196 VEGETATION OF THE 



time than Mr. Willkomm had for an examination of 

 these hills and lowlands, in various months of the year. 

 Leaving Algesiras on returning to Gibraltar, the 

 walk along the hay-side is very interesting, though 

 perhaps not to the botanist, the sandy soil giving little 

 opportunity for vegetation to spring up ; but the tourist 

 having to cross two rivers of considerable importance 

 in ancient history, finds an interest which the sandy 

 and almost blank hills along the shore would not 

 otherwise possess. The Palmones and Guadarenque, 

 rising in the heights of the Sierra de Gazales, and 

 winding their way through fertile valleys and plains, 

 empty their contents into the northern part of the 

 Gibraltar bay. The space between the mouths of the 

 two rivers is scarcely two miles ; both rivers are 

 crossed by ferry-boats. On the eastern side of the 

 Guadarenque (the river nearest Gibraltar) lie the 

 buried ruins of Carteia. Few casual visitors to 

 Gibraltar are aware that within five miles of that 

 fortress is the site of so great a Roman city, or that 

 on the waters of the Guadarenque were once moored 

 hundreds of Roman galleys, and that it was here that 

 Pompey took refuge after the fatal battle of Monda, 

 and that history records the important part which the 

 citizens of Carteia took in Caesar's wars, or that it was 

 from Carteia that Sextus Pompeius, after the death 

 of Caesar, marched at the head of six legions. Those 

 who are curious to know the early history of this part 

 of Spain will find Carter's account of his journey to 

 Malaga a very entertaining and useful companion. 

 This author states, that one Don Macaio Farinas 



