Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21
GATE To LANDING MOLE


voyage for the sake of the voyage itself but to
the great majority there is no music so sweet
a. the sound Of the great anchor going over
board. after eight days of the discomforts of
steamer life For our little party from Wash
ington this tune was played about 4 o'clock ON
Monday morning, and right gladly we heard it,
A few hours later the steamer was to proceed
on Its way TO Genoa. its final destination but a
score or more intended to leave az Gibraltar.
and good many OF the other passengers awaited
themselves OF the opportunity to take a hasty
drive around the town, that there were per-
haps hundred or mere to go on shore. In the
gray of the early morning all was hustle and
confusion on board. but the view that met the
eye from the deck was beautiful beyond words.
Vessels are not allowed to come up to the land
but are compelled to anchor some distance of
shore.
THE BAY rs SUPERB,
but one turns instinctively toward the rock
Rising as il does directly and abruptly from
the sea, its every line brought into strong re-
lief against the eastern sky, where iay is lust
beginning to break. IL makes a most inspiring
spectacle. It's general contour, coupled with
the knowledge that the whole mountain is but a
vast armed fortress. strongly suggests the idea
OF a couchant hon, 10 which the rock has been
so often and so fifty compared: not a sleeping
hon, but q watchful brute. ready to spring at
ANY alarm. IL has been hsened To a sphinx with
its dreamy eyes fastened upon Africa, which
can be seen across the strait.
The Bay OF Gibraltar Is formed by two points
OF hnd-EurOpa Point on the rock and Cabrita
in Spain to the west. Ii is about eight miles
deep and i've miles across and is surrounded on
all sides by rugged mountain chains. The
anchorage for ships is admirable as the only
exposure IL toward the southwest As rule
one or more of the great English men-of-war are
anchored in the bay or tied up alongside of the
new mole. which runs out into the water for n
distance of about 100 feet. Flags of almost
every nation In the world. excepting the United
ssstes, are TO be seen in the harbor, which is
nleo with shipping and presents a lively pic
ture.
THE LANDING.
But long before the traveller can think Of all
this the baggage is out of the hold and the
problem Of going ashore has arisen. Most Of
the passengers were taken onto a good-sized
steam launch but we were not in so much of a
hurry as We were not coming back again and
were 30 fortunate as to be crowded out. The
idea Of landing in sunny Spain from an
ordinary everyday tug boat with the very I'M
Spanish name OF Dolly. had about IL too little
of the ''locsl color to be at all attractive. 1t
was vastly more becoming to be rowed in a
great open boat, manned by quartet of pic
turesque villains in brilliant shirts and gorgeous
sashes- Their command of English was limited
In the extreme, but their mastery of a choice
line OF Spanish left nothing to be desired A
more voluble lot II would be impossible to find
Each man knew just how every other man ought
10 use his oar. and all seemed to know vastly
more about steering the boat than the man at
the helm From the manner in which they said
many Of the things they said were led to be-
believe that their remarks were eminently i'm
proper and should never have been uttered in
the presence Of ladies' 1t seemed as though
they could not possibly avoid coming TO blows
before they got the boat ashore. Further sx-
perience with the class, however. has shown
that that conversation was. by comparison, Of
the most peaceful description.
IN THE HANDS OF THE SHORE MOB.
II the crew Of the transport was a noisy one
the crowd in waiting on the landing place was
ten times worse. There were more carriages
than there were Passengers and more porters
than pieces of luggage, 30 that competition
of carrying on by main force whether we
would or no, and all managed TO make their
escape into the carriages that were in waiting
These vehicles are unique, being small two
seated Affairs, shaped something on the order
of a NINA t,ire double victoria and so small
that the two people on the front seat usually
and il more comfortable to let their feet hang
out the side. They are drawn either by a dom
key or small ponies and are driven by Span
iards. who calmly puff their everlasting cigar
cite smoke back upon their passengers. No
difficulty IL met with in passing baggage into
the city, the only question asked by the
authorities is whether il contains any spirits or
6rearms.
At the gate of entrance we were stopped BY o
police magistrate, who presented each one with
. printed ticket granting q permit TO reside
within the city for the next twenty-four hours.