336 A TOUR THROUGH
superior to any thing you have seen either
in Spain or Portugal.
The asped of the country is far from
being pleasing: the whole issand is a great
rock of very white free-stone, and the soil
that covers this rock, in most places, is not
more than five or six inches deep; yet,
what is Angular, we found their crop in
general was exceedingly abundant. They
account for it from the copious dews that
fall during the spring and summer months ;
and pretend likewise, that there is a moist-
ure in the rock below the soil, that is of
great advantage to the corn and cotton,
keeping its roots perpetually moist and cool;
without which singular quality, they say,
they could have no crops at all> the heat of
the sun is so exceedingly violent.
Their barley harvest has been over some
time ago ; and they are just now finishing
that of the wheat. The whole issand pro-
duces