Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-19

A Tennessee hidsbipman'a CFuiae In
the MFditerrRneaD --Iats DeacVip'
IiOu Of tho Strongest Fortress ia
the World.
Nashville American.
We are permitted to make the
following interesting extract from a
letter written from Gibraltar by
Midshipman Charles @. Rogers, Of
the United States navy, to his fa-
ther, Colonel c. G.. Rogers, of Pu.
laski:
This morning, at 6 o'clock, the
joyful cry Of " Land, ho!" came
ringing from the masthead, and by
the aid of our glasses we could 500 4
distinguish the promontory of Cape
Spartel, at that distance apparently
towering to the clouds of the Mo
rocco side of the entrance to the
Mediterranean. Directly we could
also discern low land on the Euro
pean side, which, by reference to
the chart, we found to be Cape
Trafalgar. AS we steamed along
we saw the "field," or body of wa
ter, upon which was fought the
battle of Trafalgar. From this
cape the land rises very abruptly,
and mountain ranges begin on the
European side. Upon Cape Spar
tel is a very tall lighthouse, and
from here mountains exten} east
wardly along the African coast, ris-
ing to hight of some 100 feet.
The entrance to the Mediterranean
is beautiful beyond description.
The deep blue color of that sea, the
mountains rising on both sides alb
rubtly from the shore and covered
with vegetation just beginning to
wear the tinge of autumn, the hun
dreds Of ships and other craft pass
ing in and out, and the Pillars Of
Hercules in the distance, form the
most beautiful scene | have ever
witnessed of land and water com.
bined. | have referred to Cape
Spartel and Trafalgar. They form
the true boundaries of the strait,
and are some thirty miles apart.
The width diminishes until be-
tween Gibraltar and Ceuta (the
two Pillars of Hercules) it becomes
about 13 miles, the length of the
strait being 35 miles. Cape Ira
falgar (in mythology the " Promon-
tory of Juno") is not high, being
fiat and terminating in sharp an
giles. A round tower stands on the
western corner and in the middle
is Il lighthouse. To the eastward
of the cape the laud is very uneven
and mountainous, eliminating Of
ten in high cliffs. From this point
to Gibraltar there is range of high
mountains and peaks, the Sierra En-
medis reaching a hightof 2l00 feet.
Cape Spartel, the northwest point
of Morocco, is so high that it can
be seen at distance Of seventy
miles. 1t appears uneven, with
well defined columns around the
west side, about one,third of the
whole height from the summit.
The Atlas Mountains extend along
the coast, rising ia peaks to o
height of 1000 feet. The first town
we passed was Tangiers, on the
Morocco coast, and just inside of
Cape Spartel. About Tho town is a
wall and some Notifications, but
the place does not seem to be of any
importance. We then sailed up the
straits under these beautiful rangeg
of mountains until We came to
Ceuta, the African "Piliar of Her
cules." Here there is a fortress
1t was taken from the Moors early
in the fifteenth century by King
John, Of Portugal, and ceded to the
crown Of Spain in 1888, to which it
continues to be annexed. On the
land side it seems, like Gibraltar,
impregnable. The pillar consists
of two immense rocks rising steeply
from the waters edge to height
Of 100 feet, and having q deep IA.
vine between them. They are per-
fectly baTep, there being no signs
of life from top to bottom, and
their SUBMITS are az present eb-
scnred by clouds. From this PLACE
we crossed over to Tarila, 9 town