The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-24

nelgnt seem IKE ucilCately pcnclicu itoh"'
of shadow upon the radiant waters blue
Down there between the two moles you
see the fiat roofs Of the city crouching DC
meath the crags. At its northern end JUST
abreast Of the Old Mole, and well up tne
mountain side. which on the west u 'cS'
precipitous than elsewhere, stands n nuge
Moorish tower, just 1850 years old' Dui's
by the first Moorish invaders, and the most
ancient perfectly preserved relic OF Nlosicn'
rule in Spain. 1t Is almost entire IN its
massive strength. though honeycohoeu by
innumerable cannon balls, while its great
Tower of Homage is now a powder maya
zine and modern barracks and officers
quarters with pleasai~ gardens I'LL the
area within it's ancient walls.
No the south Africa seems but a step
across a cleaning pool. To the east there
r. only the vast Mediterranean, dotted with
many strange aud curious craft. To the
west the sight ranges over a beautiful and
picturesque harbOr scene, with every man
ner Of ship that floats, from the leyiathan
~man-of-war to the lateen sailed ~felucca, in
cludinc n half dozen American schOOners
and banks with their shapely hulls and
slender spars. and rests beyond the waters
Of the BAY upon the orcling Spanish shore.
There is Cabrita Point, d%arkening grimly
against a background Of fame where the
setting sun floods the entrance from the
Atlantic. Around to the northwest Al
geciras ghostlike lifts through the pur-
Ming pail. To the north "A score Of villas
and villages, pink or white as the light
and shadows changefully play upon them
show. like the ivory beds Of a rosary,
--.s.r4 ~,rfvou - ol,og oy1 tnQoupC Of VINE
yards: the whole with a background OF
billowy foothill, dark then blue, then pur
pie and finally an opaline misty dream
where the peaks Of the Spanish sierras
blend with the far horizon Of the north.
All this is what one can see at III H0cho
upon the heights of Gibraltar; but what
wraiths of history. mythic and real, crowd
from the past upon the wondrous scene
This spot where you stand, and towering
Apes Hill, across the Strait in Africa,
were the olden Pillars Of Hercules. Down
beneath you at Europa Point Is the very
spot where the divine bull rested from hs
flight with Europa, TO whom the continent
owes It's name. Just across the Strait al
Ceuta, the traitorous Count Julian, out
law from ROderick's licentiOus Toledo
court, first betrayed Spain 20 the Moslems.
The resultant invasion under command oil
Tarek Ibn Zeyad, then chief Of the garrl'
son of Tangier, gave to the rock the name
Gibel-al- Tarek, mountain OF TareS' cor
rupted to the Gibraltar of today.
Then for 700 years it was a mount OF
death and glory for Spaniard and Moor IN
their desperate contentious whlle Jhe
treasure and lives it has cost since first the
cross Of St. George waved above IL IN IfU
would enrich and people a kingdom. one
knows anew with startling clearness the
history Of European and Moslem struggles
in the musings and memories OF such q
spot. But the sunset gun has belched lts
flame and thunder toward the red Allan
tics breast; the lights twinkle from the
Spanish villages around the bay and. cir
cling TO the mountains base, bring q
rosy glow TO city and harbOr craft beneath.
You wend your way downward 10 the ter
raced town. past briskly moving sentinels
crisp with duty and challenges, leaving
the grim mountain top behind, melodious
with bugle notes echoing and re-echolne
their songful mimicry Of war from harboi
sid to darkened clefts Of bleak and serrled
heights.
Ii Gibraltar were not a unique and tht
most gigantic fortress in the world, II
would still be a spot of rarest interest and
charm 10 the traveller. The scenic beau
ties from any portion Of the embattled
mountain are not surpassed IN the whole
. 900 miles reach OF the Mediterranean.
Two continents and three kingdoms are
here within cannon hot Of wherever
Won may stand. The rides and drives
into the most luxuriant and fruitful por.
ton Of southern Spain, all within a
days journey, bring within observation
and enjoyment every feature OF high OF
low Spanish life which could be studied IN
a tourney from France TO Portugal.
And hen the rock and city Of Gibraltar
themselves, contrary TO prevalent notions,
are each in their way wonderful and win.
some studies of still and human life. The
b~otanist can find upon the sides of this one
rock over 800 distinct species of vegetable
life in flower, shrub. lichen, moss and vine.
Tn tiny gardens are ablaze even IN winter
with gorgeous color and bloom. Far up
the heights the walled and winding road
WAYS are bordered with masses OF green
and blossom.
The washerwomen dry their clothes on
hedges Of geranium. Theprickly pear and
cactus grow 70 enormous size. The aloe
regrs it's central shoots, with lateral
branches, like spears Of gigantic aspara
gus. Huge oleanders glow above every
terraced garden wall. The night blooming
cereus grows In splendid luxuriance, re
sembling mammoth water lilies with dell'
cate anthers OF gold. Everywhere with
leaves Of glossy green, flowers Of bridal
white and fruit Of gold, the orange tree
limiting Of tropical cline, bestows It's wei
come shade and delicate scents. wanton II
the prodigality with which all nature here
seems TO rival historic interest and grand,
SURPRISING scene.
And of the city, 1t has 10000 souls ex
elusive of the 5000 10 600 officers and men
OF the garrison. Terrace on terrace II
threads along the waters edge. IL Is Il
mass of archways, stairs, subterrahean
thorOughfares, spiral passages, viaducts'
yaulting fOOtWays, narrow vlstas UrOAeh
by q%uaintest corners, angles, balconies
and roofs, and altogether the stran9est:
most curious and most winsOme JumDle OF
human habitations and t~horQughiares
men ever built 20 shelter men and trade.
Then Of the folk of Gibraltar; were you
70 get together from all Spanish cltles tnelf
most characteristic lowly, BRING from ue'
nOa and Naples their most picturesque nsn
ermen, hunt Tangier and hez lor WelruesS
Berber, Kahbayle, Moor ana Jew, anu
dragnet the entire Mediterranean SHORES
for waterside folk that looked the Usher,
smuggler and pirate in one, threau
among all these the scarlet and blue OF
thousands of the soldiery and artillerymen
of the great fortress, you would still nave
"A no more varied chanpeful weird and