarragona), for its 

 linens, remarkable for their fliining whitenefs and the wonderful thin- 

 nefs of their fabric. Some of the bell fleel in Europe was made at Bil- 

 bilis (Xiloca), and in its neighbourhood, the waters in that part of the 

 country having a peculiar virtue in hardening the metal. • 



Strabo remarks, that the people of the mountainous country in the 

 well part of this province, bordering on the Ocean, were homely and un- 

 cultivated by reafon of their remote fituation, and little commerce or 

 intercourfe with flrangers. The trade among themfelves was nothing 

 but barter, and they adjufled their bargain by paying the balance with 

 a piece cut off from a fheet of filver. They had alfo fome little inter- 

 courfe with foreigners, who purchafed their lead and tin. Their boats 

 were made of leather, a very few excepted, which they had lately learn- 

 ed to build of wood. The men were all drefled in black clothes, and 

 moil of them wore mantles or plaids, in which they alfo fleeped upon 

 beds made of herbs. Th6 drefs of the women was adorned with figures 

 of flowers. They had plenty of cattle and goats ; and they made much 

 butter, which, Strabo fays, they ufed as -x fuhjlitute for oil. Though far 

 from being wealthy, they were very hofpitable, and delighted in making 

 entertainments for their friends, afligning the mofl; honourable feats to 

 age and dignity. On thefe occafions they treated with ale, their ufual 

 beverage, and with the little wine they had, the whole vintage being 

 ufually exhauflied at one feafl:. The entertainments were accompanied 

 with dancing to the mufic of the pipe and trumpet. Their other amufe- 

 ments were manly and warlike exercifes. Their agility, their martial 

 temper, and their talent for ftratagem, had made them in pafl; times very 

 formidable neighbo^urs to the fubjeds of the Romans : but they were 

 now enlifted in their legions Is this the pidlure of the mountain- 

 eers in the north-wefl; part of Spain, or of thofe in the north-well; part 

 of Scotland in the lafl: age, which Strabo has been drawing ? The fl:rik- 

 ing likenefs will, I prefume, apologize with aBritifli reader for inferting 

 fome traits of it, which may belong more properly to the hifl;ory of 

 manners than to that of commerce. 



The wefl: coafl; of Spain appears to have been but little known to the 

 Romans. 



The Balearic islands furniflied fome wine, efteemed equal to any 

 of the growth of Italy. 



Gaul was alfo a very opulent province, the government of 

 which was efl:eemed by the Romans as profitable as that of Syria. 

 That part of the coafl;, which bordered upon the Mediterranean, con- 

 tained the only ports, with which Rome had any dired intercourfe. 



Vol. I. R 



