Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-17

Slowly the portentous rock was revealed
the distance 1essened, the light increased
The red signal m rked the point projecting
furthest into the famous strait. TIL,
spark to the right was on the African shore
now plainly outlined. The hill that is the
southerly Pillar of Hercules, booming OF
the horizon, commands attention, and there
are granGer Jumps of mountain swelling tt
the right 1t was with sense of something
eventful in ones experience to catch thii
glimpse, the first, and all probability the
last, Of the huge continent, the most dark
some and mysterious on the globe-tht
continent of the Nile and the Congo-o
Egypt, Ethiopia, and the opposed race fol
whom is foreshadowed a glorious vindica
tion in an immense destiny.
The Middle of the Earth.
We had at last crossed the ocean, and
were at the historic portal of the splendid
sea in the middle of the earth-the sea
whose shores are three continent-the
waters whose surf whitens the front OF
Egypt and Palestine, the isles and
peninsulas of Greece, the venerable mar
bles of Athens and Venice, the ruins OF
Carthage, the Bay of Naples, and that re-
ceive the yellow Tiber, rich with the recol-
lections of gigantic, overshadowing Rome.
| Here is the mid-ocean that borders with
| Alps-bound Italy, and for foothold upon
which the prodigious Empire of Russia has
for centuries passionatelv longed in vain.
All the wav over we had never heard one
| hideous blast from the foghorn, and the in
experienced travellers did not know the hap
piness of the omission. The signal light
! was given that the Fulda, of the German
! feet, that sweeps all the seas, had arrived
! Then our steam whistle found its awful
| voice, and such blast was blown as would
have interrupted the thunders of the battle
of the Nile. Another big ship had just ar
rived, and was Swarming, smoking and
steaming near US She had four masts-the
foremast with yardarms. Her name was the
Oceanic, and she was from Australia, by
way of the Suez Canal and the Straits of
Gibraltar, for England. While We were
tossing in the Western Atlantic, this ship
he'd been plowing the Indian Ocean and the
Red Sea; and so we find the Bay of Gibraltar
the halfway house between the Old and the
New, and there is feeling that the stately
rock before us is the magnetic center of the
affairs of our race.
Rejofces the Heart of the Briton.
When we found our waiting place the
ship was surrounded BY boats, the first of
which were manned by enterprising traders,
and soon there was brisk trade in Spanish
fans and handkerchiefs, pictures, with the
beauties OF the land and the Drawn Of the
bull fighters in their gaudy dresses, spangled
and bedizened. Close at hand was the
break water, and behind it the big British
ironclad, Thunderer, ready at any hour to
justify her name. The British colors flew
from her foremast. and the cross of st.
George never had looked to be quite so
brilliant and formidable Among our pas
sengers were Britons and Canadians ladies
and gentlemen, and they were radiant with
pride. There is no spot over which the
British standard flies that so appeals to the
glory and vanity of England, or that SO ad-
vertises the plenitude of her power as this,
anG the subjects of Her Majesty the Queen
and Empress have a right to exult that they
are of a nation whose strong hand is felt in
every land.
AS ore studies the rock it appears to
grow. Upon its summit the signal station
is conspicuous. The roads cut in the steep
places wind to the summit, and as they
ascend the loftiest peak are like the threads
of screw There are dividing walls whose
use is not apparent, and some of the great
cisterns that are the reservoirs for rain
water are conspicuous The town is con-
siderable, but not imposing, and the general
effect is pleasing. There are gardens in
which the palm tree lifts its Oriental head,
and even as seen through an opera glass it
tells of the tawny deserts and the immortal
rivers of the East and South, and you know
that its palm leaves whisper in dreams of
Asia
Friendships OF Long Voyage.
There seem to be no tugs at Gibraltar, and
their absence allows room for abundant
boats that are commocious enough, though
they seem slight before the stupendous sur
roundings. No one needs be alarmed be-
cause the landing at Gibraltar is by boat.
The service is cheap, the baggage deity
handled, and the ladies have the enjoyment
of the idea of adventure without danger or
discomfort. Here began the partings that are
more acute, as a rule, than would seem to be
wholly warranted by short acquaintance,
but the companionship of long voyages and
the certainty of speedy separations are be-
cuiling; and there is always sadness to say
goodby, goodby, to bright and friendly
faces, with the consciousness that the
chances are thousand to one that the
words and smiles exchanged are last adieu,
farewell forever. 1t is fare thee we'll, and
If forever, still forever fare the well
The British have held Gibraltar since |
1704. The Spaniards took it from the Moors |
80 years before the discovery of America. |
The rock is 213 miles north and south, three |
quarters Of q mile in breadth, and 1887 |
feet high. The signal station is 1894 feet |
high. There is communication with Malta |
by telegraph, 1,05O miles. The familiar |
view of Gibraltar gives the town and west |
ern face. The southern and eastern view is |
far more striking. The north is precipice |
the rock of land that connects with the |
continent is narrow and low, almost invisi- |
bic from the sea- The general impression |
is that the rock is an island The bay was |
a surprise in its extent. The southern face |
Of the rock shows a crescent of precipices,
like the Palisades on the Hudson but high |
er. The indications are that the place is in |
accessible. Here the celebrated monkeys |
live, and are protected. They are the des- |
cendants of those who peopled the same |
steep places when the rock was the Mons |
Calpe of the Phoenecians and the GibeI |
Tarik of the Arabs. Steam power and IRON |
clads have reduced the Importance of the |
rock in actual war, but not its political sig |
nihcance.
Delights of the Mediterranean.
A picture grand and lovely was in the
west as We entered the Mediterranean Sea-
the mare internum" of the ancients. The |
rock was superb, its rugged outlines show
ing against a luminous sky, and framed in /
heecy clouds touched with dazzling coIors.
The photographs and engravings do not tell
the whole story of grandeur and of lowell
ness. On the lett the Spanish shore was
strongly defined On the right the African
hills were presently indistinct, and then
ost There was inexpressible charm in the
Iuiet scintillant sea, and the soft low wind
hat gave the CLASSY space about us a silken
ripple. Hours passed and we were off the
Moorish coast, and knew that Malaga was
1t the head of the indentation in the coast
lcross which we were streaming and that