Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-09
mo. Al
What "a Merchant Saw of Europe.
Rock OF GIBRALTAR,
Monday Evening, March IL, 1871

Rock OF GIBRALTAR,
Monday Evening, March IL, 1871.
Dear Ones at Home - At 1890 this
morning we were in a lazy sunshine and
rather too warm. At II 30 we have our
frat glimpse at the towering peaks Of the
Atlas mountains, and I assure you we
keenly feel the great distance which sep
arates us from you, when pointing to the
dim ragged outlines of that mighty chain
we say this is Africa lying in heathendom
partially unexplored by civilized man.
To our east lies benighted and only semi
civilized Spain. Such is the oppressive
sense of strangeness encompassing US to-
day. ga whale - cries the mate, and we
gaze intently for the reappearance Of a
monster of the deep. Up goes spout of
the briny spray and the repulsive body
comes to full view. To see a whale, a.
real live whale, how common is the desire
with all wayfarers who go down to the
sea in ships, and now that the desire has
been gratifed we are free to confess that
after all twas not greatly to be desired.
The pictures in our school atlas, SO i'm
pressive to the youthful mind are qnite
as satisfying. The mate disappoints and
yet surprises US with the assurance that
tho one we have seen is of but moderate
size, probably not to exceed one hundred
feet in length. As dinner hour approaches
the coast range of Africa becomes cleared
and we are near the Spanish coast, s,
near that by the all of a powerful apy
glass I am enabled to distinctly SEQ work
meu in the fields and to peer quite into
the unobstructcd doorways of their odd
shaped houses. I cannot wait for the
English plum pudding at dinner to-day
such is my esgerness to be on deck again.
I return to see the seven mile wide straits
of Gibraltar and Cape Trafalgar where |
Lord Nelson fought the great naval bat
tie which cost Eugland the life a son
most valiant and true. Twas said and is
officially recorded, that just pre- vious to
the fight here, Nelson run up flag with
those words emblszoued upon II, Eng
land expects every man to do his duty"
A pair of Hibarnian sailors pereeiving
it. were accosted by an Engl;shmnn. ait |
says nothing of Ireland" "No - respond.
ed Pat, Gan Irishman don't need to he
reminded of duty" Neither did he as re-
ports of the battle go to show. Speaking
of Gibraltar straits, we have been told
that a number of wild apes have from
time to time made their appearance in
Spain, and the ftct has led TO current
theory of a subteransan passage connect
ing Enrope and Africa at this point. On
the African shore we s"e q village of
white houses, and this il Spain's prison
house and called her Pennl Colony.
At $50 p. m, we have full view
of the great and world famed rock
Gibraltar, bristling with batteries from
base to summit as a monster porcupipe
with quills. Quite as we sec it pictured,
yet holder against tho pnre blue sky. We
are ploughing waters calm "a those of
the Hudson River or lake George, and
the warm balmy Dir, a luxury 70 breathe
Quite as a dream we approach Gibraltar,
and come to anchor an half mile from the
rock. Gibraltar IS chiefly port of call to
receive telegrapbic orders. It has n docks
or quays, but its qriet harbor is swarmed
with craft of all sizes and shapea. A
dozen row boats piled by spaniard4 and
Italians come along side our ship, and
we are not long to discover that these are
the Fostering sharks so annoying to
MEDITERRANEAN travellers. UDprincipled
as they are audsoioug. They beokoa and
grimmace, hoping for a nod If engage
ment, but we give them no satisfaction
Up the ships ladder, they climb on deck
and now comes the attack. flashed Eng.
lisb, Spanish, French and Italian, q mix
ture of the vernacular defying analy sis.
One shilling is the regular charge to go
ashore, and there seems a sort of Fisk
alliance to sustain rates. But
quite feeble, as are the Central and E. ie
agreement to railway TARIFF, we have but
to delay engagement to spring comp. IT,
ton. "Number 70 take nine pence" says
Italis's brAwny son. and this is succeeded :
BY great turmoil among the molly gronp
and monerel fiaculations altogether un-
Intellieib lille. M. 4S now makes himself
understood at six pence, when SO batting
like some Spanish calf cries three renee.
and losa no time. to say, gou are mn
nan. The disappointed group threaten
that we shall not land and growl modest.
ngly, while we with insecure footing de-
scend tho lsndder to the canoe and pad {
lie away. Landed we pass to an Euglish
Jfficer and get permission to remain with
n the walls twen'y-four hours, which ;
iavor must be renewed before sunset of s
'ech day. We pass an arcfed aperture
If the great wall, seeing as we go novel
fruit market, while on all sides are red !
coats and bare legged Highland infantry. 1
street, narrow as an alley and lined by f
yrotesque, prison-like buildings. 1t seems I
1t once that there must have been some /.
atter-dny tower of B,bel hereabouts to .
give such endless variety to language,
and dress 1t is said that every i
language under the sun is spoken daily a
IN the rock. am much inclined to cred !,
t the statement. We appreciate how out
# style ses are dressed, but if we choose in d
Rome to do as the Romans, the conformity t
4 attire would be simple enough. Take s
Fl our pantaloons and carpet sack them !
t once, turn our coats inside out and 7