L E T T E R X V I I I .
'Journey from Barcelona to (he mountain o f Montferrat.
TH E city of Barcelona is generally reckoned one of
the moil agreeable places in Spain. Its pleafant
iituation, its commerce, with the aftivity and induftry of
its inhabitants, contribute to make it a place of fplendour
and affluence (a). In this city the traveller will find a
curious cabinet of natural hiilory belonging to a private
citizen, Mr. Salvador, an eminent apothecary, who ihews
his colledlion to itrangers with the utmoil urbanity.
The celebrated mountain o f Montferrat, nine leagues
from Barcelona, has o f late been fo fully defcribed by
Britilh travellers, a fine print having been lately exhibited
of it (b), that the fubjeft is become exhauiled, and
(a) The Engliih merchants feem to have fettled later at Barcelona than in other commer-
-cial towns in Spain. Mr. James Howel, in a letter from Barcelona, dated 24th Nov. 1620,
'to Sir James -Crofts, -fays, “ In this place there lives neither Engliih merchant nor faftor,
which I wonder at, confidering it is a maritime town, and one of the greateft in Spain, her
chiefcft arfenal for gallies ; but I believe the reafon is, that there is no commodious port
for (hips of any burthen but a large bay.” The new mole however has rendered this port
more convenient, and immortalized the memory of the late'marquis de la Mina, captain general
of the principality, under whofe orders it was erected.
Ip) In Mr. Thicknefs’s travels into Spain.
words
words feem feeble to defcribe this awful mountain, raif-
ing its exalted creil towards the ikies, with all the powers
and majeily of nature ; yet as it makes fo capital a
figure in the geography o f Spain, we ihall once more a£-
cend its jagged rock, and explore its wondrous form.
The firil ilage from Barcelona leads to the town of
Martorel, at the conflux o f the rivers Noya and Lobregat;
here you are fenfibly ftruck with the tremendous appearance
of this grand and folemn mountain, impreff-
ing on the mind the moil exalted ideas, in viewing
this wonderful effort o f nature. You feem quite clofe to
it, but have itill three hours in the ufual.method o f travelling
in- Spain to.approach its bafis, and as many more
after to climb up to its fummit. There is a famous bridge
over the Lobregat at Martorel, with an arch at its foot ;
it has been lately repaired, as appears by the following
modern, infcription. placed, on it..
POR LOS A NOS DET 533 DE LA. F O N D A C IO N D E R OM A
F U E C O N S T R U ID O E S T E A DM IR A B L E P U E N T E POR E L
G R A N D E A N I B A L C A P I T A N C A R T A G I N E S Y HIZO.
E R E G IR E L A R C O T R I U M F A L Q U E A U N EXIST.E A SU
S A L ID A EN H O N O R D E S L T P A D R E AM I L C A R . D E S P U E S
DE 1985 ANO S DE D U R A C I O N SE H A L L A V A E S T A FABRT -
CA MUY- M A L T R A T A D A Y EN E S T A D O DE A R R U IN A R S E
E N T E R A M E N T E P E R O A F IN DE C O N S E R V A R U N MO-
NUME .NTO. D.E T .AN .R A R A . A N T I G U E D A D L O MA N D O -
REES.-