Written in Mallorcan, in Somnis d'estiu ran de mar, the Archduke shows the sensibility that all the places of the North Coast cause to him, here it is echoed of when there were still monk seals by Llucalcari.

Less than fifty years ago, there were plentiful Mediterranean monk seals on these coasts. They lived in damp, dark, secret underwater caves: genuine sea nymphs’ chambers inside which they took refuge as if they were solid fortresses. They spent their lives amid the seaweed and reefs, not always at peace because sometimes a rich landowner would organize a seal hunt. A strong net would be stretched across the small mouth of the cave and men would swim in, clamouring loudly to frighten the seals out of their hiding places. The moment the seals swam out and gazed around them, the hunters – in a boat close by – would shoot at them. Their pear-like skin was used to make tobacco pouches. The monk seals were not pleasant neighbours for the fishermen either since they often stole fish from their nets, but they adorned the coast very prettily and it is a genuine pity that they have been killed off. A few years ago, they told me that one had been seen close to Lluchalcari, but it disappeared before it could be caught.

Somnis d’estiu ran de mar (Summer Dreams by the Sea), 1912

Translated by Rachel Waters.

(Florence, 1847 - Bohemia, 1915). The figure of s’Arxiduc, as he was known in Majorca, flits between myth and reality, history and legend. His eccentricities and relationships, passed on by word of mouth, have helped to create a fantastical image of a real person. Archduke Ludwig Salvator always stood out owing to his great intelligence. He was especially interested in the natural sciences, and thanks to his lofty position, he could dedicate all his energy and passion to scientific ends. He also had a great facility for languages, painting and drawing, and he illustrated his own literary and scientific works.

In the summer of 1867 he visited Ibiza, Formentera and Majorca for the first time. He was especially attracted to Majorca and spent long periods on the island from 1872. He was 24 when he set foot there and stayed for four decades: Majorca was his second homeland, until the outbreak of the First World War forced him to leave. His great work is Die Balearen in Wort und Bild geschildert (The Balearics portrayed in words and pictures), published in nine volumes. It is a highly-detailed study of the islands: landscape, people, economy and traditions, all the result of the Archduke’s thirst for detailed knowledge (and for sharing this knowledge) of the land that had welcomed him.

Somnis d’estiu ran de mar (Summer Dreams by the Sea), written in Mallorcan, describes the feelings evoked by the scenery of Miramar and Sa Foradada. Travels, dreams and the coastline all inspire one of his last works, perhaps the most personal: a reflection on nature, which acquires an element of fantasy, together with his desire to discover it.

The village of Llucalcari lies on the coast a short distance from Deià. In the 13th century, it was Deià’s most important farmstead. Today, it has a chapel and some of its houses currently form part of former defensive towers. Thanks to its proximity to the coast and the gentle slope on which it stands, it merges the mountains with the sea.