Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 10.djvu/36

26 gushed as Cor-.rlians (from gor, a mountain), and those of the lower regions as Mazures and Cracoviaks. The luthenian highlandors bear the name of Huzulians.

1em 1em  GALICIA (Galltecia OI‘ Callwcia, KaAAaLKL’a, KaAaLKL'a), an ancient kingdom, countslrip, or province in the N.W. angle of Spain, now divided into the provinces of Coruﬁa, Luge, Orense, and Pontevedra, lies between 41° 51’ and 43" 47' N. lat., 6° 50' and 9° 16' W. long, and is bounded on the N. and W. by the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic, on the S. by the Portuguese provinces of Entre Douro e Miuho and Traz os Montes, and on the E. by Leon and the Asturias. The greatest length is about 125 miles, greatest breadth 115 miles; area, 11,222 square miles ; population (1867), 1,937,792. Galicia is traversed from E. to 11'. by a continuation of the great Pyrenean and Cantabrian chain ; and its surface is further broken by two spurs from that system, which, running in a south-westerly direction, en- close the basin of the Miﬁo. The average elevation of the province is considerable, and the maximum height (6593 feet) is reached in the Pena Trevinea on the east border of Grease. The principal river is the Mir‘ro (Portuguese, .lliu/m ; Latin illiuius ; so named, it is said, from the rniuium or vermilion found in its bed), which, rising near Mondofredo, within 20 miles of the northern coast, after a Course of 170 miles in a south and south-west direction, enters the Atlantic near the port of La (luardia. It is navigable by small vessels on the lower part of its course. Of the numerous afllrrents of the Mine, the most important are—-—ou the left the Sil, which rises among the lofty moun- tains between Leon and Asturias, and on the right the Tea, which rises on the eastern ﬂank of Monte Farro. Among other rivers having a westerly direction may be mentioned the Tambre, the Ulla, and the Lerez or Ler, which fall int.-. the Atlantic by estuaries or rius called respectively Rio. Muros y Noya, Ilia Arosa, and Ilia l’ontevcdra. The rivers of the northern versant, such as the Eume, the J uvia, and the Moro, are, like those of the Asturias, for the most part short, rapid, and subject to violent floods. The coast-line of Galicia, extending to about 210 miles, is everywhere bold and deeply indented, presenting a large number of secure harbours, in this respect forming a marked contrast to the neighbouring province. The 150, which bounds (lalicia on the east, has a deep estuary, the llivadeo, which offers a safe and commodiorrs anchorage in 3 fathoms water at ebb— tide. Further to the west is Yivero Bay, 1 mile wide and 3 in length, affording good anchorage throughout, with from O tolS fathoms of water. Thetllia dcl \'arquero y Yares is of a similar character; while the harbour of Ferrol (see ) ranks among the best in Europe. On the opposite side of Betanzos Bay (the ,uc’yas Amy’v or Portus Magnus of the ancients) is the great port of Coruña (see ). The principal port on the western coast of Galicia is that formed by the deep and sheltered bay of Vigo, which is navigable for vessels of 500 tons to a distance of 16 miles from the ocean ; but there are also geod roadsteads at Corcnbion under Cape Finisterre, at Marin, and at Carril. The climate of the Gulician coast is mild and equablc, but the interior, owing to the great elevation (the town of Lugo is upwards of 1900 feet above the sea level), has a wide range of temperature. The rainfall is exceptionally large, and snow lies on some of the loftier ele 'ations for a considerable portion of the year. The soil is on the whole fertile, and the produce very varied. A considerable quantity of timber is grown on the high lands, and the rich valley pastures support large herds of cattle, while the abundance of oak and chestnut favours the rearing of swine. In the lowland districts good crops of maize, wheat, barley, oats, and rye, as well as of turnips and potatoes, are obtained. The fruit also is of excellent quality and in great variety, although the culture of the vine is limited to some of the warmer valleys in the southern districts. The dehesas or moor-lands abound in game, and ﬁsh are plentiful in all the streams. The mineral resources of the province, which are considerable, were known to some extent to the ancients. Strobe speaks of its gold and tin, and Pliny mentions the gemma Gallaica. Mines of lead, tin, copper, and iron pyrites continue to be wrought, though under considerable disadvantages, and chiefly by foreign capitalists. Galicia is also remarkable for the number of its sulphur and other warm springs, the most import-int of which are those at Luge and those from which rcnsc is said to take its name (Aqua: urentes). Ethnologically the Galicians (Gallegos) are allied to the Portuguese, whom they resemble in dialect, in appearance, and in habits more than the other inhabitants of the peninsula. The men are well known all over Spain, and also in Portugal, as hardy, honest, and industrious, but for the most part somewhat unskilled, labourers; indeed the word Gallego has come to be almost a synonym in Madrid for a “hewer of wood and drawer of water.” Agriculture engages the greater part of the resident population, both male and female ; other industries are little developed, and the ﬁsheries are not extensive. There are a few linen and cotton factories in the larger towns. The principal exports are live cattle, preserved meats, eggs, bones, mineral ore, ﬁsh oil, salt ﬁsh (especially sardines), chestnuts and other nuts, grain (especially maize), and potatoes. The ﬁrst-merr-