Mallorca

"The carts on Mallorca are similar to those in Italy. They also rest on two wheels and have a handrail made of sticks (parabandes). They are generally bluish in color and only need one animal to pull them. The mule or horse is attached to the fork by means of a leather collar.

A smaller type of the carretó is the carretet. The latter is truly very small and rests on a spring. It also has a “sail” though it is not used much. They are pulled by small horses imported primarily from Valencia. These are very common, and the trend is increasing. Their owners tend to be small dealers from Palma, shopkeepers, etc., who use them to go to neighbors’ houses or to go for rides on Sundays.

The galeretes, used in Palma as rental carriages, are fairly common elsewhere and consist of a braided form painted in dark green generally, with reinforcing wooden rails, resting on an iron spring and with four wheels. A dome-shaped tarp extends over the frame. In front, there are two seats, one for the driver and the other for an additional passenger. The seat is generally covered in resistant leather which can be easily removed. The door is found in the back, and the interior seats are attached to the side walls.

Similar in contruction to the galereta are the galeres, heavy vehicles used by wealthier owners to go to Palma or from the capital to see their possessions, both in terms of merchandise or people in their service and even themselves. They are always painted grey and have a white tarp like that of carriages. In general, they don’t have springs.

 The omnibus is another vehicle used to transport people though reserved for very wealthy estate owners. It consists of a braided fame with an absolutely flat and lacquered top. The layout of the door, seats and windows (there are up to three on the sides) is very similar to that of the galeres, though, as a whole, this vehicle is heavier and more solid. There are models for 4 people or for 8, without including the two front seats which can be protected by a leather awning. They are pulled by four mules or two for shorter distances or trips around the city. It is rare to see an omnibus pulled by three animals. It this occurs, it is because one of the mules has become ill."

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. Las Baleares por la palabra y el grabado. Majorca: General Part. Ed. Sa Nostra, Caja de Baleares. Palma de Mallorca. 1982.