cular loins and the body divided into ringlets, which
emit a purple liquor flowing from every part when
cut into pieces; o f this fpecies there are three forts,
viz. the common murex which generally remains at the
bottom o f the fea, the nautilus which by help of a fin fails
like a ihip, and the worm without any ihell thrown up
by the fea on this coaft (a).
The famous mountain of Filabres is about three leagues
from Almeria, but it takes ten hours in going to it, the
road is fo turned by the many hills to be paffed before
one reaches it. This amazing and ftupendous mountain
is a folid block of white marble about a league in
circuit, and two thoufand feet high, without the leaft
mixture o f any other Hone or earth, the marble appearing
in many places where neither the wind, rain, or
any o f thofe caufes which deftroy the hardeft rocks, have
yet made the leaft. imprefiion. On the fide towards the
village of Machael, lying at the foot of this mountain,
a great part of the kingdom o f Granada is difcovered,
which is mountainous, and refembles the waves of the
fea in a ftorm. On the other fide the mountain is cut
almoft perpendicularly, and from its prodigious elevation
affords a moft awful profpeft, with the city of Gandia,
which though at a diftance, if confidered with a bird’s
eye view, feems only half a league off. The Sierra de
[a) Don Guillermo Bowles. P. 12 6.»
Gador
Gador is another immenfe mafs o f marble, o f which they
make excellent lime. It diffolves intirely with acids,
without leaving the leaft refidue of-clay or other matter,
whereas the ftone in other parts o f Spain, particularly in
Valencia, has a mixture o f clay or fand, o f thele we are
to underftand the Spanilh proverb, with refped to ore,
which is literally true in that kingdom, Donde hat yefo j
,cal, no hai mineral; viz.
“ - W h e r e o f g y p f e a n d l i m e t h e r e ’ s f t o r e ,
“ D o n ’ t e x p e d t o m e e t w i t h o r e . ”
Notwithftanding the goodnefs o f the marble o f Gador,
there is a great difference between the folidity o f the
old houfes in the village, and the modern ones, the former
being much more durable, -owing to the builders
having ufed the fand o f the river Rambla, while the pre-
fent generation, either from fupinenefs, or ignorance,
make ufe of fea fand, which from itsfaline nature attracts
moifture, and diffolves, defeating the union neceffary to.
be fupported with the lime, which is not the cafe with
frcfli water fand.
Amongft other natural products o f this country, the
Efparto, or matweed(«), grows in great plenty, and de-
fexves particular attention ; they not only make cordage-
with it for boats, but alfo mats for floors, fackcloth,
'(a) Stipa tenaei-ffima. Linn,.
U u . baikets