62 



ROSAS IN CATALONIA. 



gifts, the deficiency had been more than compensated by 

 the industry of man. The hills above Rosas, as well as 

 those in the south, exhibit everywhere an appearance of 

 the most careful cultivation, and, in general, are covered 

 with habitations, while it was rare that a detached house 

 was met with for many miles on the plains. 



Friday^ Wth November. — On paying a small fee to the 

 health officer, I was permitted, under his guardianship, 

 to walk to one of the neighbouring hills. The soil con- 

 sisted of nothing else than the rough debris of the granite 

 of which they are composed. Towards the bottom of the 

 hills the vines were planted in double rows, three feet 

 apart, with a space between of thrice that width, which 

 had just been ploughed for a grain crop. Higher up, 

 the ground is entirely covered with vines and olives, 

 planted with regularity wherever the ground permits; 

 but, on ascending higher, advantage has been taken of 

 every spot where it was possible to thrust a plant among 

 the rocks. These vines have been planted with great 

 labour, as there is scarcely soil enough to cover their 

 roots ; and terraces have been formed by small walls of 

 dry stone, to prevent the little there is from being washed 

 away. The vines were all pruned down to one or two 

 knots on each mother branch, and each vine had from 

 three to six or seven shoots, in proportion to their 

 strength. Those among the rocks were in general very 

 stinted, and must bear a very small crop. The olives, 

 which they were now employed in gathering, were a 

 small black variety, and I could not observe that they 

 had suffered in the same manner as the olives of An- 

 dalusia. 



Monday^ \^th November. — Having yesterday been 

 permitted to land, I spent last night in the Posada, 



