vitiate the flavour of ¿he found ones, they grind
them as in Spain, ¡then the fobftance is laid under the
prefs; the firft juice that runs out is called virgin oil,
and is the moft delicate for the lable, its goodnefs arifing
from the frcflmefs o f the fruit. The fec©ad fort is obtained
by pouring boiling water on the fubitance remaining
in the prefs ; but this oil is like that of Spain, acrimonious,
and fubjeft to corruption. In general all oil
obtained by fir-e or hot water, is of a bad quality; much
will alfo depend upon its being put into proper vefleJs,
clarifying it with judgment, and placing it in commodious
cellars with a proper medium o f heat and cold, Both
extremes being equally prejudicial. In the year 1769,
Mr. Sieuve o f Marfeilles, prcfentcd a memorial to the
academy of fcienceSj defcribing the heft method to make
oil, having invented amongft other improvements, an
inftrument to feparate the fruit from the ftone, by which
¡the olive is freed from'thofe vifeous, fetid, andfulphure-
ous particles which are found in the ftonc, and alterate
the juice of the fruit; but thefe* hints feem to have little
weight with the Spaniards, who continue the old method,
implicitly following the cu-ftoms of their forefathers.
It is five hours journey from Herrera to Ecija, agree-
ably fituated, but one-of the.hoLtcll-towns in Spain. The
fcorfes of Ecija ane reckoned the beft in Andalufia, and
remarkable for the goodnefs of their hoofs, owing to the
drynefs
drynefs o f the ground, while at Seville, and in the fiat
country on the banks of the Guadalquivir, they are
fpuhgy, and liable to crack in hot weather; but in point
of fhape, the beautiful horfe o f Cordova is the moft per-
fe<ft, though of late their ftuds are greatly negle61ed(«)-
Nothing can be more delightful than the face of the
country from Ecija to Cordova, a fpace o f nine leagues-,
yet without a fingle village, or even a fpring ; for
which reafon they muft have a great deal of rain to have
any crop, but when they are bluffed with plentiful
fhowers their harveft is very great. The city of Cordova
is feated on the banks of the Guadalquivir, about a league
from the Sierra Morena, and has ever been famous for
the magnificence and fplendour o f its nobles. Even the
Jews in former times are faid to have vied with the others
in pomp and parade (¿). Its cathedral is famous for its,
(a) There is a curious Arabic manufcript in the Efcuriat, marked DCCCXCVTI. on horfes
andhcarfemanihip, written by a Mooriih general,.and dedicated to Abdalla king of Gordova
Hid, of the race o f BennaiTaret, who reigned A . D. 130*, which i f ever made public, might
perhaps illuftrate what we have already received from the illuftrious names of Newcaftle
and Pembroke.. The title as given by Gaiiri in his catalogue of Arabic.manufcripts in the
efourial is as follows. 41 Theatrum equeftri Abu Mahommed Abdala Latkamita Cordubenfi,.
viro genere dignitate ac laude bellica prasclaro. Is naturas equorum, proprietates, colores,,
formas,. adnotatas etiam multis eorum nominibus erudite atque eleganter hoc opere perfecutas
librum fuum Regi Abdalla Mahommed Ben NalTor Alinanzor dedicavit. Accedit in extremo-
codice equitandi difciplinae fynopiis.”
(#)■ I f any credit is to be given to David' G'anz in his edition o f Vorftius, quoted-by San-
miento. Quotidie tunc exibant Korduba in Hifpania Septingenti viri Ifraelitici qui veheban»*
X x antiquity