Spain in 1830, vol. 2

by Henry D. Inglis

The raisins exported from Malaga are of three kinds; the muscatel, the bloom, or sun raisin, and lexias. The muscatel raisin of Malaga, is the finest in the world. In the preparation of this raisin, no art is used; the grape is merely placed in the sun, and frequently turned. The bloom, or sun raisin, is a different grape from the muscatel; but the process of preparing it is the same: like the other, it is merely sun-dried. The lexias acquire this name from the liquor in which they are dipped, and which is composed of water, ashes, and oil: these, after being dipped, are also dried in the sun. All muscatel raisins are exported in boxes, and also a part of the bloom raisins. In the year 1829, the number of boxes of muscatel and bloom raisins exported, was three hundred and twenty thousand; each box containing twenty-five lbs.—eight millions of lbs. in all. This quantity is independent of the export of bloom raisins in casks; and of lexias, the annual export of which, does not exceed thirty thousand arrobas. The export of raisins to England has fallen off; the export to America has constantly increased. In the year 1824, seventy-five ships cleared from the port of Malaga, for England, with fruit. In 1830, up to the first of November, thirty-four vessels had cleared out. It is supposed, that Cadiz having been made a free port, will have the effect of increasing the export fruit trade of Malaga. Owners are unwilling to send out vessels from England on ballast; and it is probable, that many will carry out goods to Cadiz, and then proceed to Malaga to take back a cargo, or part cargo of fruit.

Of the other fruits exported from Malaga, grapes, almonds, and lemons are the most extensively exported. In the months of September and October, 1830, eleven thousand six hundred and twelve jars of grapes were sent to England; to America, six thousand four hundred and twenty-nine; and to Russia one thousand six hundred and fifty. During the same period of time, five thousand three hundred and thirty-five arrobas of almonds (133,375 lbs.) were exported to England; and this constituted nearly the whole export: and during these months also, there were exported to England, three thousand seven hundred and fifty-nine boxes of lemons; to Germany, four thousand two hundred and one boxes; and to Russia, eight hundred and forty boxes. There is also a large export of oil from Malaga: but the export for the latter part of 1830 would be no criterion of the average; because the Greenland whale fishery having failed, extensive orders for olive oil had been received from England. Eight hundred and twenty-seven pipes of oil had been exported for the British market during the above months.

The general trade between England and Malaga is on the decline: that with both the Americas is increasing, especially in wines. The number of British vessels which entered the port of Malaga in 1827, I find, from an official note furnished by the British consul, to have been one hundred and four; in 1828, one hundred and twenty-six; in 1829, one hundred and five; in 1830, up to the 1st of November, eighty-three, exclusive of the small Gibraltar vessels. The number of American vessels entering in 1829, was fifty-five; but the average tonnage of the Americans being one hundred and seventy-five tons, and that of the English vessels not exceeding one hundred, the whole American is nearly equal to the whole of the English trade.

Whilst I remained in Malaga, my time was very agreeably employed; the weather was sufficiently cool to allow horse and foot exercise; and the neighbourhood of Malaga affords many charming excursions: these pleasantly filled up the mornings; while a stroll on the sea shore, the many hospitalities of English, American, and Spanish families, and the theatre or opera, agreeably occupied the evening. Among my excursions in the neighbourhood, one was made to the convent of Victoria, beautifully placed in a hollow of the neighbouring mountains, surrounded by charming gardens, where the most delicious fruits vie with each other in tempting the palate. Among the autumnal fruits of the south of Spain, they particularly prize the granada, or pomegranate, on account of its real, or salubrious qualities, especially in derangements of the bowels. North of the Sierra Morena, the pomegranate is an indifferent fruit; but in Andalusia and Granada, it arrives at perfection; and so full of juice is a really fine and ripe pomegranate, that one measuring four inches in diameter, may be compressed into the bulk of a nut.

In the neighbourhood of the convent of Victoria, the country people find that useful clay, of which they make the vessels called bucaros, used for cooling water. Without these, the inhabitant of these sultry shores would be deprived of one of his most essential luxuries; for when the hot winds prevail, water exposed to the air in these vessels, becomes icy cold. This singular fact is to be explained by the porous nature of these vessels, which allow the water to exude; and the hot wind blowing upon the moist external surface, a rapid evaporation and consequent cold, are produced.

From the same clay, there is an ingenious manufactory of little figures, representing Spanish costume in the different provinces. These are in great variety, and are executed with much truth and ability: indeed, I have not seen, in any other country, any thing so excellent in its kind. Nothing would have pleased me more, than to have carried a complete assortment of them to England; but they are of so fragile a nature, that they could scarcely have arrived at their destination without broken limbs and noses.

I occupied another day with an excursion to the Retiro, the country-seat of a noble family; but now in a state of dilapidation. The situation of the old castle is, however, beyond conception delightful,—nestling at the foot of the mountains, and almost bathed by the transparent waves of the Mediterranean; and in the adjoining gardens, every fruit-tree congenial to that glorious climate, flourishes in unfading luxuriance. Every where in the neighbourhood of Malaga, the acclivities not occupied by vines, are covered with the prickly pear, which is cultivated chiefly for the sake of the cochineal which breeds upon it: this valuable article of commerce has not, however, been yet produced in so great abundance as to form an article of export.

Few of the useful productions of the globe are unsuitable to the climate of some part of Spain. In the northern provinces, all the productions of the temperate climates arrive at perfection; and in the most southern parts, the climate is found sufficiently fine to ripen the produce of the Indies. To the eastward of Malaga, a few leagues along the coast, the sugar-cane is successfully cultivated: though this useful plant is known to have been much more extensively grown in the time of the Moors than now, which is evident, from the remains of their sugar-houses. Still, however, the sugar-cane is a valuable produce, and is said to supply a sugar scarcely inferior to that of the West Indies.

Malaga, like most of the other cities of Spain, has had various masters. Built by the Phœnicians, it was successively Carthagenian, Roman, Gothic, and Moorish; and in the reign of Haly Abenhameth, was the seat of empire. Ferdinand and Isabella succeeded in wresting Malaga from the dominion of the Moors, in the year 1487.

Malaga was formerly much more populous than it is now, though, within the last fifty years, the population has been again on the increase. Anciently, it contained nearly a hundred thousand persons; in the middle of the last century, the inhabitants were reduced to thirty thousand; and at present, it is said to contain about forty-five thousand.