pment of commerce, communications, &c., in this area is
given in the articles on the four provinces Barcelona, Gerona, Lerida
and Tarragona, into which Catalonia was divided in 1833.

The coast, which is partly sandy, partly rocky, extends about 240 m.;
its chief harbours are those of the capital, Barcelona, of Mataro, of
Rosas and of Tarragona. The surface is much broken by spurs of the
Pyrenees, the direction of which is generally south. Running south-west
to north-east, and united on the north with one of the offsets of the
Pyrenees, is the range of the Sierra Llena, which bisects Catalonia, and
forms its central watershed. The principal rivers are the Ter, the
Llobregat, and the Ebro (q.v.), which all run into the Mediterranean.
None of them is navigable. The climate, in spite of frequent mists and
rains, sudden changes of temperature, and occasional great mid-day heat,
is healthy and favourable to vegetation. The dwarf-palm, orange, lime,
and olive grow in the warmer tracts; and on the higher grounds the
thorn-apple, pomegranate, myrtle, esparto and heaths flourish. There is
much woodland, but meadows and pastures are rare. Maize, millet, rye,
flax, liquorice and fruits of all sorts--especially nuts, almonds,
oranges, figs, walnuts and chestnuts--are produced. Wheat sufficient for
one-fourth of the population is grown, and the vine is extensively
cultivated. Few cattle, but numbers of sheep, goats and swine are
reared. Game is plentiful, and the fisheries on the coast are excellent.
The wines are for the most part rough and strong, though some are very
good, especially when matured. They are much used to adulterate those of
Oporto, or, after undergoing the blending operation termed _compage_,
are passed off as Bordeaux wines in France. The best of them,
_priorato_, is chiefly known in England, under the disguise of second or
third-rate port; it was much used in the military hospitals of America
during the Civil War.

The Catalonians are a frugal, sharp-witted, and industrious people,
having much national pride, and a strong revolutionary spirit. They are
distinct in origin from the other inhabitants of Spain, from whom they
differ in their dialect and costume. In their great energy and their
love of enterprise they resemble the Basques. Irrigation, careful
husbandry and railroad communications have much developed the resources
of their country, in themselves excellent; and there are many
manufacturing towns and in