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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 Excerpt: ... that the Turdetani, the Phoenicians, and next the Carthaginians, preceded them upon this spot. The locality is curious, and its history in no ordinary degree interesting. The mines of Rio Tiuto (Red River) are situated near a modern village bearing the same name, and about eleven leagues from Seville. This village is surrounded by high hills, one of which, standing to the west and south, has been half cut down and levelled, as it is supposed, by the Romans, for the performance of their athletic exercises. Towards the north rises a loftier hill crowned with a castle, and having a cistern in the centre, which stronghold is encircled by the mouldering remains of massive walls. This remarkable spot is called "Solomon's Mount and Castle," and the received tradition in the country avers, that hither the people, of that renowned monarch were in the habit of coming in search of metals, which would almost confirm what is said of his maritime enterprises in Chronicles, Book II. chap. ix. v. 21:--" For the king's ships went to Tarshish, in every three years once, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks." The circumstance of apes being mentioned as part of the returns, would not invalidate the construction above attempted. These animals, of a large size, may be still seen at the back of Gibraltar Rock, and formerly they might have existed in other parts of Andalusia. In the neighbourhood is a small town, called Salamea, the derivation of which cannot be mistaken; and near it are the village of Abiud, and the river Odiel, both supposed to be Hebrew words. On the top of Solomon's Mount opens a large and deep shaft, from the sides of which levels have been driven, and on the northern declivity is seen the mouth of an old mine, situated near a cavern, and constan...