New-York daily tribune., 1843-01-31

Osg morning we were awakened by the cry Of
land, and as stepped out OF the cabin the ragged
rnoustains of Africa, the shores of Spain, the
Straits of Gibraltar, and over all the glorious rist
ing Sun burst on the sight. The steady current
was setting rapidly for the Mediterranean, and all
wa, silent around save the low crashing sound
heavy tide always makes in IFS passage. The smoke
ha, rose from burning timber on the hill tops and
along the shore, gently inclined towards the Straits
as If bidding 10 enter, while over all was that
dreamy haze which srnoothes even the roughes:
scenery into quiet aspect. Our keel cut the wa
,ers where rode the keels of Lord Nelson's fleet
before the battle of Trafalgar. Land was for
moment forgotten as my fancy painted the line Of
batte-ships slowly moving to the conflict. saw,
or thought saw the long row of banners floating
in the breeze the cloud of smoke as broadside al
ter broadside thundcrcd over the sea. There was
the broken and shivcred mast dangling amid The
ropes the cries Of men, the roll Of the drHm and
the confused noise of battle. The mountains were
alive with fearful echoes, and The ran blood.
cheerful voice beside me called back my erring
fancy, and the quietness of a summer morning rest
ed on all the scene. Whether it was owing to the
fresh view Of land or the beauty of the day, or the
scene itself, know not, but that day was one OF
encbantment to me- It's remembrance is more like
a rich dream than reality. There combi-
nation of scenery, succession OF sensations ioi-
lowed bv rapid associations that bore me away fol
time like child [ surrendered my heart to Its
impulses and let it regulate its own beaiings-
Distant mountains burying their heads in the smoky
sky; towers fortresses, abrupt rocks, smiling VII
lages; vineyards in which nestled white cottages
continent on either hand and the blue hledlter-
ranean before me; all coming or passing ON my
right. and shifting every moment made it seem
. like wizard land. At length Gibraltar-tha,
gray old solitary rock-steed before me- Lying
somewhat diagonal to the straits, and apparently
isolated from the main land it rose almost per-
peudicularly 1470 feet above me, cutting with its
thin naked ridge the air in an irregular waving
line Before had never seen any object that die
not fall short of my anticipations. This exceeded
them. had imagined perpendicular rock Oh
the front OF mountain, followed out for fortress.
But single bald rock, standing clear from the
main land and rising to that immense hight In ma
ked, solitary grandeur from the bosom of the sea-
was On unexpected sight, and ewed while 1t as
tonished me.
The town lies at the base of the northern ex-
,rensity while the southern and eastern are per-
pena;cuar cliffs beetling the sea- AS we passed
it, the booming of cannon came over the water ana
died away on the rocky shore of Africa. That
rock was to me for while the centre OF associa-
ron. Grand and gloomy i, stood and had stood
while ages had slowly rolled away-itsef alone
T., ,nca 1cnled dawn on the Roman
ealeys and on the vessel that bore Cesar and his
fortunes on 1t had seen the pride of nations come
ard 90 with the same naughty indifference 1t
took no note of time for time left not its mark upon
it. Irs stern gravity had not changed with chang
lug empires. 1t had felt the shock OF cannon and
the ho. meeting of foes had made its sides red with
the blood of men, and yet it retained Its old ceH-
posure As looked on its gray top, 1t seemed
conscious Of its own greatness, and to utter ST.
lent mockery on the pride of man. 1t is now
Epglsuds, but the hand thai, grasps 1t is slowly
crumbling away The conflicts for that mountain
of stsne are not vet ended. Whose next shall II be
The nigh, came and with the full moon over our
heads, on her way TO the mountains of Grenada,
we fled over the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
Islands came ana Weht-aass "ii'h nio"''
SWAY. till, with the mountains OF Piedmont on our
left, we were slowly passing up the gulf of Genoa
The morning found within Il few miles OF the
city, and the approach to it fully sustained the
character i, had borne. The rising sun gilded the
TONS of the Apennines before Us, and threw Its
l;yb, on the snow-clad SUBMITS of the Alps on our
left, ,ha, lay pale and white on the distant sky
The shores on either hand that bent up TO the city
were lined with villagas-the back ground OF bills
was belted with vineyards and dotted with white
churches and palaces; while tar away before US
= mountain interlocked mountain, each naked ridge
crowned with fortress, and rccedng away TIL
sea of SUBMITS flowed along the distant sky At
the base was Genoa, Ia snperbG, throned IKE
queen among her hills and looking down upon the
sea- The city lies in the form OF halt circle ana
rises away from the shore like an amphithcatre.
There is no plain, and it is but short distance
from the shore to the tase of the hills lhese are
cultivated 10 their very tops, and literally covered
with terraced gardens and palaces. As we arc"
near the fragrance that fell down to the water was
like the mngling of all sweet scents. lhis may
seem almost fancy sketch, but the tcsf impress
sions-after six.weeks royage-ot one OF 'ee
loveest scenes the sun ever shone upon, must De
vivid but not necessarily overwrousht 1t was
holiday when we entered pors, and added to all
this beauty and sweetness the chime of hundred
bells came merrly down 10 the bsy.
Yours, &c. l.
The low strip of sand that pnies to the shore canno