The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-03-02
LETTERS FROM EUROPE =. No. Il.
Foreign Corosp lndenoo Of The N. Y. Tribune
The STRAITS AND Rock Or GIBRALTAR;
GULF CT GENOA, &c.
GENOA, September 1912.

GENOA, September lS42.
ONE morning we were awakened by the
crv of land, and as ! stepped out Of the cabin
the ranged mountains Of Africa, The shores Of
SPAIN The Straits Of Gibraltar and over all
the glorious rising Sun burst upon the sight.
The steady crrrent was settling rapidly for
the Mediterranean, and all was silent around
save the low crashing sound heavy tide al
ways makes IN its passage. The smoke that
rose from burning timber en- 81 bill TOPS
and along the shore, gently inclined towards
the Straits as # bidding Us 70 enter, while over
al was that dreamy haze which smoothes ey-
en- the toughest scenery into quiet aspect
Our keel cut the waters where rode the keels
Of Lord Nelson's fleet before the battle of
Trafalgar. Laad was for moment forgotten
as my fancy painted the line Of bat.le-shlps
SLOWLY moving 10 the conflict. | saw or
thought saw the long row oil banneis floating
IN The breeze, the cloud Of smoke as broadside
after bro ,dside Numbered over the sea. There
WIS the broken and shiyered mast dangling
amid The ropes, the cries Of men, the r'll OF
HE drum. AID the confused noise Of battle
The mountains were alive with fearful echoes,
and the waves ran blood. a cheerful voice
beside me called back my errng fancy, and
the ouietuess Of a summer morning rested on
an the scene. Whether il was owing TO the
frosh view Of land or The beauty of the day, or
ne scene itseE know not, bot that day was
n,,e ~ enchantment 70 me. Us remembrance
= more like a rich dream than a reality
Ihere was combination Of scenery, success
SION Of Observation-Disclosures BY rapid associations
mai bore me away for o tine like a child.
surrendered my heart 10 It's Impulse and let Il
regulate its own beatlngs. Distant mountains
bafvinr their beads IN the smoky sKyi towers
forlrcsses, abrupt rocks, smiling villages vine-
Yards IN which nestled white cottages; con-
iinent on. either hand and thes blue Mediiera-
mean before me; all coming Or passing on my
rjebt, and shifting every moment made I seem
| IKE wizard land. Al length Gibrailsr--ihat
gray Cd solitary rock--slood before me. ly-
Inc somewhat diagonal 10 the straits, and apa-
re9tlv ISOLATED from the main land,F i rose al
most perpendicuiary 40 feet above me, cut
tin0 win its,ghin naked ridge the air in an irfeg
| nlsl waving line. Before had never seen any
object tbat aid not ashnrl If ny aniieipaiions.
This exceeded them. ! had iiassiaaa 2 per.
pendiculaf rock % the fToQ- q mouHiaiii -.
iowed oui lar fortress. Bot sinRle 9all
I foeE. ssaud.ss5 elzar from the man tand apq
riaSnr Il that Immense height I'd naked asatla-
~ grandeur from the bosom Of the sea, vas IN
unexpected sight, and aWee while It aslonish-
ed me.
The town lies al the base Of the southern
ext emitv. while the southern and eastern are
peTpepdicular cliffs beetling over The sea. As
we passed Il, the booming OF cannon came
over the water and died away on the rocky
shore AZ Africa. That rock was 10 me for a
while the centre Of association. GRAND anc
gloomy il stood and had sloop while ages nae
slowly rolled away--IlseF alone unchanged
Il once looked down on the Roman galley
and on The vessel that bore Cesar and be ior
lunes on. Il had seen the pride Of nation
, come and 90 with the same naughty indiief
, fence. n took 10 note Of time ior tune len no
! its mark upon t. Its stern gravity bag 10
! changed with changing empires, 4 had vel
, the shock Of cannon and the hot meeting 2
joes had made lie sides red with the blood Q
linen. and vet it retains is old comPosure =
A. / looked on It's gray top L seemed con
/ scious Of its own greatness, and to utter
silent moekery on the pride Of man. u :
! now England szbut the hand that grasps :
. erumb6ps away. Tho conflicts for that noun
4 tain Of stone are not Jet ended. Whose mex
't he night came and with The fell moon owe
(. ,nr leads. or her way to the mountains
: Greneda, we fed over The blue waters Of n
: Mediterranean. Islands came and wen1--d J
: nd nights vanished away, 90, with ne naol,
u 80 NJ Piedmont on our len, We were soWl
! 5as-iog ID The gulf Of Genoa The inornln
: n-ns ~ within few miles Of the city, an
= tbe spDroach to il fully sustained the chara'
Il ----------- -,
4 sTbe low strip Of sand that uniiss i % =
- ..-,o, ~ seen in passinq the Slfat