The morning call., 1892-02-14

This spot where you stand, and towering
Apes Hill across the strait in Africa, were
the Olden Pi lars of Hercules. Down be-
meath you at Europa Point is the very spot
where the divine bull rested from his hight
with Europa. 10 whom the continent owes
its name. jest across the strait at Ceuta
the traitorous Count Julian, outlaw from
RodeTck's licentiOus Toledo court, first be-
trayed Spain to the Moslems. The result
ant invasion, under command of Tarek lon
Zeyad, then chief OF the garrison Of Tangler.
gave TO the rock the name Gibel-el- Carek,
mountain of Tarek. corrupted to the Gibral-
tar of to-day
Then for 700 years it was mount of death
and glory for Spaniard and Moor in their
desperate contentious; while the treasure
and lives IL has cost since first the cross of
St. George waved above il, in 1704, would
enrich and people kingdom. One knows
anew with startling clearness the history
of European and M0slem struggles In
the musings and memories of such
q spot. But the sunset gun has belched
its flame and thunder toward the
red Atlantic's breast; the lights twinkle
from the Spanish villages around the bay.
and. circling 10 the mountains base, bring a
rosy glow to city and harbOr craft beneath.
You wend your way downward to the ter
raced town past briskly moving sentinels
crisp with duty and challenges, leaving the
grim mountain top behind, melOdlOus with
sOngful mimicry of war from harboTside TO
darkened clefts of bleak and serried heights.
III Gibraltar were not q unique and the
most gigantic fortress in the world, it
would still be spot Of rarest interest and
charm to the traveller. The scenic beauties
from any portion of the embattIed noun
tain are not surpassed in the whole 200
miles reach OF the Mediterranean. Two
continents and three kingdoms are here
within cannon-shot OF wherever you may
stand. The rides and drives into the most
luxuriant and fruitful portion of Southern
Spain, all within a days journey. bring
within observation and enjoyment every
feature Of high or low Spanish life which
could be studied In a journey from France
TO Portugal.
And then the rock and city of Gibraltar
themselves, contrary 10 prevalent notions,
are each IN their way wonderful and win
some studies Of still and human life. The
botanist can find upon the sides Of this one
rock over 500 distinct species OF vegetable
life 10 flower, shrub, lichen, moss and vine.
The tiny gardens are ablaZe, even in win
ter, with gorgeous color and bloom. Far
up the heights the walled and wind
ing rOadways are bordered with masses
of green and blossom. The washer
women dry their clothes on hedges of
geranium. The prickly pear and cactus
grow to enormous size. The aloe rears its
central shoots, with lateral branches like
spears OF gigantic asparagus. Huge Oleen-
ders glow above every terraced garden wall.
The ht-blOOming ceTeuS grows In splen-
did luxurlanee, resembling mammoth water
lilies with delicate antheTs Of gold. Every
where with leaves of glossy green, flowers
of bridal white and fruit Of gold, the
orange tree, limiting of tropical cline, be-
slows its welcome shade and delicate scents,
wantOn in the prOdigality with which all
nature here seems to rival historic interest
and grand, surprising scene.
And OF the cityp 1t has 10000 souls ex-
elusive of the 5000 to 5000 officers and men
of the garrison. Terrace on terrace it
threads along the waters edge. 1t Is a
mass of archways, stairs, subterranean thor
Oughfares, spiral passages, viaducts, vault
ing f0Otways, narrow viStas broken by
quaintest corners, angles, balconies and
roofs, and altogether the strangest, most Gu
rOus and wiDsOme tumble of human babi-
tations and thoroughfares men ever built to
shelter men and trade. Then of the
folk Of Gibraltar; were you to get to-
gether from all Spanish cities their
most characteristic lOwly bring from Genoa
and Naples their most picturesque
fishermen; hunt Tangier and Fee
for weirdest Berber, Khabyle, Moor and
Jew; and drag-uet tie entire Mediterra-
mean shoals for waterside folk that looked
the fisher, smuggleT and pirate In Que
and thread among MI these the scarlet
and blue of thousands Of the sodiery and
artlllerymen of the great fortress, you
would still have no more varied, change
ful, weird and cOlOrful scene than at any
hour of any day your eyes may behold, from
the Almeda Garden below the Moorish
Tower. down through the waterproof street,
in this Moorish-built. Spanish-fnished and
English-held olden fortress town.
CoIlrf0hL 1892 EDGAR L. MAREuAN