Galicia. 
Minerals, 
Climate and 
productions. 
Manufac- 
tures, 
72 
and has'a course of 23 leagues in a south-east direction ; 
the Mandeo, the Eume, anda number of others to the 
amount of seventy, besides an immense number of small 
Streams. 
The province’ of Galicia is said to/have been former- 
ly celebrated for rich mines of gold and silver; but 
its metallic productions at present’ are chiefly. copper, 
lead, and tin. Between Corunna and Betanzos, there 
are quarries of jasper and white marble ; and in-other 
places there are found also marcassite, ‘vitriol, sulphur, 
&c. The country abounds in mineral waters, and espe- 
cially in hot springs, many of which are well frequent- 
ed for the purpose of bathing. » One part of the town 
of Orense, in consequence of the number of these ther- 
mal waters, which warm the air by their vapours, en- 
joys all the mildness of spring, while the opposite part 
is experiencing-all the rigours of winter. There is one 
wonderful spring called Lousana, at the source of the 
river Lours, on the mountain of Cebret, which, though 
20 leagues distant from the sea, and raised considerably 
above its level, is obserevd to ebb and flow with the tide. 
Its waters also are at one time as cold as ice, and'at ano- 
ther extremely warm, in which latter state they are’al- 
ways most copious. In the forests and mountainous 
districts aré found a variety ‘of ‘wild animals, particu- 
larly roebucks, hinds, stags, boars, and a great quantity 
of game. In ‘its numerous rivers and extensive coasts, 
inimense quantities of fish are taken, particularly ‘sal- 
mon; sardin herrings, shad, trout, lampreys, skate, eels 
of all kinds, and ‘above “all the hog-fish, which has no 
bones, and being caught in the months of November 
and December, are’ frequently sent’ quite fresh into’ the 
provinces of Castile and Leon. 
There' may be'said to be three different’ temperatures 
in the different districts of the’ province ; ‘that'of the 
coast, which is generally ‘mild and’ gentle ;' that ofthe 
mountains toward the north-east, which is cold, damp, 
and rainy ; and that’ of the ‘valleys towards’ ‘the south- 
west, which is warm, dry, and pleasant. It is indeed of 
all parts in’Spain the most subject to frequent rains and a‘ 
cloudy atmosphere; butit is'every where salubrious, and 
generally productive! 
ty trees, especially oak, walnut, chesnut, and hazel; 
and in many places are seen mulberry, orange, and le- 
mon trees, vines, apples, and ‘agreat variety of ‘other 
excellent fruits. Though in’ some’ parts’ the’ soil is 
not very fertile by nature, the industry of! the in- 
habitants ‘has done much for its improvement. The 
lands’ frequently bear wheat, barley, rye and oats ; 
and ‘great quantities of maize, millet, ‘flax, hemp, pulse, 
and’ excellent ‘vegetables: The farmers fatten great 
numbers of cattle, besides ‘raising some- good horses, 
mules, and a fine’ breed of asses'and hogs. Numerous 
flocks of sheep and goats are seen ‘upon ‘the ridges of 
the mountains ; and in many ‘places abundance of ex-~ 
cellent poultry is reared. 
There are fewer manufactures in’Galicia’ than in the 
other provinces of Spain ; and, though’ the ‘inhabitants 
are remarkably industrious, they seein to have little in- 
clination for the more mechanical arts, or the occupa- 
tioris of commerce. “There’are at Corunna and Ferrol 
ropé-works and manufactories of sail-cloth, chiefly for 
the use of the Spanish navy. In the province of Lu- 
go, woollen ‘stuffs, hosiery, and coarse’cloths, are rade. 
In the territory of Monforté, "in the county of Lemos, 
there are manufactories of silk, which produce’a consi- 
derable revenue. There ‘are also made in the’ province 
leather, tapes, soap, ‘some’ printed: calicoes, tolerably 
good table linen,’ a considerable number of ‘hats and’ 
There’ are vast quantities ‘of lof- 
GALICIA. 
great quantities of knit stockings, of which last. article 
it is calculated’ that 25,000 pairs are annually sent to 
the neighbouring provinces, and double that’ number 
to'America. Its princi 
are sént into the other | ai ai ; salt provisions, par- 
ticularly salted fish, which goes to foreign countries ; 
leather, skins, hides, hats, soap, table-cloths, napkins, 
stockings, to America. Its exportations are made from 
the port of Corunna, and its imports, excepting those 
from America, are received by Vine, 
Galicia contains seven cities, 74 towns, 3434 villages, cities, 
atid 3683 parishes. The principal inland towns are 
San Jago de Compostella, the capital of the province, 
and residence of the archbishop, Lugo, Orense, Mon- 
donedo and Tuy, each the seat of a bishop, Porto-Ma- 
rin, Portvelezar, Torbeo, Velezar, Salvatierra, Mon- 
forté de Lemos, Viana, Monterey, Ponte vedra, &c. 
On the coast are forty sea-ports, but the greater part 
are very small, and the most worthy of notice are Co- 
runna, Finisterra, Bayona, Gondomar, Muroz, Rival- 
deo, Ferrol, Betanzos, Vigo, &c. The population of 
the province, in proportion to its extent, is greater than 
that of any other in Spain ; and is estimated at nearly P: 
one million and a half. ‘The people are chiefly employ- 
ed in agriculture and fishing ; and are distinguished by 
their simplicity of manners, hospitality of disposition, 
and general disregard of the arts of luxury. They are 
large and robust in their persons, commonly barefoot- 
ed, and capable of supporting every kind of fatigue. The 
women are fair and tolerably handsome, with fine teeth, 
and very regular, but not very expressive features. The 
Galicians are naturally of a martial spirit, and 
numbers of the cb ta men enter the army eveniat fifteen 
years of age. They pique themselves upon their descent. 
from the old Christians, who have never intermarried 
with converted Jews or Moors; and they are equally 
noted for their regard to religion, and their loyalty to 
the king: They are serious, grave, sober, rather soli- 
tary and retired in their’ habits, but uniformly distin< 
guistied A et and courage. Their language is a 
mixture of the ancient Castilian and of the Portuguese, 
with several expressions of the Latin. They ate said 
to have been the first poets in Spain; and a few of 
their ancient verses are still retained by tradition. But 
the chief characteristic of the Galicians is their inclina- 
tion to emigrate to other provinces in quest of employ- 
ment, theugh they can neither be said to be very poor 
or in want of subsistence at home. It is supposed that 
not less than 100,000 annually leave the province in this 
view, many of whom never return. They are uniform- 
ly employed as labourers in the time of vintage and 
harvest, in the two Castiles, and Portugal; and, when 
they do not appear to assist in these countries, much of 
their valuable produce, from the slovenly manner in 
which it is gathered, is actually trodden under foot. The 
gteat proportion of servants in all the principal towns 
of Spain are either Galicians or Asturians, who are ge- 
nérally preferred on account of their fidelity and o 
dience. They are ready to perform any kind of occu- 
pation, however'servile, sweeping chimneys, or cleanin 
shoes; and the porters and water carriers in Madrid, 
Cadiz, and eyen at Lisbon, are commonly Galicians: - 
at the same time it must be observed, that the name 
Gallego, which properly signifies a Galician, is now 
applied to the occupation as well as to the country ; 
and is given to a person from any other province, exer- 
cising the employment of a porter. These Galicians. 
are everywhere remarkable for their submissive dispe= 
articles of commerce are cat- Articles 
tle,mules, horses, fish, cloth, wool, and wine, which °™™ 
