-58 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



by the Eomans, and an inscription discovered near its foundations 

 informs us that it was built by Cauis Servius Lupus, arcbitect to tbe 

 town of Aqua Flavia, and that it was dedicated to Mars. Tbe principal 

 port on tbe western coast of Galicia is tbe deep, capacious bay of Yigo, 

 in wbicb tbe largest vessels may ride securely one mile above tbe town. 

 Tbe climate is variable but temperate on tbe coast; forest trees 

 abound on tbe bill slopes ; tbe woods abound witb game in great 

 variety, wbile tbe rivers and indented sbores teem witb fisb, especially 

 trout, salmon, ancbovies, tunny, lamprey, and tbe ' hesugo,'' or ' bog 

 fish,' wbicb has no bones and resembles tbe lamprey in tbe ricbness of 

 its flavour'." 



Tbe language of Galicia is a barsb, uncoutb dialect, quite unin- 

 telligible to Spaniards, wbo sneer at tbeir use of u for o, and yet from 

 it and tbe dialect of tbe Astuiies tbe modern, elegant, and refined 

 Castillian bas sprung. Tbese interesting keys to tbe origin of tbeir 

 language bave never yet received tbe attention tbey deserve fi'om tbe 

 SjDanisb pbilologists. 



Page 373.— Advancing nortbward, prismatic formations begin to 

 appear as tbe outlines of tbe bills become bolder, and near Coruiaa 

 lofty granitic ridges stretcb as far as Cape' Ortega! Tbese granites, 

 wbicb seem to be a continuation of tbose of Cornwall, contain an 

 abundance of tbe common tin ore, tbe working of wbicb is laborious 

 and not very profitable to tbe Galicians, wbo are far bebind in scientific 

 and mechanical appliances. There are strong probabilites that the 

 Phoenicians visited Galicia as well as Cornwall and tbe Cassiterides for 

 this tin ore. In former times gold and silver were also among its 

 mineral wealth, but at present lead, tin, and copper, which are found 

 chiefly along the northern coast and along tbe banks of tbe Mifio, are 

 the only riches of which tbe mines of Galicia can boast. 



The most interesting of these fine barboui'S is Coruiia, witb its 

 ancient tower of Hercules, ali'eady mentioned. In Smith's Dictionary 

 of Greek and Eoman Geography it is stated to be identical with the 

 ancient '■'■ Brigantiwn'''' or Brigantia. " Some geographers identify it 

 witb El Perrol, others witb Betanzos, others witb La Coruaa, identify- 

 ing tbe ancient tower at this place with the great lighthouse of 

 Prigantium, mentioned by Orosius." 



Reclus, in tbe translation of bis "University Geography," vol. i., 

 p. 459, says of Coruna : — " On a small island near it stands the tower 

 of Hercules, the foundations of which date back to the Pomans, if not 

 to the Phoenicians." O'Shea, in bis " Guide to Spain and Portugal" 

 (1892), speaks of it as follows: — "La Coruiia, formerly called La 



