By Dr. PJiene, F.S.A., F.RG.S. 



241 



Mure, and in Minorca from several of the wealthy residents, who 

 took an interest in my researches. 



At Ciudadella, the capital of Minorca, I was politely received in 

 the Cdsa de Ayuntamiento by the Alcalde, Don Gaspar J. Saura, 

 who, with great politeness, procured me a Minorcan acquainted 

 with the country districts, there being* no guides, and the inhabitants 

 of one end of the island seeming to know nothing of the other end, 

 nor of anything in the island except in their own local districts. I 

 received much attention from some of the leading families — Don 

 Francisco Segui, Don Juan Pons Y Soler, and from Mr. Vanreel, of 

 Port Mahon, and Don Nicholas Salas, of Ciudadella. 



Many of the remarkable objects I visited were undescribed in any 

 books, Spanish or English. 



Classical history gives us little information either on Cyclopean 

 structures generally, or on those in these islands in particular ; nor 

 does it inform us much concerning the inhabitants of the Baleares. 

 On the term Cyclopean, the celebrated German writer, Kruse, in- 

 forms us that the word had reference to the circular buildings 

 of the Pelasgi, which terminated in points where there were circular 

 apertures^ and hence their name originated from the circular form 

 of their buildings (/cuk\os), and the round opening at the top («^) 

 an eye, which it resembled. Several authors — Csesar, Virgil, Ovid, 

 Diodorus, and others, speak of the inhabitants as skilful slingers, 

 and hence they are called Baleares, from fid\\co } to throw, and the 

 word ^aWetv is applied to them : Bochart, however makes it Punic, 

 but uses the word Baal not as God or Lord, but master, thus : — 

 Baal-Jare, a master at throwing. The Greeks called these islands 

 Gymnesise, because the inhabitants went naked in summer. This 

 is still so on a large estate managed by Mr. Waring, an English 

 engineer. I was assured that there in another month the workmen 

 would be entirely without clothing. 



Of the extraordinary remains in Minorca we have absolutely no 

 historic information ; the masonry indicates that they are Cyclopean 

 of the oldest type, while that of the Nurhags of Sardinia, with 

 which many suppose they agree, is often in courses, of wrought or 

 well- trimmed stone. The grand feature of the Nurhage is also 



