in two Andalaciau Sierras. 455 



in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar; but, rising head and 

 shoulders above the surrounding peaks and ridges of its own 

 sierra, it has no rival in altitude in that part of Spain save 

 to the south-east and where the Sierra de las Nieves and the 

 Sierra Bermeja terminate the great eoastal nionntain-ehain 

 that stretehes from ('ape de Gata almost to the " Roek." 



From even so low a point as 1000 feet below its summit, 

 there is a gk)rious view of the Mediterranean and Straits of 

 Gibraltar, baeked by the Atlas Mountains, a vista wherein 

 the " llock," though viewed aeross the tops of some forty- 

 miles of rugged limestone crags and preeipices, hills and 

 dales with scarce a visible sign of human habitation, appears a 

 prominent feature of the middle distance. 



Koughly speaking, San Cristobal is in " |)lan " an oval, 

 the longer axis lying approximately east and west. Its 

 northern side is nearly all precipice and talus, and might be 

 described as " 45° where it isn^t perpendicular." Its upper 

 regions (about 3500-5000 ft.) form, nevertheless, the site 

 of a forest of Pinsapo pines (Abies pinsopo) — rapidly, alas, 

 diminishing under the influence of axe and avalanche. This 

 remarkable species of pine is unknown to exist elsewhere on 

 earth, save here and on the northern faces of two adjacent 

 sierras. 



Lower down, on the northern face, the upper trees 

 mingling with the lowest pinsa})0s, is a zone of scattered 

 groves of ilex and wild olive-trees extending more or less 

 down to the base. 



The other sides are chiefly steep slopes with stones and 

 boulders innumerable and smaller crags here and there. 

 Wherever the soil is sufficient, scrub is to be found ; at the 

 base flonrishing with all the wealth of the Andaluciau 

 "monte'^* but diminishing inland and luxuriance to the 

 upper regions, where the few species assume a stunted, hard 

 and prickly growth, opposed to everything but the main- 

 tenance of their own existence. 



Spurs run out from the north and east faces at about 

 3000 and 4000 ft. respectively, connecting it with the other 



* Lit., brushwood. 



