M. CoRDiEB on ike Rock Salt ofCardona. bS 



given by Bowles \\a 1775), in his work, entitled, " Intro- 

 duccion a la Historia Natural y a la Geografia fisica de 

 Espanna." 



The small town of Cardona, which has given its name to 

 the mountain of salt, is situated in the interior of Catalonia, 

 sixteen leagues from Barcelona, and seven leagues from the 

 central ridge of the Pyrenean chain. It is built upon a 

 platform constituting part of the heights that border the 

 right bank of the Cardonero, a small river flowing towards 

 the south. From the barometrical observations of many 

 days, calculated with corresponding notes made at Barcelona, 

 M. Cordier found that the soil of the town of Cardona, at 

 the foot of the walls of the castle, on the eastern side, was 

 elevated 411 metres [1,348 feet] above the Mediterranean. 

 He moreover observed that the same spot was 138 metres 

 [452 feet] above the mean height of the waters of the 

 river in that part of the valley. 



The elevation and commanding position of the castle of 

 Cardona, make it a favourable station for observation. A 

 person placed on its walls, sees without obstruction over aa 

 immense extent of low mountains, all of secondary forma- 

 tion. These rocks rise, on the north, gradually towards the 

 highest crests of the Pyrenees ; on the east, they disappear 

 at a distance under the platforms of San Miguel del Fay, 

 which are entirely calcareous ; on the south, they stretch 

 more than ten leagues, and serve as a base to the singular 

 system of sandstone and puddingstone rocks, that compose 

 the insulated mass and grotesques passes of Mont Serat ; 

 lastly, they extend towards the west, and compose a part of 

 the elevated surface of Aragon. 



The salt mountain appears as an outwork in the midst of 

 this vast extent of country ; the observer sees it in some 

 measure beneath his feet on the south east ; he recognizes it 

 by its insular character, its sharp forms, by the hollows 

 (eflFondremens) partly surrounding its base, and above all by 

 its red and white colours, the vivacity of which contrasts 

 with the grey and sallow tints of the secondary rocks. 

 These rocks form an inclosure round the mountain in (he 



